Curly's Photo and Fishing Blog
Fishing Report for 1-13-11
We have safe ice most places with a few deep lakes still not safe. Most are reporting a good bite most places with. Anglers have reported seeing large numbers of small dead or distressed fish at various locations around the state, but most notably in Saginaw Bay, the Saginaw River, Lake St. Clair and the St. Clair River, the lower Rouge River, and Lake Erie. These fish are gizzard shad, a forage fish that is seasonally important in the diet of walleye and many other sport fish. They hatch out in astronomical numbers, especially during hot summers and a large number of the young fish that hatch are not hardy enough to survive their first winter. The die-off is the result of natural conditions and has been well documented over many years.
Check out the facebook fishing report
Northwest:
Green Lake by Interlochen is producing smelt off the music camp, glow hali’s tipped with spikes and waxworms working best.
Manistee Lake -Has a good pike bite right now with a few perch being caught
Lake Missaukee - Has ice and anglers are doing well on panfish. Some limit catches were reported. Pike have been taken on tip-ups and by spear.
Cadillac Area: Lake Cadillac -Fishing has been running hot and cold. One day everyone does well with limits or near limits of their targeted species. The next day you may not believe there’s a fish in the lakes. The pattern for success has been early mornings - starting in the dark, slower bite through the day and picking up again late afternoons. Panfish are coming from both lakes with anglers focusing on the Coves on Mitchell or The Causeway on the west side of Cadillac. Limits are not uncommon.
Some of the local fishermen are doing well on walleye. Their choice of tackle has been light line tip-ups baited with medium sized blue shiners. Jigging Rapalas are also taking their share. We’ve seen impressive numbers and better then average size for our lakes. Lake Mitchell has been more consistent then Lake Cadillac with even a limit or two.
Fife Lake they are catching perch and pike.
Clam Lake some nice pike being caught.
Manistee Lake by Kalkaska is producing some perch and walleye as the snow has settled.
Little Glen is producing pike and perch.
Lake Leelanau has a good perch and walleye bite on the south end with some trout and walleye coming off the north-end. For bigger bluegills, try the south lake.
Long Lake is producing walleye and perch but the catch the catch rate has slowed this week.
Portage lake is safe with some pike being caught with some perch and walleye. They have a fishing contest there this week
Skegemog is producing some nice catches of perch and big pike with wigglers working best.
Lake Bellaire they are just starting to venture out on and a few walleye being caught.
Around Leroy has safe ice with a good pike bite and panfish.
Lake Charlevoix - Anglers are fishing the South Arm for walleye.
Intermediate Lake - In Antrim County also has walleye anglers targeting the south end of the lake.
Manistee River -Not a lot of reports have come in since the return of arctic weather. Those brave enough to head out should still find some steelhead to catch.
Some are starting to get back out on Mullet, Black and Burt but be very careful.
Spider and Arbutus Lake by TC have been good for panfish
Haymarsh Lakes - In Mecosta County, were producing limit catches of bluegill.
Northeastern Lower Peninsula
Higgins Lake -Is froze over and many are going out off the south-end and table top eight inches of ice on the south-end, only a few venturing off the west access site and only going out a few feet to fish for rainbows. I was there today and nobody was at the west site as the ice is still thin but it should be safe soon. Two snowmobiles went through the ice near the access site on the west shore. Anglers walking out to the drop off have caught lake trout, yellow perch and smelt.
Houghton Lake -Has safe ice with lots of small pike and walleye being caught. The reports have been very good. Dave at Four Season Party Store in Houghton Lake is catching walleye and will give you info where his shanty is you can call or visit him at his store phone# 989-422-5230. Also he has started to rent shanties this week so give him a call. Also Dave got a shipment of Otter shanties in for sale.
Tawas - Perch fishing was slow and required lots of sorting. A few bigger fish were caught on wigglers in 15 feet of water. Walleye anglers can not get out to deep water yet due to unsafe ice conditions. A few pike have been speared or taken on tip-ups however spearing has been hampered by murky water.
Lake Margrethe has ice and the fishing has been very good for perch, a few walleye and pike.
