Thursday, February 2, 2006
Recreational Fishing Report

While unusually warm temperatures are providing open-water fishing for much of the southern half of the Lower Peninsula, the forecast is calling for colder weather the first full week of February. For now, anglers will need to travel north to pursue the sport of ice fishing.

Lake Erie - Has open-water, so anglers are boat and shore fishing. Good yellow perch fishing was reported in the canals. Anglers are fishing off the dock at Metro Park Marina. Perch rigs with shiner minnows worked best.

Huron River - Is running just a bit high after the recent rainfall. A couple small walleye were taken at night on jigs with twister-tails. Steelhead were caught near the dam at Flat Rock. Some nice panfish were caught in the backwaters below the dam.

Detroit River – Good yellow perch fishing was reported. Boat anglers are fishing the cuts and canals around the southern tip of Grosse Ile. Shore anglers are fishing near Gibraltar. Try fishing for northern pike in the bays at the southern end of the river. Sucker minnows under a bobber usually work best. Some nice yellow perch have been caught just off Wyandotte when using perch rigs with shiner minnows.

St. Clair River – Boat anglers are jigging for walleye in the North Channel. Catch rates slowed after the rain and the fish seem scattered.

Saginaw Bay – Near Standish, there is not much ice to report from Pine Road to Palmer Road. Yellow perch fishing was slow. Walleye were taken in the Hot Ponds before the waters turned muddy from recent rains. Poor ice conditions off Sebewaing, Bay Port and inside the Bay Shore Marina. Yellow perch were caught off Geiger Road before the ice deteriorated. Wildfowl Bay has areas of open-water and poor ice conditions. Yellow perch were hitting in the harbor at Caseville.

Saginaw River – Walleye were caught throughout the river before the rain, but many are running small. Anglers have been fishing near the mouth, Coast Guard Street, Cass Avenue, the Independence Bridge and the Zilwaukee Bridge. A few yellow perch have been caught around the marinas, off the DNR Launch, and near the Independence Bridge.
 

New Buffalo – Windy conditions have limited boat and pier fishing. Weather permitting; boats are trolling for steelhead and brown trout while running along the shoreline in waters 12 to 15 feet deep.

St. Joseph – Strong wind and wave action here has also limited fishing activity. When the weather permits, boats are trolling close to shore with small spoons while pier anglers are casting spawn bags and small spoons. Steelhead and whitefish have been caught. No safe ice to report in this area.

St. Joseph River – Water levels are running a bit high and fast. Anglers should wait for water levels to drop before trying to wade the river. Boat anglers fishing up near the Berrien Springs Dam have caught steelhead. Shore anglers are casting small spoons or flies. Walleye fishing has slowed, but should resume once the water levels start to recede.

Grand River at Grand Rapids – Is running high and fast. Because they are not able to wade in the river, steelhead anglers are casting off the wall. There were reports of steelhead stacked up near the Sixth Street Dam, so fishing should pick back-up once the water levels recede. Walleye have been caught down river in the pockets.

Grand River at Lansing – Anglers are open-water fishing for walleye and northern pike. Try fishing minnows at the Moore’s Park Dam or up at the North Lansing Dam. Catfish have also been caught. Some hold-over steelhead have been caught in Prairie Creek near Ionia. No safe ice to report in the area of the state.

Muskegon – Weather permitting, boat anglers are trolling for steelhead in the open-waters of Lake Michigan. Most are using planer boards just outside the breakwalls in 27 to 30 feet of water. Pier anglers have caught fish when casting spawn bags.

Muskegon Lake – Boat anglers are trolling for northern pike and walleye. The pike are running small so anglers will need to do some sorting. Most are trolling crank baits or drifting golden shiners with a slip bobber about 12 to 15 feet down in waters 25 to 35 feet deep. The walleye bite has been good at night as the fish move into the shallows. Boats are anchoring in 8 to 12 feet of water and jigging minnows or casting up into the shallows.

Muskegon River - Steelhead were caught up by Bridgeton.

Whitehall - Steelhead and brown trout have been caught by boat and pier anglers.
 

Black Lake – Anglers need to use caution when traveling across the lake as melting snow and rain have caused some of the previously drilled holes to open back-up. Walleye have been caught in 10 to 20 feet of water near the drop-offs and weed beds in the early mornings or a few hours before dark. Tip-ups with minnows or jigging lures tipped with minnows have worked best. Northern pike are hitting on tip-ups with large minnows in 6 to 20 feet of water. Pike ranging from 24 to 30 inches along with a few musky have been speared. Yellow perch have been caught on small jigs with minnows or wax worms in 8 to 25 feet of water. The special lottery draw sturgeon spearing season starts this coming Saturday and runs through February 12th or until the 5 fish season quota has been meet, whichever comes first.

Fletchers Flood Waters – There are fewer northern pike coming in this week. Try using artificial lures directly in front of Jack’s Landing. Use caution as ice conditions are variable. There is a pressure crack surrounding the shoreline at the DNR launch site. Perch action is picking up as anglers reported good action to the right of Jack’s Landing. Hot colors have been red and blue, but perch eyes have also been good bait. Some nice bluegills have been caught in deeper waters.

