Enjoy the Holiday–The ice is fine! The weather’s cooperating making ice nightly. Expect 4 to 8 inches (plus) on lakes Cadillac and Mitchell. Permanent shanties and pop-ups dot the lakes. Not recommended, snowmobile tracks trace the edges. Prudence dictates using a spud to check your way where ever you go.
Pike fishing has been good – very good. This is just the start and we’ve measured several over 30 inches. Tip-ups account for most. Northerns can’t resist a sucker or shiner meal.
Close friends, John Dunbar and Gordon Reed first day Visiting from Middleburg, Florida, Brandon Bailey
on the ice was successful. After releasing 10 undersized, holds a 10 pound, 33 inch pike caught on Lake Cadillac.
they took turns catching a 38 1/2, 32, 31 and 28 inch.
Tim Miller poses with a pike caught the day before
Christmas. Doesn’t fit under the tree, 36 5/8″, 11.57 pounds.
Walleye fishing has been better then average. Although days have been good, best catches are at last light. Be ready when the street lights turn on. For some, limits have been common. Jigging spoons tipped with minnows, and/or tip-ups are effective.
Smiling Jeff Thomas holds a 24″, 5 pound plus walleye Ken Clous takes walleye fishing seriously. After a couple of
caught on Lake Cadillac. hours fishing he returned with a pair. A 20 1/4 and 19 inch walleye each over 3 pounds.
The Pilgrim Village Pike Contest is off to a good start. Although Jim Cornelius was the first on the board with a 26 1/2, 3.85 pike he since dropped to 4th Place. He’ll soon upgrade.
Standings often change on a daily basis. 12/30/2012
1st Place Mark Gagnon 34″ 8.79 lbs.
2nd Place Joe Brooks 29″ 4.87 lbs.
3rd Place Gary Swiger 28 1/2″ 4.60 lbs.
4th Place James Cornelious 26 1/2″ 3.85 lbs.
Mark Gagnon 34″; 8.79 lb. northern pike Joe Brooks 29″; 4.87 lb. pike
Gary Swiger 28 1/2″; 4.60 lb pike
Youth Division
1st Place Caitlyn Brooks 15 yr. old 25 1/2″ 3.17 lb.
2nd Place Marissa Brooks 11 yr. old 25″ 3.17 lb.
The Brooks family all fish. Close call between the Brooks Sisters.
15 yr. old Caitlyn Brooks shows off the head shot on Marissa Brooks may only be 11, but knows how to spear.
her 25 1/2 nothern. This one is 25 inches.
Fisherman are ice fishing hard in Northern Michigan with many getting out on the small lakes. Green Lake by Interlochen opened back up today, but calm and cold it should go over again. Duck Lake has lots of fisherman out of Strawberry Point.