LAKE MILLE LACS East – There’s been no shortage of big walleyes caught with spinners and crawlers on the gravel and mud in 20 to 24 feet. You’ll catch more keeping-sized fish on the four- to 12-foot rocks during low-light periods with slip bobbers and leeches. Muskie reports have been limited, but smallmouths are hitting plastics or crankbaits on the rocks….
Hargus Creek Lake (Pickaway County) Crappies are active in coves and around woody cover; use minnows or small jigs under a bobber. A good number of bluegills and redear sunfish up to 8 inches can be caught on wax worms in shallow areas this time of year. A large population of largemouth bass from 12 to 15 inches inhabits this…
Saginaw Bay Area Walleye fishing has been good on Lake Huron’s Saginaw Bay. The best action has come to anglers fishing in 12 to 17 feet of water from the mouth of the Saginaw River to Standish. Crawlers, crankbaits, and spoons are all taking good numbers of fish. Franks Great Outdoors, (989) 697-5341. Grand Haven Area Bluegill fishing has been…
Penns Creek (Mifflin County) Blown-out conditions were reported May 23, with temperatures in the 50s. Green Drakes were everywhere. In fishable conditions, anglers were doing well nymphing Green Drakes along with their favorite stonefly pattern, or working streamers near the bank. Hatches included Tan Caddis (14-16), March Browns/Gray Fox (10-14), Sulphurs (14-18), Orange Craneflies (16), Green Drakes (8-12), Golden Stoneflies (8-12),…
LAKE MILLE LACS East – Slip bobbers and leeches continue to produce limits of walleyes during the evening hours on the six- to 12-foot rock piles. During the day, you can pretty much pick your presentation (leeches, crawlers, spinner rigs, live-bait rigs, or crankbaits) and catch walleyes on the gravel and mud in 22 to 26 feet of water. Anglers sight-fishing…
Lake Michigan According to fishing reporter Cory Yarmuth, fishing out of the northern harbors is really hot right now, with easy limits of cohos and some kings mixed in. The cohos are taking the standard offerings of small dodger and fly combos, as well as some of the larger spoons. The colors that have been working best have been orange…
ASHLAND AREA The warm spell has kicked the smallmouths into a spawning frenzy. The fish are pushed up into the shallows and a lot of males are guarding nests in the Sand Cut and Kakagon. Some females are already slinking back and will be feeding post-spawn here shortly. Fishing grubs on a jig head, wacky and or Texas rigging worms,…
LAKE MILLE LACS East – During the day, spinners or live-bait rigs tipped with leeches and nightcrawlers are producing walleyes on the 22- to 25-foot gravel and mud. The evening walleye bite continues to be excellent on any of the six- to 12-foot rock piles with slip bobbers and leeches. Smallmouth bass are an easy catch on the shorelines and shallow…
Indian River Fishing has been slow and fishing pressure light on Burt and Mullett lakes. Ditto for turkey hunting. Pat & Gary’s Party Store, (231) 238-6776. Traverse City Area Walleye fishing has been good on South Lake Leelanau. Jigs and leeches or crawlers are taking fish in 8 to 15 feet of water. A few lakers are being caught on East…
Sayers Lake (Centre County) Steady sunfish and crappie bites were reported from shore in mid-May, with minnows and redworms and twister tails productive floated under a bobber or slow-retrieved. Black Moshannon Lake (Centre County) This bog-influenced lake was yielding nice numbers of sunfish and perch on jigs and minnows from shore. Bald Eagle and Black Moshannon creeks, Six Mile Run,…
LAKE MILLE LACS East – The shallow rock bite for walleyes has been excellent during the evening hours with crankbaits or slip bobbers and leeches. The mid-depth rocks have produced plenty of keeping-sized walleyes during the day and the main-lake mud flats and deep gravel are producing numbers of bigger walleyes. There really hasn’t been a spot or depth not producing…
Shabbona Look for crappies over the fish cribs and brush piles along the campground shoreline. Begin your search by setting your presentation half way down the water column. Best presentations include Mini-Mites and minnows. Bass fishing is slow. Muskie fishing is good. Bass anglers casting rattle traps are catching a few bonus muskies. Look for muskies in the shallow waters…
ASHLAND AREA Chequamegon Bay smallmouths were thick in the Sand Cut and Kakagon areas last week. Fish were in 5 to 8 feet of the Sand Cut and in 3 to 5 feet at the Kakagon. Also, a few pike and walleyes were caught in the same areas, as usual. Water temps were right at 50 and dipped a bit…
