Curly's Photo and Fishing Blog
Monday, January 14, 2008
Lakes Need Time to Heal
We need cold weather to heal the lakes back up as most shore ice is bad and walking is the only way to fish. South of M-55 it goes downhill fast if the is any current in a lake like many in the Gladwin and Midland area. Lakes with no current have good ice but the shoreline is bad.
Houghton Lake, Lake City, Cadillac, Skegemog and Lake Margrethe have action but the shore ice is bad. Lymanville om Houghton Lake will let you walk out but no vehicles are allowed out as the pressure crack is bad
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Fishing Pressure is Slow
Not many fishing in Northern Michigan as most are waiting for colder weather to start fishing again. The snowstorm friday help make the ice work. Also the shoreline has got bad with planks being used to get to the ice.
Around Traverse City they have went out on east bay in boats off of Dock Road catching perch, but ice fishing there were very few takers.
Houghton Lake, Cadillac and Lake Missaukee had quite a few fisherman this week along with many going out on Lake Margrethe.
FISHING CONDITIONS ON LAKES CADILLAC AND MITCHELL
FROM PILGRIM VILLAGE FISHING SHOP
The recent snow has not been good for the ice. Thickness varies from 4 to 6 inches of clear ice. In some places the shore line has opened making it difficult to get on.
Lake Cadillac is still accessible in most of the popular places; east boat launch, Kenwood Park, etc. You must watch for old holes, hidden by the snow.
The shoreline in the Big Cove on Mitchell is open, making it difficult to get on by the Scout camp. Currently it is not worth the effort.
Watch out on Mitchell??s Small Cove. An expansion crack has opened and runs from point to point. Don??t be fooled by the boards to cross it. Both sides are soft.
The best ice on Mitchell is the east shore behind the State Park. No shore problem and 5-6 inches of ice.
Many places anglers are reluctant to go yet snowmobilers often cross both lakes. Who is smarter? It??s prudent to use your spud and check your way wherever you go.
Cold temperatures are forecasted for this week so the lakes will tighten. Remember in Michigan conditions change daily.
This past week the majority of big pike came from Lake Mitchell. We knew it would wake up. Most pictures are of 30 inch plus, healthy pike.
Most spear shacks were pulled to the shore line after last week??s rain. Only a few have returned and there has been no change from last weeks standing on our spear contest.
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Couple Pond Photos
Here is a couple of photo I took day at the pond
Friday, January 11, 2008
Kingfisher Photo
Took this photo yesterday before the snow came
Thursday, January 10, 2008
We Are Still Ice Fishing
The ice has survived but the deeper lakes that just froze over lost and are wide open.
Lake Margrethe by Grayling is still good for walleye and pike. Walleye are on a great bite with blues and sucker working best. Lots of fisherman heading out. Call Skips Sport for more info @ 989-348-7111. They are saying 4 to 7 inches of ice today
Little Bay De Noc - Ice conditions were still favorable in the northern parts of the Bay only. Several very large ice breaks have formed pushing walls of ice up so be on the lookout. South of the Escanaba River, the shipping channel is open so conditions are dangerous. Warm weather this week could cause some problems, so extreme caution needs to be used. Walleye anglers were taking fish near Kipling when jigging minnows with glows just off the bottom in 30 to 40 feet of water. The better catches were reported near Gladstone out near the break when fishing 6 to 10 feet off the bottom in 28 to 40 feet of water. Perch anglers had mixed results with most reporting very good numbers of small fish. Try jigging wax worms in 28 to 36 feet of water near Kipling and the Narrows. Those spearing northern pike have taken several nice fish in the Escanaba Yacht Harbor when using 8 inch suckers in 6 feet of water.
Otsego Lake by Gaylord reports a good walleye bite also with some perch being caught. They took the shanties off of Otsego Lake so no Sturgeon Fishing. The ice is holding up on Burt, Crooked and Pickerel Lakes near Alanson, where the perch, pike and walleye action is good.