Au Sable River – Anglers are ice fishing for yellow perch at the lower landing off Foote Dam Pond. Access can be found off Bissonette Road. Minnows and wigglers work best.

Loon Lake / Iosco County – Yellow perch and crappie are hitting on minnows, wigglers and wax worms.

Tawas Bay – Recent rains have made area ice conditions very dangerous or non- existent. Extreme caution must be used. Northern pike spearing inside the piers was fair. Slow yellow perch fishing and the fish are running small. Steelhead were caught when still-fishing with spawn near the Singing Bridge.

Higgins Lake – Finally has ice, and ice fishing, but it may still be a good idea to call local Sport Shops in the area to check on changes in ice conditions before heading out. Anglers can be seen fishing out to the drop-off. Yellow perch have been caught on jigs with minnows in 50 to 80 feet of water when fishing just off the bottom. A few smelt were taken at night on wax worms or spikes. Some are using underwater lights. Brown trout and rainbow trout were caught on minnows and wigglers when fishing shallow waters in the early morning.

Houghton Lake – Continues to have ice and fair to good ice fishing. It might be a good idea to wear cleats, as there is only a light dusting of snow. Bluegills are hitting on wax worms or spikes when fishing the weed beds in 4 to 6 feet of water. Walleye are hitting in 8 to 9 feet of water in the early morning or evening. Some nice crappies were caught on small jigs with minnows in 12 to 14 feet of water on the east side of the Middle Grounds, which is on the north end of the lake in front of the Cut River. Try fishing just a couple feet off the bottom. Good numbers of northern pike are hitting on tip-ups with golden shiners or sucker minnows.
 

Traverse City – Both the East and the West Bay have open-water. Lake trout and whitefish have been caught in 200 to 230 feet of water in the East Bay. Anglers are reminded that the current lake trout regulations remain in effect until March 31, 2006.

Boardman River – Anglers are catching steelhead when floating spawn sacks. Those willing to put in the time have caught fish, but many of them are only running 3 to 4 pounds.

Lake Leelanau – Use caution and avoid the middle of the lake because of open-water. Walleye and yellow perch have been caught on minnows and wigglers.

Crystal Lake / Benzie County – Has open-water. Anglers could be boat fishing if the ramp was free of ice and snow.

Green Lake – Use caution when traveling on the ice as the middle of the lake has open-water. There have been a few reports of smelt caught when fishing near the Music Camp.

Big Manistee River – Has been running a bit high and muddy because of recent rain and snowmelt. Higher water flows could actually bring a few more steelhead in. Those fishing up near Tippy Dam have caught steelhead and brown trout when floating spawn, wax worms or small minnows.

Lake Cadillac – Ice fishing is still going strong and producing good catches of northern pike on tip-ups with sucker minnows.

Lake Mitchell – Ice fishing continues with good catches of northern pike. Use tip-ups with sucker minnows around the weed beds. Crappie and smaller yellow perch are hitting on minnows.

Lake Missaukee – Has been producing good catches of panfish.

Ludington – There is no ice on Lake Michigan. Boats are trolling along the shoreline for steelhead and brown trout.

Pere Marquette River – Boat anglers and shore anglers are catching steelhead in all stretches of the river.

Pere Marquette Lake – Has open-water. Fishing continues with boats trolling for steelhead and brown trout. A few yellow perch have also been caught.

Upper Hamlin Lake – Reports good bluegill fishing in waters 5 to 10 feet deep. Anglers need to still use caution and avoid the areas near the pressure cracks. It may be a good idea to bring along a pair of cleats for easy travel across the ice.
 

Keweenaw Bay – Not much information this week other than anglers are still in a holding pattern waiting for ice to form on the bay.

Lake Gogebic – Anglers are struggling again with slushy conditions as the recent warm weather has again melted the snow. Fishing pressure along with catch rates have slowed this week.

Peavy Reservoir – Had unconfirmed reports of open-water.

Little Bay De Noc – Ice conditions have definitely taken a turn for the worse. It is strongly recommended that anglers leave their vehicles on shore as a number of them have gone through the ice. The upper bay may look solid, but there are many dangerous spots throughout the entire area. The best way to travel is by foot. Anglers should attend to their ice shanty if it has not been fished in or moved in a while. In the Gladstone Bay area, ice conditions have become very dangerous. Yellow perch anglers are doing quite well out past Butler Island. Best catches were in 23 to 28 feet of water when jigging minnows. Anglers reported several nice catches of 8 to 11 inch fish. Good walleye action was reported just off the mouth of the Day’s River, but many of the fish are running small. Anglers are jigging or using tip-ups in 16 to 19 feet of water. The better catches had been coming on tip-ups with sucker minnows. Those fishing between the Center Reef and the Second Reef have caught several large walleye when jigging in 23 to 30 feet of water.

Munuscong Bay – Ice conditions are holding in this area, but extreme caution needs to be used east of Roach Point where the ice is very thin. A recent fishing tournament proved to be slow fishing. A few yellow perch along with some undersized walleye and northern pike were reported.