Those heading out in the cold weather are reminded of how quickly hypothermia can set it. Shivering is the body’s way of trying to generate heat. Aside from the cold that is felt and the shivering that may occur, mental function is most affected initially. A particular danger of hypothermia is that it develops gradually, and since it affects thinking and reasoning, it may go unnoticed. Anglers need to use caution and watch for signs of hypothermia.
Southeast Lower Peninsula
Lake Erie - Anglers are marking a few walleye but the bite is slow. Look for catch rates to increase in the next week or two. A few perch were still hitting off the Metro Park Marina and along the south end of the Banana Dike. Most are using tear drops with wax worms, spikes or minnows.
Detroit River - Boat anglers are still taking perch in the canals around Gibraltar. A fair to good number of perch have been caught in the first canal to the south, but many are small. In Airport Bay, small perch were caught and some pike have started to move in.
Port Austin - A few shanties can be seen out on the harbor, but not much activity.
Saginaw Bay - The better walleye bite has been in the evening. Limits were caught before the cold snap. Pine River and Palmer Roads were producing some limits of walleye anywhere from three to ten miles out on the warmer days. Walleye have been caught off White’s Beach in the Catfish Hole, three to four miles out of Linwood in 13 to 20 feet of water, off Erickson Road near the Black Hole and northeast of the Bay City State Park in 15 feet of water. There is activity at the Hot Ponds but no reports. Near Quanicassee, those fishing off Vanderbilt Park caught a few perch and speared a couple pike in 5 to 6 feet of water. At Thomas Road, anglers are heading out seven to eight miles to waters 18 to 20 feet deep however ice conditions out there are very rough. At Sebewaing, mostly small perch and a couple pike were speared in the marina. Off Geiger Road, the evening bite was best beyond the islands and in the Slot. No action at Bay Port but Mud Creek produced a few nice pike for those spearing. Small perch and the occasional pike have been taken from the river and the marina basins at Caseville.
Saginaw River - Has lots of angler activity in downtown Saginaw. Some nice walleye have been caught primarily at dawn when using blue and silver Jig-n-Rapalas. Anglers are fishing Bay City and beyond. Cass Avenue and the Independence Bridge were getting a fair amount of pressure. Walleye have been caught around Essexville and perch off Smith Park. Perch were also taken out of the Bay Aggregate cut and the marina basins in the lower river.
Southwest Lower Peninsula
St.Joe River - Steelhead fishing has been good below Berrien Springs.
Kalamazoo River - Steelhead and walleye are still hitting below the Allegan Dam.
Gull Lake - Smelt and northern pike fishing continues to be good.
Lake Macatawa - Has been slow with only a few small perch caught.
Grand River at Grand Rapids - Has open water from Pearl Street to Sixth Street and the water is clear and low. Boat anglers will need to use caution. Steelhead have been caught when long lining with spawn or white choker bags. Steelhead and walleye have been caught off both sides of the river below the Sixth Street Dam when casting rapalas or Hot-n-Tots.
Grand River at Lansing - Anglers are ice fishing on the backwaters near Grand Point Marina and they have caught bluegills and crappie.
Lake Lansing - As for pike, anglers are still taking a lot of small fish right along with the occasional keeper.
Park Lake - Near Bath, is producing some crappie.
Rose Lake - The lakes in the state game area are fair to good for pike and bluegills.
Reeds Lake - Perch have been caught on shiners or wigglers fished about 5 feet off the bottom in 30 to 40 feet of water. Crappie are hitting on shiners 10 to 20 feet down in waters 25 to 35 feet deep. For bluegills, try a #6 gold bear hook just off the bottom in 12 to 45 feet of water as the fish appear to be scattered. Pike can be found 3 to 5 feet off the bottom in 15 to 35 feet of water.
Dean Lake - Near Rockford, is producing bluegills, crappie, and perch.
Muskegon Lake - Perch have been caught in the south central portion of the lake and up near the Sand Docks. No ships have entered the lake in the last couple of weeks, and those fishing up near the channel did catch some perch. Catch rates were spotty with the better bite at mid-day. Try glow-in-the-dark or bright colored Hali jigs or Swedish Pimples with minnows, wigglers or spikes in 35 to 50 feet of water. Pike along with a few walleye were caught between Hartshorn Marina and Fisherman’s Landing.
White Lake - Yellow perch have been caught along the southwest portion of the lake including Indian Bay. Look for pike up in the narrows off Montague.
Northern Lower Peninsula
Burt Lake - Perch and walleye fishing has slowed but fish are still being caught. Moderate success for pike when using tip-ups or spearing.
Mullett Lake - Is giving up a few perch and some pike.
Thunder Bay River - Is producing some perch and a few walleye after dark.
Avalon Lake - Anglers are catching some small splake.
East Twin Lake - Fishing pressure remains low, but those going out have been catching some big perch in limited numbers.
West Twin Lake - Walleye fishing did improve on the east side of the lake in about 15 feet of water. Try small Swedish Pimples tipped with a minnow or artificial minnow jigs in perch colors. Walleye harvest on tip-ups remains slow. A few big perch along with numerous smaller ones have been caught. The lake has good ice with four to ten inches of snow on top. Not much slush either so travel conditions were good.
Lake Margrethe - Has been providing fair catches of yellow perch, a few northern pike and some walleye in the West Bay and off the middle grounds.
Higgins Lake - The smelt population is up this year and providing some good fishing opportunities. The north and northwest side of the lake are best in 50 feet of water. Yellow perch are biting but they are small. Some nice northern pike are being caught on tip-ups or while spearing off the southwest portion of the lake and off Big Creek. Lake trout have been caught in waters 85 to 110 feet deep.
