Tag Archives: Sport Fish Michigan

Sport Fish Michigan Ice Fishing Report 2.16.17

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The hottest bite as of this week has definitely consisted of perch and northern pike. With a few days of consistent sun and higher temperatures, both species have been on the move in search of baitfish, feeding and staging adjacent to their spawning areas. We are noticing that the perch are really running in size-oriented schools, and each school has its own mood. Some of the smaller schools of larger fish have actually been feeding more aggressively than others. With this in mind, we have not been using a very large presentation like a perch rig or jigging spoon. The most successful technique has consisted of small orange and chartreuse tungsten jigs tipped with wax works and spikes. Using 2lb fluorocarbon main line has been best. All lakes have had different depths that have been producing perch. The most important thing to look for when locating active perch is a soft muddy bottom on a flat that is adjacent to weeds or a drop-off. If the lake you are targeting is mostly shallow, finding isolated weeds with a soft bottom will be key.

Northern pike fishing has been great. The rest of the month will yield some of the best pike action of the year. Both the males and the females have increased their daily travel and really seem to be putting on the pre-spawn feedbag. We have really steered away from steel leaders this season, we have had great success with 15lb fluorocarbon tip-up leaders rigged with a size 12 treble hook. This has allowed the action of the golden minnow to maintain a very active wounded motion. By using lighter line, smaller hook and a ¼ ounce egg sinker we have found that we are getting a lot more action. Depth of water for these pre-spawn fish has been consistent with most lakes. 6-15ft of water close to drop offs, flats and weed beds has been best.

Last ice fishing is right around the corner. With this comes some excellent action for all species, but it also brings sketchy inconsistent ice conditions. We ask that all anglers please use extreme caution when hitting the ice the rest of the season. Good luck and catch them up!

Sport Fish Michigan January 2017 Angler Magazine Report

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January in northern Michigan is an excellent time to take advantage of many different angling opportunities. For those who want to get out on the ice, this is a great time to venture out on smaller bodies of water that have just formed safe fishable ice. Another January option is hitting the river for trout and steelhead. Both options will provide anglers with active fish and lower levels of angler competition due to the time of year.

First ice conditions can be an excellent time to encounter active panfish, perch, walleye, and pike. Panfish love the shallower weed flats this time of year. Fishing on top of and adjacent to small depth changes and structure can be very effective. Size 12 teardrops tipped with spikes accompanied by 2-4 lb. fluorocarbon can be most effective. While targeting panfish in the shallows, anglers can go after cruising pike on the edges of weed beds and close to adjacent drop offs. Tip-ups with sucker minnows provide a great bonus option while searching for panfish. Presenting your sucker minnow right above and slightly into standing weeds can produce nice pike this time of year.

Walleye can be found cruising the drop offs at daybreak and dusk. Depending on the lake, most active depths will range from 15-25ft. Jigging Rapalas, Buckshot Spoons, and smaller jig heads tipped with a minnow can be a good rod and reel option at this depth range. Anglers fishing tip-ups in this same zone will have great success as well. Big Blue minnows and Greys on a size twelve treble weighted by a ¼ ounce egg sinker will work for most tip-up rigging. When jigging this depth range, good electronics are critical for finding active fish and interpreting the type of jigging cadence that is most desired for that specific day. Both pike and walleye often inspect offerings for quite a while before striking.

January steelhead fishing can be an absolute riot! If you can get past the cold fingers and frozen rod guides, this is great time to pursue low-pressured fish and not encounter a large number of anglers. The active fish can be found in deeper slower sections of the river mostly keying in on the tail outs of runs and holes. Anglers presenting spawn and beads under floats will have great success. For those who prefer to tackle these hungry fish on the fly, intruder, egg, and leech patterns will produce fish when presented at the right depth.

We at Sport Fish Michigan would like to caution all anglers fishing first ice, to please use good judgment when venturing out and always fish with a friend. Ice doesn’t always freeze uniformly, and weak spots can be common during this first ice period. Good luck, tight lines and we hope to see you on the water this January!

SFM Weekly Fishing Report 01.22.17

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Despite the current warm-up, ice fishing is still red hot in Northern Michigan. Sport Fish Michigan has been on some great fishing this past week establishing consistent bite patterns for perch, walleye, and bluegill.

Walleye and large perch have been actively feeding in the same general area on several different bodies of water. The best action has been found fishing 28-33 feet of water directly on top of larger flats consisting of a soft bottom. Fire tiger tungsten jig presentations tipped with wax worms have been deadly. Size 3-5 Jigging Rapala’s in black and silver have also been great for targeting walleye and keeper perch at the same time. We have found that rigging our tip-ups with a 3/16oz egg sinker, 18” 4lb fluorocarbon leader accompanied by a #14 gold treble and blue minnow has been most effective for both species.

