Curly's Photo and Fishing Blog
Thursday, April 01, 2010
Crappie and Bluegill have a bite on
The crappie fishing is great in Houghton Lake in the canals with Long Point canals are full of nice size perch.
Over in the thumb the perch are running in the rivers and ditches and limit catches are reported. Wixom Lake has a good crappie and gill bite.
Spring fishing is just getting started. Anglers 17 years of age and older are required to have the new 2010 Michigan Fishing License by April 1st. Steelhead fishing remains good on most of the major river systems. Bluegill and crappie are starting to come alive and the sucker runs are currently underway.
Northwest:
Petoskey - The ice along the east end of Little Traverse Bay is pretty much gone. There is still some ice near the Bay View area. Docks at the boat launches were not in yet. Good steelhead fishing off the piers. Try light line with a quarter ounce egg sinker so the fish will not feel the weight when they take the bait. Put spawn bags about a foot off the bottom in the early morning or evening.
Bear River - The steelhead run is underway. Try between the mouth and the dam.
Traverse City - Lake trout and whitefish have been caught in 145 feet of water in both the East Bay and the West Bay however the action was hit-or-miss. Perch anglers are also heading out.
Boardman River - Only had a light number of steelhead being caught.
Long Lake - Still has some ice but no safe ice.
Crystal Lake - Ice fishing is done as ice conditions are no longer safe.
Betsie River - Fishing was red hot at the Homestead Dam. Those wading or fishing from shore were taking limits of steelhead and some brown trout when using small spawn bags or fly’s in egg patterns. Those fishing down to the M-31 Bridge were also taking good numbers of fish. Water levels were good and clearing up. The sucker runs have also started. Anglers will find good numbers of fish near Adams Road and County Road 608.
Manistee - Pier and boat anglers trolling along the shoreline have caught steelhead.
Manistee River - Fresh steelhead are moving into the river. Catch rates were good in the early morning or evening when floating spawn bags or flies. A few brown trout have also been caught.
Ludington - Pier and boat anglers are targeting steelhead and brown trout.
Pere Marquette River - Has a decent number of steelhead in the upper river but the lower river was slow.
Northeastern Lower Peninsula
Alpena - Walleye, steelhead, and small brown trout were caught in Thunder Bay.
Thunder Bay River - Has fresh-run steelhead at the Ninth Street Dam. The boat ramp on the river is open. Walleye season on the river is closed.
Au Sable River - Is producing some steelhead.
Higgins Lake - Still has ice out past the drop off however ice along the shoreline is gone. Ice fishing is done as there is no safe ice. It could be a while yet before the docks are put in at the launch sites.
Houghton Lake - Also has some ice but no safe ice to report. About half the lake now has open water. The canals have open water and a few anglers have been trying to crappie however it is still too cold.
Tawas - Boats trolling rapalas have caught a few trout and walleye off the mouth of river. Pier fishing was slow with only a couple walleye, steelhead or perch taken.
Tawas River - The occasional steelhead and a few suckers have been caught.
Au Gres - Boats trolling rapalas near the mouth of the river have caught some walleye. Steelhead and brown trout were taken in the surf near the Singing Bridge. Most are floating spawn.
Au Gres River - Those fishing the East Branch have caught good numbers of steelhead in both the upper river and in the lower end of Whitney Drain.
Rifle River - The sucker runs are underway. Hook and line anglers are doing well from the mouth to Stoddard’s Landing, which is upstream from Omer.
Upper Peninsula
Black River Harbor - Pier anglers are catching coho.
Silver City - Salmon and brown trout have been caught just off the mouth of the Big Iron River.
Lake Gogebic - Ice conditions are dangerous. Ice fishing is done.
Keweenaw Bay - Any remaining ice is dangerous and anglers need to stay off it. Catch rates were hit-or-miss with fluctuating temperatures and water levels.
Fall’s River - Coho and steelhead were caught on spawn bags and yarn.
Marquette - Anglers are fishing from boat, shore and piers. Boat access is possible at both the upper and lower harbors. Coho, splake, steelhead and even a few lake trout have been caught. The average size for coho and splake was 16 to 18 inches. Fish were caught near the Carp River when using jigs with twister tails, spoons, spawn or crawlers along the shoreline or the backwaters in the lower harbor.
Menominee River - Shore anglers are targeting trout and walleye near Boom and Stephenson Island, the Cat Walk and near the dam. The number of gates open on the dam seems to affect catch rates. When three gates were open, fishing was good. When the gates were closed, the water levels were lowered and catch rates slowed. Those fishing off the Cat Walk were using top water rapalas. The perch color with red hooks worked best. Shore anglers and those wading were casting rapalas or drifting yarn and spawn.
