Curly's Photo and Fishing Blog
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Fishing Report 5/1/09
The weather put a big kabosh on fishing last weekend with rivers still high and business owners low as it was a catastropic weekend costing Northern Michigan dearly. Not much to report this week as most are just getting back out fishing with the winds going down today. It has been real slow this week.
Opening weekend followed tradition as it was wet in most areas. Extensive rainfall has many rivers flooded. It could take a minimum of seven to ten days for the watersheds to return to near normal conditions. Avoid standing near the edge of riverbanks because the ground is saturated and could pull away at anytime. Anglers hard-bitten by the fishing bug are encouraged to try inland lakes that are not connected to any river systems, because they were least affected by recent rains.
Mushrooms will be popping soon in Northern Michigan
Higgins Lake - Perch have been caught on minnows and wigglers. Boats trolling cowbells just off the bottom in 80 feet of water have caught some lake trout.
Houghton Lake - Opening weekend was wet however anglers did manage to catch fish. Boats trolling in shallow waters 6 to 8 feet deep found walleye and northern pike. Bluegills and crappie can still be found in the canals.
Steelhead fishing is good at the Two Heart River this week with no pressure..
Traverse City - A few boats are making it out on the West Bay and searching for steelhead and perch. The East Bay is ice free so boat anglers are out looking for steelhead, whitefish, and brown trout. Also reports Suttons Bay is open and has a good perch bite with wigglers and minnows working best. Perch fishing has been great on both bays this week with wigglers working best.
Saginaw Bay - Anglers will want to seek out areas of clear water far away from river mouths, or fish along the line where clear and muddy waters converge. Walleye were hitting good on crawler harnesses fished off planer boards.
Saginaw River - Had a good walleye opener but the river is now flooded. It will take a week or more for the Saginaw River watershed to recede enough for anglers to start fishing again.
Tittabawassee River - The walleye opener was absolutely incredible, by all reports….for Saturday only. Central Michigan received a lot of rain and the river is not fishable at this time.
Portage Lake - Good numbers of perch are still being caught in front of the channel, though a few smaller fish are now mixed in. Try in front of the channel and fish with minnows, wigglers, or wax worms. Pike were caught along the south shoreline.
Manistee - Pier anglers targeting brown trout picked up a few fish when there was a nice chop on the water. Boats trolling in the harbor and along the shoreline have caught brown trout on body baits. Perch fishing off the pier has slowed.
Lake Cadillac - Panfish were caught near the M-115 causeway and the City Dock.
Little Bay De Noc - The docks are in at Kipling and Ford River. The Rapid River Launch is the only one not installed. The rivers are high and fast. Shore anglers caught brown trout off Sand Point in Escanaba when casting crank baits or spoons in the harbor. Perch anglers are still anticipating the seasonal catches off Saunders Point, but no good reports as of yet.
Ford River - Steelhead have been caught 4 to 8 miles upstream.
Day’s River - Most anglers are fishing between old US-2 and the Golf Course.
Big Bay De Noc - The docks are in Fayette, Garden and Ogontz. Several anglers headed out to Kate’s Bay where the late ice season was good, but few catches were reported. No smelt to report.
Upper Peninsula:
Bergland anglers seem to be in a transition period now that the ice is gone. Very minimal activity on perch and most anglers are just waiting for walleye season to open on May 15.
Marquette received 18-inches of snow last week and it has rained ever since so the rivers are crested and very muddy, most look like chocolate. Activity is slow overall slow with the exception of a few Coho on Lake Superior.
Escanaba anglers dealt with rain and wind this week that created high water levels in the rivers. All of the boat landings are open as well as trout season. Trout activity got off to a slow start in the streams. North of Gladstone some perch are being taken in the narrows. Walleye season opens May 15.
Indian Lake is producing nice numbers of perch and anglers are doing well on the majority of inland lakes. The Manistique River continues to remain strong for steelhead on spawn. So far no activity on Lake Michigan, just off of the Lake near Thompson Creek the brown trout are starting to hit.
Off of the Sault Ste. Marie area perch are biting on minnows near Sugar Island. Rain has curtailed much of the angling activity this week overall.
Around Munuscong the St. Mary??s River is producing steelhead on spawn and spoons. Pike, walleye and musky season opens May 15.
Around Drummond Island some smelt can still be found in the Lake Huron tributaries and anglers are getting some perch on minnows and perch rigs.
St. Ignace received plenty of wind and rain this week idling fishing activity, but a warm-up helped a few anglers pull in some trout. Smelt has slowed down but persistent anglers heading to the north side of the Carp River are filling their two-gallon bucket.
Northwest:
Rain and adverse weather has limited fishing activity in Alanson so far this week.
Traverse City anglers are doing well on the Boardman River for steelhead. Suttons Bay is producing some perch on wigglers and perch minnows. Walleye is slow so far.
Anglers getting out around the Frankfort area are doing well on most inland lakes for blue gill and crappie. Steelhead and suckers are still running at a good pace on the Betsie and Platte rivers. Spawn and flies are working well, spin fishing, bobbers and longer leaders are also in the bag of tricks for anglers. Walleye and trout season opens in the area on Saturday.
Around Kalkaska some nice size trout have been caught despite the rain. The rain should actually bring in more steelhead into the Boardman River for the weekend.
Gaylord anglers are finding very good steelhead numbers in the Boyne, Sturgeon and Jordan rivers. Spawn, egg flies and nymph patterns are working well. Good action for walleye on Otsego Lake and Big Lake with crawler harnesses and crank bait working well. Trout streams are slow but improving.
