The weather has been great this week and lots of guys are getting out for last ice as the sun is starting to get the shore ice. Bluegill are on the bite on many lakes up north and waxworms are working best. We are getting close to last ice if temps get up in the 50’s
On Monday, April 1st, all anglers 17 years of age and older will be required to have a 2013 fishing license. Be sure to pick up a copy of the 2013 Fishing Guide when you purchase your license. Even though the calendar says spring, ice fishing is going strong in the northern half of the Lower Peninsula and the Upper Peninsula. While spring is slow to arrive this year, a long, slow warm-up is better for fish production.
Northwestern Michigan
Leroy- Reports are guys are getting out on last ice for crappie and gills. Call Eye’s Have It for latest info 231-768-5653
Baldwin- Ice fishing is winding down but gills are biting on smaller lakes. Steelhead fishing has been great on the PM this week Call Baldwin Bait @ 231-745-3529 or Ed’s Sport @ 231-745-4974
Big Glen- There are very few fishing as high winds and lots of snow have slowed people from going out. Call Fishhook@ (231) 256-9496
Little Glen- Has ice the perch are biting fair Call Fishhook@ (231) 256-9496.
Lake Leelanau: North Lake Leelanau has ice and a good perch, lake trout, South Lake Leelanau has a good perch bite in front of the Cedar River. Call Fishhook@ (231) 256-9496 for latest info
Manistee Lake by Kalkaska- Slow fishing this week with perch, pike, walleye and a few gills in the canals ice is 10 to 15 inches Call Jacks Sport Shop 231-258-8892
Spider Lake and Arbutus- 16 to 20 inches of ice, things have picked up this week Call Roy’s General Store @ 231-946-5633
Lake Ann: The gills have been biting and some are real hogs this week
Green Lake: is producing bluegill and a few small perch. State Park Is producing a few more smelt. Try off the northeast side near the Music Camp. Night anglers sometimes do better in 30 to 50 feet of water. Spikes and waxworms on Hali Jigs for smelt.
Long Lake: Perch have been biting but the guys catching perch are pretty tight lipped on where.. Call MC Sports @ 231-933-6158
Skegemog- Perch have been on the bite big time this week with many limit catches.Call Jack’s Sport Shop@231-258-8892
Fife Lake- Real slow this week Call Lakeside Party @ 231-879-4346
Portage Lake- Osborn’s says big perch are biting and in town limit catches of gills this week . Call Osborne’s@ 231-889-3775
Hamlin Lake- Has had a good bite this week with crappie and gills being caught in limit numbers. Call PM Expeditions@ 231-425-8913 or Hamlin Grocery@(231) 843-2058 and Capt. Chucks @ (231) 843-4458
Bear Lake- Has been slow Osborne’s@ 231-889-3775
Lake Missaukee- Fishing has been great with crappie, and gills on the bite. Call Miller Corner@ 231-839-0440.
Betsie River: Is producing a fair number of steelhead. Try flies, spawn or a wax worm in the deeper holes until it warms up.
Manistee River: Steelhead fishing was decent. Bright chrome fish have been caught in the deeper holes.
Lake Cadillac: Ice fishing continues for panfish. Bluegill and crappie are hitting on minnows, wigglers and wax worms. Try early morning or late afternoon.
Lake Mitchell: Still had good ice. Anglers are catching more panfish.
Pere Marquette River: Is producing steelhead. Try flies, spawn, wax worms, small spoons or spinners.
Big Manistee River: Is fishable and should have a fair to good number of steelhead including some fresh fish. Many are fly fishing below Tippy Dam. Pappy’s Bait is open for the season at Wellston shop hours are 7 to 5 right now call@ 231-848-4142 he gets reports daily on Tippy Dam
Crystal Lake Many are fishing off Lobb Rd. for perch, whitefish and smelt. Whitefish in 60 feet of water with a hali jig tipped with a perch minnow or wiggler and 4lb line.
Northeast Michigan
Lewiston- Both East and West Twin are froze and perch are biting Call Mid Lakes Market @ (989) 786-3227
Mio- Fishing has been fair around Mio with a few below the Dam.. Call Jig’s Bait Shop@ (989) 826-3467
Lake St. Helen- Fishing has been good for gills with 16 to 20 inches of ice lots with pan fish on the bite . Call Macomb’s Tackle Box @ 989-389-2100
Pratt Lake and Wiggins Lake– has safe ice and many have been doing good on pan fish. Call Chappel Dam@ 989-426-7503
Wixom and Sanford Lake- Reports are the lake is safe and fisherman have been getting out on the shallow bays catching crappie, gills and pike. Call Sanford Sport Shop@989-687-5161 or Sandy’s Market@ (989) 435-9688
Secord Lake has had a great crappie bite this week Sandy’s Market@ (989) 435-9688
Fletcher’s Floodwaters- Ice is getting bad but gills are biting.. Call Bill’s @989-742-4874
Black Lake- Has good ice with perch being caught. Call Parrots Outpost for the latest ice conditions (989) 733-2472
Mullet Lake– Is producing perch for those using minnows and wigglers call Mullet Lake Party store@ (231) 627-4644 or Topinabee Market@ 231-238-9578
Burt Lake: Catch rates have been good onperch un Maple Bay. Call Pat & Gary’s Party Store 231-238-6776
Grand Lake: Was producing a few perch. Try 15 to 25 feet of water around Grand Island.