Green Bay - Continues to open up. Any remaining ice is not safe.
Little Bay De Noc - Has open water in the southern half of the bay with the exception of the Escanaba Yacht Harbor. Open water at the Rapid River launch and the Ford River launch however the docks were not in yet. Rivers in the area are open however water levels are below normal. If boating early, be sure to stay at a slow speed and watch for ice flows.
Au Train - Ice was still present near the Brownstone ramp so boat access was not possible. The ice should leave the bay soon. Fishing has picked up in Au Train Bay. Anglers are targeting coho and steelhead.
Au Train River - Anglers are fishing the mouth for steelhead and coho however catch rates were spotty. Try spawn for steelhead or spoons for coho.
Rock River - Catch rates for coho and steelhead were slow but fish were caught.
Munising - Still had some fishable ice between Sand Point and the Anna River however extreme caution needs to be use. Coho and splake were caught but no limits were seen. Smelt fishing was poor.
Munuscong Bay - Anglers are heading 200 yards west of Dan’s Resort and fishing in 2 ½ feet of water using minnows. Harvest rates were good with perch averaging 8 to 11 inches.
Cedarville and Hessel - Anglers in Cedarville are taking boats across Snows Channel to access the ice on the west end of Musky Bay. Some were fishing off Little Joe Island but catch rates were slow. The ice is deteriorating quickly so extreme caution needs to be used.
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Southeast Lower Peninsula
Lake Erie - Boat fishing for walleye has started.
Huron River - More steelhead are moving in and fish have been caught throughout the river including Flat Rock and below Rockwood. Shore anglers are using jigs under a bobber and boat anglers are using rapalas or Hot-n-Tots.
Detroit River - There is open water fishing however there is still ice coming down. Boats are perch fishing with perch rigs and shiners in the canals of Gibraltar and off the south end of Grosse Ile. Those fishing near the bridge on South Gibraltar Road also caught perch. Anglers need to park on Kings Bridge Drive. A couple walleye were caught out near Horse Island.
Clinton River - Steelhead are starting to move in.
Saginaw Bay - Did not have much in the way of fishing activity. Ice conditions are bad with areas of open water and so-called ice mountains popping up everywhere. Anglers are reminded that the Hot Ponds are considered to be “inland waters” which closed to walleye fishing on March 15th. Lakeward of that point where the Hot Pond channel flows in is open all year for walleye fishing.
Tittabawassee River - Heavy rain caused high and muddy water. Some suckers were caught by those fishing off the bottom.
Quanicassee River - Was giving up a few perch.
Sebewaing River - Has just opened up but no reports on perch.
Pigeon River - Has also opened up.
Southwest Lower Peninsula
New Buffalo - Coho are starting to make their way up the coast and that means pier anglers will be out fishing.
Galien River - Has good steelhead action.
St. Joe River - Pier anglers will be targeting coho and steelhead.
Kalamazoo River - Reports good steelhead action.
Grand Haven - Anglers are steelhead fishing off the piers.
Grand River at Grand Rapids - Water levels are up however visibility was starting to improve. Good numbers of steelhead have been caught up near the Sixth Street Dam when using spawn bags and yarn with a good deal of weight to hold it in place.
Grand River at Lansing - With walleye and pike season closed, anglers are steelhead fishing. While the fish have made it up this far, not many were caught.
Rogue River - Also has good steelhead action.
Muskegon - Pier anglers are catching steelhead and brown trout on spawn bags.
Muskegon Lake - The ice is gone and the launches are open. Perch anglers are fishing the deep water off the Bear Lake Channel. Fish in the 7 to 10 inch range were caught however be ready to sort. Spikes and mousies seem to work best.
Muskegon River - Anglers are catching steelhead. A few were caught in the lower stretch but the better fishing was between Bridgeton and Maple Island Road.
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
Lakes Cadillac and Mitchell are both sleeping giants. The crappie bite at the Causeway or the perch bite at the canal has not started. Possibly the warm weather predicted this Easter Weekend will wake them. No fish catching stories at any of the other area lakes either.
However, River Fishermen have had an early start. The words out on the Manistee. Catching is not as strong as the past couple of weeks. The water level is down and very clear. The clarity has made the fish skittish. Early mornings and evenings into dark have been best.
The next good rain should push more fresh fish all the way to Tippy Dam. Pockets of shiny silver colored steelhead get us excited.
Michael Hayter from Cadillac had a productive day on the Manistee catching a fresh, platinum steelhead.
Rich Oakley knows the river. Sunday’s trip paid off. Another fresh one.
Last ice was the charm on Portage Lake. While fishing with her dad Emily Meeuwes caught a number of the size perch we dream of. They are outr in boats doing good
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Get out and enjoy this spring weather Go Fish!