By Alpena, the ice held up through the warm spell earlier in the week on Grand and Long Lakes. Anglers using minnows as bait are catching good numbers of perch and walleye. Anglers on Fletcher Pond are catching a few crappie and pike.
Out of the Boyne City area, the perch, pike and walleye action on Walloon Lake is fair to good. Anglers on Deer Lake are catching a few bluegill. Both waxworms and wigglers are being used as bait. Thumb Lake is producing fair splake fishing.
Around Manistique, Indian Lake was covered with water earlier in the week due to all the melting snow. The anglers who are wandering out on the lake are catching a few perch.
Green Lake the ice went out with just some shore ice.
Ice conditions in much of the Lower Peninsula have deteriorated but anglers in the Upper Peninsula are ice fishing. Warm temperatures have increased the steelhead action in many of the rivers however anglers will need to use caution because of the high water levels.
Long Lake by Traverse and Lake Leelanau have good reports of walleye this week ice is ok once you get past shore
Higgins Lake ice went out.
In the Kalkaska area, the perch fishing is good on Lake Skegemog. Crappie and walleye fishing is slow on Manistee Lake. Anglers on Fife Lake are pulling a few perch and walleye through the ice. We still have safe ice but be careful .
I’m hearing most are staying off the ice around Gladwin, and Harrison. Wiggins Lake ,Sugar spring is good for pike and bluegill, also Secord Lake reports a good crappie and pike bite. but be careful of changing ice conditions.
Burt Lake near Alanson is producing fair to good perch fishing. Minnows are working well as bait in water about 40 feet deep. Perch and walleye fishing is good on Crooked Lake in water about 20 feet deep.
Houghton Lake has a good bite with walleye off of Flint Rd. Lymanville has good ice around his shanty, pike have been biting very good
Lake Missaukee - Ice fishing is on and anglers are catching panfish off of Green Rd, Most are the size of your hand or 7 to 8 inches but limit catches. Ice is still good
Hamlin Lake near Ludington very slow with nobody going out after the rains
Spider Lake - Anglers are ice fishing for panfish.
Fife Lake - Has anglers ice fishing for walleye off the launch site on the North end of the lake. Try tip-ups for pike along the East shoreline, This is a lake to keep your eye could get real hot when they can get to the island. Ice is ok
The ice is holding up on Burt, Crooked and Pickerel Lakes near Alanson, where the perch, pike and walleye action is good.
Out of the Boyne City area, the perch, pike and walleye action on Walloon Lake is fair to good. Anglers on Deer Lake are catching a few bluegill. Both waxworms and wigglers are being used as bait. Thumb Lake is producing fair splake fishing.
Little Glen Lake - Slow this week, but a great perch bite on Loon Lake the last two weeks, but it seems to be winding down this week. The ice on Loon Lake is bad with Little Glen ice is OK
Upper Peninsula:
Out of the Copper Harbor area, anglers casting lines into the harbor from shore or docks are reeling in a few splake.
Lake Gogebic is producing good perch and walleye fishing. The perch are hitting on wigglers near the ??mud flats? in water up to 25 feet deep. The walleye are hitting on both jigs and tip-ups in water up to 12 feet deep.
By Negaunee on Teal Lake, the perch and walleye action ranges from slow to fair. The perch, pike and walleye action on Lake Independence is spotty, at best.
In the Gladstone area, the walleye fishing is fair on Little Bay de Noc. The perch action ranges from slow to fair. Anglers on Escanaba Harbor are catching an occasional perch, pike or walleye.
Around Manistique, Indian Lake was covered with water earlier in the week due to all the melting snow. The anglers who are wandering out on the lake are catching a few perch.
The warmer weather really cooled off the fishing activity near Sault Ste. Marie.
On Munuscong Bay, the perch and walleye fishing is fair. The ice that is left is shaky, so remember to check the thickness of the ice around you.
Anglers around Drummond Island are catching an occasional perch or pike.
And at Cedarville, the perch and walleye action ranges from slow to fair. Anglers need to be very careful on the ice that remains on the bays around Cedarville.
Northwest:
The ice is holding up on Burt, Crooked and Pickerel lakes near Alanson, where the perch, pike and walleye action is good.
