Curly's Photo and Fishing Blog
Fishing is Picking Up
Houghton Lake- It seems today a few people are starting to show up to go ice fishing and will improve as we get closer to the weekend. Fishing pressure has been slow with Christmas and big winds on Sunday. Reports are fishing was good today on most lakes that are froze over with 4 to 6 inches of ice. Lyman’s has his shanties out and Lymanville has started. Pike fishing has been good with a tagged pike out around his shanties that has lots of goodies with it.
FISHING CONDITIONS ON LAKES CADILLAC AND MITCHELL
FROM PILGRIM VILLAGE FISHING SHOP
This past weekend was exciting, rain, strong winds and warm temperatures. The snow melted from the surface leaving standing water on the ice. The popular areas we fish still have 6 inches of good clear ice. Creepers are a must. It’s slick and wet. Fortunately temperatures are already falling and the teens are forecasted, the lakes are already tightening up. Smart fishermen are back to testing the ice with their spuds as they travel.
Panfishing has been good. Normal catches are mixtures of gills, crappie and perch. Crappie have been the predominant numbers, keepers usually in the 9-10 inch range. The coves on Mitchell are producing their usual numbers while the east side of Cadillac has also been good over the slab piles. Here they’re fishing 17 to 20 foot depths. Normally the blue gills have been a foot off the bottom, while the crappie are suspended about 5 feet off the bottom. Lately red or white spikes have been out fishing small minnows which are normally the crappies favorite. Although panfish are caught all day, the best bites have been between 7 AM to 10 AM and especially 3 PM to 6 PM.
Pike fishing has been fun! Both lakes are producing healthy, fat Northerns. As in past seasons, fish Mitchell for the numbers. On Cadillac expect fewer flags but larger pike. So far, Tim Haysmer’s 38 incher is the largest we’ve photographed. The 30 to 35 inch range has been common. Some of the most successful tip-up fishermen have replaced their steel leaders. Instead they use about 3 feet of heavy (20 lb.) monofilament as their leader. They claim that they are getting more flags now that their line isn’t as visible. Haven’t heard of break offs either. Pike fishing has been good. Rig you tip-ups and take advantage of it. Below see photos of some great pike.
We’re experiencing an above normal numbers of walleye catches. The cabbage patches on the west side of Mitchell seems to be the best area. Medium size minnows on light line tip-ups or jigging with Rapalas account for near limits of 19 to 25 inchers. Those that are catching them won’t give us many details but their accounts are accurate.
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