Big Fish Saddlebag Lakes

Big Fish Lake, Fincher Lake, East Saddlebag Lake, and West Saddlebag Lake

Big Fish Lake, Fincher Lake, East Saddlebag Lake, and West Saddlebag Lake, connected by channels and accessible by boat, cover a total of 620 acres, including 340 acres in Big Fish with a maximum depth of 47 feet. The lakes are fed by springs and creeks with clear water that flows south from Gravel Lake and Cedar Lake to the St. Joseph River. A dam maintains water levels. All four are all-sports lakes, although most boating and personal watercraft recreation is on Big Fish while smaller lakes provide quieter areas for fishing. Anglers can catch panfish, bluegill, crappie, and walleye, and the lakes host several bass tournaments each year.
The west side of Big Fish is wetlands; the north side of the Saddlebag lakes is still farmed, and the east side of East Saddlebag Lake has Melville’s Campground. Lake homes for sale are on the southeast end of East Saddlebag Lake and the southwest corner of West Saddlebag Lake, with most of the south side wetlands or otherwise undeveloped. Finch Lake has more cottages, including large lake homes for sale in the past ten years, mostly on the north and the southwest. More than half the homes on Big Fish are occupied year-round. Older cottages are being replaced with larger homes.
A destination restaurant, The Rock at Big Fish Lake, was built on the site of an early twentieth century tavern that burned. Swiss Valley Ski & Snowboard Area is about five miles south. Acres of state gamelands nearby offer excellent hunting. Kalamazoo, with an airport, restaurants, shopping, and attractions, is 28 miles away. The lakes are about two-and-a-half hours from Chicago, one hour from Notre Dame.

The Big Fish Lake Property Owners Association (bigfishlake.org) sponsors annual welcoming, picnic, July 4 boat parade, poker run, and holiday events. A special assessment district covering Big Fish and the Saddlebags in Marcellus Township and Finch Lake in Marcellus and Volinia townships, maintains water quality.

Home prices near the lake can range from $250,000 to about $3 million. Contact Lake Life Realty to learn more about homes on Big Fish Saddlebag Lakes. We are lakefront real estate experts, and we can help you achieve your goals.

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