Curly's Photo and Fishing Blog
Thursday, March 27, 2008
We Still Have Safe Ice
Many are still going out ice fishing with many still driving out on the lake with cars. We have lots of ice for this weekend. Remember your new fishing license April 1
Fishing has been good on many lakes with perch hitting on Portage Lake, Skegemog, Long Lake and some on Higgins Lake. Crystal Lake has a bite out in front of Cold Creek with some jumbos being caught. Great perch fishing on Munuscong Bay. Anglers are using wigglers, wax worms, tear drops and minnows with good results. The ice is very solid and safe.
Smelt fishing is good on Higgins Lake with in front of Big Creek being the hotspot.
Cadillac reports a good crappie bite early on minnows the after the sun comes up they are biting on waxworms,
Manistee Lake by Kalkaska reports a good gill bite the last few days, also Houghton Lake has been getting better every day.
Around the Boyne City area, Walloon Lake and Lake Charlevoix are producing decent catches of perch and trout. The Jordan and Boyne rivers are giving up good amounts of trout. Wigglers, minnows, and spawn are working well.
Saginaw Bay - The ice has left the bay
Upper Peninsula:
Copper Harbor anglers are seeing no activity this week, mainly due to the ice in the harbor melting. Not enough ice to get out and ice fish, but too much ice to launch a boat just yet.
In the Bergland area, the ice is still very solid, thick enough for four-wheelers to run about. Perch and crappie are active on the east shore near Eight Mile when using wigglers. Good crappie action out in front of the Gogebic Lodge, when using minnows.
Ice is still good around the Escanaba area. Whitefish are active off of the harbor. Blue gill are active on many inland lakes and anglers are finding decent results when using wax worms, spikes and tear drops.
Activity is extremely slow this week in the Manistique area. The ice remains over two feet thick, but has heavy snow and slush creating difficulty to get out and around.
Great perch fishing on Munuscong Bay. Anglers are using wigglers, wax worms, tear drops and minnows with good results. The ice is very solid and safe.
Fish just are not biting in the St. Ignace area the activity is poor even though the ice remains two feet thick.
Northwest:
Crooked Lake in the Alanson area is doing well for panfish and trout. Anglers are using minnows for best results. Burt Lake is good for perch when anglers can get right over top of them, otherwise you need to keep moving. Ice is still very strong but covered with heavy snow.
Around the Boyne City area, Walloon Lake and Lake Charlevoix are producing decent catches of perch and trout. The Jordan and Boyne rivers are giving up good amounts of trout. Wigglers, minnows, and spawn are working well.
In the Manistee area ice fishing is still taking place. A few browns have been caught off of the pier, but some heavy ice around the pier makes it difficult for anglers to get out at times. Some steelhead beginning to run in the Manistee River.
In the Kalkaska area, Torch, Elk and Skegemog lakes are giving up some whitefish and perch. Grey shiners and dead minnows under a Swedish pimple are working well.
Anglers in the Gaylord area are using small minnows to reel in some decent catches of perch, pike, and sunfish from many inland lakes. A few steelhead being caught in the Boyne River this week.
Cadillac angling activity is slow this week with only a few crappie being pulled from lakes Cadillac and Mitchell.
West:
Around the Muskegon area some steelhead on spawn can be found around the pier. Suckers are decent on the White River on crawlers.
In the Ludington area anglers are having some luck with suckers, steelhead, and browns on the Pere Marquette River. Hamlin Lake is producing a few blue gill, and Pere Marquette Lake is giving up a few perch.
Chippewa Lake is tremendous this week for blue gill and specs. Anglers are finding good results when using spikes and wax worms.
Angling activity in the Baldwin area is non-existent due to heavy snow and foul weather activity this week.
Southwest:
Fishing is ok this week in the Benton Harbor area since most of the ice has moved farther off shore. Around the pier some Coho, brown trout, whitefish and perch are biting on night crawlers, spawn and casting lures.
In the Kalamazoo area, the Allegan and Trow Bridge dams are giving up northern pike on three-inch shad and 12-inch suckers.
In the New Buffalo area, the mouth of the river is good for browns, steelhead and Coho. Ice is causing a problem for anglers trying to get out on the Lake, but the river is fine.
Northeast:
In Oscoda, fishing picked up a bit this week on Tawas Bay for walleye. Ice fishing is still taking place and decent catches of perch on wigglers, wax worms and minnows are ample. Steelhead action is picking up and anglers are finding good results with flies, wax worms and spawn.
Around Alpena steelhead can be located on Thunder Bay near the 9th Street Dam. Ice fishing is still taking place.
Good action for anglers on Higgins Lake this week. Minnows are working well on perch in 50 feet of water.
In the Grayling area, minimal action is taking place for anglers fishing Lake Margrethe. Only a few perch have been hooked using minnows.
Around the AuGres area the ice has deteriorated and angling action is at a standstill this week.
East:
In the Linwood area, a mixture of snow, and high winds has limited angling activity this week. The ice has deteriorated and is flowing. Steelhead action is on the increase and the shoreline remains the best location in about 3-12 feet of water to catch a few