Out of the Boyne City area, the perch, pike and walleye action on Walloon Lake is fair to good. Anglers on Deer Lake are catching a few bluegill. Both waxworms and wigglers are being used as bait. Thumb Lake is producing fair splake fishing.
Around Traverse City, the warm weather from earlier in the week is forcing anglers to stay off the local lakes. Along the Boardman River the steelhead fishing is fair.
By Frankfort, the steelhead fishing is fair on the Betsie River. Anglers fishing from boats on Crystal Lake are reeling in a few perch. Early mornings are the best time to be out.
In the Kalkaska area, the perch and pike fishing is fair on Lake Skegemog.
Anglers need to be very careful on the ice that remains on Otsego Lake by Gaylord. The walleye fishing on the lake is fair.
And at Cadillac, the crappie and pike fishing is good on both lakes Cadillac and Mitchell. The best time to be out for the crappie seems to be between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. The bluegill, perch and rock bass fishing on the lake is fair. Just a word of advice for anglers going out on the ice, be sure to wear creepers. All the warm weather from earlier in the week left the lakes very slippery.
West:
By Ludington, the bluegill and walleye fishing is fair on the upper end of Hamlin Lake. Anglers along the Pere Marquette River are reeling in a few steelhead.
The White River near Whitehall is producing fair steelhead fishing.
Around Muskegon, the warm weather earlier in the week coaxed a few anglers to dump their boats into Muskegon Lake, where the pike and walleye fishing is fair. The northerns are hitting during the day, the walleye at night. The ice is very shaky on Snug Harbor on Muskegon Lake, but the anglers who do venture out on the ice are catching a few bluegill. The steelhead action on the upper end of the Muskegon River is fair.
Anglers on Chippewa Lake are spearing a few pike through the ice.
And at Baldwin, due to the poor ice conditions created by the warm weather earlier in the week, fishing activity this week is slow.
Southwest:
Due to the poor ice conditions created by the warm weather earlier in the week fishing activity this week in the Holland and Benton Harbor areas is slow.
Around New Buffalo, anglers along the Galien River are reeling in a few steelhead.
By Kalamazoo, ice-fishing activity is on hold due to the poor ice conditions. However, anglers along the St. Joseph River, below the Berrien Springs Dam are catching a few steelhead. Same story on the Kalamazoo River near the Allegan Dam.
And at Three Rivers, due to the poor ice conditions fishing activity this week is slow.
Northeast:
By Alpena, the ice held up through the warm spell earlier in the week on Grand and Long lakes. Anglers using minnows as bait are catching good numbers of perch and walleye. Anglers on Fletcher Pond are catching a few crappie and pike.
Out of the Grayling area, anglers on Lake Margrethe are catching a few perch, pike and walleye. The walleye are hitting on various jigs or tip-ups. The northerns are being caught with tip-ups or spears. Anglers will have to sort through the perch that are caught to find any worth keeping.
Van Etten Lake near Oscoda is producing some very good perch and pike fishing. Anglers on Cooke Dam and Foote Dam ponds are catching a few bluegill, perch, pike and walleye. The steelhead and walleye action on the Au Sable River is fair. With no safe ice, fishing activity this week on Higgins Lake is slow.
Houghton Lake does have some ice safe enough to walk on, and the anglers heading out are catching good numbers of pike and walleye. The bluegill fishing on the lake is also improving.
And at Au Gres, the perch action ranges from slow to fair on Saginaw Bay. There is very little ice on Saginaw Bay that is safe enough to fish on.
East:
Most of the shore ice along Saginaw Bay near Linwood disappeared earlier this week, and that has left fishing activity in the area slow.
Due to the poor ice conditions, fishing activity this week is also slow in the Bay City and Bay Port areas.
Lexington Harbor is covered by a thin layer of ice. Anglers venturing out on the ice are catching an occasional brown trout, perch or steelhead. Anglers need to be very careful on the ice, especially near the docks where bubblers are being used.