The bluegill bite this past week was very good! We had several limit catches on some smaller bodies of water fishing in 12-16ft. The most desired presentation we found consisted of glow 1/32oz tungsten jigs tipped with natural colored spikes. The fish really wanted the jig moving, consistently attacking the jig on the rise 2-3ft off of bottom.

Sport Fish Michigan November 2016 Angler Magazine Report

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Northwest Michigan Area Fishing Report

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As the waters cool, opportunities still abound for some spectacular fall fishing. While many are taking to the woods for the fall hunting season, anglers willing to brave the chillier weather can be rewarded for almost every species.

For inland lakes, walleyes, yellow perch, and smallmouth bass are prime targets as they put on the feedbag for winter. With the shorter days, the feeding windows are condensed, giving anglers some great chances to intercept the active fish. For walleyes, pulling minnow plugs behind planer boards adjacent to steep break lines remains a great option right at dusk. Anglers wanting to cast shouldn’t overlook the mid-day feeding window with baits like a leadhead jig tipped with a paddle tail soft plastic. Perch anglers can score big with nice jumbos using perch rigs tipped with wigglers or even small perch flies tipped with a small piece of cocktail shrimp. Another favorite option that can really call in some nicer fish is a small jigging spoon with a dropper chain. For some reason, big jumbo perch really like the action of a jigging spoon and will sometimes take this offering when few other things seem to be working.

Inland lake bass fishing can be incredible, and the fish on the inland lakes come up to the shallow flats to feed before heading deep for winter. Swimbaits, crankbaits, and even spinnerbaits are all great options to throw this time of year. Don’t be afraid to try skinny water at times if there is sunny weather. It’s not uncommon for smallmouths to roam into water as shallow as four feet or so during the fall feed. This is a time of year when bronzebacks famously “wolf pack”, and locating one in an area generally means that there are many more around.

Grand Traverse Bay Fishing Report

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Fall bass fishing in Northern Michigan can be just as good as the spring pre-spawn fishing, but with lots less angling pressure. True, the fall gales can be an issue when planning a trip, but when we have the weather, the fishing can be awesome!

The Grand Traverse Bays cool much slower than the inland lakes, meaning that the fish are down in deeper water later into the year, and deep water tactics are the way to go here. Very often, fishing the steep breaks are the way to locate smallmouths as they will venture up onto the breaks to feed, retreating down deep during periods of inactivity. Drop shot techniques, swimbaits and crankbaits are great fall options and are some of the go-to options for Traverse City Bass Guide Service and Sport Fish Michigan.

For anglers looking to put some meat into a cooler on the Bays, yellow perch schools are roaming around in huge numbers not seen in years! While many of these schools have 4-6 inch perch, there are some bigger fish around. What is exciting is to see the number of smaller fish, meaning that we should have some outstanding jumbo perch fishing in the years to come if we are careful about not overharvesting this fantastic and tasty fish.

Another stellar option is the cisco aka lake herring. With a change in diets over the past several years, they are incredibly good table fare now, and are now exciting more and more anglers. They are extremely plentiful in Grand Traverse Bays, and are super aggressive feeders as well, hitting seemingly anything that comes close to them. Jigging spoons in a 1 ounce or 1-1/2 ounce size are perfect for these fish, as are blade baits. Ciscos these days are running much larger than they ever have, and 4 pound plus fish are common on guide trips this past year for Sport Fish Michigan. Trolling is another productive way to target these fish, but smaller hooks may be the ticket to a higher landing ratio. Cisco fishing is an absolute hoot, and anglers who like to reel in an incredibly hard fighting fish won’t be disappointed! And being outstanding to eat is only a bonus!

The Bays are big water, and the fall’s north winds can churn the waters up quickly. Take care when heading out onto any body of water this fall, and make sure to have the proper safety gear aboard. Equally as important is to let others know what your fishing plans are, and where you plan to be. Stay safe, enjoy the fantastic fishing out on Grand Traverse Bays, and catch lots of fish!

Sport Fish Michigan July 2016 Angler Magazine Report

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Bass fishing in Northern Michigan can be wonderfully rewarding. The smallmouth bass are in a summer pattern during this time. On inland lakes, early morning and dusk are prime times to target bass using topwater lures. Toppers and walking baits are the primary go-to choices for topwater action at this time of the year. As we experience the Mayfly hatch early in the month, and then tapering off as the month progresses, most bass action on the inland lakes will revolve around these insect hatches. Deeper weeds and sharp break lines will hold fish all throughout the month.