Houghton Lake - Has good catches of bluegill in the East Bay and along the south shore. Good walleye action in the East Bay and off the north shore. Pike have been hitting all over the lake.
Tawas - Walleye were caught off the artificial reef before the extremely cold weather returned. Perch fishing was slow with most fish running small. Pike spearing was also slow with only a couple fish taken in 20 feet of water. Inside the breakwall, anglers speared a pike or two, caught a couple of walleye, and a lot of small perch. Some walleye were caught off Foster Road which is north of Au Gres. This is the first time in many years that good ice has been reported off Foster Road.
Au Gres - Out on the bay, anglers are going straight out from the river mouth about a mile and then either going north or south an equal distance and fishing walleye in about 15′ of water. They did good when the fish were biting.
Au Gres River - Some walleye have been caught through the ice. Many were small however some keepers have been caught.
Northwest Lower Peninsula
Torch Lake - Ice fishing is on and anglers are catching whitefish and lake trout near the drop offs.
Elk Lake - Anglers on the north side of the lake have started moving their permanent shanties over to Torch Lake. Fishing pressure near the Kewadin area has decreased over the last week as a result of fewer anglers on the ice. Those fishing near Kewadin were targeting trout and reporting moderate catch rates in 30 to 50 feet of water when using herring or spawn. Whitefish can be found just off the bottom in 85 to 120 feet of water and one walleye was caught in 35 feet of water.
Skegemog Lake - Fishing in general has been slow over the last week. Some are still fishing for perch off the Baggs Road access site as well as the northwest portion of the lake by the Narrows. Fish were caught on minnows, wigglers, wax worms or shrimp in 10 to 20 feet of water. Fish were ranging from 3 to 10 inches with lots of small ones caught. Pike spearing was slow however a couple muskie were taken.
Traverse City - The West Bay has ice in Bowers Harbor. Anglers are catching small perch and whitefish. If the cold weather continues over the next couple weeks, both bays could have ice.
Green Lake - Smelt have been caught on the north end of the lake.
Manistee Lake - In Kalkaska County, reported bluegill, crappie and perch being caught off the southeast shore.
Little Glen Lake - While there is good ice, few fish are being caught which might be due to the construction on the M-22 Bridge and or the cold weather. Some anglers have decided to remove their ice shanties due to poor fishing.
Big Glen Lake - Has good ice however there may still be some slush near Burdickville. Perch are hitting on minnows but few were caught. Some managed to catch enough for dinner when fishing off the shallows on the outer edge of the “Bowl”. Out deeper, lake trout action has started in about 90 feet of water.
Crystal Lake - In Benzie County has very good smelt action. Anglers are fishing at night with Hali jigs tipped with wax worms or red spikes in 45 to 60 feet of water.
Portage Lake - Has been hit-or-miss for perch.
Lake Missaukee - Has been fair for panfish.
Lake Cadillac - Pike have been good but the panfish bite has been slow.
Lake Mitchell - The crappie and bluegill anglers were not doing so well but the pike anglers were still taking fair to good numbers of fish.
Manistee River - Some steelhead are being caught up near Tippy Dam by those brave enough to take the winter conditions.
Hamlin Lake - Fishing has been slow however anglers able to get out to new areas are finding fish. Some anglers fishing east of the Wilson Hill Park in 7 to 12 feet of water were taking about a dozen nice bluegills per trip while others in the same area had no luck. Jigs and wax worms were the ticket. A couple walleye and some crappie were taken in 15 to 30 feet of water off Pete’s Bayou. Those fishing Lower Hamlin were finding a few fish in 15 to 25 feet of water.
UPPER PENINSULA
Lake Gogebic - Is producing large perch, walleye and a few crappie. Bergland Bay Point and the east shore are still the hotspots.
Keweenaw Bay - Those fishing off Sand Point have caught a few lake trout, coho and lake herring. Lake trout were caught out from Jentoff’s Dock but many were small. Whitefish were caught just east of the Baraga Marina when jigging a Swedish Pimple or putting three or four eggs on a hook and laying it right on the bottom. Perch were caught between Baraga and Buck’s Marina or at the head of the Bay in 40 to 60 feet of water. No word on smelt.
Huron Bay - Is just beginning to freeze over and fishing is slow.
Indian Lake - Is producing light numbers of perch.
Michigamme Reservoir - Anglers are catching walleye.
Little Bay De Noc - Catch rates were up with anglers spread throughout the Bay area. Walleye were caught along the east bank and between the Narrows and Garth Point when jigging or using tip-ups in 17 to 32 feet of water. Some jumbo perch in the 12 to 14 inch range were also caught in the same area. Walleye were caught off Gladstone, south of the Escanaba River and around the lighthouse in waters up to 25 feet deep. The whitefish action was fair off Sand Point when jigging minnows or spawn just off the bottom in 80 feet of water. Excellent northern pike action off Hunters Point. Try tip-ups and large sucker minnows in 10 to 17 feet of water. Perch action was a bit slow but some jumbos were caught in 18 to 32 feet of water near Kipling. Patience is the key and those willing to move around and put in the time have caught fish.
Manistique Lake - Fishing has been slow.
Munuscong Bay - Catch rates for walleye slowed with the cold front. Once it warms up, look for the fish to be in the shallows.
Cedarville and Hessel - Anglers fishing Musky Bay are targeting yellow perch but catch rates depend on the temperature. Try 10 to 14 feet of water with wigglers or wax worms.
Brevoort Lake - Is producing some nice bluegill on the warmer days. Look for walleye along that east shoreline.
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