Hodenpyl Dam Pond is a 2,025-acre impoundment on the Manistee River near Mesick in northwestern Wexford County, Michigan. Created in 1924-1925 when Hodenpyl Dam was constructed, this water body stretches approximately four and a half miles long and features depths up to 60 feet. The terrain surrounding the pond is characterized by hilly mixed hardwoods and conifers, with Briar Hill, the second-highest elevation in Michigan's lower peninsula, located about five miles east. The pond's physical nature is defined by the old Manistee River channel, with deeper portions following this channel. Bottom types consist mainly of sand, organic muck in the coves, and some gravel. The pond contains abundant submerged stumps and woody debris that provide excellent fish cover but can present navigational hazards. With substantially less shoreline development than typical Michigan lakes, Hodenpyl Dam Pond offers anglers a more natural and pristine fishing experience.