4th of July on Plum Lake
Great Spot to Escape the Heat
Great Spot to Escape the Heat
After some morning showings, I decided to see what it was like to hit a popular lake on a Fourth of July weekend. Plum Lake here I come...
About the Lake:
1108 acres
13.79 miles of shoreline
6.7 acres/owner (lake density)
12.03 owners/miles of shoreline (lake density)
57' max depth
16.5' Clarity
Mesotrophic
Drainage
There are a few launches on the lake. One on the south side of the lake off of County N, another on the east side near Froelich's resort, and a third on the north side of the lake off of Razorback Rd. We launched on the north side since that has a big lot and a nice drop off. The launch itself was very nice. There is a blacktop lot with lots of room for parking, a concrete ramp, a nice drop off into the water, and a solid pier to tie to when going in and out. On this day, I wasn't the only person with the idea to have some fun on Plum Lake. The launch was loaded.
Parking Lot was Plum Full
There is a lot of appeal to Plum Lake. It's a large lake with great depth and clarity. It's located in the heart of the northwoods and has a lot of state forest nearby - including a large section of state owned shoreline on the lake. It's a great lake for fishing, boating, swimming, kayaking, etc. etc. For being a relatively low density lake and area, there is a lot going on. The Plum Ski-tters water ski team has their show on the north end (at the boat launch), there is a state campground, Camp Highland for boys, and some resorts for lodging.
Boat Launch
It's not fair to judge a lake by it's busyness on a hot Fourth of July weekend. On this day Plum Lake was definitely busy. The aforementioned Plum Ski-tters were practicing for their show, there were many out on pontoon cruises, fishermen were hitting the bays trying to find a quiet spot to cast a line, canoes and kayaks were battling the waves as they hugged the shoreline, tubers and water skiiers were stirring up the waves in the middle of the lake, jet skis were out jumping those waves, homeowners were swimming by their piers and yours truly was in the middle of it all soaking it all in. While it was busy, it didn't seem like anyone was inhibited from doing what they wanted to do. It's a big lake and there appeared to be room for everyone.
Prepping for the Ski Show
The length of Plum Lake is it's most distinguishing feature. It's long from east to west, but wide enough from north to south to still allow a good flow for traffic. There are a couple of islands on the lake, plenty of bays, and nearly 14 miles of shoreline to explore. My good friend, Tom, let us tie our boat to his dock, while we took the jetboards from one end of the lake to the other. I had plans of being able to share a great video of this for you, but poor camera placement combined with an ill-timed wipe out sent the goPro to the bottom of the lake. Nonetheless, it's a great lake to be on because of all of the scenic shoreline and today it was fun to be able to watch all of the people.
It was fun getting on the water over the holiday, but I think I owe it to Plum Lake to come back again on a non-holiday weekend. I imagine the feel of the lake will be entirely different with less boats/activity. Perhaps the state-owned shoreline would be more appreciated as well as the fine homes that have been built on the lake.
Great Shoreline
At this time there are two homes this one and this one and one lot for sale on the lake. The prices are high, but the lake supports it. I particularly like the vacant lot as it's level and south-facing. You may check for current listings on Plum Lake here. If you are interested in this lake and area I recommend signing up to receive new listing notifications on the lake as well. Of course, you may always Contact Me with any questions.
Anyone visiting Plum Lake can also enjoy some off-water activities. Many enjoy the paved bike paths through Sayner that connect with the Boulder Junction bike paths. There is also the Plum Lake Golf Course which is a 9 hole course on the south side of the lake. I look forward to spending some time in Sayner enjoying the off-water activities. Of course, that would have to include a stop at the Sayner Pub as well.
If you own property on Plum Lake and want to share any insights or experiences with me, I'd welcome the information. Feel free to Contact Me any time.
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Posted By: Adam Gohlke - July 8, 2021, 5:15 p.m.