Curly's Photo and Fishing Blog
Last Weekend for Tip Up Town
We’re getting ready for another great Tip-Up Town USA! Michigan’s largest winter festival takes place on January 22-24th, and 29-31st. It’s the Diamond Anniversary and promises to be bigger and better than ever before! Bookmark this site to keep up to date with all the activities planned for 2010. So starting making plans for the best fun that winter has to offer - Tip-Up-Town USA in wonderful Houghton Lake!
Click here for some short videos of some of the fun activities offered at Tip-Up Town USA
Don’t forget you can use 3 lines per person this year.
Higgins Lake is safe and things have been slow with the weather change but look for the smelt to start biting
Brutal weather has set in the last two days and very few fishing. The bite has been slow on many lakes still and hope things pick up this week. We have a great weekend of weather with 30’s predicted
Lake St. Helen is reporting great pike and panfish bite this week
Down at Wixom Lake they are doing good off the access site with panfish and pike..
Margrethe and Otsego have good ice and many shaties are showing up on the lakes with a fair bite. A huge muskie was caught on Lake Margrethe
Around Leroy, Farwell, Cadillac, Harrison and Sanford they have good ice and are catching fish.
Long Lake and Lake Leelanau by Traverse City have good ice for walking and perch and walleye are biting. Some are getting off the north-end.
Crystal Lake is froze on the south -end with a few guys getting out for perch
Portage Lake is froze, and they report a good perch and walleye bite. Also lots of pike being caught on golden shiners.
Skegemog Lake - Ice anglers are catching perch and many shanties out for spearing muskie and pike.
Lake Missaukee - Has ice and anglers are out targeting panfish.
Lake Cadillac -Is producing some nice northern pike for those spearing or using tip ups with large minnows. Walleye anglers were doing well when using tip-ups with light line. Those seeking panfish have caught good numbers of crappie along with some bluegills and perch. Many are fishing the west side of the lake.
Lake Mitchell - Is also producing some nice northern pike. The better walleye bite has been in the early morning or late evening. Black crappie were caught.
Hamlin Lake is reporting a good panfish and pike bite with lots of people out and about this week. At midweek the upper lake had around 8 inches of ice. And there is 4 or more on the bayous. Pretty good ice, but, still be cautious this early in the year.We are riding snowmobiles just about anywhere. The bait of choice for bluegills seems to be spikes over waxworms. There have been good catches in the mornings and evenings using bright colored jigs. ccording to Hamlin grocery the hot colors were orange and yellow and chartreuse and purple. The National ice fishing circuit comes to Hamlin lake Jan. 28-31, 2010 The first prize of 7,500 will certainly draw lots of anglers. This is a simple event, you fish for five hours with your favorite fishing partner, bring back your eight heaviest bluegills and crappies. You only have to beat the other 149 teams. The event kicks off Jan 26 above sportsman’s Irish pub. The next day there is a free ice fishing seminar and then on Sat. there will be a USA Team qualifier, which could qualify a team for the world championship tournament. Last years event was in Poland. Then there is a rules meeting at Ramada Sat night. Sunday the tournament starts at 8.am. Fishing ends at 1.00 with a weigh in and chili cookoff in the James street plaza downtown Ludington. We have rooms and snowmobiles available We also are having our free lodging special again this year. With the popular response we had, it seemed like the thing to do. If you rent a snowmobile for a day you get a free night, of a two night stay. If you rent a snowmobile for 2 days you get 2 nights free, on and on. The more sleds you rent the larger the free unit, up to 3 bedroom. Same goes for atv’s. The hot tub is on and hot, ready for soaking. Come on up and enjoy, give us a call, 888-845-5187, thanks,
Saginaw Bay - Anglers are cautioned to be very careful if contemplating going out fishing. Ice conditions were deteriorating and the pressure cracks are very active which was causing the ice to buckle and pile up in places. Strong southwest winds may cause the ice to separate near the pressure cracks, which will increase the possibility of anglers being stranded on ice flows. A number of anglers fell through the ice near Linwood last weekend. A few perch were taken east of Quanicassee off Vanderbilt Park, the marina at Sebewaing and near Rose Island in 3 feet of water.
Little Bay De Noc - Ice conditions worsened with the warm temperatures and rain. Anglers should avoid those areas near pressure cracks and the mouth of rivers as several vehicles have gone through the ice. The ice shifting near the pressure cracks has created some barriers. Extreme caution needs to be used. Anglers were still heading out for walleye. Good numbers of fish were caught in the flats near Kipling however most were on the small side. Try rapalas or tip-ups with minnows in 25 to 35 feet of water. Perch action in 10 to 17 feet of water out from the Day’s River and south towards Kipling. Anglers are jigging wigglers and minnows. Most anglers reported few catches however some large jumbos have been caught. Good pike spearing east of Butler Island in 10 feet of water on natural and artificial decoys.
Big Manistique Lake - Has ice and is producing walleye along with some perch.
South Manistique Lake - Is also producing walleye and a few perch. Both lakes should also start producing some pike.
Cedarville and Hessel - A few yellow perch in the 10 to 13 inch range have been caught in 8 to 10 feet of water in Hessel Bay. Wigglers worked best. Those fishing Musky Bay caught perch and pike but many were sub-legal. Cedarville Bay and the waters around Little Joe Island were producing a few more legal size perch.
Houghton Lake - Ice anglers are taking northern pike on tip-ups with minnows. Walleye have been caught out by the Middle Grounds. Most are jigging along the weeds in 6 to 8 feet of water. Dave at Four Season Party Store is out looking for a good spot as last year hotspot the weeds are down and not holding fish. Dave at Four Season party Store is out looking for a good spot and has done well the last few days so give him a call at 989-422-5230 for his hot-spot He caught four keeper walleye last night.. Lyman’s on the lake has shanties out and has a weekly pike contest
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