Grand Traverse Bay has excellent smallmouth fishing in July, as most of our fish are in a post-spawn and early summer pattern. Rocky flats adjacent to deep water will be key areas in which to look for smallmouth bass this month. Spinnerbaits and crankbaits on windy days can be very effective. On calmer days, drop-shot rigs and soft plastic jerkbaits are excellent options. As the month progresses, bass will transition deeper in the water to their summer locations. A drop-shot rig is a great option for targeting deep-holding bass.

Boat ramps are more crowded this time of year, as are the waterways. Patience and courtesy with other boaters should be taken. We are all out trying to have a good time on the water. Stay safe, have lots of fun, and enjoy our beautiful Northern Michigan waters.

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Sport Fish Michigan June 2016 Angler Magazine Report

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June is a great time to get out on the Grand Traverse Bays and Platte Bay to target lake trout, whitefish, and cisco (or lake herring). Typically these three species spend most of the year in water deeper than 90 ft. With the waters in the bays reaching that magical 50-degree mark, the baitfish will begin to congregate in that 40-50ft range, and will stay there through most of the month.

Ciscos were the first to load up and become active on the drop offs and flats of each bay, and fishing was absolutely phenomenal in May. Anglers can catch ciscos using standard vertical jigging techniques with presentations such as Swedish Pimples, S-Jigs, Jonah Jigs and Squirrel Jigs. If anglers would like to try casting in the shallows, gold or silver colored blade baits have been working very effectively when worked in a yo-yo fashion close to the bottom. In June, the white fish can be found in the same areas as ciscos using the same techniques. That is the best thing about fishing in June; you never know what is going to attack your bait next!

As the water approaches the mid 50’s the lake trout population will begin to become very active, showing up in large schools mainly in depths from 30-60ft. Some trout may even venture much shallower, being caught in water as skinny as 2-3 feet! This is a very exciting depth for all different techniques and anglers. Anglers will have great success casting and jigging with light action rods using fluorocarbon leaders and use the baits for cisco and whitefish mentioned earlier in the report for targeting hungry trout, with the addition of crankbaits or weighted streamers for those casting the super skinny water.

For those anglers that are more into the trolling game, here are a few helpful tips. Fishing shorter lead cores from 3-8 colors with fluorocarbon leaders will be a must. Smaller spoon presentations will also be very helpful, such as Stinger, Warrior, and Silver Streak brands. This style spoon should be presented using slide divers dialed to a 2.0-3.0 angled setting. Most slide divers should be rigged with nothing less than a 60ft fluorocarbon leader. Anglers will find that slide divers can be the only thing going for them in a shallow water situation and are a very effective tool for this specific application.

June looks like it will be an excellent month to get out on the water with friends and family to take advantage of some spectacular fishing opportunities. As always, be safe and we hope to see you on the water.

Michigan River Fishing Report 5.23.16

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Memorial Day is almost upon us, and we have been experiencing an awesome stretch of weather this past week. To go with that great weather has been some spectacular days on the water fishing for a variety of species. Waters are warming, and the fishing is hot.

Grand Traverse Bays have been absolutely on fire for both lake trout and ciscos (otherwise known as lake herring or tullibees). The bay temperatures have been fluctuating between the high 40’s and the low 50’s the past week depending on location.

The lake trout are starting to move shallow, and are being caught by anglers casting in 20-50 feet of water. Long casts with a heavy blade bait and then retrieved with a hopping yo-yo action have been the ticket to getting the trout and ciscos to bite. Ciscos can also often be caught right below the boat! These little velociraptors with fins have been all over both East and West Grand Traverse Bays, and have been devouring anything in sight seemingly. The trout, while they have been venturing shallow, have for the most part, been in the 40-60 feet of water.

Trolling on the Bays has been the most productive for the trout, and 60 feet of water seems to be the magical depth at the moment. As the waters continue to warm and the baitfish and gobies head shallow, so too will the lake trout, which seem to be running large at the moment. Lots of really nice sized trout have been caught in the past week.

The inland lakes are seeing the first wave of smallmouth bass pushing up onto the beds to spawn. The full moon from a couple of nights ago is what triggered the move to the spawning beds. With many inland lake temperatures in the mid to upper 50’s, there are still bass that are in the pre-spawn mode, readily taking jerk baits and spinner baits as well as more subtle options like a curly-tailed grub.

For river fly anglers, the brown drake hatch is on, and both resident and stocked trout on northern Michigan rivers are feeding heavily on the surface. Streamers are still producing for bigger fish, although during bug hatches it may be best to match the hatch as big trout don’t like to pass up an easy protein meal like a bug!

