Curly's Photo and Fishing Blog
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Deep Lakes are Producing
Higgins Lake has great ice, and most the snow went south of the lake so the lake is in good shape. Some anglers are going off the West Access Site for Smelt but no great reports yet. Call Phoenix Park Party Store 989-821-7220 or Higgins Lake Sport 989-821-9517 for the West side. Sport Barn 989-821-9511 for the south-end of Higgins Lake . The lake trout are biting big time with many limit catches reported . Perch fish is good with very few smelt being caught so far.
Green Lake is froze over, they are vernturing out with good ice finally. Also heard of smelt biting off the Green Lake Access site this week.
Crystal Lake has a good perch and smelt bite this week off of Lobb Rd.
Portage Lake by Manistee report a great perch bite Still with minnows working best.
Anglers heading out onto Houghton Lake ,many are going off off Lymanville where the pike action has been good. The best areas to try and catch walleye are along the north shore, on the east bay or by the middle grounds.
Little Bay De Noc - Ice conditions and travel remain favorable in the northern half of the Bay, but the southern half is still dangerous because the shipping lane remains open. Walleye catches were still down, but improving. Day anglers reported fair catches off the Center Reef when using tip-ups with minnows in 20 feet of water. Evening and night anglers were jigging rapalas with minnows in 20 to 25 feet of water near the Light House or when jigging minnows along the break south of Aronson Island. A few jumbo perch were taken in 20 to 28 feet of water near Kipling or in 25 feet of water north of the Escanaba River. Jigging with spikes, minnows or wigglers worked best. Pike spearing was good in 8 to 10 feet of water near Kipling. Tip-ups worked in 17 to 25 feet of water. Whitefish action was fair to good off Sand Point when jigging minnows or spawn in 70 to 80 feet of water..
Muskegon Lake - Perch have been caught near the Sand Docks, Hartshorn Marina and Second Street. Try cut bait, minnows, spikes or fish eyes in waters at least 30 feet deep. Walleye anglers are jigging. Pike are hitting on tip-ups with golden shiners. Some bluegills were caught near the State Park. Warm water from the river has opened up the ice. Anglers should avoid this area.
Otsego Lake by Gaylord reports slow going this week but bigger perch being caught. They have the sturgeon shanties back out and are seeing a few with a 42 incher caught and released as they have to be 50 inches.The ice is holding up on Burt, Crooked and Pickerel lakes near Alanson, where the perch, pike and walleye action is good.
By Alpena, fishing fair on Grand and Long lakes. Anglers using minnows as bait are catching good numbers of perch and walleye. Fletcher’s Floodwaters - Is producing good numbers of pike up to 10 pounds. As for panfish, mostly bluegills and pumpkinseed sunfish were hitting in the upper end of the reservoir. They ranged from 5 to 8 inches., and they have a contest this weekend.
Out of the Boyne City area, the perch, pike and walleye action on Walloon Lake is fair to good. Anglers on Deer Lake are catching a few bluegill. Both waxworms and wigglers are being used as bait. Thumb Lake is producing fair splake fishing.
Around Manistique, Indian Lake have good ice with snow making things tough going
Long Lake by Traverse and Lake Leelanau have good reports of walleye this week ice is ok once you get past shoreline and the ice is real good out in the middle.
In the Kalkaska area, the perch fishing is good on Lake Skegemog. Crappie and walleye fishing is slow on Manistee Lake. Anglers on Fife Lake are pulling a few perch and walleye through the ice. We still have safe ice but be careful .
Gladwin Counties has good ice with good reports of panfish and pike biting
Houghton Lake has a good bite with walleye out at the middle grounds.. Lymanville has good ice around his shanty, pike have been biting very good
Lake Missaukee - Ice fishing is on and anglers are catching panfish off of Green Rd, Most are the size of your hand or 7 to 8 inches but limit catches. Ice is still good
Upper Hamlin Lake - Bluegills are being caught but lots of small ones.