In the Cadillac area fishing this week has been quiet with some blue gill and crappie being taking from Mitchell and Cadillac lakes. Trout fishing is good in the streams.
West:
Excellent trout action is taking place around the Baldwin area on the Little Manistee and Pere Marquette rivers and streams throughout the area that include rainbow, brown and brook trout. Steelhead activity is also rated good to excellent when using spawn. Inland lakes are good for pike on sucker minnows and the pan fish are biting in nice numbers too.
Good fishing for anglers in the Muskegon area for perch, trout and walleye. Muskegon Lake is producing nice numbers of perch in 42-29 feet of water on minnows and wigglers. Perch action is good on Lake Michigan in 60-70 feet of water. The White and Muskegon rivers are both giving up tremendous trout catches. Off of the Muskegon piers the walleye fishing is good using crank baits and husky jerks.
In the Chippewa Lake area the channels are providing good counts of specks and Chippewa Lake is producing a few walleye on minnows.
Rain, rain and more rain is the word in Grand Rapids and with all that rain flooding is the rule for just about every river in the area idling fishing at this point. Inland lakes all have high water levels as well but are fishable.
Northeast:
Alpena anglers continue to hit on good numbers of walleye near the shoreline of Lake Huron. Fishing in the evening hours with Rapalas seems to be getting good results. Fish are ranging from three to seven pounds. Steelhead and sucker activity is good near the Ninth Street Dam when anglers use spawn and flies.
Fishing is good in Oscoda for steelhead, suckers and walleye. Below the Foote Dam Pond steelhead and sucker activity is really starting to pick up. Walleye are hitting near the mouth of the Au Sable River.
Grayling anglers are doing fair for trout on the Au Sable and Manistee rivers. Best fishing seems to be mid-day. Lake Margrethe is slow to fair for pan fish. Anglers are getting best results in shallow water since fish are starting to bed up a bit. The walleye bite is slow so far. Crappie and blue gill are showing up in the canals. Live baits are working well on pan fish, wax worms on blue gill and jig heads with leeches while drifting for walleye.
Fishing is on the rise for Houghton Lake anglers. Today the weather finally broke and the walleye and pike are biting when trolling and using stick baits or Rapalas. The canals are producing decent counts of blue gill and crappie.
The sun finally popped out today on Higgins Lake after days of rain and wind. Walleye, trout and pike season are open, but so far no activity is taking place.
In the Au Gres area steelhead activity is still good on the east branch of the Au Gres. Sucker opportunities have dwindled. Good action for walleye at the mouth of the River.
Standish anglers are finding a slow and tough go for fishing due to northeast winds and rain causing dirty water and rough conditions. Some walleye are being caught near the mouth of the river and perch fishing seems to be over.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Wash Out Weekend
What a terrible weekend for an opener with pouring rain and lighting chasing most people home and the kid’s trout pond in Kalkaska was a bust as it kept most kids at home. It was probably the worst opener in 20 years and the weather man said great weekend of weather.
This really hurt Northern Michigan’s economy as losing an opening weekend can never be made up. Hope we can get a break soon as most want to fish and we want to sell bait. Rivers are high and perch moved out with all the bad weather but can move right back in with some sunshine.
FISHING CONDITIONS ON LAKES CADILLAC AND MITCHELL
FROM PILGRIM VILLAGE FISHING SHOP
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??The image of a pleasant spring day for the Trout/pike/walleye opener was only a dream. The reality of constant wind and rain kept most off our lakes and streams. The rain ended the fire danger in the surrounding forest, turned the grass green and started the morel mushrooms growing.
Very few boats could be found on either Cadillac or Mitchell Saturday or Sunday. Crappie fishing was very good prior to the weekend, but once the rain started no one seemed to care. Most will start over again once the weather dries. Panfishing should be good once the front passes through, especially along the causeway on Cadillac and the coves on Mitchell.
It??s too early for a pattern on pike or walleye on either lake. No hot spot or have to have lure or bait. However, medium size minnows on jigs did account for most of the action.
No complaints about too many on the local trout streams. Like the lakes, there was no pressure. Live bait, leaf worms or Dillys seem to work the best. Brown trout were the most common in the creel.
Manistee River - There still lots of steelhead on the gravel bars. This will be ending soon as we are pass the peak. The rain did help move fish in the river. Suckers are getting thick.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Perch Bite on Again
The perch fishing is super on Portage lake again,
PERCH ARE IN AT MANISTEE AND PORTAGE LAKE PLEASE CALL OSBORN’S SPORT @ 231-889-3775
OR
DON’S SPORT @ 231-723-5028.
LATEST UPDATE
ALSO GREAT BITE ON BIG GLENN AND SUTTONS
BAY WITH GOOD CATCHES AT ALL PLACES.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Walleye and trout season opens on Saturday
Spring has sprung and this coming Saturday, April 25th marks the opening of trout season on the Type 1 and Type 2 streams as well as the walleye, northern pike and muskellunge opener on the Lower Peninsula inland waters. Catch and immediate release bass season also opens on certain waters in the state. Warmer weather should make for a good opening weekend.
Trout fishing opener looks good with warm weather and the streams should be back to normal by friday. Crappie are running south of M-55 as most have open water.Also lots of gills being caught in Houghton Lake and Wixom Lake.
It looks like spring fishing has finally begun, at least in the Lower Peninsula. The upper got up to 20 inches of snow this week, but is going away in a hurry. Some waters around the state are muddy due to recent rains and strong winds. Warm weather by the end of the week should make for some good fishing.
Steelhead fishing is picking up , but most my good reports have been on the little and big Manistee River for steelhead. Hearing some fish are in the Two Heart River this week.