Long Lake: Is producing bluegill and perch. Try a teardrop with a minnow or wiggler.. Call Bucks@ 989-595-2121
Otsego Lake- Fishing has been fair on Otsego Perch fishing has been fair on Bradford, chub Lake trout fishing has been good. Call Northern Sports@ 987-448-2014
Lake Margrethe- Margrethe has safe ice and things have been slow. Call Skip’s Sport @ 989-348-7111
Higgins Lake- Still has good ice, no slush and 4 to 5 inches of the powder snow. Lake trout can be found along the drop-off in 80 to 100 feet of water. Rainbow trout and brown trout have been caught near the creeks where the warm water comes in. Anglers have caught a 24 inch rainbow and a 27 inch brown trout. Perch fishing was slow but the bigger fish should start moving closer to shore. Try around Treasure Island in 20 to 30 feet of water or the drop-off around the Sunken Island with minnows and wigglers. Smelt fishing was good until the weather changed. Catch rates should pick back up by the weekend.Call Phoenix Park 989-821-7220 or Sports Barn 989-821-9511 for latest ice conditions
Houghton Lake- Ice fishing is good on the middle grounds with lots of gills being caught, but the wind has slowed the bite yesterday, but report have been good today. The ice is still good. Bluegill action has picked up with fish ranging 10 to 12 inches being caught. Most are using wigglers and wax worms in 7 to 9 feet of water out by the Middle Grounds.
Lyman’s @ 989-422-3231 says bluegill have been biting along with nice perch and crappie.
Korbinski’s call Rod@ 989-366-9500
Pappa’s Bait reporting great bluegill fishing off the middle grounds on Houghton Lake. 989-429-5780
Oscoda: Pier anglers caught steelhead on spawn, spoons, spinners or body baits.
Tawas: Ice anglers caught small perch near Jerry’s Marina in Tawas Bay. Those fishing inside the state harbor are getting brown trout and lake trout on tip-ups and short rods and the bigger live minnows.
Tawas River: Is producing some steelhead. A few fishing at the mouth were casting lakeward for walleye but the bite was slow.
Au Gres: Some are walleye fishing in the big water off the mouth of the river however catch rates were slow.
Au Gres River: Steelhead were reported in good numbers in the East Branch both upstream and at the mouth near the Singing Bridge.
Rifle River: Dip-netting for suckers is open at Omer but the suckers were not running yet. They should start moving in soon.
Pine River: Has opened up but there was no fishing activity.
Upper Peninsula Report
Keweenaw Bay: Catch rates for lake trout were spotty. Those fishing on the reefs are using lead head jigs cut bait such as smelt or suckers in 120 to 180 feet of water. Those fishing out from Whirl-I-Gig Road and Pequaming were in 240 to 275 feet of water but catch rates for coho, lake herring and whitefish were hit-or-miss. A nice lake trout measuring just over 37 inches was caught off Big Reef. Anglers say they can see clouds of smelt on the fish finders however it seems they are not feeding because catch rates were slow.
Falls River: Was producing a few rainbow trout.
Marquette: Changing wind directions have been shifting the ice so much that it is no longer safe to venture out. The Lower Harbor and breakwall were still iced in at the launch. The Upper Harbor has one launch open for boat access. Anglers did manage to catch some coho, lake herring and splake near the “Bubblers.” They were using small jigs and spinners tipped with crawlers or cut bait.
Carp River: Those casting from shore had no luck for coho and steelhead.
Chicagon Lake: Whitefish are active in 45 to 65 feet of water most mornings. Perch fishing was spotty.
Iron Lake: The morning bite was good for perch and bluegill. Use minnows or wax worms in 14 to 17 feet of water. Slush is making travel difficult.
Groveland Mine Ponds: Few anglers were out because of deep snow on the lakes. The road getting to the lakes is in poor condition because of the deep snow. Those that could make it out did catch some nice bluegills in 25 feet of water near the boat launch on South Lake. They were jigging wax worms at different depths.
Lake Antoine: In Dickinson County also has a good amount of ice but deep snow continues to make travel difficult. The few anglers that were out did catch a few small perch on wax worms near the middle of the lake.
Little Bay De Noc: Ice was holding across the Bay however large ships have been moving in and out near Escanaba. Angler participation has been low with many removing their ice shanties. All shanties must be off the water by midnight March 31st. Perch fishing was fair between the “Narrows” and the Second Reef. Some jumbo perch were caught on minnows and wigglers in 8 to 30 feet of water. Good catches of small perch were reported around Butler Island in 5 to 10 feet of water. Whitefish anglers off Sand Point were lucky to catch a couple fish in 75 to 85 feet of water when using minnows or spawn.