LAKE MILLE LACS East – Walleye reports have been consistently good with big fish coming out of deep water and better numbers of keeping-sized fish biting in shallow water. A Lindy Rig and leech is producing fish on the 20-foot sand and shoreline breaks and there are some pods of walleyes being found on top of the mud flats. The evening…
East Jordan Area Opening weekend of the inland fishing season in the Lower Peninsula was slow, with low temperatures prevailing. Brook trout fishing has been good on the Jordan River and all the tributary streams. Walleye fishing has been good in the south arm and the main basin of Lake Charlevoix. Crankbaits fished in 6 to 8 feet of water…
Fishing Creek (Clinton County) Water was low and clear and in the 50s April 28, and grannoms and Hendricksons were winding down. Tan caddisflies (16) were on, along with a few March browns and sulphurs (14-16). Lower than normal flow made for good dry fly-fishing. Hatches also included black midges (24), quill Gordons (12), and black stoneflies (14-16). Productive patterns…
LAKE MILLE LACS There hasn’t been much crappie action in the bays, but some of the shallow boat harbors are holding panfish. It should be a good walleye opener with water temperatures in the 50-degree range. Johnson’s Portside (320) 676-3811 Terry’s Boat Harbor (320) 692-4430 LAKE OF THE WOODS The harvest season for sturgeon has closed, but the catch and release…
Chain This year we have seen a huge presence of a new forage in the Chain. The shad have started to take over some areas and this has changed the feeding habits of the predators. With this new forage, it is time to match the hatch and start to work shad-colored baits in the areas that these baitfish are found….
ASHLAND AREA Trolling is still the No. 1 thing that is going on out of Ashland, Washburn, and up to Bayfield. Cohos have been the main catch. What has changed is location and fishing style to stay consistent in catching the fish. Right now, more and more fish are using deep water and have turned to patterns that include more…
LAKE MILLE LACS Crappie action has slightly improved in the channels, bays, and boat harbors. The afternoon and evening bite has been best when the sun is out. Look to the south-end bays such as Cove, Isle, and Wahkon for the most numbers of bigger crappies. Johnson’s Portside (320) 676-3811 Terry’s Boat Harbor (320) 692-4430 LAKE OF THE WOODS Sturgeon action…
Indian River Fishing pressure has been light on Burt and Mullett lakes, and success has been fair. Steelhead fishing remains pretty good on the Ocqueoc and Bear rivers. Toms are strutting and gobbling. A few morels have been found. Pat & Gary’s Party Store, (231) 238-6776. Traverse City Area Steelhead fishing has been slow on the Boardman River. Brown trout are…
Fishing Creek (Clinton County) Low, clear conditions were reported April 12, making dry-fly-fishing productive. Hendricksons and grannoms were hatching, along with black stoneflies. Water was in the 50s. Hatches included black midges (24), blue-winged olives (18), black stoneflies (14-16), Quill Gordons (12), Hendricksons (14), and grannoms (14). Penns Creek (Mifflin County) Water was low and clear but fishing well April…
LAKE MILLE LACS The water hasn’t warmed enough to drive crappies into the bays and harbors. Anglers do catch a few fish in the afternoon and evening hours if the sun is out in Isle, Cove, and Wahkon bays, but no big numbers at this point. Johnson’s Portside (320) 676-3811 Terry’s Boat Harbor (320) 692-4430 LAKE OF THE WOODS Several reports…
Shabbona Crappies and bluegills are biting on waxworms and crappie minnows. Braidwood The lake is open and the shore fishermen are seeing quite a few catfish and bluegills. Fish are being caught on ice jigs under a float or on bottom rigs tipped with crawlers or other cut bait. The largemouth can be caught fishing the secondary drop-offs with large…
ASHLAND AREA Colder weather has not allowed water temps to rise much, or fast, like most have thought would happen since early ice-out. Most of the fish, except for steelhead, have not even spawned yet. Smelt had not yet spawned as of last week. Water temps need to bump up just a little bit yet. Meanwhile, the trolling bite continues…
LAKE MILLE LACS There hasn’t been much fishing to report. A few crappies were being caught in the bays and harbors a week to 10 days ago, but the water has cooled since and the crappies have been inactive. These shallow spots should hold better numbers of fish with a few days of bright, warm weather. Johnson’s Portside (320) 676-3811 Terry’s…
