Curly's Photo and Fishing Blog
Monday, July 14, 2008
Strong Winds Hurt Weekend
Hurricane winds this weekend along with a cold front sunday but a damper on fishing this weekend. I have not heard any good reports this week so far as most say fishing was very sparse this weekend. Bluegill are moving into deeper water with crickets and waxworms working best. Walleye have been hitting crawlers and leeches good when fisherman can get out.
FISHING CONDITIONS ON LAKES CADILLAC AND MITCHELL
FROM PILGRIM VILLAGE FISHING SHOP
Itâ??s time to change. Although many of the gills still have eggs in them, larger ones are being caught in deeper water. Lots of numbers in the shallows, but you have to sort. Best chances for slabs are the drop offs near the sand bars where we did so well earlier. The deep water roaches (big, almost black gills) have started spawning. Some have found them fishing with jigs tipped with leeches. Cody Zammit nailed a Master Angler size one while on his vacation.
Got Swimbaits? Bass fishermen are catching swimbait fever. Presentations vary. Some are nosing them along the bottom. Others swim them slowly, searching for suspending bass. Swim baits originated in California and are catching on in our lakes. Many bass are feeding on bluegills so match the color of your baits to their colors. Match the hatch. Using artificials or live bait, bass fishing has been good on both lakes. Tom Ihlenfeldt from Livonia is pictured with a pair caught on Lake Mitchell. He practices catch and release while on vacation and caught big numbers. Cadillac resident Jim Scott preferred fishing Lake Cadillac and is seen with a great large mouth.
Walleyes are being caught on both lakes. However, no numbers. Usually itâ??s one here, one there. Theyâ??re always good size, just no limits. Lately Mitchell has been the better lake. Robby Bell from Jenison was happy with his Lake Mitchell catch, an 18 incher. Look at the smile on Kyle Toddâ??s face. He caught an 18 ½ inch walleye, also on Lake Mitchell.
Jeff Leatherman and John Petrovich worked over the crappies on Lake Cadillac. They know where they suspend and catch them any time of the day. For the rest of us, mornings and evenings have been the best. The east side of Cadillac has been the most consistent area for them. This has been the best spot all summer.
Pike are eating almost anything thrown in front of them. No tricks here. Live bait, plugs, spinner baits and grubs are all working. Most have been in the 26 - 28 inch range with lots of numbers. Tom Ihlenfeldt is pictured again with two that he was about to release.
Detailed maps of current fish conditions are available at the Pilgrim Village Fishing Shop. Stop in.