Traverse City - A few boats are making it out on the West Bay and searching for steelhead and perch. Most of the launches still have some ice. The East Bay is ice free so boat anglers are out looking for steelhead, whitefish, and brown trout. Also reports Suttons Bay is open and has a good perch bite with wigglers and minnows working best. Perch fishing has been gresat on both bays this week with wigglers working best.
Cadillac the crappie have started to bite with limit catches over the weekend.
White Lake - Good perch fishing continues when the weather is right. Check out the front of the old Post Office, where the lake meets the channel, and off the northwest point nearest the channel.
Saginaw Bay - Perch fishing was slow off Pine River Road, Palmer Road and the Linwood Marina. Walleye fishing off the mouth of the Saginaw River and the Kawkawlin River was good when anglers could get out. Walleye were caught off the mouth of the Quanicassee River when using thundersticks in 10 feet of water. No crappie at the Bay Shore Marina. At Caseville, small perch are in the river and the marina. A few walleye were caught off the end of the pier in the early morning.
Muskegon Lake - Perch fishing here continues to be strong. Target the west side of the lake between the channel and the Yacht Club.
Portage Lake - Perch were caught on minnows near the channel. Anglers trolling for brown trout in front of the Inn have caught a few on body baits. Small panfish have started to show up near the Green Can. The walleye opener looks good.
Lake Cadillac - Panfish were caught near the M-115 causeway and the City Dock.
Little Bay De Noc - The ice is completely gone however none of the state docks had been installed. The Gladstone and the Escanaba North Shore launches are up and running. Perch anglers started working the Saunders Point area. This area has produced some nice catches in the spring over the last several years. Most jig minnows and wigglers in 20 to 30 feet of water off the southwest bank. The splake and brown trout anglers are just getting started south of the Ford River and off the mouth of the Escanaba River, but no reports of any fish caught.
Big Bay De Noc - The ice finally blew out and most of the bay is open. None of the docks have been put in at the launch sites. The late ice produced some good perch fishing in Kate’s Bay, so boat anglers may do well here in 20 feet of water.
AAA FIshing Report
Upper Peninsula:
Slow activity this week around the Bergland area thanks to snow and adverse weather. The ice is all gone from the lake.
Off of Marquette trolling on Lake Superior is resulting in some nice catches of Coho and a few Kings. Most inland lakes still have ice and adverse weather and snow earlier in the week has limited fishing opportunities. Try some local rivers like the Days River and Bark River both providing some angling action.
Escanaba anglers are doing some drifting for steelhead in the Big Cedar River using spawn, but overall the activity has been slow.
Early-week rain put the brakes on much of the angling activity in Manistique. On Indian Lake, a few jumbo perch are biting on minnows near Big Spring Bay. The smelt run is also limited on the area??s small creeks near the US-2 corridor. On the plus side, steelhead are running strong in the Manistique River on yarn and spawn, and there is a growing demand for fishing licenses as the temperatures moderate.
In the Sault Ste. Marie area, anglers are in a transition period. Ice fishing is nearly done for the season, even though a lot of ice remains on the upper St. Mary??s River. A few anglers are getting a few Atlantic salmon below the rapids and the power house on spoons. Elsewhere, boats have yet to be put in the water in large numbers. On Pendills Creek, anglers are catching a few rainbow trout with salmon spawn.
The smelt run looks like it??s nearing an end in the southern portions of the peninsula. Along Lake Huron near St. Ignace and DeTour, the new two-gallon limit is being hit quite often. Only one more week of decent numbers of the small fish is expected. Steelhead fishing is still minimal here, but there is good news from the northwest end of Breevort Lake, where the ice is finally breaking up.
Steelheads are also finding the nets more frequently in the Albany and Carp rivers using spawn as bait.
On the Munuscong River, night crawlers are the bait of choice as the suckers start to run. Angling on the bays is pretty much nonexistent, with little activity on the ice-covered waters.
Northwest:
Near the Alanson area Black Lake is producing good catches of suckers while Bear Lake is giving up plenty of bullhead.
Fishing around Frankfort is picking up especially on Betsie Bay for steelhead. Fish seem to be biting on everything from night crawlers and minnows to Rapalas when trolling. Portage is giving up some perch. Crystal Lake right off the beach area is hit or miss for some Coho and anglers are marking plenty of rainbow trout. Walleye and trout season opens in the area on Saturday.
In Kalkaska browns are active in the Bay and steelhead are hitting at the mouth of the local river. Trout and walleye season open on Saturday and don??t forget the annual National Trout Festival takes place this weekend as well. For details call 231-258-8892.
Near Gaylord the Boyne, Sturgeon and Jordan rivers are producing plenty of steelhead on spawn, artificial baits, and egg fly patterns. The trout and walleye opener on Saturday is expected to be fabulous with the warm weather forecasted and it is anticipated anglers will be trolling with crank baits and crawlers.
Lake Cadillac is giving up nice numbers of crappie off the city docks and causeway; anglers continue to use minnows as the bait of choice. Pike, trout and walleye seasons open on Saturday.
West:
In Muskegon this Saturday trout, pike and walleye seasons open and the fishing is anticipated to be awesome. Anglers have been trolling in the channels and marking walleye. Muskegon Lake is giving up some nice perch. Anglers in boats are fishing in 40-50 feet inside the harbor and near the channels using minnows, wigglers, eye balls and cut bait.
Fishing activity in the Chippewa Lake area was good up until the recent cold snap. Before the thermometer dropped, good numbers of specks and blue gills were being caught. The gills had a taste for night crawlers and leaf worms while minnows, grubs and wax worms were the baits of choice for specks. Anglers also had to toss back the occasional bass or pike, neither of which are in season.
