Saturday, February 16, 2019

2/14/2019 Northeast Lower Peninsula, Michigan DNR Fishing Report


Northeast Lower Peninsula


To access the original Michigan DNR fishing Report: Click Here!

Burt Lake: Had some very good walleye fishing however the bite did slow.

Black Lake: Anglers were catching medium-size walleye and perch.
Grand Lake: Was producing a few walleye and perch.
Long Lake: Anglers were still catching walleye, pike, perch and panfish.
Fletchers Pond: Was producing decent pike catches.
Otsego Lake: Had light fishing pressure over the week. Many areas were hard to get to with four wheelers because of slush and water on the ice. Those who did go out caught walleyes and pike with blue minnows fished in 7 to 12 feet of water. Most of the walleye were sub-legal. Those targeting lake sturgeon had success with minnows in five to eight feet although most of the fish caught were 46 to 48 inches and had to be released.


Hubbard Lake: Anglers were getting some nice perch in the North and East bays of Hubbard Lake. Walleye and pike were also caught, many on tip-ups.
Higgins Lake: Had about four inches of snow on top making travel easier. Perch were caught around the islands however be ready to sort through the small ones. Lake trout were still hitting in 80 to 100 feet when jigging or using tip-ups with minnows. Rainbow trout were in the shallows near the Conference Center and Big Creek. Whitefish were starting to hit near the bottom in 100 to 110 feet. Use a single hook tipped with an egg, wax worm or wiggler. A few smelt were caught just off the bottom in 40 to 60 feet in the evening. The action was better off Big Creek and the North State Park. Try Hali jigs with wax worms or spikes. Large pike were taken on tip-ups or spearing.

Houghton Lake: Still has the large pressure crack that runs from the West DNR launch to Johnsons Point. Anglers cannot cross the pressure crack to get to the Middle Grounds safely and will have to use other areas. Travel on the ice will be easier with the snow however watch for drifts. The bluegill and crappie bite was still light so watch your line for better success. A couple walleye were found in eight to 12 feet. Bass and pike were hitting hard however all bass must be released immediately.

Nearby Bait & Tackle Shops:

Tawas: Those fishing the inner bay off Jerry’s Marina caught walleye in 20 to 22 feet near the artificial reef. They also took a few lake trout and a pike or two.
Au Gres: Fishing is now concentrated on either side of the breakwall, with some walleye taken and a few pike speared south of the wall. Some nice perch were taken north of the breakwall. Lots of fishing activity off the end of Hale Road in Wigwam Bay with good catches of walleye and perch in six to 17 feet.
Your area may not be listed within this fishing report so below is a list of links to pages in Northeast Michigan to help guide you to public lakes in your county.

Alcona County Public Lakes: Click Here!
Alpena County Public Lakes: Click Here!
Clare County Public Lakes: Click Here!
Crawford County Public Lakes: Click Here!
Gladwin County Public Lakes: Click Here!
Iosco County Public Lakes: Click Here!
Montmorency Public Lakes: Click Here! 
Ogemaw County Public Lakes: Click Here!
Oscoda County Public Lakes: Click Here!
Presque Isle County Public Lakes: Click Here!

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Friday, February 15, 2019

2/14/2019 Southwest Lower Peninsula, Michigan DNR Fishing Report


Southwest Lower Peninsula

To access the original Michigan DNR fishing Report: Click Here! 

Overall: The inland lakes were becoming fishable again however anglers should use caution and test the ice ahead of you. Bluegill and crappie were caught in the morning and evening on jigs and wax worms or spikes in 10 to 20 feet.
Kalamazoo County: Ice conditions on the inland lakes were still pretty good, but the thickness was variable. Caution needs to be used on lakes with inlets as snowmelt has caused rivers and tributaries to flow higher thus worsening the ice conditions where they flow into.

  • For a list of Kalamazoo County public lakes: Click Here!
  • For a list of Kalamazoo County bait shops: Click Here!
Kalamazoo River: The steelhead action has slowed.
Swan Lake: In Allegan County was producing some limit catches of bluegill. Both bluegills and crappie were taken on teardrops with wax worms or spikes. A few pike were taken on tip-ups.
Miner Lake: In Allegan County reported fair to good bluegill action.

