Curly's Photo and Fishing Blog
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Fishermen Venturing Out
Many have started back out to their favorite fishing spot. I have had a few reports and they have been good. Crystal Lake has a great smelt bite with two guys catching 300 smelt last night on halis and waxworms off of Lobb Road.
Frankfort has a good perch bite in Bestie Bay in the 40 foot hole. You will see guys fishing out there and they are getting some jumbos. Also nice pike and trout are being caught on tipups and jigging. Many perch ran up to many of these places from Lake Michigan, Loon Lake is a good example. I’m wondering if the Lake at Arcadia might have some perch waiting to be caught.
Portage Lake still has a super perch bite with minnows working best.
Green Lake has started to produce some smelt off the Green Lake State Park side.
Higgins Lake still has a great laker bite still with limit catches using tipups and greys.
FISHING CONDITIONS ON LAKES CADILLAC AND MITCHELL
FROM PILGRIM VILLAGE FISHING SHOP
This week, things settled down on the lakes - After the North American Snowfest, followed by a blizzard dropping 12 inches of snow and lastly another blizzard with -30° wind chills. Between storms, some nice catches of crappie and perch were reported.
The popular locations, the Causeway and north eastern areas of Lake Cadillac and the Big and Small Cove area of Lake Mitchell are producing fish. Mid winter conditions, light lines with small jigs tipped with red spikes are the ticket.
Perch catches are coming from deeper water areas with red spikes or wigglers generating lots of them but small minnows catching more keepers.
Crappies seem to be shallower, 6 to 8 feet, and morning and evening bites have been best.
Blue gill anglers find it slow. Some are finding numbers of undersized but few worth keeping.
Reports of undersized walleyes caught by pan fishermen continue to come in. This looks good for the future! Approximately 7.5 million walleye fingerlings and fry have been planted between the two lakes in the past 3 years.
Even the storms haven’t slowed the pike. It’s been consistent. Try golden shiners on your tip-ups. Both lakes remain clear for the spear fishermen and they’re seeing good numbers of fish.
See pictures of 2 exceptional panfish. A 13 ¼”, 1.2 pound perch caught by young Jason Gross who wants to become a “Professional Angler”. Also Ken Clous caught a Master Angler size sunfish, 9 ¾”, 14.4 lb.
Other Lakes:
Green Lake, good catches of smelt from the south boat launch in only 30 feet of water. They’re small but larger then last year.
Higgins Lake, currently spotty and low numbers of smelt. Good perch, some lakers and heavy pike.
Crystal Lake, frozen over, but currently we’re told the ice is about 6 inches west of Lobb Rd. Decent numbers of good size smelt. Perch, whitefish and Burbot have been reported near town.