Curly's Photo and Fishing Blog
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 canâ??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 Cleoâ??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.
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