 Murray Lake: was producing a good number of bluegills.
Lake Macatawa: The yellow perch action has been very good at times.

Muskegon Lake: Had snow cover for easier travel. Be sure to stay away from the mouth of the river and channel. Perch have been caught everywhere but the bigger ones seems to be in 50 to 55 feet. Those fishing the north end off Second Street were still getting some perch and walleye, but most were too small. A few pike were still being caught near Fisherman’s Landing and Heritage Landing.

  • For a more accurate report on the Muskegon Lake & the Muskegon River I suggest reaching out to the people at Snug Harbor Outfitters. Phone: (231-719-0759)
For more bait shops in the southwest lower peninsula follow the links below:
Berrien County Bait Shops: Click Here!
Allegan County Bait Shops: Click Here!
Ingham County Bait Shops: Click Here!
Branch County Bait Shops: Click Here!
Barry County Bait Shops: Click Here!
Kalamazoo County Bait Shops: Click Here!
Kent County Bait Shops: Click Here!

Your area may not be listed within this fishing report so below is a list of links to pages in Southwest Michigan to help guide you to public lakes in your county.

Allegan County Public Lakes: Click Here!
Barry County Public Lakes: Click Here!
Calhoun County Public Lakes: Click Here!
Cass County Public Lakes: Click Here!
Clinton County Public Lakes: Click Here! 
Jackson County Public Lakes: Click Here!
Kalamazoo Public Lakes: Click Here! 
St. Joseph County Public Lakes: Click Here! 
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2/14/2019 Southeast Lower Peninsula, Michigan DNR Fishing Report

Southeast Lower Peninsula

To access the original Michigan DNR fishing Report: Click Here!

 Lake Erie: Some bluegills and yellow perch were caught in the Metro Park Marina. Bluegill were hitting on wax worms or spikes and perch on minnows. The panfish bite at the Downriver Marina was slow but a few were taken on jigs and wax worms.

  • If you're planning on fishing any of the canals near Lake Erie Metro Park or Point Mouillee State Game Area you can get all of your bait & tackle needs met at  Bottom Line Bait & Tackle.

Detroit River: Airport Bay at the south end of Grosse Ile was producing some perch ranging 10 to 12 inches.
Irish Hills Area:  Ice conditions were poor on lakes in Jackson County, forcing the cancellation of the Midwest Open Ice Fishing Tournament, scheduled for Feb. 10 on Wamplers Lake. With colder temperatures in the forecast the ice should stiffen back up soon.

Lake Orion: There was up to 6 inches of ice on inland lakes in Oakland County, but warm rainy weather made a mess of things. Fishing pressure was very light. A few panfish had been caught on Orion, Lakeville and Graham lakes and the action should resume with colder temperatures in the forecast. Predator and rabbit hunting have been slow to get started with the poor weather conditions.
Lake St. Clair: Anglers took nice catches of perch in front of Gino’s when jigging red and chartreuse teardrops tipped with minnows. Those venturing about a mile out from the Clinton River Cut-Off had some luck spearing pike. The perch action was spotty however some were getting 15 to 25 decent size fish from all access points when they found the fish. Those targeting bluegills near the Raft Restaurant were getting limits however the bite was slow, and it was an all-day effort. There was open water off the point at the Harley Ensign launch however anglers were still fishing in the bay opposite the river side.
  • For a more accurate report on Lake St. Clair I suggest reaching out to the people at Sportsmen's Direct  as their weekly LSC fishing report is usually far more in depth.  Phone: (586-741-6052)
  • Macomb County Bait Shops: Click Here!
Saginaw Bay: Fishing really picked up over the last week if anglers didn’t mind going 12 to 15 miles out. The action was best in the deepest part of the inner bay. Anglers need to use caution as there is a very active pressure crack about 1 ½ miles offshore running from the mouth of the Saginaw River all the way up to Linwood. There is slush in the crack making it appear to be frozen, but it’s not and several machines went in last weekend. Further north off Coggins and Erickson Roads, anglers were going 12 to 15 miles out to the vicinity of Buoys 1-4 and doing well on walleye and perch in 28 to 30 feet.
Along the south end, walleye anglers did well off Finn Road near Buoys 9 & 10 and around the Spark Plug (Buoys 11 & 12). Perch anglers off Vanderbilt Park near Quanicassee took some perch ranging 10 to 12 inches. No limits but most averaged about 10 fish. Anglers are cautioned to avoid the area of Hidden Harbor off King Road, as there’s a bad spot near the access where machines have been going through the ice. Those heading off Thomas Road and going 12 to 15 miles out near Buoys 1-4 caught good numbers of walleye and large perch. Activity from Sebewaing to Caseville was very light. Those near the Mud Creek access site caught a couple dozen perch, one walleye and one pike. The Pigeon River at Caseville was running fast and muddy which made for poor fishing in the harbor and along the break-wall.
  • For a more accurate report on Saginaw Bay I suggest taking a look at the weekly Saginaw Bay Fishing Report given to you by Saginawbay.com
Saginaw River: Had poor fishing along the entire river and ice conditions were iffy at best. Recent snow melt and run-off coupled with rain has made the river fast and muddy and wrecked the ice in the main channel. A few were inching out on the turn basin near Ojibway Island but not catching anything. There was very little activity from there downstream through Bay City. There was some fishing near the mouth, but anglers had to stay away from the shipping channel due to thin ice. One angler recently went through the ice off the Patterson Road launch.