Over in Baldwin, the steelhead activity on the Pere Marquette has been good, minus adverse weather earlier this week, nuke eggs and stone flies have been working well. The water levels have been high due to the considerable amount of rain the area has received. By the weekend the warm weather moves in and water levels should be back to normal, fishing is anticipated to be very good for the trout opener on Saturday. Howe??s Lake is giving up some nice blue gill and sun fish in the 9-10 inch range during the warmer hours of the day, particularly when the sun is out. Trout season opens Saturday.
The steelhead fishing is about done in Grand Rapids, but decent numbers remain in Muskegon Lake if you pack spawn and flies among your gear. Plenty of minnows are being swallowed up as excellent perch catches are reported in Muskegon and White lakes. Meanwhile, the Muskegon Pier is the place to be this week for walleye using husky jerks and countdown Rapalas.
Northeast:
Off of the Alpena area, Lake Huron is giving up some nice catches of walleye near the shoreline on Rapalas. Thunder Bay near the Ninth Street Dam remains fair to good for walleye activity.
In Oscoda some perch are biting on minnows below Cooke Dam Pond on the north side or often referred to as the calm side. From the lake shore to the mouth of the Au Sable River the walleye action is decent using count down Rapalas in size 11. The fish can be kept from this section of water. Steelhead are just starting to spawn below Foote Dam, fish should be on the gravel soon. Try using wax worms, wigglers and flies.
Trout and walleye season open on Saturday in the Grayling area. Angling has been slow this week, but should be really good for the weekend as the warm weather rolls in.
Houghton Lake is producing nice blue gill on teardrops and leaf worms. Anglers are finding some nice crappie catches in the canals on minnows and hook and bobber. Walleye season opens Saturday and it is looking really good since anglers have been catching and releasing good numbers already.
Higgins Lake, the ice is now all gone but so far angling activity has not picked up due to adverse weather and cold temperatures.
Excellent walleye action is taking place around Au Gres at the mouth of the River and near the boat launch. Jig heads, Rapala Husky Jerks and anglers using deep downs close to the boat are working well. It is a bit early, but a few anglers are trying harnesses on the walleye with some success.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
National Trout Festival
The National Trout Festival is this week with lots of activities, and if you want to take a kid fishing then read below!
CHILDREN??S TROUT FISHING CONTEST
There is no charge for The Children??s Trout Fishing Contest, it will always be free.
Do you remember how old you were when you caught your first trout?
Prepare your children for an experience of a lifetime.
Starting on Saturday April 25th, 2009 at 9:00 am and lasting all day.
Jack??s Sport Shop will offer many prizes for the children during this event.
In addition, many other prizes have been donated by local businesses and groups.
C and C Well Drilling, have graciously donated the use of their pond for this contest.
They are located just south of M-72 on M-66.
You will find more information on the ??Sponsor a Smile? program at our Sponsorship page.
If you want to check out the events at the Trout FestIval click “LETS GO FISHING”
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Fishing Opener Looming
The fishing opener for Michigan is around the corner opening this saturday. It looks like the rain will be gone and warm temps will move in for this weekend which is a blessing. Fishing has been slow with all the rain and snow we have had the last couple days with some places in the U.P. getting a foot of snow.
Fish are biting when we get some decent weather.
FISHING CONDITIONS ON LAKES CADILLAC AND MITCHELL
FROM PILGRIM VILLAGE FISHING SHOP
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A new season is about to begin. Saturday, April 25th, pike, walleye and trout season open. The cycle revolves again and truly means spring regardless of rain, snow or sunshine.
Entering Cadillac West on M-115 on a warm spring day you??ll likely see fishermen casting from shore and several boats crowding the shoreline. The causeway is one of the early spots for crappie. The City dock on the east side of Cadillac is another good area. Either side the crappie usually co-operates and shore fishermen can do as well as those with boats.
Fishing buddies Tim Littlefield and Garret Stark show 12?, 15 oz crappies caught from shore.
Steelhead:
Manistee River - good catches of steelhead and browns are still reported up to Tippy Dam. Rain is forecasted and should move more fish to the dam. Best catches have been early and late. During the sunny days they leave the gravel runs and are easily spooked. When the shadows return, they??re easier to catch.
River rat, J.P. Matlak is pictured with a 10.5 pounder caught on the Manistee.
Carrie Long and Emmalie Ouwinga hold 3 steelhead caught while fishing with Carrie??s parents on the Manistee.
Those interested in suckers are catching their share. The rivers full of several varieties. Ruth Powell was happy with the 22? white sucker she caught.
Vaughn and Brian Bussell caught several good catfish off the back waters near Tippy Dam. They prefer them smoked.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Perch Are In
PERCH ARE IN AT MANISTEE AND PORTAGE LAKE PLEASE CALL OSBORN’S SPORT @ 231-889-3775
OR
DON’S SPORT @ 231-723-5028.
FOR LATEST UPDATE
ALSO GREAT BITE ON BIG GLENN WITH
LIMIT CATCHES AT ALL PLACES.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Fishing Should be Good this Weekend
Many lakes in northern Michigan still have ice but hope it will be gone by this weekend
Crappie are running south of M-55 as most have open water. Also report a few suckers are running the rivers with crawlers and worms.
It looks like spring fishing has finally begun, at least in the Lower Peninsula. Some waters around the state are muddy due to recent rains and strong winds. Warm weather by the end of the week should make for some good fishing.
