Curly's Photo and Fishing Blog
Ice Still on Many Lake in Northern Michigan
There is still ice on Higgins Lake, and most lakes north of M-72 still have ice, but it should be off this weekend. The UP has ice on most lakes with some fishing still the first of the week, but now ice is unsafe.
Suttons Bay has a good perch bite this week with wigglers working best.
Houghton Lake the crappie and sunfish are coming into the canals with minnows working best for crappie and worms for sunfish.
The panfish are coming into the mudfats of many inland lakes south of M-55 and waxworms, leaf worms, and wigglers are working best
Wixom Lake has a crappie run this week
Steelhead are up the river on the west side of the state, I’m hearing the suckers are starting to run also.
Snow in the Upper Peninsula, heavy winds in the east and southeast, and cooler temperatures earlier in the week has slowed fishing activity in many areas of the state. However, by the weekend warmer temperatures are anticipated and fishing opportunities should improve.
Upper Peninsula Northwest West Southwest
Northeast East Central Southeast
Upper Peninsula:
Overall activity is slow in the Upper Peninsula due to the weather.
In Munuscong Bay, Manistique, St. Ignace and Drummond Island the ice is very unsafe and angling activity is basically at a standstill this week during this transition period.
Around Sault Saint Marie, the ice is deteriorating but anglers are still ice fishing for perch on Lake George.
In the Copper Harbor area, the ice is now gone and anglers are in a transition mode with no activity taking place this week.
Around Bergland, Lake Gogebic still has three feet of ice and anglers are ice fishing for perch on wigglers. Ice fishing may hold through May 1.
In the Escanaba area, the ice is unsafe and the shoreline is melting rapidly making it difficult for anglers to get out. Some of the boat ramps are anticipated to open this weekend. Slow action for perch and browns today.
Northwest:
In Boyne City, the ice is finally gone. The Bear, Boyne and Jordan rivers are giving up good amounts of steelhead and perch. Suckers are starting to run and can be found near the mouth of the rivers. Steelhead biting on spawn bags and perch on wigglers.
In the Kalkaska area, good action taking place for steelhead in the Boardman River and Elk Rapids Dam. Spawn working best.
Around the Frankfort area, the Betsie and the Platt rivers are hot spots for steelhead on flies and spawn. The ice is now gone and Lake Michigan has opened up, and anglers are catching some browns and steelhead around the piers.
Anglers in the Gaylord area are finding decent fishing for steelhead in the Boyne and Jordan rivers on nymph patterns, spawn, and egg flies. Any ice in the area should be considered unsafe. Anglers are fly fishing on the AuSable River with mudler minnows and woolly buggers.
West:
In the Muskegon area, decent perch action for anglers fishing on Muskegon Lake but expect to do plenty of sorting. Lake Michigan is wide open and all of the ice is gone, steelhead are on the move and can be found near the piers, in most channels and the break arms. Brown trout action is slow and spotty.
Chippewa Lake is giving up some specs and blue gill in the channels on minnows and wax worms.
Around the Baldwin area, the ice has finally left and steelhead are on the increase in the Pere Marquette River. Spawn seems to be working well.
Southwest:
Good action taking place in the Holland area. Crappie are active on most inland lakes on minnows and twister tails. Lake Michigan is giving up browns, and steelhead. Walleye are active around the Holland piers in the middle of the night. Trolling in 18 feet of water and using Hot-n-Tots, husky jerks, x-wraps and most body baits seem to work well.
In the Benton Harbor area, the ice is gone but the weather and high winds this week has angling activity at a standstill.
Around the Kalamazoo area, the Pere Marquette River is producing decent catches of steelhead. Austin Lake is giving up crappie on the north end, but other inland lakes have very limited activity, as well as the Kalamazoo River which is too high for any action.
Northeast:
In the Oscoda area the fishing is really picking up since all of the ice is gone. Cooke and Foote Dam Ponds are producing good quantities of blue gill and perch. Anglers are getting good results using perch minnows, small red worms and wax worms. Van Etten Lake is giving up decent amounts of perch on minnows and wigglers and in the AuSable River the steelhead are on the move and wax worms, spawn and flies are working best.
Alpena anglers have fair fishing taking place for steelhead and suckers on the Thunder Bay River when using spawn bags.
Slow action in the Grayling area mainly due to the ice, which has finally left for good. Canals are starting to open up with blue gill becoming active.
On Houghton Lake the ice is now gone and anglers are starting to launch boats, fishing in canals for crappie.
Around Higgins Lake the angling activity is slow this week mostly due to the ice that remains, which is not safe, and the shoreline breaking up making it difficult for anglers to get out.
East:
In the Bay City area, the weather has been an issue for anglers all week due to high winds going up and down and pushing the water out in and out. The water is brown, muddy and really stirred up. Activity should improve for the weekend as warmer and milder weather moves in.
Around the Linwood area, pretty much the same story as Bay City where the winds have stirred things up making it rough for anglers to get out. Some walleye are being caught in the Bay in 9-14 feet of water when trolling. Suckers are running in the Rifle River and crawlers are doing the trick.
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