Anglers are reminded that the season to take walleye, northern pike and muskellunge on the Upper Peninsula inland waters, Great Lakes and the St Mary’s River closed on February 28th. Statewide northern pike spearing also closed on February 28th. The new 2006 fishing licenses are now on sale. Be sure to pickup your 2006-2007 Fishing Guide or Inland Trout and Salmon Guide at your local license retailer.

Lake Erie – Has open-water and no ice. Yellow perch fishing is starting to pick up and the fish are getting bigger. Boats are fishing in 6 to 8 feet of water from stateside to the Canadian side near the mouth of the Detroit River.

Huron River – Boat and shore anglers are starting to catch steelhead again when fishing about a mile below the dam at Flat Rock. Rapalas and crank baits that resemble shad or shiners seem to work best. Some are using a jig and wax worm or flies. A few walleye have also been caught.

Detroit River – There is no ice to report, however; boat anglers need to go slow and still watch for floating ice. Yellow perch have been caught clear up to the Trenton Channel. Some are fishing the canals and around the marinas. No walleye to report at this time.

Lake St. Clair – Has open-water, and no ice fishing. The access sites are iced in preventing boats from launching. Anglers will have to wait for warmer weather.

St. Clair River – Very few boats have been out recently as ice flows have been sporadic. Walleye fishing has slowed along the entire river including up near Port Huron. Few anglers have been fishing off the wall.

Lexington – A handful of anglers are ice fishing for yellow perch inside the harbor, but extreme caution needs to be used. Fish ranging from 8 to 10 inches have been caught. Steelhead fishing was slow.

Saginaw Bay – Some yellow perch were taken in shallow waters 2 to 3 feet deep off White’s Beach and in 4 to 5 feet of water off Cody-Estey Road. A few walleye were caught off Erickson Road, but depths were unknown. Walleye can be found off the Bay City State Park in 4 to 8 feet of water. White bass, channel catfish and northern pike can be found in and around the Hot Ponds. Walleye were caught in 12 to 14 feet of water off Thomas Road. Small perch were caught inside the marina at Sebewaing. Good to excellent yellow perch fishing in 5 to 7 feet of water at the Mud Creek access site. Most fish are running 8 to 11 inches. There is no ice between Caseville and Port Austin.

Saginaw River – Some walleye were taken near the Zilwaukee Bridge and near Vets Park in Bay City. Yellow perch have been caught at the mouth of the river and near the marina.

Tittabawassee River – Has no fishing right now due to floating ice.
 

St. Joseph – – Not much happening off the piers as the fishing was slow in recent days. Those trying to fish have encountered sporadic ice flows.

St. Joseph River – – More anglers are fishing the river, where walleye have been caught on jigs and minnows below the Berrien Springs Dam. Steelhead fishing has been hit-or-miss. Shore anglers are floating spawn, flies and Wobble Glo’s. Boats continue to drift Hot-n-Tot’s or flatfish.

Kalamazoo River – Fair to good walleye fishing up near the Allegan Dam. Some are using Thundersticks while others are drifting a Wobble Glo with a crawler.

Grand River at Grand Rapids – Fair steelhead fishing was reported. Those fishing off Bridge Street are throwing jigs tipped with wax worms or spawn towards the coffer dam. Some are fishing jigs and spawn off the boardwalk near the Post Office or throwing choker bags with floaters off the east wall. Walleye are hitting on both sides of Fulton Street and off the east wall.

Lake Lansing – Anglers are ice fishing and taking northern pike on tip-ups with minnows.

Lake Ovid – Has ice. Bluegills and redear sunfish are hitting on wax worms, and yellow perch are hitting on minnows.

Muskegon Lake – Anglers need to use caution due to the pockets of open water. Watch for boat traffic and avoid the middle of the lake. Bluegills have been caught just off the State Park in 2 feet of water. Some are fishing inside on the marinas on the south end of the lake for bluegills and northern pike.

White Lake – Walleye are starting to bite. Yellow perch have been caught on the west side of the lake.
 

Burt Lake – Deep snow and slush are making for difficult travel on the lake. Those able to get out are catching yellow perch, walleye and northern pike.

Black Lake – Rough travel, as areas of slush have started to form near all the pressure cracks. Walleye and northern pike fishing were slow over the last week. The few fish taken have come when jigging or using tip-ups in the early morning or a few hours before dark. Walleye are hitting on large minnows in 15 to 40 feet of water and the northern pike in 7 to 20 feet of water. Yellow perch are hitting on jigs or tip-ups in 8 to 40 feet of water. Larger minnows tend to keep the smaller fish away.

Fletchers Flood Waters – All fishing has been slow this week. Anglers are struggling to catch anything. A couple northern pike were taken close to shore near the DNR launch site. There have been no yellow perch to speak of and only a few crappie were caught. Bluegills are running small.

Tawas – Fair yellow perch fishing in 20 feet of water. Menominee and brown trout were taken near the pier. Walleye fishing was good with some limits taken, usually in the evening.

Au Gres – Some nice yellow perch were taken from the bayou south of the Au Gres River. Smaller perch were reported in the vicinity of Palmer and Sagatoo Road.