Below are links to bait shop listings organized by county:  


Your area may not be listed within this fishing report so below is a list of links to pages in Southeast Michigan to help guide you to public lakes in your county.

Clinton County Public Lakes: Click Here!
Genessee County Public Lakes: Click Here!
Hillsdale County Public Lakes: Click Here!
Jackson County Public Lakes: Click Here!
Lapeer County Public Lakes: Click Here!
Lenawee County Public Lakes: Click Here!
Livingston County Public Lakes: Click Here!
Oakland County Public Lakes Page 1: Click Here! 
Oakland County Public Lakes Page 2: Click Here!
Washtenaw County Public Lakes: Click Here!
Wayne County Public Lakes: Click Here!

 New Regulation: Perch limits on Michigan waters will be lower starting April 1, 2019. The video below gives the details: 
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Thursday, February 7, 2019

2/7/2019 Southwest Lower Peninsula, Michigan DNR Fishing Report

New Regulation: Perch limits on Michigan waters will be lower starting April 1, 2019. The video below gives the details: 



Southwest Lower Peninsula

To access the original Michigan DNR fishing Report: Click Here! 

Overall: The warm-up impacted ice conditions. Much of the snow had melted and the ice was wet and slushy. Anglers will need to use caution as the wet areas may refreeze, but the ice will not be as strong.
Coloma: Anglers are getting out on some of the channels in the area and catching pan fish, but warm temperatures and rain put a damper on everything. Extreme caution is advised whenever heading out on the ice. 

Murray Lake: In Kent County was producing a good number of bluegills.
Grand River at Grand Rapids: Anglers were still getting some steelhead near the Sixth Street Dam including fish up to 15 pounds. A few walleye were also caught.
Grand River near Lansing: Water levels are up, and ice jams have caused flooding in the Portland area.  
  • For a more accurate report on the Grand River at Lansing I suggest reaching out to the people at Grand River Bait & Tackle. Phone: (517-482-4461)

Muskegon Lake: The snow is gone so conditions were slick. Anglers would be wise to bring ice cleats for easier travel. Yellow perch were caught on the west end including some limit catches. Fish were found near the bottom in 40 to 45 feet near the Sand Docks. Pike were caught near Fisherman’s Landing and Heritage Landing. Perch and walleye were caught on the north end off Second Street. Bluegill were caught off the State Park.

  • For a more accurate report on the Muskegon Lake & the Muskegon River I suggest reaching out to the people at Snug Harbor Outfitters. Phone: (231-719-0759)
Muskegon River: Those heading out have caught steelhead however some areas below Newaygo had ice jams.
Plainwell:There was decent ice on the channels and in west bay on Gun Lake and anglers were able to walk out to fish. Panfish, walleyes and pike have been caught. There was still open water in spots on the lake. Extreme caution is advised. 