And at Port Huron, there are only a couple of people fishing from boats on the St. Clair River, those anglers are catching a few steelhead and an occasional walleye. Anglers casting a line in the river from shore are reeling in a few steelhead by the mouth of the Black River. The 40th Street Pond is producing fair panfish and pike fishing.
Central:
Anglers on Stevenson Lake near Mount Pleasant are catching a few bluegill. The pike action is fair on Deerfield Lake. The warm weather from earlier in the week has created some shaky ice conditions on the local lakes.
Out of the Lansing area, anglers are casting lines into the open water of the Grand River hoping to reel in a few catfish or walleye. The best fishing is found below the major dams on the river. The warm weather earlier in the week melted away most of the ice on the local lakes and put all ice-fishing plans on hold.
And at Jackson, the poor ice conditions created by the warm spell earlier in the week has melted away any hopes anglers had of getting out on the local lakes.
Southeast:
Around Fair Haven, now that all the ice has melted away, fishing activity is at a standstill.
Along the western shoreline of Lake St. Clair, fishing activity is limited. A few people are fishing off docks or along canals.
On the south end of the Detroit River, the perch action is fair from shore or off docks. The Huron River near Rockwood is producing fair steelhead fishing.
And at Monroe and Belleville, due to the poor ice conditions created by the warm weather earlier in the week fishing activity this week is slow.
Sunday, January 06, 2008
Warm Up
January Thaw has started with fishing still good on many lakes. They got out on Green Lake last night and caught a few smelt and they were big.
Many are catching smelt on Cedar Lake by Traverse along with brown and rainbow trout along with some nice pike. Loon Lake is still producing perch but not in the numbers when first reported. Long Lake and Lake Leelanau are producing good walleye with tip-ups and greys working best.
FISHING CONDITIONS ON LAKES CADILLAC AND MITCHELL
FROM PILGRIM VILLAGE FISHING SHOP
Welcome to Michigan??s January thaw. Warm temperatures and rain are melting the snow. Bad for snowmobilers and skiers. Ice fishermen aren??t in trouble yet. Currently there??s still 8 to 10 inches of clear ice. It??s sloppy on top. Wear rubber boots and creepers are a must. Old holes are open so in popular places augers are not necessary. There is a cold front moving back in on Wednesday.
Fishing has been great until the warm front arrived. Believe in the barometer. Currently it has slowed but we??re still catching our share. It??s just not as predictable or easy as it was. Once this front stabilizes fishing will be as good as it was.
PANFISH - Crappie and gills moved from the slab piles on the east side of Cadillac. Now they??ve started along the weed beds in front of the High School to the old Naval Armory. Following the panfish, good pike are coming from this area also. The west side of Cadillac, Causeway area is still a good spot for crappies. Day fishing has been slim but they seem to turn on late afternoon. Red spikes have been out fishing small minnows in this area. The coves on Mitchell have slowed. Those doing best are hole hopping. Catch 2 or 3 from a hole then have to move to another. Can??t seem to find one hot spot. Fish are scattered. On either lake the best fishing has been late afternoon until dark. Red spikes have been working best, but waxworms or mousees catch their share.
WALLEYE - Fish 10 to 12 foot depths. Swedish Pimples, medium minnows on lite line tip-ups and Rapalas are working. Colors vary with each report. Mitchell seems best.
PIKE - Pictures tell the story. Lake Mitchell is waking up. Finally, seeing 30 inch class pike coming from the coves. However Cadillac is still giving up the largest but fewer numbers. The west end of Cadillac has slowed. So many trophy pike were taken from here; some local anglers have moved to the weed line west of Kenwood Park and are back into great pike.
Thursday, January 03, 2008
Fishing Report 1/3/07
Lake Margrethe by Grayling is still good for walleye and pike. Walleye are on a great bite with blues and sucker working best. Lots of fisherman headding out. Call Skips Sport for more info @ 989-348-7111
White Lake has been good for perch and pike the last few days with golden working best for pike.
Otsego Lake by Gaylord reports a good walleye bite also with some perch being caught. Some sturgeon are being seen this week, but no keepers as some are breaking hooks and line before they can land them.