Otesego Lake they are catching pike, walleye also some perch, Bradford Lake a few are getting out perch fishing. Chub lake trout have been biting on blues
Harrison report all the lakes are froze and have safe ice with panfish and pike biting great with first ice.
Lake St Helen has a good pike and panfish bite with a few walleyes being caught.
West Branch has safe ice with many pike and gills being caught.
Wixom Lake has been hot with many fishing off the access site reporting limit catches of gills and many pike. Crappie have started to bite.
Grand Lake - Some anglers were out ice fishing for perch however catch rates were slow and the fish were running small.
Long Lake - Try tip-ups with a minnow on the bottom for northern pike. Those looking for perch will want to fish along the north and south shores.
Mullett Lake - Anglers are just starting to get out near Topinabee, Round Point, and Dodge Point. A few perch were caught on minnows. Pike and musky spearing were slow. The ice was not as thick on the west side of the lake.
Hubbard Lake - Is producing a few walleye.
McCollum Lake - In Oscoda County, is producing good numbers of panfish.
Sugar Springs, Wiggins and
Upper Peninsula
Lake Gogebic - Is yielding fair catches of walleye and perch at dusk.
Little Bay De Noc - Has thicker ice throughout the northern bay and a little less in the southern sections and down to the shipping docks. Extreme caution needs to be used. Some are driving vehicles out in the northern bay however this can be extremely dangerous and is not recommended. Best travel is by foot. The area from the Terrace Bay Inn and south to the shipping docks is DANGEROUS, as ships were still traveling in and out of the bay. As for fishing, the early season perch fishing was good but has slowed over the last week. Best areas were near Kipling off the west bank when jigging minnows or wigglers in 11 to 21 feet of water, off the Day’s River in 8 to 19 feet of water and just south of the Narrows in 24 to 30 feet of water. Walleye fishing was also very good but tapered off this week. Best area to fish was off Gladstone in the channel in 28 to 33 feet of water when jigging or using tip-ups with minnows. Night anglers reported good catches off the First and Second Reefs. Northern pike spearing was good at the head of the bay in 10 to 16 feet of water south and east of the Day’s River. Several whitefish were taken in 35 feet of water out from the Terrace Bay Inn however extreme caution needs to be used in this area.
Indian Lake - Ice conditions are poor near the mouth of the Indian River, just north of the West Shore beach and just north or south of the Lange’s Bay launch. There is a large pressure crack running north and south down the middle of the lake. Perch between 6 and 10 inches have been caught on jigs or tip-ups with minnows. The walleye bite was slow but a few were caught on Swedish Pimples with a minnow or perch rigs. Try near the golf course or further north near the center of the lake.
Manistique Lake - Is producing some small pike.
Munuscong Bay - Has very good perch fishing in shallow waters up to 5 feet deep. Minnows work best. Walleye fishing was slow.
Drummond Island - Also had excellent perch fishing in Scotts Bay and north of Monahan’s old dock.
Cedarville and Hessel - Perch fishing was fair to good for those using wigglers in 10 to 14 feet of water in Musky Bay or minnows in 8 to 12 feet in Hessel Bay. Anglers reported seeing big schools of perch swimming under the ice. Be sure to use caution and stay away from the points. There is ice however ice picks and life jackets are still recommended.
Southeast Lower Peninsula
Lake Erie - Those fishing in Brest Bay were able to make it out to 15 feet of water but could not get out to 19 feet of water which is where the walleye should be. The Metro Park Marina was still producing bluegills around the docks and perch in the main channel. Spikes and wax worms for bluegills, wigglers and shiners for perch
Huron River - Is still producing some steelhead. The river is starting to freeze so fish near the dams where there is open water.
Detroit River - Has perch fishing in and around the canals near Gibraltar. Airport Bay also a good spot for perch however anglers had to work a little harder.
Lake St. Clair - Ice anglers are catching lots of perch but many are small. Try the access sites near the Clinton River Cut-off, Selfridge and Fairhaven.
Lexington - Anglers were still pulling in some rainbow trout and perch. The rainbow trout are averaging 18 to 20 inches long.
