12-29-2007, 03:11 AM
[size 5] [/size] Southeast Lower Peninsula
Lake Erie - Is in between seasons as most anglers are now waiting for ice. There is some ice around Metro Park where anglers are fishing in shallow waters only. Some are punching holes in the ice while standing on the docks.
Huron River - Water levels are currently on the high mark. Some 5 to 6 pound steelhead are still being caught just not in big numbers. Try using small jigs with wax worms, spawn or Hot-n-Tots.
Detroit River - Boat anglers are open water fishing for perch along the shoreline and in the canals from the River Rouge all the down past Gibraltar. They are catching fish that range from 8 to 13 inches. Try fishing near the Edison Plant with small boats or off the docks.
Lake St. Clair - Ice fishing in and around the lake at this time is limited. There is ice on the canals here and there and a little shore ice in some spots, but even that is tricky right now. Access to the canals is a problem as most are private with no parking. Anglers are fishing the shallow waters close to shore. Good ice fishing here over the holidays might not be possible.
St. Clair River - Good steelhead action has been reported all the down to the mouth of the Black River. Try using live bait such as large emerald shiners or crawlers. This is a great opportunity for those that like to fish for trout.
Saginaw Bay - Perch are being caught in shallow waters along the shoreline. Many are fishing between Palmer Road and the north side of the Pine River while others are fishing off Linwood or Thomas Road. There have been reports of 8 to 12 inch fish.
Southwest Lower Peninsula
St. Joseph - Fishing has been slow except for a few whitefish being caught.
St. Joseph River - Water levels are up some but the bite has been slow because of all the fronts moving through the area. Steelhead and brown trout were hitting on spawn or Wobble Glows up near the Berrien Springs Dam. A few walleye were caught on jigs or twister tails.
Grand River at Grand Rapids - Steelhead and walleye are still being caught however anglers will have to dodge the ice coming down the river. Anglers are still fishing spawn off the Fulton Street Bridge.
Reeds Lake - Has open water. No ice fishing here.
Cranberry Lake - Near Rockford, is reporting good crappie action.
Lake Lansing - The northern pike fishing has been good.
Narrow Lake - Near Springport in Jackson County has good bluegill and crappie action when fishing the narrows.
Muskegon Lake - Boat anglers are fishing for perch over on the west end of the lake. Try just off the bottom in 38 feet of water. Walleye have been caught when trolling about 7 to 8 feet down in 12 to 15 feet of water along the edge of the weedbeds. Boats have been spotted near the Bear Lake Channel and behind the Paper Mill. Some are ice fishing for bluegills in Snug Harbor which is in the northwest corner of the lake.
Muskegon River - Steelhead are being caught in the deeper holes between Maple Island and Bridgeton.
Northeast Lower Peninsula
Fletchers Floodwaters - Those venturing out were reporting various levels of ice. Extreme caution needs to be used. Currently, the pike fishing has been good with many legal size fish caught.
Lake Margrethe - Near Grayling is reporting good walleye catches. Deep snow on the ice is making for difficult travel.
Otsego Lake - Near Gaylord, has good walleye fishing but deep snow is making travel difficult.
Van Etten Lake - Anglers are taking good catches of large perch when fishing on the bottom in 12 to 14 feet of water. Take a variety of baits with you including wax worms, minnows and wigglers.
Au Sable River - Steelhead are still in the river however angler pressure has been low. For those that do not like crowds, this is the perfect time of year to fish as you will most likely have the river to yourself.
Cedar Lake - In Oscoda is producing walleye, bluegills and some perch.
Tawas - Since the waters have opened up around the Tawas State Dock, anglers are once again catching whitefish.
Higgins Lake - Has some shore ice but most of the lake still has open water. It looks like anglers will be waiting until maybe the middle or end of January to go ice fishing. Those looking for trout may want to try the shallow waters over near the Conference Center when using wigglers or wax worms.
Houghton Lake - Those ice fishing have caught pike and walleye. The pike are hitting on tip-ups with minnows and though a lot of the fish are on the small side, a few keepers have been caught. Walleye have been caught on tip-ups with minnows or when jigging. Travel across the ice may be a little difficult for some due to snow cover, drifts and slush around the pressure cracks.
Northwest Lower Peninsula
Traverse City - Those seeking whitefish have not been able to get out because of strong winds.
Long Lake - Anglers are advised to fish shallow waters because of unsafe ice. Most are seeking walleye and perch.
Spider Lake - Anglers are ice fishing for panfish.
Fife Lake - Has anglers ice fishing for walleye off the launch site on the north end of the lake. Try tip-ups for pike along the east shoreline.
Skegemog Lake - Anglers were catching bluegills on wax worms.
Hamlin Lake - Anglers are ice fishing on Upper Hamlin. A few pike have been caught on tip-ups and bluegills are hitting in 8 to 12 feet of water.
Upper Peninsula
Most of the inland lakes have snow cover which will slow the freezing process and cause unsafe ice conditions. Slush covered lakes pose difficult travel conditions for most. Remember to use extreme caution at all times.
Little Bay De Noc - Has ice and anglers are out fishing for walleye.
South Manistique Lake - Those ice fishing have caught walleye and perch in waters 7 to 12 feet deep. Some of the perch are 8 to 9 inches however anglers will need to sort out the small ones. Lots of small pike have also been caught. There is slush on the lake.
North Manistique Lake - Is also covered with slush and the ice formation is not uniform. Because of this, most anglers are fishing the southern end of the lake where there was less snow. Some nice walleye have been caught.
