02/28/2020
Awwww...
Photo by
Ashton Manchester
Bear Lake by Bear Lake has been fair for walleye and pike.
Portage Lake has been producing perch, walleye and pike.
Hamlin Lake has been very good for crappie this week with waxwork and spikes working best.
Pentwater lake is producing perch and some pike by the S curves
White lakes been good for perch and pike this week.
Hesperia has had good action on many of the smaller lakes this week.
Baldwin has been fair on Big Star Lake.
Burt and Mullet are still producing fish but it has slowed this week.
Harrison has been good on many of the small lake in the area.
Thumb Lake: Had water and slush on top. Anglers were catching some perch, and while a few were 8-9 inches, most were under 7 inches and were found off the beach access when jigging wax worms or minnows on the bottom in 8 to 30 feet. Some bigger fish, 7-9 inches, were caught off the boat launch in 7 to 13 feet. One splake was caught off the beach when using a minnow at dusk.
Fletchers Pond: Anglers caught pike, perch and panfish.
Higgins Lake: Is producing lots of small perch along with a few keepers. Good lake trout action near the bottom in 70 to 100 feet. A few brown trout were caught on the north end. The fish were suspended in 20 to 40 feet. Anglers are getting a few pike, and the smelt bite was coming back in 30 to 65 feet.
Houghton Lake: Anglers may want to bring cleats for easier travel on the ice. While the pressure cracks were closed up, caution still needs to be used, as strong winds can open them up again. Not much to report on walleye; however, anglers have caught bluegills and a few pike. Crappie were caught on the north end.
Lake Charlevoix: Anglers could be seen east of Hemmingway Point. Some were looking for lake herring, but no reports of any caught. A couple walleye were caught in the South Arm near East Jordan and in Dutchman’s Bay.
Kalkaska County: Anglers were getting a few brown trout on Bear Lake and Guernsey Lake. Try a jigging spoon with minnows and wigglers or tip-ups with minnows off the access site in 30 feet or so. Skegemog is still producing perch with some nice size ones being caught but you have to get away from the crowds in shallow water.
Grand Traverse County: Some smelt were caught on Green Lake. Long Lake is producing some walleye and perch. Spider Lake has been fair for pike and gills. Ellis lake has been producing gills.
Benzie County: Big Platte lake has been fair for walleye. Crystal Lake is not safe with ice east of railroad point but west it is open water. some of the smaller lakes are producing gills and pike.
Leelanau County: Lake Leelanau off of perils Landing has been fair for walleye and perch suckers working best for walleye. Blues jigging is also good. Big Glen is producing some trout and perch. Little Glen has been slow.
Lake Margrethe has picked up on the pike and walleye.
Otsego Lake. chub lake, and big Bradford have been slow.
Lakes Cadillac and Mitchell: Ice fishing continues for walleye, pike and panfish.
Mecosta County: Lake Mecosta continues to produce pike, perch and sunfish. Brockway Lake was producing sunfish and the occasional crappie. Morley Pond had pike, perch and panfish. Lower Evans had slower catch rates, with only a few small catches of perch and sunfish.
Oceana County: Fishing was slow, with poor ice conditions on the west side of the county. East-side lakes had fishable ice, but the activity was slow.
Saginaw Bay: At Bay County Park near Pinconning, some perch were caught in 5 to 6 feet when using minnows or walleye in 6 to 7 feet in the evening when jigging rapalas. Off the state park, those heading out to 13 feet caught walleye on spoons; however, ice conditions were not known after the warm weather. Slow fishing continues from Quanicassee to Port Austin. Ice conditions still vary, and extreme caution needs to be used as some areas just had skimmed over or frozen up before the warm temperatures and south winds. A few areas, including some of the cuts near Fish Point, had opened up. Slow fishing was reported out of Vanderbilt Park. Sebewaing to Bay Port had little activity, with only a few perch or panfish caught in the marinas. Those fishing out of Mud Creek in Wildfowl Bay caught small perch but very few keepers. Strong winds have moved the ice in and out at Caseville all winter, and the ice against the pier is gone once again.
Saginaw River: Had three launches open, Zilwaukee, Rust Avenue and Cass Avenue; however, conditions are changing daily. Walleye fishing was slow in most areas, with only a few caught in downtown Saginaw on a jig tipped with a minnow or past the confluence of the Shiawassee River when casting jigs. Watch for ice coming down the river.
Tittabawassee River: Center Road had a lot of ice at the bridge and no activity. The Caldwell launch up to the Dow Dam was open, but shore anglers did not have much luck. Boat anglers caught walleye when casting jigs opposite the launch on the far side of the river and at Dow Dam. Most were using a chartreuse jig with a chartreuse minnow.
Little Bay De Noc: Drifting snow made for poor travel except for snowmobiles. Walleye anglers reported fair to good catches, mostly in southern waters, with the better fishing near No-See-Um Creek and near the Escanaba River in 20 to 30 feet with jigging raps or tip-ups with minnows. A good number of large fish were reported in this area. Walleye have started showing up at the head of the bay, but only a few catches were reported with tip-ups in 18 to 25 feet. Perch anglers reported spotty catches. The best areas were Kipling and south near the Escanaba ship docks in 30 feet with wigglers or minnows.
Indian Lake: Anglers caught walleye and a couple nice pike.
Manistique River: Was producing some steelhead.
Big Manistique Lake: Good-size walleye were caught, but anglers were putting in a lot of time to get them. Pike also have been caught.
Munising: Warm, sunny weather and southerly winds caused some changes in ice conditions. Anglers should avoid the following areas: West and East Channel, along Grand Island and the eastern end of Sand Point due to areas with open water. Strong wind deteriorated some of the top ice and created some small pressure cracks near Sand Point. There is open water near the boathouse and only a couple hundred yards of pack ice near the park service. Fishable ice was reported off the Grand Island Ferry access, Christmas, Powell Point, the city docks and the Anna River access points. Fishing was hit or miss, with anglers doing the best for whitefish. Try 60 to 70 feet with a single egg, spawn, wax worms or minnows. Splake were caught on a jig tipped with a minnow head, though several were sublegal. The coho and smelt action was sporadic, with only a few caught. A couple rainbow trout and lake trout were caught recently. Night anglers had been out for burbot, but only a few were caught.