Au Train: The bay is still iced in. The Brownstone Launch still has about 3 feet of snow and wayside near the river is not plowed. The Rock River remains frozen with no flow at the spillway.
Au Train River: Is open near the mouth. Anglers jigging for coho had poor results.
Munising: Few anglers were out and few fish were caught. There continues to be about 6 to 12 inches of slushy snow on the ice and some soft spots as well. Catch rates for trout and salmon were not good and the whitefish action has slowed as well. Splake were scattered. The fish caught ranged from sub-legal to about 20 inches. Perch anglers were getting mostly 7 to 8 inch fish near Sand Point and in Murray Bay. Those jigging halfway down near Sand Point did catch a few smelt. Those trying to spear herring had poor results. Trout Bay had fishable ice. Anglers did well for coho, some herring and even a few smelt. Use caution in this area as conditions can change quickly.
Munuscong Bay: Catch rates were slow however those targeting perch are fishing the north end by Moon Islands in 8 to 10 feet of water. Raber Bay may also produce some fish in 10 to 15 feet of water.
Cedarville and Hessel: Hessel Bay is producing some nice yellow perch in 10 to 12 feet of water for those using minnows. Musky Bay, off Rice Point is producing fewer fish but those caught were good size. In Government Bay, try minnows in 20 to 27 feet of water for bigger perch.
Southeast Lower Peninsula Fishing Report
Steelhead runs appear to be underway in area streams but the suckers didn’t get the memo about dip-net season opening on March 20th because no fish were in the Rifle River yet.
Huron River: Is producing some steelhead and the occasional sucker.
Detroit River: Walleye anglers are fishing the lower river including the Trenton Channel. Catch rates were slow as water temperatures are still quite cold. Perch were caught in the canals around Grosse Ile and Gibraltar.
Lake St. Clair: The slow start to spring has really stalled fishing. Most of the ramps are open however the Parks and Recreation Division have not yet installed the skid piers at the DNR sites. Windy conditions will have the lake stirred up for a few days. Look for catch rates to improve by the weekend.
Harbor Beach: The ice is not safe. The Edison Channel is all open water.
Saginaw Bay: Ice conditions are quickly deteriorating, but anglers staying close to shore are getting some perch. Ice fishing continued off Palmer Road however catch rates were hit-or-miss for 6 to 8 inch perch. Small bluegills, crappie and perch were caught in the basin of the Eagle Harbor Marina. Last-ice perch anglers caught fish in 5 feet of water off Newman and Newburg Roads. Average was 10 to 25 fish for those using minnows and beads. A few perch were caught off the State Park however the honeycomb ice is not encouraging. Be extremely careful. Not much going on east of Bay City as the ice is bad with lots of holes, thin spots or ice that has piled up. A few boat anglers looking for perch were going out of Quanicassee but success was spotty. Those fishing the marinas at Sebewaing, Bay Port and Caseville did manage to catch a few perch.
Southwest Lower Peninsula Fishing Report
St. Joseph River: Water levels were getting back to normal. Water temperatures dropped back down to 37 degrees. Very few steelhead moved through the Berrien Springs ladder during the cold spell. Fish movement is expected to increase over the weekend with the arrival of rain and warmer weather.
Kalamazoo River: Steelhead fishing slowed but there are still fish to be caught.
Gull Lake: Still had some ice on the south end but those fishing said the bite was really slow with only a few bluegill and perch biting during the day and a few smelt at night. Extreme caution needs to be used this time of year.
Grand River at Grand Rapids: As water levels come down, water clarity improves. Rain and warmer temperatures by the weekend should help to move fresh fish into the river.
Grand River at Lansing: Steelhead are now being caught near Ionia in Prairie Creek, so they are moving this way. Those looking for bluegill or crappie might want to check out the backwaters.
Muskegon River: Water levels are back to normal and the clarity is nice and clear. The steelhead bite slowed with the cold weather. Look for good fishing once spring gets here and stays.
FISHING CONDITIONS ON LAKES CADILLAC AND MITCHELL
Winter isn’t ready to back down. The first week of Spring has been nothing but snow and colder weather. Our ice has now reached 20+ inches with more being made as you read this.
We have yet to experience the famous “last ice”. For now we are still stuck in the mid winter slow period, the fish aren’t checking their calendars. Crappie have been showing up on the east end of Lake Cadillac by the City Dock area. We have also seen some come in off the Big Cove on the west side of Lake Mitchell. Small plastics have been working the best tipped with a spike or a waxworm. The bite has been light, so always be ready to set the hook.
SMELT – Reports of getting smelt on all the smelt lakes, Crystal, Higgins and Green.
The 2013 Fishing Licenses are now on sale.
Prices are the same as last year. No increase, No Excuse.
Your 2012 Fishing License is valid until March 31, 2013.
STEELHEAD – Steelhead anglers are having the time of their lives on the Big Manistee. Fish are spread throughout the river. Some locals claim they are landing over 10 or more a day. Flies have been working the best but don’t forget spawn and jigs.