Houghton Lake is open and the crappie fishing has been great in the canals this week.
Sanford Lake and Wixom Lake has been good for crappie and gills.
Steelhead fishing is picking up , but most my good reports have been on the little and big Manistee River for steelhead. Hearing some fish are in the Two Heart River this week.
Traverse City - A few boats are making it out on the West Bay and searching for steelhead and perch. Most of the launches still have some ice. The East Bay is ice free so boat anglers are out looking for steelhead, whitefish, and brown trout. Also reports Suttons Bay is open and has a good perch bite with wigglers and minnows working best. Perch fishing has been gresat on both bays this week with wigglers working best.
Cadillac the crappie have started to bite with limit catches over the weekend.
White Lake - There are still a lot of perch being caught in front of the old Post Office, where the lake meets the channel, and off the northwest point nearest the channel.
AAA Fishing Report
Upper Peninsula:
Lake Gogebic still has good ice however temperatures are on the rise in the area. Anglers are doing well for perch on wigglers. Some of the inland lakes around Bergland are giving up crappie and blue gill.
Marquette anglers are finding that the river systems off of Lake Superior are not really producing any fish just yet due to the cold water, still a chilly 36 degrees. However, anglers trolling in 25-feet of water on Lake Superior are pulling in some decent Coho with hard baits.
Angling is slow overall in the Escanaba area. No action on the Bay yet and there is open water south of Gladstone. The Big Cedar River is giving up some brown trout and splake. Anglers are doing well trolling with Rapalas and Storms in 8-15 feet of water along the shore.
Indian Lake has one large chunk of ice still floating but that isn??t stopping anglers in small boats from going out to it and fishing for perch.
The Manistique River has all the gates open and fishable. Anglers are drifting with spawn for steelhead action. Smelt dipping is starting to pick up and 3 a.m. seems to be the best timeframe at this point.
Off of Sault Ste. Marie the Bay??s still have ice on them and perch action is hit or miss. A few anglers are attempting to put boats in, but overall angling seems to be in a transition period.
Anglers are still ice fishing in the Munuscong area. Good perch action on Munuscong Lake using minnows and teardrops. So far no smelt dipping taking place in the area.
Around Drummond Island, Whitney Bay still has ice fishing taking place and anglers are reeling in some perch. The ice is starting to show signs of deterioration.
Off of Cedarville perch are hitting on teardrops with a wiggler.
Around St. Ignace the ice is deteriorating particularly around the shoreline, out in the middle the ice is good but getting to it can be rough. Overall, activity is very limited at this point.
Northwest:
Alanson anglers are finding fair to good action for steelhead off the break wall in Petoskey. The Pigeon River is good for sucker fishing with night crawlers. Crooked and Pickerel lakes both have open water and Burt Lake is partially open.
Around the Traverse City area, Suttons Bay is giving up perch and cisco off of the deep water points. Overall the bite is fair to good with wigglers. The Betsie River is giving up nice counts of steelhead, while the Boardman is currently slow. Crystal and Big Glen lakes are producing a few perch.
Action is picking up around Frankfort where steelhead are starting to really move. Anglers are Finesse fishing and yarn balls, spawn and night crawlers are also working well. The Platte River is slow with a few steelhead on the move and suckers are hitting on anything.
Around Kalkaska, Skegemog Lake has some fair to good activity for perch on wigglers and minnows. Steelhead activity is rated fair to good for Elk Rapids Dam and the Boardman River when using jigs with wax worms.
Gaylord anglers finding decent action for steelhead using spawn on the Boyne, Jordan and Sturgeon rivers. Plenty of catch and release fishing is taking place on the Black, Au Sable and Manistee rivers.
In the Cadillac area, fair to good crappie fishing is taking place off of the causeway and city docks using minnows.
West:
Off of the Ludington pier and the Pere Marquette River the steelhead and brown trout are on the move and anglers are getting good results with spawn. Suckers are also active on worms. Pan fish are moving into the shallow waters of Hamlin Lake and activity is picking up. Perch are hitting on wigglers and minnows on the Pere Marquette Lake, Pentwater Lake and White Lake.
Anglers are finding good action in and near the Baldwin area, much improved over last week. The Manistee River up to the Tippy Dam has very good steelhead activity. Small stone flies, Hex and Nuke egg patterns are working well. The Pere Marquette River is low and crystal clear and giving up steelhead in the early morning hours and before dark. Day fishing isn??t so great the fish seemed to be spooked due to the low water. Browns are found in the deeper holes behind the steelhead and spawn type patterns seem to be working well. Wolf Lake has a few bass to be had. Big Bass Lake is giving up a few perch on wigglers and wax worms.
Anglers in Muskegon are anxious to see the cold, wet and windy conditions leave the area. Lake Michigan is producing plenty of steelhead for some great fishing off the break wall using spawn bags. An occasional brown trout is mixed in. The west end of Muskegon Lake is the best spot for some perch action. Anglers are getting up to two dozen fish per boat, but sorting is also necessary. A variety of baits seem to be working that include; spikes, mousies, wigglers, minnows, cut bait and eyeballs. Fishing in 42-29 feet of water in the front channel to the yacht club is a good location.
Chippewa Lake anglers again this week are doing very well for specks throughout the channels. Minnows are working well. Bigger fish are starting to move in.
All around the Grand Rapids area the inland lakes are picking up for crappie and blue gill. The Grand River near the Sixth Street Dam has great steelhead action as well as the smaller rivers in the area. Near Ionia, Morrison Lake is producing decent perch and near Whitehall, White Lake is also giving up decent perch opportunities. Off of Lake Michigan anglers are doing well fishing from piers for walleye using Rapala Husky Jerks and Countdown Rapalas.
