03-05-2010, 02:44 AM
Weekly Fishing Report
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Recreational Fishing Report
517-373-0908
Great Lakes temperature map
The ice on inland lakes around the state is holding however anglers are reminded to still use caution. Stay away from areas that are known to have a current or run-off from melting snow. Shoreline ice will deteriorate quickly with temperatures up near 40 degrees. Lakes with snow cover may present travel problems due to slush. Permanent ice shanties in the southern portions of the Lower Peninsula should have been removed from the ice on March 1st.
Southeast Lower Peninsula
Lake Erie - Has no safe ice to report. Boat anglers are now fishing off the Metro Park and the Banana Dike for perch. The Metro Park does have a couple docks in.
Huron River - Is fishable for steelhead and walleye.
Detroit River - There is open water fishing however boat anglers need to watch for ice coming down the river. Those launching at Metro Park are fishing the canals around Gibraltar.
Lake St. Clair - So far the ice was holding however it is getting soft and has broken up along the shoreline at some of the major access points. Conditions will only worsen with warm temperatures into the weekend. Those hoping to get in some last ice fishing would be wise to travel by foot only and use extreme caution.
Harbor Beach - Had a few anglers targeting fish in the marina.
Port Austin - Had a couple ice anglers fishing in and around the marina.
Saginaw Bay - There is slush on the ice which makes travel a little more difficult. Anglers should stay away from any pressure cracks and areas with stumps or pilings. The crack near DeFoe Island is extremely dangerous. Warm temperatures will cause the ice to deteriorate rapidly; extreme caution needs to be used. Those fishing in the evening caught a few walleye in the Catfish Hole which is straight east of White's Beach. Evenings were best. The hot spot for walleye was off Erickson Road. Walleye were caught around the south end of the Black Hole and off Linwood. Near the mouth of the Saginaw River, a few walleye were caught northeast of Channel Island and out to the Spark Plug in 15 to 20 feet of water. Move often as catch rates were spotty. Foot traffic only is suggested. At Sebewaing, perch fishing slowed on both sides of the river channel and out from the VFW Hall. There were a lot of minnows in the marina. Walleye anglers going out to the Slot caught fish in 12 to 18 feet of water but it is hard to tell how long the ice will last.
Saginaw River - Ice conditions are spotty and deteriorating rapidly. Shore ice is bad and so are the areas where there is current. Fish were small.
Tittabawassee River - Walleye fishing was slow throughout the river. Water levels were low which made fishing and launching at Caldwell a little more difficult.
Southwest Lower Peninsula
St. Joe River - Snow melt and run-off should improve catch rates for steelhead. Fish the deeper holes between the mouth and the Berrien Springs Dam.
Grand River at Grand Rapids - Look for additional steelhead in the river by the weekend. Those fishing at the dam are throwing spawn bags with up to an ounce of weight to hold it in place while others are floating spawn or jigs with wax worms. In the lower river, they are back bouncing spawn between Johnson Park and I-96. Below Fulton Street, anglers are floating jigs with wax worms or back bouncing spawn off the Fulton Street Bridge. For walleye, try bucktail jigs with red heads, twister tails or #7 rapalas. Between the dam and Fulton Street, anglers are taking the front hook off their rapala so it does not get hung up. Those trolling for walleye and pike have done well on orange rapalas or blue and chrome husky jerks.
Grand River at Lansing - Those fishing the North Lansing Dam and the Moore's Park Dam continue to catch some walleye and pike. Prairie Creek near Ionia is still producing the occasional steelhead.
Rogue River - Had reports of good steelhead action up near Rockford.
Reeds Lake - The ice is still holding and the bluegill bite has started to pick-up. Bluegill and crappie can be found in 10 to 35 feet of water however the crappie bite was better in the evening. Pike anglers are using tip-ups or spearing.
Muskegon Lake - Still has ice however conditions could change quickly by the weekend. Shoreline ice has pulled away along the north end of the lake. Perch were caught off Harbor Town when using mousies. Fisherman's Landing was good for pike and a few bigger perch. Walleye were hitting after dark.
Muskegon River - Anglers are catching steelhead and walleye.
White River - Look for a fresh run of steelhead and walleye.
Northeast Lower Peninsula
Mullet Lake - Anglers have caught a few nice perch on the east side of the lake, but had to sort through many small ones. Not much activity with cisco, walleye, pike or musky.
Higgins Lake - Still had ice with little to no slush. Lake trout can be found in 80 to 90 feet of water. Smelt are being caught late evening and early morning. Fish the entire water column in 25 feet of water. Some bigger perch have started to bite however those bigger fish are scattered.