Long Lake by Traverse and Lake Leelanau have good reports of walleye this week
Higgins Lake went over last night, so lets hope the warm weather does not take the ice out..
In the Kalkaska area, the perch fishing is good on Lake Skegemog. Crappie and walleye fishing is slow on Manistee Lake. Anglers on Fife Lake are pulling a few perch and walleye through the ice. .
I’m hearing of good ice around Gladwin, and Harrison. Wiggins Lake there is very good fishing with limit catches of gills and crappie. Muddy Bay on Wiggins lake has started with a few fish being caught. Sugar Spring is good for pike and bluegill, also Secord Lake reports a good crappie and pike bite.
Burt Lake near Alanson is producing fair to good perch fishing. Minnows are working well as bait in water about 40 feet deep. Perch and walleye fishing is good on Crooked Lake in water about 20 feet deep. .
Houghton Lake has a good bite with walleye off of Flint Rd. with limit catches the last few days. and pike with some crappie mixed in, but the deep snow has made it very slushy and many are getting stuck
Lake Missaukee - Ice fishing is on and anglers are catching panfish off of Green Rd, Most are the size of your hand or 7 to 8 inches but limit catches. Still good reports this week.
Hamlin Lake near Ludington is producing fair to good crappie and walleye fishing. The best area to drop a line through the ice for walleye is along the north bayou. The best area to fish for the gills is on the south bayou.
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Spider Lake - Anglers are ice fishing for panfish.
Fife Lake - Has anglers ice fishing for walleye off the launch site on the north end of the lake. Try tip-ups for pike along the east shoreline, This is a lake to keep your eye could get real hot when they can get to the island
Little Glen Lake - Slow this week, but a great perch bite on Loon Lake the last two weeks, but it seems to be winding down this week.
Upper Peninsula:
Lake Gogebic is producing fair walleye fishing. The best fishing is found on the north end of the lake. Sucker minnows hooked to the end of a tip-up are working well as bait.
Out of the Marquette area, the pike fishing is good on the Greenwood Reservoir. The perch and walleye action on Teal Lake ranges from fair to good. The perch are hitting on wigglers, the walleye prefer minnows as bait.
By Escanaba, the walleye fishing is good on Little Bay de Noc. The marble eyes are hitting on both jigs and tip-ups. The perch fishing on the bay is fair. Anglers punching holes through the ice on Escanaba Harbor are catching a couple of pike.
In the Manistique area, the perch fishing is good on Indian Lake. Mornings are the best time to be out, with minnows being the preferred bait. Anglers are finding some good whitefish fishing on the upper end of the St. Marys River by Sault Ste. Marie. The whitefish are hitting on a teardrop tipped with a waxworm.
The perch, pike and walleye action is good on Munuscong Bay. The perch are hitting on jigs tipped with a minnow. The pike and walleye are hitting on both jigs and tip-ups.
Around Drummond Island, anglers are spearing some pike through the ice on Scott Bay.
And at St. Ignace, the walleye fishing is fair on Brevort Lake. Try using a jig tipped with a minnow.
Northwest:
Burt and Crooked lakes near Alanson are producing good perch and walleye fishing. Minnows are working well as bait.
Out of the Boyne City area, the perch and walleye fishing is good on Walloon Lake. Anglers on Deer Lake are catching a few bluegill, perch and pike. The splake fishing is fair on Thumb Lake. The perch and walleye fishing is fair on the South Arm of Lake Charlevoix.
In the Traverse City area, the perch and walleye fishing is fair on Long Lake. The bluegill and pike fishing is decent on Spider Lake.
Around Frankfort, the perch and pike action is fair on Arcadia Lake. Anglers on Loon Lake are catching a few perch, pike and walleye. The steelhead action is spotty on both the Betsie and Platte rivers.
By Kalkaska, the perch fishing is good on Lake Skegemog. The fish are hitting on jigs tipped with a minnow or waxworm. Manistee Lake is producing fair to good walleye fishing.
Anglers on Otsego Lake near Gaylord are catching a few walleye, using jigs tipped with a blue shiner minnow.
