Curly's Photo and Fishing Blog
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Laughing Whitefish Falls
Here a photo from last year shooting waterfalls with Rick Baetsen near Munising and is called Laughing Whitefish Falls. Here is the fishing report also.
We had a nice weekend last week, but the Tip of Michigan got 5 inches of rain and washout roads saturday. The fish are still biting on the inland lakes with salmon fishing getting hot with cut bait working best. Light numbers of salmon have started to move into some rivers however the big spawning run is still a few weeks away. Warmer weather improved walleye fishing.
Sturgeon Joe at Otsego Lake is saying fishing is good on Otsego Lake with some perch being caught. Also surronding lakes have a good bite. The pan fish action is decent on Bradford and Big lakes jigging with worms. A sad note in the Gaylord area Don’s Sport Shop is closing this month and have been in business since the 50’s. How times are changing and your small businesses will no longer be serving the sportsman.
Dave at Four Season Party Store in Houghton Lake says off of Long Point the walleye bite is still good with leeches and crawlers working best with a bobber. More little walleye are being caught this week so not the limit catches like a couple of weeks ago but still a good bite. The bass are still biting great. He has four special crawlers harness that he ties that are working great.There is a landing across the street( 16 foot fishing boats or smaller as the lake has dropped a foot)from him but no parking, but if you buy your supplies from him he will let you park in his vacent lot across from the landing and put you on the fish.
Call him at 989-422-5230 his address is 9613 E Houghton Lake Dr, Houghton Lake, MI 48629.
Saginaw Bay - Walleye fishing is still good around the end of the shipping channel, the dumping grounds west of the shipping channel, the Callahan Reef, and the Slot. If fishing around weedbeds, try trolling crawler harnesses without bottom bouncers in order to keep the bait above the weeds. This works best in 8 to 10 feet of water where the weedbeds are thickest. All ports are still producing fish, but early morning is the most productive. A few perch are starting to show up about a mile west of the Spark Plug in 20 feet of water. Perch were running 7 to 9 inches for the most part, with a few up to 13 inches. Those trolling for walleye were picking up the occasional large perch on crawler harnesses.
Mullett Lake -Anglers are targeting perch, bass and pike, with a few rainbow trout being taken. Some walleye were caught near the Sunken Islands and neddle point in 50 to 75 feet of water when trolling crawler harnesses.
Burt Lake - Burt Lake in Alanson has anglers trolling during the evening hours with great success, mostly using crawlers. Inland lakes are giving up plenty of blue gill.
Lake Margrethe a decent number of walleye are being taken in about 18 feet of water using leeches or crawlers on a jig head. Perch are biting great also on minnows. Anglers are also catching a few pike as well. Also the gills have started to bite on waxworms and worms.
Higgins Lake -Rock bass have been caught everywhere. Warm weather had the perch hitting out around Treasure Island and the area called the “Table Top”. Lake trout have been caught when trolling cowbells with body baits.
Houghton Lake - Walleye were being caught but catch rates for pike slowed. Smaller bluegills are shallow while the bigger fish were suspended in deeper water.
Lake Charlevoix -Fishing for salmon is still hit and miss. Warm water has most anglers running spoons and dipsy divers down to 100 feet and deeper. An occasional steelhead has also been taken running high lines. Lake trout fishing has been good with many 6 to 8 pound fish. A few nice smallmouth bass have been taken in the Pine River Channel on worms and lures.
Lake Bellaire -Walleye anglers are trolling near the access sites and the narrows with crawler harnesses, spoons, or stick baits. Some caught fish when jigging leeches or crawlers. Small to medium bass were caught near the mouth of the river and along the west side of the lake. Anglers are casting tube baits, crank baits or plastics. Pike are hitting on spinners or stick baits in 15 feet of water. Yellow perch were caught but most were small.
Lake Skegemog near Kalkaska is producing bass and pan fish on wax worms, night crawlers, sucker and perch minnows. Elk Rapids Dam has some nice blue gill fishing available. Guernsey Lake has decent trout activity.
Elk River - The action has slowed with only a few smallmouth bass caught.
Boardman River - Had slow fishing except for some rock bass, carp and smallmouth bass found just below the Union Street Dam.
Lake Leelanau - Perch fishing has been good this week when they can get out with minnows working best. Some walleye are being caught on crawlers
Long Lake by Traverse City has been slow and many are fishing hard but little success
Lake Missaukee - Pan fishing improved and lots of pike have been caught with bass and walleye biting on leeches.
Portage Lake -Panfish action was a little better however the bluegills and sunfish were still deep. Try crawlers in 20 to 30 feet of water near the center of the lake. Anglers trolling at night caught a few walleye on crawler harnesses and those trolling during the day caught pike. Bass fishing has been very good in the morning with good numbers of smallmouth caught on crank baits near the piers and the shipwreck. Largemouth bass were caught on plastics in 7 feet of water along the weed beds.
Manistee -Salmon fishing has been good, when anglers can get out. Both the fish and the thermocline are more than 100 feet down. J-Plugs and meat rigs were good in the early morning and late evening. Pier fishing was poor due to warm water however night casting with glow spoons did mange to catch a few chinook.
Ludington -Anglers are catching salmon but the fish are deep. Look for the thermocline. Try spoons, meat rigs or J-Plugs. Pier fishing was slow due to all the warm water. First and last light are the best times for pier anglers to catch chinook. Night anglers casting glow spoons have caught a few fish.
Brevort Lake near Allenville and north of St. Ignace is producing walleye and anglers are doing well when they can get out. Wind, rain and chilly temperatures limited angling activity this week but the weekend is looking up.
Manistique anglers are dealing with chilly temperatures and rain this week, but when anglers can get out the fishing is good on Indian Lake for decent counts of walleye. Good fishing off of the Manistique area on Lake Michigan where the salmon and trout are active. Spoons are working in just about every color. Good luck to all anglers fishing in the 24th Annual Manistique Area Salmon and Trout Derby this weekend. Call 1-800-342-4282 or 906-341-5241 for information.
Little Bay De Noc-Walleye catches were up for anglers trolling or drifting crank baits or crawlers in 20 to 35 feet of water along the southern sections. Good bass fishing in 14 to 25 feet of water off Stonington and in 10 to 20 feet of water off the mouth of the Ford River. Salmon action was fair in the Aronson Island channel and out by the Ford River Buoy with glow spoons 60 to 70 feet down in 80 feet of water.
Big Bay De Noc-Lots of walleye were marked north of Round Island but few fish were caught. Those able to catch fish were trolling crank baits in 25 to 30 feet of water. Excellent bass fishing in Ogontz, Ansell’s Point and Garden Bluff when drifting or casting tube baits or crank baits in 18 to 33 feet of water. Small perch were caught in Ogontz and Garden Bay. Off Fairport, salmon have been caught out in the “Gap” when trolling glow spoons and flies 60 to 80 feet down in 80 to 90 feet of water.
Grand Marais - Anglers are catching lake trout and salmon.
Perch Lake - Which is 25 miles north of Newberry in Luce County will temporarily close the Boating Access Site beginning August 31st through September 17th due to reconstruction of the boat ramp and parking lot. The site will be open for public use during the Labor Day weekend.
Cedarville and Hessel -Pier anglers at Hessel are still taking some nice pike while those trolling or casting have caught pike, smallmouth bass and perch. Snows Channel and Musky Bay are still good for pike. Warmer water in Cedarville Bay caused an increase in catch rates for perch, but the pike fishing slowed. Those trolling for trout and salmon are still heading out towards Goose Island.