Houghton Lake - Still had good ice. There is some snow on the ice but little slush as of this report. Catch rates did slow however anglers are still going out and finding pike and walleye. Bluegills have just started to bite but no big numbers yet.
Tawas - Perch fishing was slow however pike spearing picked up as the waters cleared. Most of the ice in the bay has blown out except inside the point to Jerry's Marina. Pier anglers are casting on the outside or perch fishing on the inside.
Au Gres - A few walleye were caught in shallow waters 3 feet deep. Wigwam Bay was slow for perch. Some walleye were caught off the mouth of the river. Anglers were heading north of the breakwall and fishing in 12 to 15 feet of water.
Northwest Lower Peninsula
Traverse City - Both the East Bay and the West Bay have open water however no docks have been put in at the launch sites.
Boardman River - Run-off waters have produced a light run of steelhead.
Lake Leelanau - Catch rates for walleye and perch have slowed. Watch for slush by the weekend which could make travel a little more difficult.
Crystal Lake - Is still producing some smelt for those fishing at night. Look for lake trout just off the bottom.
Betsie River - Steelhead fishing is starting to pick-up with fish caught in the lower river from the State Game Area to Adams Road. They are drifting spawn in the deeper holes and around the log jams. Those fishing up near the Homestead Dam caught fish on streamer flies or spawn.
Green Lake - Smelt anglers can be found in the northeast portion of the lake between the two access sites. For pike, try tip-ups off the State Park.
Lake Missaukee - Still had ice and is producing panfish.
Lake Cadillac - Ice fishing continues at least for a bit longer. Anglers are catching crappie along with the occasional bluegill. Pike are hitting on tip-ups. Avoid the areas near inlets or outlets especially with the warm weather and run-off.
Lake Mitchell - Had good crappie fishing with limits taken on the west side of the lake in Big Cove. This is also a good spot for pike.
Manistee River - Snow melt and run-off should produce some fair to good catches of steelhead, especially in the lower river.
Pere Marquette River - Is producing some good catches of steelhead.
Upper Peninsula
Keweenaw Bay - Lake trout fishing was good when jigging in 130 to 270 feet of water off Whirl-I-Gig Road and Old Mission. Ice conditions vary so use caution. Some reported the ice moving up and down while fishing. Warm weather this week will weaken the ice even more. At night, smelt were caught between Baraga and Bucks Marina in 30 to 60 feet of water.
Menominee River - Menekaunee had slow fishing. Those with cameras can see the bluegills and perch, but catch rates were slow. Sixth Street had bad ice with open water so those using the access site need to use extreme caution. Boom Landing and the Mystery Ship sites were busy with tip-ups rigged for pike and walleye. Some nice pike were caught but not many walleye were seen. Those wading and casting near Boom Island had hopes of landing brown trout and steelhead, but none were reported. More are fishing off the Cat Walk but catch rates were slow. Those targeting walleye through the ice on the Wisconsin side near the Hattie Street Dam seem to catch more fish during the evening hours.
Green Bay - Anglers around the bay and inside the walls of the marina are targeting panfish while jigging minnows or wax worms. Perch were caught however the fish were small.
Little Bay De Noc - Ice conditions remain tricky to navigate with pressure cracks presenting most of the problems. Anglers have consistently had problems when trying to cross in the Kipling and Gladstone areas. Please use caution and "look before you leap" especially with a vehicle. The ice is thicker in the north end of the bay and less in the southern sections. With warmer weather in the forecast, many have started to remove their ice shanties. The better walleye fishing was in the head of the bay when using tip-ups with large minnows in 6 to 20 feet of water. Most caught large fish with many in the 10 pound range. Reports for the rest of the bay were spotty when jigging or using tip-ups in 15 to 30 feet of water. Although there are anglers fishing in the southern waters, ice in that area is dangerous and should be avoided. Catch rates were down but did increase for those fishing in 28 to 33 feet of water around the Center Reef. Try jigging minnows. Fair to good whitefish action off Sand Point in Escanaba however the area is dangerous so foot traffic only.
Munising - A fair number of splake along with a few whitefish have been caught in 50 to 60 feet of water. Some reported coho in Trout Bay which is off Grand Island however the ice was said to be unpredictable.
Munuscong Bay - Walleye were caught in deep water near the channel. Try 25 to 35 feet. Anglers are reminded to use extreme caution near the channels.
Cedarville and Hessel - Anglers are catching small perch in 6 to 8 feet of water at the east end of Hessel Bay. Musky Bay is about the same. Big perch were spotted but they would not bite. Catch rates were just fair in Cedarville Bay and the Moscoe Channel.
