Curly's Photo and Fishing Blog
Monday, April 27, 2009
Wash Out Weekend
What a terrible weekend for an opener with pouring rain and lighting chasing most people home and the kid’s trout pond in Kalkaska was a bust as it kept most kids at home. It was probably the worst opener in 20 years and the weather man said great weekend of weather.
This really hurt Northern Michigan’s economy as losing an opening weekend can never be made up. Hope we can get a break soon as most want to fish and we want to sell bait. Rivers are high and perch moved out with all the bad weather but can move right back in with some sunshine.
FISHING CONDITIONS ON LAKES CADILLAC AND MITCHELL
FROM PILGRIM VILLAGE FISHING SHOP
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ã??The image of a pleasant spring day for the Trout/pike/walleye opener was only a dream. The reality of constant wind and rain kept most off our lakes and streams. The rain ended the fire danger in the surrounding forest, turned the grass green and started the morel mushrooms growing.
Very few boats could be found on either Cadillac or Mitchell Saturday or Sunday. Crappie fishing was very good prior to the weekend, but once the rain started no one seemed to care. Most will start over again once the weather dries. Panfishing should be good once the front passes through, especially along the causeway on Cadillac and the coves on Mitchell.
Itâ??s too early for a pattern on pike or walleye on either lake. No hot spot or have to have lure or bait. However, medium size minnows on jigs did account for most of the action.
No complaints about too many on the local trout streams. Like the lakes, there was no pressure. Live bait, leaf worms or Dillys seem to work the best. Brown trout were the most common in the creel.
Manistee River - There still lots of steelhead on the gravel bars. This will be ending soon as we are pass the peak. The rain did help move fish in the river. Suckers are getting thick.