Higgins Lake – Smelt fishing has been hit-or-miss, but on the good days anglers have done well in 40 feet of water. Lake trout are hitting on jigs tipped with minnows or live smelt in waters 85 to 110 feet deep. Rainbow trout can be found in shallow waters. Some nice whitefish including a couple Master Angler fish have been caught on wigglers in 100 feet of water. Fair to good yellow perch fishing, but anglers will need to do some sorting.

Houghton Lake – Snow cover and some drifts will make travel across the ice a little more difficult. Northern pike fishing has been very good using tip-ups with sucker minnows or golden shiners in 7 to 12 feet of water. Good walleye fishing in the evening using shiners, Swedish Pimples or Rapalas. Crappie fishing has been fair to good with the fish suspended in 12 to 14 feet of water. The bluegills have not been schooling, so the fishing has been spotty. Those lucky enough to find them have caught some nice fish.
 

Elk Lake – Fishing pressure is starting to pick up, but anglers are still encouraged to use caution when traveling across the ice. Lake trout have been caught in 25 to 50 feet of water near the access sites at Gay Road and Angel Road and near Kewadin. Whitefish ranging 14 to 23 inches were taken in waters up to 105 feet deep. Both natural and artificial baits are being used with spawn the most popular for whitefish and minnows or shiners for lake trout. Walleye were reported in the creel survey but anglers are not targeting them specifically. Some nice fish ranging between 25 and 30 inches have been caught.

Walloon Lake – Good yellow perch fishing in the West Arm off the Resort Township Park access site, Sumner Road and Eagle Island Road. Perch were targeted along the north end near the Golf Course. Try fishing 10 to 20 feet deep with perch minnows, blues, and wax worms. No reports on smelt. Those seeking walleye are fishing near Eagle Island Road and the Sumner Road access site in waters 14 to 30 feet deep. Some are using tip-ups for steelhead, brown trout, and lake trout, but no reports of any fish caught.

Thumb Lake – Most of the fishing pressure on Thumb Lake has been for splake. Anglers are using minnows suspended just off the bottom in waters 12 to 50 feet deep near the McGee Road access site. The fish are running small only 8 to 10 inches. Northern pike anglers are fishing near the DNR ramp located in the southwest corner of the lake. Try 10 feet of water using perch minnows and Swedish Pimples with perch eyes. Yellow perch 6 to 10 inches were caught.

Traverse City – Both the East Bay and the West Bay have open water, but the launch sites are froze up keeping boat anglers on shore.

Big Glen Lake – Good yellow perch fishing.

Green Lake – Those hook and line fishing continue to catch smelt in waters 30 to 50 feet deep. The better catches have come when fishing at night with spikes.

Crystal Lake – Those fishing need to use caution especially on the far west end of the lake where the ice is unpredictable. Whitefish have been caught at night. Anglers are jigging or using wigglers on a perch rig. Yellow perch fishing has been hit-or-miss.

Portage Lake – Anglers are ice fishing, but the bite has been slow. No snow on this lake, so wear your ice cleats for easier travel.

Big Manistee River – Steelhead have been caught when drifting spawn between High Bridge and Tippy Dam.

Ludington – Shoreline ice is present. The piers are iced over and too dangerous for anglers to walk on.

Pere Marquette Lake – Anglers are ice fishing, but use caution. Yellow perch have been caught, as well as some nice northern pike ranging from 36 to 42 inches.

Upper Hamlin Lake – Anglers are catching bluegill and northern pike.

Lower Hamlin Lake – Walleye are starting to bite.
 

Menominee River – Cold weather has slowed angler activity, but those brave enough to face the elements were rewarded with good catches of bluegill and crappie. Yellow perch were caught in the Menekaunee Harbor and near the launch at Sixth Street, but the bite was a bit slow and the fish were running on the small side. Brown trout were caught near the Hattie Street Bridge and Stephenson Island when casting blue/silver Cleo’s.

Green Bay – Strong winds have moved ice packs into shore. Cold temperatures have locked the ice producing unpredictable ice conditions along with areas of open water. The ice should be considered very dangerous, and anglers should avoid the area.

Little Bay De Noc – Lots of new snow in the area and the heavy snow has limited travel on the ice. Colder temperatures have helped to create better ice conditions along the southern part of the bay, however; many dangers still exist in this area so anglers need to use extreme caution. Walleye fishing has been slow. Those that moved south reported marking good numbers of fish but few bites. Whitefish action just off Sand Point was good when jigging spawn in waters 70 to 80 feet deep. Off Gladstone, anglers were jigging minnows in 35 to 45 feet of water. For yellow perch, anglers are jigging minnows and wigglers in 8 to 12 feet of water around Butler Island. Though the fishing has been slow, several nice catches were reported.

Munising – There is ice in the bay, however; anglers should use caution as some areas have shelf-ice caused from the currents. Whitefish and splake anglers reported slow to fair success. No report of any coho yet and lake trout fishing was fair.

Munuscong Bay – – Good ice was reported, but deep snow is making for tough travel. Catch rates were slow over the last week as no walleye were caught and only a few yellow perch were taken on minnows in 4 to 6 feet of water from the north end near Fowler’s Bay.