Sorry for the delay in this week's report!

Very few anglers have been out.  Most are now waiting for ice fishing to get started.  We have reports of skim ice in different areas around the state but no safe ice.  Remember, first ice is dangerous ice.  Arctic temperatures this week will help with the freezing process but a blanket of snow will insulate and slow the process.  If you have not done so, this would be a good time to get the ice fishing gear ready to go.   

Southeast Lower Peninsula

Lake Erie:  Was still producing some perch in the Metro Park Marina.  Even with skim ice, anglers will spud out the ice from the docks and continue to fish.      

Huron River:  Had mainly shore anglers that were still getting the occasional steelhead with a jig and wax worm or spawn under a bobber.  

Detroit River:  Boat anglers heading out were still taking some perch around Celeron and Sugar Island.  It might be a good idea to bring some sand for the boat launch.  

Lake St. Clair:  Launch ramps are all iced in as of Wednesday morning.  Ice is forming quickly in the canals and marinas.  Some ice is forming on the main lake but the wind is working against it.  Use extreme caution when considering venturing out on the ice this weekend.  

Harbor Beach:  Skim ice was starting to form in the marina.     

Saginaw Bay:  Those brave enough to head out trolling have caught some bigger walleye.   The marina in Port Austin was starting to get skim ice.  Rivers in the area were starting to ice up.    

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Southwest Lower Peninsula

Very few anglers were out.  Some of the smaller inland lakes were getting skim ice but there was no safe ice to report.  Conditions could shore up by the weekend depending on how much lake effect snow blankets the thin ice.  

Grand River at Grand Rapids:  The last report was a small number of steelhead caught up near the Sixth Street Dam.  These anglers have also hooked into the odd brown trout.  Colder temperatures this week will slow the bite.  

Rogue River:  Was also producing the occasional steelhead.    

Grand River at Lansing:  A couple anglers were still out wetting a line and hoping for a pike or smallmouth bass however much colder temperatures this week will only slow the bite.  There were reports of the occasional steelhead taken closer to Lansing however anglers were not saying where.    

Muskegon River:  Water temperatures were just under the 40 degree mark.  Steelhead anglers are still taking some fish when swinging flies.  Skim ice was starting to form near shore.  

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Northeast Lower Peninsula

Houghton Lake:  Was crusted over but no safe ice as of this report.  The lake also had at least four inches of snow on top of the already thin ice.  Pockets of slush were also reported.  

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Northwest Lower Peninsula

There was no fishable ice as of this report however it is possible there might be by the weekend but keep in mind the recent snowfall will not help with the freezing process.  Lakes Cadillac, Mitchell and Missaukee were mostly covered in skim ice, but no safe ice yet.   

Steelhead fishing remains strong for those willing to brave the arctic conditions.  The Pere Marquette, Manistee, and Betsie should be good.  The rain we got a week ago brought in some fresh fish.

Pere Marquette River:  Those willing to brave the cold could still find some steelhead especially downstream.  

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Upper Peninsula

Skim ice was beginning to form however there was no safe ice as of this report.  Snowfall has been moderate in most places with more along Lake Superior.   

Two Hearted River:  Still had some steelhead.  Snow on the ground in this area is starting to become significant as lake effect snow is occurring almost every day.

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Fishing Tip: Are you ready to do some ice fishing?

Ice is finally starting to form on some inland bodies of water throughout Michigan, which means it won’t be long before there will be plenty of opportunities to go ice fishing across the state!

Now is the time to start preparing for this unique outdoor activity – including making sure your equipment is ready to be used and making sure you are ready to take the necessary safety precautions before heading out on the ice. 

Equipment

Here are a few simple equipment preparation tips to follow this ice fishing season: 1. If you use any motor or battery-operated equipment, test it out now to see if it’s working properly. 2. Open up your ice fishing shanty to make sure it’s clean and ready to provide you with shelter on the ice. 3. Check your tackle box to remove any old equipment and take stock of what new items you might need. 

Safety

Here are six simple safety tips to follow while ice fishing: 1. Never fish alone. 2. Tell someone where you are going and when you expect to return. 3. Always test the ice with a spud. 4. Wear a lifejacket. 5. Take a cell phone with you in case you need to call for help. 6. Bring ice picks and a 20-foot length of throw rope with you in case you fall through the ice.

For more information on ice fishing in Michigan, visit Michigan.gov/fishing. 

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