Brevoort Lake - Is producing some walleye.
[signature]
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Recreational Fishing Report
517-373-0908
Great Lakes temperature map
The ice on inland lakes around the state is holding however anglers are reminded to still use caution. Stay away from areas that are known to have a current or run-off from melting snow. Shoreline ice will deteriorate quickly with temperatures up near 40 degrees. Lakes with snow cover may present travel problems due to slush. Permanent ice shanties in the southern portions of the Lower Peninsula should have been removed from the ice on March 1st.
Southeast Lower Peninsula
Lake Erie - Has no safe ice to report. Boat anglers are now fishing off the Metro Park and the Banana Dike for perch. The Metro Park does have a couple docks in.
Huron River - Is fishable for steelhead and walleye.
Detroit River - There is open water fishing however boat anglers need to watch for ice coming down the river. Those launching at Metro Park are fishing the canals around Gibraltar.
Lake St. Clair - So far the ice was holding however it is getting soft and has broken up along the shoreline at some of the major access points. Conditions will only worsen with warm temperatures into the weekend. Those hoping to get in some last ice fishing would be wise to travel by foot only and use extreme caution.
Harbor Beach - Had a few anglers targeting fish in the marina.
Port Austin - Had a couple ice anglers fishing in and around the marina.
Saginaw Bay - There is slush on the ice which makes travel a little more difficult. Anglers should stay away from any pressure cracks and areas with stumps or pilings. The crack near DeFoe Island is extremely dangerous. Warm temperatures will cause the ice to deteriorate rapidly; extreme caution needs to be used. Those fishing in the evening caught a few walleye in the Catfish Hole which is straight east of White's Beach. Evenings were best. The hot spot for walleye was off Erickson Road. Walleye were caught around the south end of the Black Hole and off Linwood. Near the mouth of the Saginaw River, a few walleye were caught northeast of Channel Island and out to the Spark Plug in 15 to 20 feet of water. Move often as catch rates were spotty. Foot traffic only is suggested. At Sebewaing, perch fishing slowed on both sides of the river channel and out from the VFW Hall. There were a lot of minnows in the marina. Walleye anglers going out to the Slot caught fish in 12 to 18 feet of water but it is hard to tell how long the ice will last.
Saginaw River - Ice conditions are spotty and deteriorating rapidly. Shore ice is bad and so are the areas where there is current. Fish were small.
Tittabawassee River - Walleye fishing was slow throughout the river. Water levels were low which made fishing and launching at Caldwell a little more difficult.
Southwest Lower Peninsula
St. Joe River - Snow melt and run-off should improve catch rates for steelhead. Fish the deeper holes between the mouth and the Berrien Springs Dam.
Grand River at Grand Rapids - Look for additional steelhead in the river by the weekend. Those fishing at the dam are throwing spawn bags with up to an ounce of weight to hold it in place while others are floating spawn or jigs with wax worms. In the lower river, they are back bouncing spawn between Johnson Park and I-96. Below Fulton Street, anglers are floating jigs with wax worms or back bouncing spawn off the Fulton Street Bridge. For walleye, try bucktail jigs with red heads, twister tails or #7 rapalas. Between the dam and Fulton Street, anglers are taking the front hook off their rapala so it does not get hung up. Those trolling for walleye and pike have done well on orange rapalas or blue and chrome husky jerks.
Grand River at Lansing - Those fishing the North Lansing Dam and the Moore's Park Dam continue to catch some walleye and pike. Prairie Creek near Ionia is still producing the occasional steelhead.
Rogue River - Had reports of good steelhead action up near Rockford.
Reeds Lake - The ice is still holding and the bluegill bite has started to pick-up. Bluegill and crappie can be found in 10 to 35 feet of water however the crappie bite was better in the evening. Pike anglers are using tip-ups or spearing.
Muskegon Lake - Still has ice however conditions could change quickly by the weekend. Shoreline ice has pulled away along the north end of the lake. Perch were caught off Harbor Town when using mousies. Fisherman's Landing was good for pike and a few bigger perch. Walleye were hitting after dark.
Muskegon River - Anglers are catching steelhead and walleye.
White River - Look for a fresh run of steelhead and walleye.
Northeast Lower Peninsula
Mullet Lake - Anglers have caught a few nice perch on the east side of the lake, but had to sort through many small ones. Not much activity with cisco, walleye, pike or musky.
Higgins Lake - Still had ice with little to no slush. Lake trout can be found in 80 to 90 feet of water. Smelt are being caught late evening and early morning. Fish the entire water column in 25 feet of water. Some bigger perch have started to bite however those bigger fish are scattered.