For more bait shops in the southwest lower peninsula follow the links below:
Berrien County Bait Shops: Click Here!
Allegan County Bait Shops: Click Here!
Ingham County Bait Shops: Click Here!
Branch County Bait Shops: Click Here!
Barry County Bait Shops: Click Here!
Kalamazoo County Bait Shops: Click Here!
Kent County Bait Shops: Click Here!

Your area may not be listed within this fishing report so below is a list of links to pages in Southwest Michigan to help guide you to public lakes in your county.

Allegan County Public Lakes: Click Here!
Barry County Public Lakes: Click Here!
Calhoun County Public Lakes: Click Here!
Cass County Public Lakes: Click Here!
Clinton County Public Lakes: Click Here! 
Jackson County Public Lakes: Click Here!
Kalamazoo Public Lakes: Click Here! 
St. Joseph County Public Lakes: Click Here! 
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2/7/2019 Southeast Lower Peninsula, Michigan DNR Fishing Report

New Regulation: Perch limits on Michigan waters will be lower starting April 1, 2019. The video below gives the details:

To access the original Michigan DNR fishing Report: Click Here!

FOR THIS WEEK: Please use caution on the water for the next week or so as the forecast for southeast Michigan shows the weather will be in the high 40's with evening temps dropping into the 30's for the next ten days with at least one day reaching close to 60 degrees. 

Southeast Lower Peninsula

Lake St. Clair: The Clinton River out at Harley Ensign opened back up because of the warm water discharge over the weekend. Most of the lake had an inch or so of water covering the ice. The action was good for bluegills, sunfish and pike near the Raft Restaurant. Anglers did well for a few days at the end of Cotton Road while taking bluegills and some jumbo perch however the action did slow. Those walking out from the Crocker Road DNR ramp caught some perch on jigging spoons with or without minnows and wax worms in six to eight feet near Gino’s. Most were six to eight inches with a few as big as 10 inches. Anglers had been getting into bluegills and sunfish at the north end out near the Raft Restaurant and the Fair Haven Launch. Perch were caught from the Clinton River Cut-off to the Raft Restaurant. Yellow perch are abundant but the majority of fish caught near the Raft, Fair Haven and Selfridge were between 3 and 5 inches

Ice was running up to 6 inches thick on some of the smaller lakes in the area, less on others, before rain and warm temperatures invaded the area. Extreme caution is advised when heading out on all lakes. Frigid temperatures were in the forecast so anglers were hoping the lakes freeze back up quickly.

Saginaw Bay: After the big thaw ice conditions were slushy with a lot of water on top in most places. Some perch were caught off White’s Beach in eight to 10 feet. Anglers going four to five miles off Pinconning Road, Coggins Road, Erickson Road and Linwood Road were getting some walleye. Watch out for the first pressure crack; it’s active and can spread to as much as eight feet. Lots of activity around the Spark Plug in 24 to 28 feet with some nice catches of walleye and big perch taken. We had reports of some good catches of nice perch off Vanderbilt Park in the afternoon and evening. Going up the east side, there was not much fishing pressure as most opted to fish the west side. A couple walleye, pike and perch were caught from the Slot and a couple lake trout were caught near the pier at Caseville.

  • For a more accurate report on Saginaw Bay I suggest taking a look at the weekly Saginaw Bay Fishing Report given to you by Saginawbay.com
Saginaw River: Ice fishing was spotty along most of the river with a lot of sub-legal fish caught and released at most locations. A few keepers were taken along the edge of the channel in 18 to 20 feet downstream of the Independence Bridge and near the mouth. After the big thaw, anglers will have to be very careful of the river ice. The current will pick up and the river will probably get pretty muddy.

Below are links to bait shop listings organized by county: 


Your area may not be listed within this fishing report so below is a list of links to pages in Southeast Michigan to help guide you to public lakes in your county.
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Outdoor News: Ontario Proposes Possible Cormorant Hunting Season

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Outdoor News: New Michigan Perch Fishing Limits

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