Port Sanilac - A few are venturing out on the south side of the harbor where a couple nice brown trout and a small rainbow trout were caught.
Saginaw Bay - Ice conditions are questionable all over Saginaw and Tawas bays, with active pressure cracks at many locations. Anglers are advised to use great caution and confine their fishing to daylight hours. Cracks open and close with changes in wind conditions, and you can not see what is happening if it is dark. Gizzard shad are popping up in the holes at many locations, and they are doing what they always do at this time of year, dying! Walleye fishing will be more difficult as long as there is an abundance of these forage fish out there. Perch were caught in waters up to 8 feet deep off Pine River and Palmer Roads, but the bite was slow. Underwater cameras can see the perch down there, but most are not biting. Those fishing off Linwood need to be very careful due to cracks in the ice. Walleye anglers are getting a lot of small fish off Linwood and the Bay City State Park. The bigger fish are out deep however the ice is not safe that far out. Perch were caught near Spoils Island but anglers need to be extremely careful of the ice near the mouth of the Saginaw River. A couple perch were caught off Vanderbilt Park near Quanicassee. A few walleye were taken off Vanderbilt and also from the Slot off Thomas Road in 14 feet of water. Slow fishing at Sebewaing except for a few perch and bluegills taken out of the marina basin. Perch fishing was spotty off Geiger Road with most anglers staying inside the islands.
Saginaw River - Anglers are just now creeping out on the ice however you need to be very careful. Near Ojibway Island, walleye anglers are getting more sub-legals than keepers. Anglers are also fishing both upstream and downstream of the Zilwaukee Bridge. It is important to note that M-13 between Bay City and Saginaw is closed this winter, and will hamper angler access throughout that part of the river. Some are starting to fish off the Cass Avenue launch site at the south end of Bay City, but be careful of ice conditions. From Cass Avenue north there is no ice fishing activity until the area north and east of the Independence Bridge, where anglers there are just getting started.
Tittabawassee River - There is no fishing activity at this time as there is too much ice for a boat, but not enough to stand on.
Southwest Lower Peninsula
St. Joseph River - Fishing was slow except for a few small walleye being caught.
Grand River at Grand Rapids - Steelhead fishing has slowed considerably but walleye were still being caught. Off Fulton Street, try bucktail jigs. Shore anglers and those trolling are using rapalas. Anglers need to use caution and watch for ice coming over the dam.
Grand River at Lansing - A few pike were caught below the North Lansing Dam and walleye at Moore’s Park.
Lake Lansing - Is producing good numbers of pike on tip-ups with sucker minnows. Crappies were hitting on pink spikes or minnows.
Sessions Lake - Has good crappie fishing for those using emerald shiners. Walleye fishing was fair.
Reeds Lake - Is producing good numbers of panfish and pike.
Duck Lake - In Calhoun County, is producing good numbers of panfish.
Randall Lake - In Branch County has perch and panfish.
Marble Lake - Also has perch and panfish being caught.
FISHING CONDITIONS ON LAKES CADILLAC AND MITCHELL FROM PILGRIM VILLAGE FISHING SHOP 231-775-5412
FISHING CONDITIONS ON LAKES CADILLAC AND MITCHELL
FROM PILGRIM VILLAGE FISHING SHOP
The ice is good and the fish are cooperating. Snowmobiles and quads travel on both lakes. Fishermen are exploring areas that earlier were not safe. Ice depths average 8 inches and more in many areas. It’s time for gas augers! Four strokes by Strike Master and the new four stroke propane auger by Jiffy are popular. You’ll hear them purr.
Fishing has been running hot and cold. One day everyone does well with limits or near limits of their targeted species. The next day you may not believe there’s a fish in the lakes. The pattern for success has been early mornings - starting in the dark, slower bite through the day and picking up again late afternoons.
The beautiful sunny days we’ve experienced lately have been slower then the dark, gray ones. Back to basics.
Usually nothing effects pike fishing. Time of day, weather, it seems they’re always hungry. Mitchell and Cadillac both live up to their reputation for great northern lakes, spearing or tip-ups.
Thinking walleye.
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