Northeast:
Alpena angling is fair to good for steelhead near the Ninth Street Dam and Thunder Bay River. Fair action for walleye during the evening hours is taking place off of the break wall using Rapalas.
Around Oscoda more fish are moving into the Foote Dam Pond since all the ice is gone. The Au Sable River is fair to good for steelhead activity with spawn, wax worms, wigglers and flies working well.
Lake Margrethe near Grayling is overall slow for perch activity using minnows, but the pan fish are starting to come into the shallows. Most rivers and streams are starting to pick up for steelhead action on spawn and flies.
Houghton Lake is back in action with some decent crappie and blue gill fishing. The canals are the best locations and using minnows and wax worms.
Still no angling activity for Higgins Lake, the ice is still floating around.
Action is good around Au Gres for walleye off the break wall and near the mouth of the Au Gres. Boating activity is picking up as well. Good results taking place with Rapala Deep Downs, Rapala Floaters in size 13 and 18, Rapala Husky Jerks in size 12 and 14 and bombers. Steelhead action is good at the Singing Bridge and East Branch of the Au Gres River. Spawn, small Cleo??s and small Rapalas in size 7 and 9 seem to work fairly well. The Rifle River has some good sucker fishing with crawlers, yarn and sponge doing the job.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Bring on the Nice Weather
Finally a day in the fifties with the radiant sun painting life back into our dreary landscape. Getting lots of reports of crappie and gills starting to get in the shallows and canals. Locals around the Two Heart are catching lots of steelhead with no trolls in the river. We need to get some trolls across the bridge so they do not have all the fun.
Many lakes still have ice up here locally Long Lake by Traverse City is still froze.
Spring is here! Lake Cadillac and Mitchell were declared thawed Thursday April 9.
As stated in an earlier report, the first place to catch a mess of crappies once the ice goes out, will be the causeway on the west side of Lake Cadillac. It??s happening. Driving along M-115 you??ll see a line of shore fishermen and a few boats within casting distance from shore. Every year this is the place to begin.
It may not last long. First the crappies move in pre-spawn. After they leave bluegill and sunfish move into the neighbor hood to start their beds. The pike are always there looking for an easy meal. Lastly, large mouths frequently spawn along the west shore.
Crappie fishing is easy and inexpensive. Many use 9?? rods, making it easier to cast further from shore. Bobber fishing with small minnows usually does the trick.
The Causeway??s shoreline is rocky. Benches and trash containers are now available.
John Culp was the first to show us his catch. He??s pictured with a limit of 9 and 10 inchers.
Steelhead:
The Manistee River has been strong. Good catches of steelhead and as a bonus, big walleye. Walleye must be released but are fun to catch. Steelhead have not been particular when it comes to bait. Spawn bags, flies, waxworms, wobble glos all are working.
Sucker fishing hasn??t started for real yet. However, Jack Powell caught a Master Angler Red Horse sucker already. He is pictured with a 23?, 5.3 pounder. The Trashman will get several Master Angler size this spring.
Monday, April 13, 2009
What’s Up is Down and What’s Down is Up
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Happy Easter
First Easter Light at the Wood Duck Blind
Rays from the morning sun reveal all the beauty and splendor of a new day.
The moon lit sky reflects a mirror image of tranquility. ?Peace and quiet are lovers. ?Even the sun holds it light letting the mist spread across the lake.
An loon soars over the lake with it’s majestic call. ?A swamp sparrow hops on to a log.
My camera ready for the first wood duck activity. ?Time and results, not important.
Getting lost in moments as these makes life worthwhile. We live for today. Yesterday is a memory and tomorrow a dream.
Thursday, April 09, 2009
Ice is Leaving UP North
Ice is starting to leave the lakes north of m-55, but most lakes still have some ice floating around. Fishing is very slow as we are waiting for the ice to leave.
The weather forecast is looking good for anglers planning to fish over the Easter holiday weekend.
Ice fishing in the Lower Peninsula is done. Any remaining ice is dangerous and should be avoided. The ice in certain areas of the Upper Peninsula is also getting soft so extreme caution needs to be used. Strong winds and colder temperatures have kept many anglers at home so not much to report this week.
Many are looking for crappie to start running south of M-55 as most have open water. Also report a few suckers are running the rivers with crawlers and worms.
Anglers are getting anxious as we move into open water fishing. Steelhead runs should improve with warmer weather. The sucker runs have started in the Lower Peninsula. Boats are heading out into the Great Lakes for trout and salmon.
Houghton Lake is half open so look for the crappie to start moving into the canals in a few days if warm weather continues. Higgins is open to the drop offs. I was up by Gaylord and Otsego Lake was still ice covered but shorelinr has broken up.
Sanford Lake and Wixom Lake has been good for crappie and gills but weather has hammpered the bite.
Steelhead fishing is picking up , but most my good reports have been on the little and big Manistee River for steelhead.
Traverse City - A few boats are making it out on the West Bay and searching for steelhead and perch. Most of the launches still have some ice. The East Bay is ice free so boat anglers are out looking for steelhead, whitefish, and brown trout. Also reports Suttons Bay is open and has a good perch bite with wigglers and minnows working best.
Upper Peninsula:
Bergland anglers are doing well for perch pretty much all over and around mud flats. Ice is still strong enough to hold a four-wheeler.
Off of the Marquette area, a few Coho are being caught by anglers in small boats fishing in 25-feet of water. Otherwise angling activity is slow overall.
