fishing report 12/5/07

[lonehunter]

Upper Peninsula:[/url]

The ice-fishing season started around Marquette and on Lake Gogebic prior to all the snow from earlier this week. However, now that the lakes are covered with slush and snow, access for foot traffic on the lakes is limited for anglers.

Anglers on Little Bay de Noc, north of Gladstone, are starting to get out on the bay. Being that people started fishing through the ice on the bay just a couple of days ago, there are no accurate reports on how the perch, pike or walleye fishing is going.

All the snow that the eastern half of the Upper Peninsula received earlier in the week has put a stop to the ice-fishing action that had started in the Manistique, St. Ignace and Sault Ste. Marie areas.

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Northwest:[/url]

With no safe ice, fishing activity this week is slow in the Alanson and Boyne City areas.

Around Traverse City, the steelhead fishing is fair along the Boardman River. In the Frankfort area, anglers venturing out along the Betsie and Platte rivers are catching a few steelhead.

By Kalkaska, very few people have been out. However, anglers by the Elk Rapids Dam are catching an occasional steelhead.

Out of the Gaylord area, the steelhead fishing ranges from slow to fair on sections of the Boyne and Jordan rivers.

And at Cadillac, fishing activity is slow due to the lack of safe ice on lakes Cadillac and Mitchell.

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West:[/url]

Out of the Ludington area, anglers surfcasting along the Lake Michigan shoreline near the mouth of the Pere Marquette River are reeling in a few steelhead. The steelhead fishing is fair on the river. Anglers on the piers along Lake Michigan are catching a few whitefish.

By Muskegon, Muskegon Lake is producing fair perch and walleye fishing, when the weather allows anglers to get out. The perch are hitting on spikes and minnows, the best time to be out for the walleye is at night. Anglers are catching a few walleye along the Muskegon Channel. On the Muskegon River, the steelhead fishing is fair. In Baldwin, fishing activity is slow this week on Chippewa Lake due to unsafe ice.

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Southwest:[/url]

In the Holland area, anglers casting a line in the water by the bubblers at Port Sheldon are reeling in a few whitefish and steelhead. Around Benton Harbor, the steelhead fishing is fair on the Lake Michigan pier and on the St.

Joseph River. Anglers on the pier are also catching a few whitefish casting spoons or using spawn as bait.

Out of the Kalamazoo area, anglers on the Kalamazoo River near the Allegan Dam are reeling in a few steelhead and walleye. The steelhead fishing is fair on the St. Joseph River by the Berrien Springs Dam.

And due to the poor weather and lack of safe ice, fishing activity this week is slow in the Three Rivers and New Buffalo areas.

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Northeast:[/url]

Due to a lack of safe ice, fishing activity this week near Alpena and Grayling is slow.

The Au Sable River is producing fair steelhead and whitefish action for anglers near Oscoda. A few perch are being caught by anglers on Cooke Dam Pond and Van Etten Lake.

Some ice is starting to form on both Higgins and Houghton lakes, but there is nothing that is safe enough to get out on and do any fishing.

And at Au Gres, the cuts and marinas along Saginaw Bay are producing fair bluegill, crappie and perch fishing.

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East:[/url]

Around Linwood, anglers are starting to catch a few perch on the cuts and marinas along Saginaw Bay.

By Bay City and Bay Port, some skim ice is starting to form on Saginaw Bay, nothing that is safe enough to get out on and that is keeping fishing activity slow this week.

Due to a lack of safe ice, fishing activity this week near Harbor Beach is slow.

Out of Lexington, the perch action is spotty in the harbor.

And at Port Huron, there are only a few people out fishing. The walleye and steelhead action along the St. Clair River is fair, for the people who do cast a line in the water. Along Mill Creek, anglers are reeling in a few steelhead.

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Central:[/url]

Ice is forming on the lakes around Mount Pleasant, however, there is no ice that is safe enough to fish on.

And at Lansing and Jackson, fishing activity is slow due to the lack of safe ice on the local lakes and rivers.

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Southeast:[/url]

On Lake St. Clair, anglers in St. Clair Shores have been casting from shore and reeling in a few walleye, however with the colder weather some skim ice is forming on the lake making it difficult to find an area where the water is open. Anglers able to access the canals along the lake are punching holes through the ice and fishing from docks for perch.

Along the Detroit River, anglers able to get a boat in the water are catching a few walleye, when the weather allows them to get out.

By Flat Rock, the steelhead fishing is fair on the Huron River.