Lower Hamlin Lake - Walleye were caught in 20 to 30 feet of water when jigging minnows.
Spider Lake - Anglers are ice fishing for panfish.
Fife Lake - They have shanties out to the hole by the island and are catching fish this week.
Big Glen Lake - Is hit and miss as some have done real well on the perch, some rainbows are being caught off the narrows
Upper Peninsula:
Anglers on Copper Harbor are finding good catches of splake when using spinner bait and minnows. By Marquette, the angling action is slow. The ice is gone on Lake Superior due to wind blowing it out. On the inland lakes fishing is fair for perch, pan fish and walleye. The best baits being used include jigs, Rapalas, minnows, and Swedish pimples. Around the Escanaba area, the walleye action is fair for anglers fishing the Escanaba River and Bay. Best results can be found using jigs and Rapalas and sucker minnows on tip-ups. The ice is 12-15 inches thick north of Gladstone with anglers getting around in trucks, where south of Gladstone only snowmobiles are going out on the ice.
Munuscong Bay is producing fair walleye when using jigs, minnows and spoons. The ice is good on Munuscong Bay at this point, but anglers are cautioned not to go too far out. Some white fish can be found in the upper river and near the locks.
In the St. Ignace area the ice is a solid 18 inches thick on Brevort Lake. Angling action has been slow but is picking up for perch and walleye. The best results are found when using minnows and jigs.
Northwest:
The ice on Burt Lake in the Alanson area has improved and anglers are pulling in some perch and walleye in 20-feet of water. Overall fishing remains fair on Crooked and Pickerel lakes. Minnows and wax worms are the best choices for bait. Fair action taking place for anglers around Boyne City, Lake Charlevoix is producing decent catches of perch and walleye near the west end and near the State Park. Fair conditions are the rule for anglers on Walloon Lake For perch, walleye, and blue gill. Minnows seem to work well.
Around the Kalkaska area, angling is rated fair to good. Fife Lake is producing decent amounts of perch, while Manistee Lake is giving up walleye and perch.
In the Cadillac area, crappie fishing is good on Cadillac and Mitchell lakes and anglers are finding minnows working best.
West:
In and around the Ludington area, anglers will find plenty of good ice. The Pere Marquette Lake is producing fair catches of perch and northerns, with tip-ups working well. Pan fish are abundant on the upper end of Hamlin Lake.
Anglers in the Muskegon area can expect fair fishing conditions. The ice remains a solid 5-6 inches. Pike and perch action is fair with anglers using golden shiners for best results.
In the Baldwin area perch fishing remains fair this week.
Northeast:
In the Oscoda area perch fishing remains good for anglers on Van Etten Lake. Perch are decent when using wigglers, spikes, mousies and wax worms. Action is good on Cooke Pond for blue gill, walleye and pike. Wigglers, golden shiners are working well and a few anglers are jigging with tip-ups. The ice is at least one foot in depth; however it is difficult getting to the ice due to plenty of standing water. Good angling action taking place on Higgins Lake, plenty of perch can be caught in 50 to 60 feet of water on spikes and minnows. Grey shiners are working well on lake trout going down 90 feet or more. Lots of fishing activity taking place around Houghton Lake where anglers are out in force this week. Walleye action is exceptional and catches are very abundant when using Swedish pimples or William wobblers. Good action also on very large pike and perch when using tip-up. Blue gill is spotty at this time.
Around the Au Gres area, walleye fishing is fair, anglers are finding best results when fishing in waters 20 to 35 feet and using little cleos. Perch action is scattered and slow. The ice at Point Au Gres is 4-8 inches in places, use caution.
East:
In Bay City anglers are catching a few walleye near the Lafayette Bridge and the mouth of the river. Jigs and Rapalas are the bait of choice. Near the state park walleye are sporadic and the best results are found using cleos in a variety of colors. The ice is currently topped with plenty of snow so use caution.