Around Escanaba the ice is deteriorating fast and anglers are just not getting out at this point. Angling action is in a transition period at this point.
Weather around Drummond Island has created poor fishing conditions. There is still plenty of ice on the Bays and a few perch are being caught on Whitney Bay.
Around the Manistique area, poor conditions exist for Lake Michigan and Indian Lake. Ice is in bad shape and unsafe. Steelhead action is picking up on the Manistique River.
Around Sault Ste. Marie the weather has been miserable with snow and cold temperatures causing for very limited angling opportunities. The St. Mary??s River is still covered with ice. Lake George the ice is very skeptical, but a few anglers are pulling in some perch.
Near Brimley, a few anglers are fishing through the ice at the mouth of Pendills Creek when the wind is blowing in the right direction.
Munuscong Lake is giving up a few perch and the ice is still good.
There is perch to be caught around Cedarville, however the ice is very uncertain and a few anglers have fallen in this past week. The smelt run should be starting very shortly around St. Ignace.
Northwest:
Burt Lake is giving up a few suckers on crawlers and Crooked Lake has open water and boats can now get out. River fishing is starting to get in gear.
Frankfort area anglers are starting to catch steelhead from the Betsie River and steelhead are starting to show up on Crystal Lake where anglers fishing off shore are working very hard for the fish.
In the Kalkaska area good action taking place for smelt on Twin Lake and the Boardman River is giving up good counts of steelhead on wax worms and spawn.
The Boyne, Jordan and Sturgeon rivers are plentiful with steelhead. Fly fisherman are using egg and nymph patterns and bait anglers are using spawn sacks. Fly Fishing with streamers is taking place on the open branches of the Manistee and Au Sable river systems with good results.
Near the Cadillac area, Pine and Manistee rivers are giving up good numbers of steelhead on spawn and flies. Mitchell Lake has open water now and a few perch and crappie are biting.
Northwest:
Burt Lake is giving up a few suckers on crawlers and Crooked Lake has open water and boats can now get out. River fishing is starting to get in gear.
Frankfort area anglers are starting to catch steelhead from the Betsie River and steelhead are starting to show up on Crystal Lake where anglers fishing off shore are working very hard for the fish.
In the Kalkaska area good action taking place for smelt on Twin Lake and the Boardman River is giving up good counts of steelhead on wax worms and spawn.
The Boyne, Jordan and Sturgeon rivers are plentiful with steelhead. Fly fisherman are using egg and nymph patterns and bait anglers are using spawn sacks. Fly Fishing with streamers is taking place on the open branches of the Manistee and Au Sable river systems with good results.
Near the Cadillac area, Pine and Manistee rivers are giving up good numbers of steelhead on spawn and flies. Mitchell Lake has open water now and a few perch and crappie are biting.
Northwest:
Burt Lake is giving up a few suckers on crawlers and Crooked Lake has open water and boats can now get out. River fishing is starting to get in gear.
Frankfort area anglers are starting to catch steelhead from the Betsie River and steelhead are starting to show up on Crystal Lake where anglers fishing off shore are working very hard for the fish.
In the Kalkaska area good action taking place for smelt on Twin Lake and the Boardman River is giving up good counts of steelhead on wax worms and spawn.
The Boyne, Jordan and Sturgeon rivers are plentiful with steelhead. Fly fisherman are using egg and nymph patterns and bait anglers are using spawn sacks. Fly Fishing with streamers is taking place on the open branches of the Manistee and Au Sable river systems with good results.
Near the Cadillac area, Pine and Manistee rivers are giving up good numbers of steelhead on spawn and flies. Mitchell Lake has open water now and a few perch and crappie are biting.
West:
Windy and cold weather this week in the Ludington area has slowed the fishing activity a bit. Anglers that are fishing off the north and south piers for steelhead and brown trout are finding decent results. The Pere Marquette River is producing some catches of steelhead.
Lake fishing in the Baldwin area is not so great this week due to cold weather. Fly fishing is good on the Pere Marquette near the river beds. The weekend is expected to be very good as the warmer weather returns.
Muskegon anglers fishing Lake Michigan off the break wall are doing well for steelhead using spawn. Muskegon River and White River are both giving up steelhead catches on spawn on the higher sections of the rivers. Anglers fishing Muskegon Lake and using minnows are getting larger fish, using spikes gets a lot of fish but a lot of sorting is also necessary. The perch action is great for anglers fishing in small boats around the channels and the Sand Dock. Perch seem to be biting on everything and the average per boat is 30-40 fish but a lot of sorting is needed.
The action is hot on Chippewa Lake for speckled trout. The lake has wide open water and anglers are pulling in limits easily. The average fish is eight or nine inches and minnows are doing the trick.
In the Grand Rapids area, good action continues on the Grand River near the Sixth Street Dam where the steelhead are hitting on spawn, flies, and wobble glows.
On the Rogue River in Rockford the cold water tributary is also producing nice counts of steelhead on wobble glows, spawn and flies.
Off of the White Hall and Holland piers the walleye action is good when using Rapala Husky Jerks
Northeast:
Anglers fishing just below the Foote Dam Pond in Oscoda are doing ok for steelhead using wax worms, spawn and flies.
Poor angling conditions on Houghton Lake due to ice floating. The canals are open but the water is extremely cold and not much moving just yet, overall a transition time of year. It is a week or so away for crappie fishing.
Higgins Lake has ice breaking up and floating. No activity at this time.
Fishing has slowed this week in the Au Gres area thanks to cold weather. Anglers are pulling in a few walleye from the mouth of the river and from the boat launch on Rapala Husky Jerks.