And at Cadillac, the pike fishing is very good on both lakes Cadillac and Mitchell. The panfish fishing is improving on both lakes. Early mornings or late afternoons are the best times to be out for the panfish.
West:
The upper end of Hamlin Lake near Ludington is producing some very good bluegill fishing. The pike action is good and an occasional walleye is mixing in with the catches. Anglers on the lower end of Hamlin Lake are finding the walleye action ranges from fair to good. The walleye are hitting on both jigs and tip-ups.
White Lake near Whitehall is producing fair to good bluegill and pike action.
Around Muskegon, the panfish fishing is fair on Snug Harbor on Muskegon Lake out from the Muskegon State Park. Anglers on the upper end of the Muskegon River are reeling in a few steelhead.
Out on Chippewa Lake, the pike fishing is very good. The bluegill action is fair.
And at Baldwin, most of the lakes in the area are producing fair bluegill fishing.
Southwest:
Out of the Holland area, anglers on Lake Macatawa are catching a few bluegill. The gills are hitting on teardrops tipped with a spike or waxworm. The gill fishing is also fair on Hutchins Lake.
Fishing activity this week is slow in the Benton harbor area.
By New Buffalo, the crappie and steelhead fishing is fair on the Galien River.
Around Kalamazoo, the bluegill fishing is good on Gravel, Fish and Sugarloaf lakes. Spikes and mousies are working well as bait. Anglers fishing the channels around Gun Lake are catching a few crappie. The perch fishing ranges from fair to good on Austin Lake. Both minnows and wigglers are being used as bait. On the St. Joseph River, below the Berrien Springs Dam, the steelhead action is fair to good.
And at Three Rivers, the ice conditions vary from lake to lake, but where there is ice thick enough to allow anglers to get out the bluegill, crappie and perch fishing is fair.
Northeast:
Grand and Long lakes near Alpena are producing good perch and walleye fishing. The perch and walleye action on Hubbard Lake is fair.
The pike and walleye fishing is good on Lake Margrethe by Grayling. Most of the fish being caught are found in water 12 to 20 feet deep. The perch action on the lake is fair. Anglers on Manistee Lake are catching a few bluegill.
Around Oscoda, the perch fishing is very good on Van Etten Lake. The fish are hitting on a variety of baits. The bluegill, perch, pike and walleye action is good on Cooke Dam and Foote Dam ponds. Anglers along the Au Sable River, below the dam, are catching a few steelhead.
Higgins Lake is still open, and fishing activity this week is slow.
Out on Houghton Lake, the pike and walleye fishing is good. The walleye are hitting on jigs, the northerns on tip-ups. Early mornings or late afternoons are the best times to be out.
And at Au Gres, the perch fishing is fair on Saginaw Bay near the mouth of the Pine River and south of Point Au Gres. Minnows are working well as bait, in water three to six feet deep.
East:
Around Linwood, the perch fishing is fair along the Saginaw Bay shoreline. The best fishing is found out from Linwood Road.
Out of the Bay City area, the perch action is good on Saginaw Bay. One of the best spots to drop a line through the ice is by the Quanicassee River. The walleye fishing is fair on the bay near Thomas Road.
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
Happy New Year
Happy New Year and lots of outdoor fun in 08. Reports are good with many reports of good walleye fishing this week. Houghton Lake and Lake Margrethe seem to be great with Long Lake by Traverse having a good bite off of Cresent Shores.
FISHING CONDITIONS ON LAKES CADILLAC AND MITCHELL
FROM PILGRIM VILLAGE FISHING SHOP
Conditions have changed! Fishermen are reporting 8 to 10 inches of ice and more. Gas augers are popping up all over our lakes. Snowmobiles and quads are free to roam, prudent or not. Snowmobilers love this weekend??s heavy snow. The trails are groomed and everyone is having fun.
Panfish are cooperating. Crappie, gills, sunfish, perch, but mostly crappies are being caught on both lakes. Most anglers are going home with a mixture. Dry baits - waxworms, spikes or mousees