Sport Fish Michigan May 2016 Angler Magazine Report

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As we enter into May, a lot of the major tributaries in the area will have already seen the bulk of the spring steelhead run. For those anglers wanting to target steelhead in the month of May several of the following tactics can be very effective. To find the aggressive fish, target the deeper tail-outs of spawning areas where the adults have dropped back to feed. Trout beads, fry patterns, and even smaller body baits can be great when going after these warmer water drop back steelhead. Remember, these fish have been through a lot, they have made it all the way trough the gauntlet to spawn, and now they are hungry and ready to make their journey back to the lake. This also presents some great opportunities to have some excellent brown trout fishing. The browns will be at the tail-outs awaiting a free meal as well!

The temperature along most of the northern Lake Michigan coast has already been holding around 40 degrees for a few weeks. This has set up some excellent brown trout fishing in Platte Bay, Pt. Betsie, and Frankfort. We are seeing good numbers of browns returning to the area every year. These fish are very healthy, running an average of 3-5 pounds.

In May, most anglers have the best success trolling the shallow water troughs along the beach trying to maintain 6-12 ft. of water. Running natural patterned body baits on 10-pound fluorocarbon off of in-line planer boards works very well. Most anglers have success with running 75-85ft leads from the board to the bait. As the water temperatures along the shoreline gradually approach 50 degrees, this tactic will also produce good catches of shallow water lake trout. The lake trout action will heat up as the winds blow warmer water and bait fish in from the south, so be ready!

Grand Traverse Bay’s are still maintaining some very cold-water temperatures. But this will not stop anglers from getting out and taking advantage of some excellent jigging and trolling opportunities. The cisco can be found on the shallower sides of the breaks, feeding mostly halfway down the water column. It is very common to find these aggressive fish suspended the majority of the time. Gold Swedish Pimples and 1-ounce jigging spoons are typically the bait of choice.

The lake trout can be found making their way toward the shallower flats of the bays as the water temps approach the mid 40-degree mark. Anglers will have great success both jigging and trolling for these aggressive fish. Most anglers trolling will have a program made up of short lead core lines, slide-divers, and down riggers. Smaller spoons such as Mini-Streaks, Stinger, and Warrior Flutter Spoons will commonly be used. Jigging techniques will mostly consist of 1-2 ounce jigging spoons with white, red, green, and brown being the most effective colors. Jonah Jigs, Swedish Pimples, and Elk Rapids S-Jigs are very effective, although we are partial to the action of the Jonah Jigs when big fish are looking for a large meal.

Waters are still cold in May, and caution should always be taken when heading out onto any body of water. Have fun, stay safe and tight lines!

Sport Fish Michigan November 2015 Angler Magazine Report

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November is a time here in Northern Michigan where the weather is chilly and much attention is spent in the woods and on the gridiron. With light fishing pressure overall, there are still some wonderful opportunities for anglers, on many bodies of water.

On the inland lakes, walleye fishing is excellent this time of the year, with many of the ‘eyes having moved onto the shallow flats and adjacent weed beds. Crankbaits can draw vicious strikes from hungry walleyes (and pike) that are lurking in the shallows. Similarly, bass will also be on the shallow flats, and blade baits and jerk baits can rule the day when the right cadence can be identified. Perch fishing is generally hot in November, as the big jumbos are gobbling minnows and wigglers in preparation of the colder winter months. Perch rigs tipped with minnows or wigglers, jigging spoons and even jigging Rapala style jigging baits all work at times, and should be in every perch angler’s arsenal. With shorter light periods during the day, feeding peaks are condensed together, and there can be a great bite when the weather cooperates.

For anglers targeting the area’s tributary rivers, there are nice steelhead and lake- run brown trout options to consider. With a slow salmon season, during September, and the peak being in mid-October, things are late this year. But with some cold fronts and heavy winds, things seem to be a bit more back on track now that we are into November. Steelhead and brown trout will readily eat a variety of offerings, both on fly and traditional spinning gear. Both are opportunistic, and aggressive feeders. Salmon eggs, minnows and stoneflies are all on the menu. For fly anglers, streamers swung in the current or stripped in a quartering fashion against the current can lead to some awesome takes. The standard egg pattern can also be highly productive when fished under a float or bounced on the bottom with a chuck & duck rig, although this rig is less reminiscent of traditional fly fishing than it is of a spinning gear technique. Despite which side of the fence one is on this topic, it’s still a great option to pick up steelhead and trout holding near the bottom. For traditional gear anglers, beads and spawn bags are my favorites, and when fished under a float, there’s no doubt when a fish is interested. Small jigs tipped with a waxworm are also a very good option, especially when the steelhead seem to want a bit of meat.

Fall can be a great time to be out on the water. With chilly weather and cold water temperatures, please take care to dress appropriately for the weather and be cautious when venturing out. Let other’s know where you will be fishing and when you plan on returning. With few other anglers around to come to your aid, it’s important to put safety first. Have fun, stay safe and catch lots of fish!