And due to the poor weather conditions and lack of safe ice, fishing activity is slow this week by Monroe and Belleville.

[lonehunter]

[font "Arial, Helvetica"]Thursday December 6, 2007 [/font] [font "Arial, Helvetica"]Recreational Fishing Report[/font]
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[url "http://www.coastwatch.msu.edu/"][font "Arial, Helvetica"][#000000]Great Lakes temperature map[/#000000][/font][/url]

Fishing is now in between seasons. Ice is starting to form on the inland lakes and along the shoreline of the Great Lakes, but the ice is not safe. Anglers are reminded of the dangers associated with the first ice of the season. Pier anglers need to be extra careful and avoid the piers altogether if they are ice covered and slippery.

Southeast Lower Peninsula
Lake Erie - Boat anglers trolling in Brest Bay and off Fermi were catching walleye, but shoreline ice may be a factor now.
Detroit River - Strong winds were the cause of very low water levels in sections of the river. When boats can get out, perch were caught off Ecorse and Sugar Island.
Huron River - Has been one of the few areas to fish over the last week. Anglers have caught some steelhead, but the bite was slow. The shallow backwaters are most likely ice covered.
Lake St. Clair - Has ice building on the canals and along the shoreline.
St. Clair River - Shore anglers fishing off the wall at Port Huron were taking walleye at night. Steelhead action was fair.
Harbor Beach - The marina and the boat launch are iced in, but the ice is not safe.
Port Austin - Has ice around the marina. Anglers will want to avoid the pier as portions of it are ice covered.
Southwest Lower Peninsula
St. Joseph River - Not many fish are going through the ladder, but anglers are still catching some fresh fish. A few brown trout have also been caught.
Holland - Still has open water. Try for steelhead or whitefish off the pier.
Grand Haven - Still has open water. Pier anglers are catching whitefish when using small egg sacks or wax worms.
Grand River at Grand Rapids - Steelhead are being caught up near the Sixth Street Dam and behind the Post Office. Walleye anglers are doing well between the dam and Johnston Park. They are floating shiners just off the bottom or using rapalas.
Grand River at Lansing - A handful of anglers have been seeking anything that might bite as the river is about the only place to fish right now. Anglers might want to target catfish below the dams or walleye over at Moore's Park.
Muskegon - Lots of whitefish have been caught off the pier and along the channel. Anglers have caught some steelhead off the piers when drifting or floating small spawn bags. Orange has been a good color.
Northeast Lower Peninsula
Thunder Bay River - Has been frozen almost all the way down to the mouth since last Friday. The only fishing since the cold snap is below the Ninth Street Dam where they are catching whitefish and some steelhead. There is no way to launch a boat.
Au Sable River - Steelhead and whitefish are being caught between the dam and the mouth. Spawn works good for steelhead and the whitefish are hitting on wax worms under a bobber.
Tawas - This might very well be the last good week for taking whitefish. Try fishing off the Tawas State Dock when using spawn bags or a single egg on a small hook. Those fishing in the early morning or late evening might also catch a walleye.
Au Gres River - Steelhead are being caught in the lower river.
Higgins Lake - Nearly all of the inland lakes in the area have iced over except for this one, as the deeper lakes take much longer to start freezing.
Houghton Lake - Now has snow and slush covering the lake. This will slow the formation of good ice.
Northwest Lower Peninsula
Traverse City - Windy conditions have kept boats off both the East Bay and the West Bay. Some of the smaller lakes were iced over, but heavy snow and slush will slow the formation of ice.
Boardman River - Steelhead action has slowed with only a couple fish caught here and there.
Manistee - The piers and surf can still provide good fishing this time of year however anglers will want to avoid the piers if they ice covered.
Big Manistee River - Is pretty much the main bet for steelhead action and the lower river is better as there are no big numbers of fish up at Tippy Dam.
Lake Cadillac - Does have ice, but it is not fishable ice as of this report. Strong winds will also hamper the formation of safe ice.
Lake Mitchell - Also has ice, but not safe ice. Anglers are encouraged to wait a bit longer before venturing out to go ice fishing.
Ludington - Still has open water but watch for ice on the piers.
Upper Peninsula
Some of the shallow lakes in the region have ice but the deeper lakes only have skim ice at this time. Anglers are reminded that first ice is dangerous ice and extreme caution needs to be used. Many parts of the Upper Peninsula now have about 12 inches of snow so slush is already becoming a problem.