Newbie questions.

[DetectorGuy]

Hi, and welcome to the dive community,
I think the Ore B Gon and Crosby/Ironton mine pits would be a great place to gain experience as the water is usually fairly clear, and Crosby and Ore B Gon offer multiple sites well above the recreational limits. The only sucky thing about diving there versus a closer lake is these two areas may spoil you and make you not want to dive closer to the cities. If you spend a year or two diving in the closer lakes with 10' visibility (or less), and then later dive in a lake (mine pit) that has 30' to 40', you will appreciate the things the smaller murkier lakes have to offer. If you start out at the pits for a few dives... you may not even want to dive in a lake with only 10' visibility. Its entirely up to you though.
If you don't mind the drive, the mine pits have a whole bunch to see above the 50' deep level (beaver lodges, helicopters, planes, jeeps, cars, boats, speeders, mining equipment, and most importantly fish). In the mine pits, I don't think I have seen any fish below 50'.
John