Lake Erie - Is in between seasons as most anglers are now waiting for ice. There is some ice around Metro Park where anglers are fishing in shallow waters only. Some are punching holes in the ice while standing on the docks.
Huron River - Water levels are currently on the high mark. Some 5 to 6 pound steelhead are still being caught just not in big numbers. Try using small jigs with wax worms, spawn or Hot-n-Tots.
Detroit River - Boat anglers are open water fishing for perch along the shoreline and in the canals from the River Rouge all the down past Gibraltar. They are catching fish that range from 8 to 13 inches. Try fishing near the Edison Plant with small boats or off the docks.
Lake St. Clair - Ice fishing in and around the lake at this time is limited. There is ice on the canals here and there and a little shore ice in some spots, but even that is tricky right now. Access to the canals is a problem as most are private with no parking. Anglers are fishing the shallow waters close to shore. Good ice fishing here over the holidays might not be possible.
St. Clair River - Good steelhead action has been reported all the down to the mouth of the Black River. Try using live bait such as large emerald shiners or crawlers. This is a great opportunity for those that like to fish for trout.
Saginaw Bay - Perch are being caught in shallow waters along the shoreline. Many are fishing between Palmer Road and the north side of the Pine River while others are fishing off Linwood or Thomas Road. There have been reports of 8 to 12 inch fish.
Southwest Lower Peninsula
St. Joseph - Fishing has been slow except for a few whitefish being caught.
St. Joseph River - Water levels are up some but the bite has been slow because of all the fronts moving through the area. Steelhead and brown trout were hitting on spawn or Wobble Glows up near the Berrien Springs Dam. A few walleye were caught on jigs or twister tails.
Grand River at Grand Rapids - Steelhead and walleye are still being caught however anglers will have to dodge the ice coming down the river. Anglers are still fishing spawn off the Fulton Street Bridge.
Reeds Lake - Has open water. No ice fishing here.
Cranberry Lake - Near Rockford, is reporting good crappie action.
Lake Lansing - The northern pike fishing has been good.
Narrow Lake - Near Springport in Jackson County has good bluegill and crappie action when fishing the narrows.
Muskegon Lake - Boat anglers are fishing for perch over on the west end of the lake. Try just off the bottom in 38 feet of water. Walleye have been caught when trolling about 7 to 8 feet down in 12 to 15 feet of water along the edge of the weedbeds. Boats have been spotted near the Bear Lake Channel and behind the Paper Mill. Some are ice fishing for bluegills in Snug Harbor which is in the northwest corner of the lake.
Muskegon River - Steelhead are being caught in the deeper holes between Maple Island and Bridgeton.
Northeast Lower Peninsula
Fletchers Floodwaters - Those venturing out were reporting various levels of ice. Extreme caution needs to be used. Currently, the pike fishing has been good with many legal size fish caught.
Lake Margrethe - Near Grayling is reporting good walleye catches. Deep snow on the ice is making for difficult travel.
Otsego Lake - Near Gaylord, has good walleye fishing but deep snow is making travel difficult.
Van Etten Lake - Anglers are taking good catches of large perch when fishing on the bottom in 12 to 14 feet of water. Take a variety of baits with you including wax worms, minnows and wigglers.
Au Sable River - Steelhead are still in the river however angler pressure has been low. For those that do not like crowds, this is the perfect time of year to fish as you will most likely have the river to yourself.
Cedar Lake - In Oscoda is producing walleye, bluegills and some perch.
Tawas - Since the waters have opened up around the Tawas State Dock, anglers are once again catching whitefish.
Higgins Lake - Has some shore ice but most of the lake still has open water. It looks like anglers will be waiting until maybe the middle or end of January to go ice fishing. Those looking for trout may want to try the shallow waters over near the Conference Center when using wigglers or wax worms.
Houghton Lake - Those ice fishing have caught pike and walleye. The pike are hitting on tip-ups with minnows and though a lot of the fish are on the small side, a few keepers have been caught. Walleye have been caught on tip-ups with minnows or when jigging. Travel across the ice may be a little difficult for some due to snow cover, drifts and slush around the pressure cracks.
Northwest Lower Peninsula
Traverse City - Those seeking whitefish have not been able to get out because of strong winds.
Long Lake - Anglers are advised to fish shallow waters because of unsafe ice. Most are seeking walleye and perch.
Spider Lake - Anglers are ice fishing for panfish.
Fife Lake - Has anglers ice fishing for walleye off the launch site on the north end of the lake. Try tip-ups for pike along the east shoreline.
Skegemog Lake - Anglers were catching bluegills on wax worms.
Hamlin Lake - Anglers are ice fishing on Upper Hamlin. A few pike have been caught on tip-ups and bluegills are hitting in 8 to 12 feet of water.
Upper Peninsula
Most of the inland lakes have snow cover which will slow the freezing process and cause unsafe ice conditions. Slush covered lakes pose difficult travel conditions for most. Remember to use extreme caution at all times.
Little Bay De Noc - Has ice and anglers are out fishing for walleye.
South Manistique Lake - Those ice fishing have caught walleye and perch in waters 7 to 12 feet deep. Some of the perch are 8 to 9 inches however anglers will need to sort out the small ones. Lots of small pike have also been caught. There is slush on the lake.
North Manistique Lake - Is also covered with slush and the ice formation is not uniform. Because of this, most anglers are fishing the southern end of the lake where there was less snow. Some nice walleye have been caught.