Curly's Photo and Fishing Blog
We Need Warm Weather
The weather has been chilly and we are wondering where the hell is summer, it should be warmer than 60. The fishing has been good.
Weather has been ok , but tomorrow a cold front moves in and will slow fishing friday. Houghton Lake has been hot for walleye with leeches working best. Also Saginaw Bay has been hot also for walleye.
Sturgeon Joe at Otsego Lake is saying the bass fishing has been fair on Otsego Lake with bass fishing great. The Michigan motor carrier division are trying to close down the bait dealers.
Dave at Four Season Party Store in Houghton Lake says off of Long Point the walleye bite is still super with leeches and crawlers working best with a bobber. He has four special cralwers harness that he ties that are working great.There is a landing across the street from him but no parking, but if you buy your supplies from him he will let you park in his vacent lot across from the landing and put you on the fish.
Call him at 989-422-5230 his address is 9613 E Houghton Lake Dr, Houghton Lake, MI 48629. I was a Sportsman Resort (989-366-5471)today on Houghton Lake and the lake was really rough today and few out but the ones that braved the wind caught fish.
Saginaw Bay -Had excellent largemouth bass fishing off the mouth of the Pine River in shallow waters. Walleye are still hitting however the weather did mange to slow the bite. All the common spots continue to produce; the Black Hole, Buoys 1 & 2, the Spark Plug, and between Fish Point and the Slot. The Callahan Reef was producing but it seems the fish have moved out deeper. Slow fishing at Caseville but warmer weather should get the walleye moving off Oak Point.
Mullett Lake -Those braving the windy conditions have caught walleye in the north end around the red buoy and the south end from Red Pine Point to the mouth of the Indian River. Try deep diving rapalas 120 feet back in waters 12 to 25 feet deep. Good colors were silver, red or green. Anglers have also caught smallmouth bass, northern pike, and perch.
Burt Lake - Burt Lake in Alanson has anglers trolling during the evening hours with great success, mostly using crawlers. Inland lakes are giving up plenty of blue gill.
Lake Margrethe producing nice quantities of walleye in 18-feet of water with crawler harnesses with a crawler or leech. Anglers are getting best results trolling approximately .7 mph. Manistee Lake continues to be good for crappie fishing, Section 1 Lake for bass and perch can be caught scattered all over Bradford Lake.
Higgins Lake -When boats can get out, perch are still being caught along the north end of Treasure Island in 20 to 40 feet of water. Those jigging for lake trout and whitefish are using Swedish Pimples. Those trolling for lake trout are using body baits or rapalas.
Houghton Lake - Anglers are catching walleye, bluegill, bass, and pike in East Bay, North Bay and Long Point on crawlers and leeches. Fishing is great when the wind lays down.
Lake Charlevoix - The Mayfly hatch is in full swing. Walleye are biting at night on trolled minnow type plugs and bass can be found deeper along the drop-offs. Some perch were caught in the weedy areas close to shore.
Lake Bellaire - Walleye anglers are out in full force. Early morning and late evening were best when trolling near the Fisherman’s Paradise Public Access, the South Bay and along the narrows in the Northwest Arm. Most are trolling crawler harnesses, spoons and rapalas while others are jigging spoons or a jig with leeches or crawlers. Bass anglers are casting spinners or crank baits in 4 to 20 feet of water. Fish ranging from 10 to 20 inches were caught. For pike, try casting crank baits in 3 to 5 feet of water near the mouth of the Intermediate River. Small perch were caught when still-fishing in the Northwest Arm or near the Intermediate River.
Lake Skegemog near Kalkaska is producing bass and pan fish on wax worms, night crawlers, sucker and perch minnows. Elk Rapids Dam has some nice blue gill fishing available. Guernsey Lake has decent trout activity.
Elk River - The action has slowed with only a few smallmouth bass caught.
Boardman River - Had slow fishing except for some rock bass, carp and smallmouth bass found just below the Union Street Dam.
Lake Leelanau - Walleye fishing has been good this week with leeches and crawlers working best.
Long Lake by Traverse City has slow a little for walleye this week but still good numbers with leeches working best.
Lake Missaukee - Pan fishing improved and lots of pike have been caught with bass and walleye biting on leeches.
Portage Lake -Bluegill fishing picked up but now the Mayfly hatch has started. Some bluegills were in the shallows on the north end of the lake but most were in 17 to 22 feet of water in the middle. Lots of largemouth bass have been caught but many were sub-legal. Walleye and pike anglers are struggling with only a few pike caught by those casting on the east end of the lake up near the docks.
Manistee -Boat anglers are catching a couple salmon in the early morning when fishing in front of the piers and off the Shelf. Those venturing out further have caught steelhead and lake trout when targeting the top 30 feet of water with orange spoons.
Ludington - Salmon have been caught in the early morning when trolling in front of the piers with spoons or plugs. Those fishing between the Bathhouse and Sable Point found fish in waters 80 to 160 feet deep. Hot spoons were Mixed Veggies, Double Orange Crush or blue and green Dolphins.
Brevort Lake near Allenville and north of St. Ignace is producing walleye and anglers are doing well when they can get out. Wind, rain and chilly temperatures limited angling activity this week but the weekend is looking up.
Manistique anglers are dealing with chilly temperatures and rain this week, but when anglers can get out the fishing is good on Indian Lake for decent counts of walleye.
Little Bay De Noc- Most walleye anglers are still trolling crawlers or crank baits in 20 to 30 feet of water between the “Fingers” and Portage Point. Good northern pike action out from the Power Plant in Kipling when trolling spoons in 10 to 20 feet of water. Bass anglers did well when casting tube baits or crank baits in 10 to 15 feet of water around Hunters Point and Butler Island. Shore anglers at the Ford River also doing well casting crank baits or crawlers along the banks. A few perch were taken in waters up to 25 feet deep off Butler Island. Rumor has it a couple nice salmon were caught 60 feet down in 80 to 90 feet of water out near the Ford River Buoy.
Big Bay De Noc No walleye reports this week but the smallmouth bass fishing was good off Ogontz and Valentine Creek. Most are casting tube baits or crank baits in 10 to 15 feet of water. Lots of sunfish were caught along the weeds. At Fairport, water temperatures are still on the cold side. Salmon fishing has been fair to good 65 to 80 feet down in waters 100 feet deep. Red and silver were hot colors. The fish are bigger with many in the 20 pound range.
Grand Marais - It seems the whitefish season has come to an end however catch rates for lake trout were still good. Try waters 70 to 290 feet deep for limit catches of lake trout along with the occasional salmon or steelhead.
Cedarville and Hessel -Had very good lake herring fishing with limits taken in McKay Bay and the east end of the Moscoe Channel when using red teardrops with wax worms. Perch have been caught in 8 to 10 feet of water. In Cedarville Bay and Musky Bay, catch rates for perch were improving in 10 to 15 feet of water. Pike were caught by those casting off the Hessel Pier. Those targeting salmon were catching lake trout. Bass are hitting on spinner baits in Snows Channel.
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