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
Spring Fishing Getting Close
I hear a few canals are opening up on Houghton Lake, Higgins Lake is half open. Sanford and Wixom Lake are open and when the weather warms up crappie fishing has been good. Suttons Bay has opened up and many are getting out and catching some nice perch today.
Maybe this weekend things will start looking like spring.
Sunday, April 05, 2009
Turkey’s think Spring is Coming
I hear more snow tomorrow, at least this tom thinks spring is close.
Friday, April 03, 2009
Two fishermen rescued on Higgins Lake
Two ice fishermen were rescued from the surface of Higgins Lake March 28 after they began to break through the ice while fishing. The two men, Richard Huskins, 40, and Jerry Falor, 40, both of Beaverton were about a half-mile off the shore near the St. Lawrence Road end when the incident occurred…
Video released of Higgins Lake rescue
Ice fishing in the Lower Peninsula is done. Any remaining ice is dangerous and should be avoided. The ice in certain areas of the Upper Peninsula is also getting soft so extreme caution needs to be used. Strong winds and colder temperatures have kept many anglers at home so not much to report this week.
Fishing Report
Upper Peninsula:
Lake Gogebic around the Bergland area is giving up good counts of perch on minnows. The ice remains around 18-inches thick.
Around Marquette anglers are still ice fishing, but it is not recommended at this point. Pan fish are hitting on live bait on many small ponds. So far, no river is fishing taking place.
Escanaba anglers are still ice fishing on Little Bay De Noc and the perch action is good with minnows.
Near Drummond Island, Whitney and Maxton Bays are producing a few perch and herring catches on perch minnows and wax worms. No activity taking place out on Scott Bay this week.
Anglers are still taking chances ice fishing on Indian Lake and doing well for good numbers of perch, however the ice is not safe and ice fishing is not recommended. Anglers fishing the Manistique River are coming up with a few steelhead hitting spawn.
Mosquito Bay near Sault Ste. Marie is giving up a few whitefish on wax worms and Munuscong Bay is also providing a few perch catches on minnows. Munuscong Lake is overall slow for perch fishing with anglers only reeling in a few perch on wigglers. Emerson Bay near Paradise is still giving up some whitefish. Around the Les Cheneaux Islands the angling activity is very slow and the shoreline ice is very bad. Near St. Ignace angling activity on Brevort Lake has halted and the ice is deteriorated, especially around the shore. Cedarville is giving up a few perch in the early morning and late evening hours.
Northwest:
Excellent perch fishing taking place on Burt Lake, anglers can??t catch them fast enough off the easement. River fishing is starting to pick up.
Boyne City anglers are finding plenty of steelhead running in the Boyne and Jordan rivers and spawn, wigglers and spinners are working nicely. Anglers are anxiously waiting for the ice to go away. Around the Traverse City area rivers are starting to produce a few steelhead and spawn works best.
Around Frankfort, Betsie Bay has open water and anglers are trolling. The Betsie and Platte rivers are producing a few steelhead on spawn and wax worms.
Kalkaska anglers are steelhead fishing with spawn and jigs on the majority of rivers. The rivers are in overall good shape, not too murky but running a little high.
In the Gaylord area, Otsego the Boyne, Sturgeon and Au Sable rivers are hot for steelhead. Spawn and nymph patterns seem to be working well. Stay off all ice that remains in the area, very unsafe.
Mitchell and Cadillac anglers need to stay off any remaining ice due to unsafe conditions. Limited angling activity is taking place at this time.
West:
Around Ludington the Pere Marquette River is producing a few steelhead and some suckers on spawn and crawlers. Off of the break wall anglers are getting a few steelhead and browns.
Baldwin anglers are doing well for steelhead on the Pere Marquette River. Shad, Rapalas and spawn seem to work well. Good action on the Little Manistee for steelhead using spinners. Near the upper section of the Tippy Dam anglers are using flies. Brown trout are also biting on the Pere Marquette River on streamers and all the lakes now have open water.
Muskegon anglers have some excellent fishing taking place on the Muskegon River where the action is hot for steelhead using spawn. Best locations are near Bridgeton and the Croton Dam. Muskegon Lake is producing nice catches of perch on live bait and off of the pier anglers are pulling in good numbers of steelhead on little Cleo??s and spawn.
Chippewa Lake has good angling action this week for specks and crappie on live bait when channel fishing. The ice is finally all gone.
The Grand River is on fire for steelhead. Try using wobble glows, spawn or spinners for good results. Inland lakes in the area are giving up plenty of pan fish on live bait.
Northeast:
Alpena anglers are doing well on the Thunder Bay River near the Ninth Street Dam for steelhead on spawn. Walleye action is heating up in the evening hours off the break wall using minnows. Any remaining ice should be considered unsafe in the area.
Oscoda area anglers are finding good angling action on Van Etten Lake for perch on perch minnows. The Foote Dam Pond has open water and is giving up nice catches of perch, blue gill and sunfish on worms. Steelhead are running in the Au Sable River and hitting on wax worms, wigglers and spawn.
Good action in the river systems through Grayling for steelhead and using spawn. There is no safe ice in the area at this point.
Ice fishing is done on Houghton Lake and the ice remaining is not safe. Anglers are now gearing up for the spring fishing season.
Anglers are going through a transition period on Higgins Lake. The shoreline ice is not safe and angling activity is expected to be dormant for a few weeks.
Good walleye action around Au Gres this week. Near the mouth of the river and off the break wall seems to be the best locations and using small size Rapalas. A few steelhead and sucker catches are taking place on the Au Gres River near the Singing Bridge. Anglers are using crawlers, spawn and sponge baits.