Houghton Lake - Still had good ice. There is some snow on the ice but little slush as of this report. Catch rates did slow however anglers are still going out and finding pike and walleye. Bluegills have just started to bite but no big numbers yet.
Tawas - Perch fishing was slow however pike spearing picked up as the waters cleared. Most of the ice in the bay has blown out except inside the point to Jerry's Marina. Pier anglers are casting on the outside or perch fishing on the inside.
Au Gres - A few walleye were caught in shallow waters 3 feet deep. Wigwam Bay was slow for perch. Some walleye were caught off the mouth of the river. Anglers were heading north of the breakwall and fishing in 12 to 15 feet of water.
Northwest Lower Peninsula
Traverse City - Both the East Bay and the West Bay have open water however no docks have been put in at the launch sites.
Boardman River - Run-off waters have produced a light run of steelhead.
Lake Leelanau - Catch rates for walleye and perch have slowed. Watch for slush by the weekend which could make travel a little more difficult.
Crystal Lake - Is still producing some smelt for those fishing at night. Look for lake trout just off the bottom.
Betsie River - Steelhead fishing is starting to pick-up with fish caught in the lower river from the State Game Area to Adams Road. They are drifting spawn in the deeper holes and around the log jams. Those fishing up near the Homestead Dam caught fish on streamer flies or spawn.
Green Lake - Smelt anglers can be found in the northeast portion of the lake between the two access sites. For pike, try tip-ups off the State Park.
Lake Missaukee - Still had ice and is producing panfish.
Lake Cadillac - Ice fishing continues at least for a bit longer. Anglers are catching crappie along with the occasional bluegill. Pike are hitting on tip-ups. Avoid the areas near inlets or outlets especially with the warm weather and run-off.
Lake Mitchell - Had good crappie fishing with limits taken on the west side of the lake in Big Cove. This is also a good spot for pike.
Manistee River - Snow melt and run-off should produce some fair to good catches of steelhead, especially in the lower river.
Pere Marquette River - Is producing some good catches of steelhead.
Upper Peninsula
Keweenaw Bay - Lake trout fishing was good when jigging in 130 to 270 feet of water off Whirl-I-Gig Road and Old Mission. Ice conditions vary so use caution. Some reported the ice moving up and down while fishing. Warm weather this week will weaken the ice even more. At night, smelt were caught between Baraga and Bucks Marina in 30 to 60 feet of water.
Menominee River - Menekaunee had slow fishing. Those with cameras can see the bluegills and perch, but catch rates were slow. Sixth Street had bad ice with open water so those using the access site need to use extreme caution. Boom Landing and the Mystery Ship sites were busy with tip-ups rigged for pike and walleye. Some nice pike were caught but not many walleye were seen. Those wading and casting near Boom Island had hopes of landing brown trout and steelhead, but none were reported. More are fishing off the Cat Walk but catch rates were slow. Those targeting walleye through the ice on the Wisconsin side near the Hattie Street Dam seem to catch more fish during the evening hours.
Green Bay - Anglers around the bay and inside the walls of the marina are targeting panfish while jigging minnows or wax worms. Perch were caught however the fish were small.
Little Bay De Noc - Ice conditions remain tricky to navigate with pressure cracks presenting most of the problems. Anglers have consistently had problems when trying to cross in the Kipling and Gladstone areas. Please use caution and "look before you leap" especially with a vehicle. The ice is thicker in the north end of the bay and less in the southern sections. With warmer weather in the forecast, many have started to remove their ice shanties. The better walleye fishing was in the head of the bay when using tip-ups with large minnows in 6 to 20 feet of water. Most caught large fish with many in the 10 pound range. Reports for the rest of the bay were spotty when jigging or using tip-ups in 15 to 30 feet of water. Although there are anglers fishing in the southern waters, ice in that area is dangerous and should be avoided. Catch rates were down but did increase for those fishing in 28 to 33 feet of water around the Center Reef. Try jigging minnows. Fair to good whitefish action off Sand Point in Escanaba however the area is dangerous so foot traffic only.
Munising - A fair number of splake along with a few whitefish have been caught in 50 to 60 feet of water. Some reported coho in Trout Bay which is off Grand Island however the ice was said to be unpredictable.
Munuscong Bay - Walleye were caught in deep water near the channel. Try 25 to 35 feet. Anglers are reminded to use extreme caution near the channels.
Cedarville and Hessel - Anglers are catching small perch in 6 to 8 feet of water at the east end of Hessel Bay. Musky Bay is about the same. Big perch were spotted but they would not bite. Catch rates were just fair in Cedarville Bay and the Moscoe Channel.
Brevoort Lake - Is producing some walleye.
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