Though ice fishing is on it is hard to say what impact the rain and above freezing temperatures this week will have on ice conditions.  Anglers will need to use caution and watch for pressure cracks.  Windy conditions could also impact ice conditions.  

Southeast Lower Peninsula

Lake Erie:  Perch anglers were still taking some fish in the Metro Park Marina and near the Banana Dike.  Try minnows and spikes. Brest Bay continues to give up a few walleye however more fish were caught in Ohio water especially off Camp Perry which is just north of the Portage River in Port Clinton Ohio. Anglers are still waiting for the big fish to come in.  

Detroit River:  Has a lot of ice coming down the river.  Areas where anglers were ice fishing will most likely not be safe at this time.  The Coast Guard has been out and breaking up the ice.    

Lake St. Clair:  Yellow perch fishing has been good throughout the lake including the areas off Selfridge, Fair Haven and Anchor Bay.  Most fish were caught in six to 10 feet.    

Saginaw Bay:  Has a few anglers fishing two to three miles off Pinconning Road and Erickson Road but most of the activity is from Linwood south to the Saginaw River mouth. There are two major pressure cracks out there; the first about a mile off Linwood which is very active and the second one is about three miles out.  Yellow perch were caught about a mile out in six feet but the walleye were two to three miles out.  A blue and silver jigging rapala or spoons tipped with a minnow worked best.  There was a fair amount of activity off the Bay City State Park.  Those fishing off the loading docks near Spoils Island did well for walleye in 15 feet.  A few were going out from Callahan Road.  Not much activity off Vanderbilt Park.  Some were fishing the Slot from Sunset Bay Marina and Thomas Road.  Perch fishing was a bit slow from Sebewaing to Bay Port where most were averaging only four to five fish.  Some good catches were reported out of Mud Creek.  Those that did the best waited for the fish to come to them.  Walleye anglers were generally fishing between North Island and the tip of Sand Point where they got a few along with a couple lake trout.  Anglers are cautioned to stay away from the tip of Sand Point as currents there make for sketchy ice conditions.  At Caseville, perch fishing in the marinas was spotty.  At Port Austin, a few pike spearing shanties were in the harbor.  

Saginaw River:  Anglers were fishing the entire length from Wickes Park to the mouth.  Success has slowed from the usual first-ice, but anglers are picking up some walleye at most locations.  In general, fishing was slower the further upstream you go.  Most anglers were in 16 to 20 feet on the edge or the middle of the shipping channel and jigging rapalas tipped with minnows.  Hot colors were blue and silver, black and gold, fire-tiger or red and silver.  Some of the better fishing was near the Zilwaukee Bridge, the south end of Bay City near Cass Avenue, near the Veteran’s Bridge downtown and off Patterson Road.  There was a lot of activity just downstream on the Independence Bridge near the U.S.S. Edson but catch rates were spotty.  

Tittabawassee River:  Had no safe ice for fishing and there is too much ice for navigation.  

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Southwest Lower Peninsula

Overall: Ice conditions still vary in this area of the state.  The smaller shallow lakes had ice although thin spots were reported in some places.  The large lakes like Gun Lake and Gull Lake have areas of thin ice and caution needs to be used.  Those able to get out on the lakes have done well on panfish and pike.  

Kalamazoo:  Inland lakes in this area have ice but the thickness varies depending on how much snow.  The ice can be six inches thick on some but only three inches thick on others and covered in slush.  Word has it any lake west of US-131 would be iffy at best.  

Grand River at Grand Rapids:  With the warm up, steelhead anglers are getting some fish up near the dam.  

Grand River at Lansing:  Open water anglers have caught a few walleye downstream of the Moore’s Park Dam and near the Elm Street Bridge which is just upstream of the Red Cedar.        

Lake Lansing:  Ice anglers are getting bluegills and sunfish but are sorting through a lot of small ones.  A couple nice channel cats were taken by those using tip-ups with minnows or cut bait. 

Muskrat Lake:  Was producing some eight to 10 inch bluegills and some nice pike.  

Sessions Lake:  In Ionia County is producing bluegills and perch.        

Muskegon Lake:  Ice anglers need to be aware of the tug boat going in and out between the GT Dock on the south end and the channel leading out to Lake Michigan.  Stay far away from the open water in this area.   Just south of the channel, yellow perch were caught off the Sand Docks.  Try minnows, wigglers, wax worms or spikes.  Fish were also caught just west of the GT Dock in 44 feet.  Pike were taken on tip-ups with minnows off Hartshorn Marina.  Pike and walleye were taken on tip-ups along the far east end.           

White Lake:  Yellow perch were caught just off the post office on the west end.  Bluegills were caught off Wesley’s Marina on the northeast end.  The “Narrows” at the east end are usually good for steelhead, walleye and pike.       

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Northeast Lower Peninsula

Black Lake:  Small yellow perch were caught on spikes and wigglers.  Walleye averaging 20 inches were caught on blues in 11 to 15 feet.  Those spearing for pike were seeing a lot of walleye in four to 11 feet.  Anglers are reminded to be cautious near the rivers.    

Van Ettan Lake:  Ice anglers caught panfish on minnows, wax worms and wigglers.        

Higgins Lake:  Ice anglers are out and have taken some smelt on the north end and off the west launch in 60 feet on a hali jig tipped with a wax worm or spike.  Some lake herring were also caught off the west launch however anglers need to use caution as there is a large pressure crack.  Lake trout were taken in 100 feet plus on the north end.  Pike were hitting on the both the north end and the south end including one fish that was 44 inches.  A few rainbow trout were caught in one to one-and-a-half feet near the conference center.  Most were taken on wigglers.  For perch, try the north end.  Anglers can be found off the church camp in 40 to 60 feet or around the Sunken Island in 20 to 40 feet.    

Houghton Lake:  A few walleye have been caught next to the weed beds in eight to 12 feet.  Most are using Swedish Pimples and do-jiggers.  Pike are hitting good for those using tip-ups in the weed beds.  Bluegill fishing has been good as well.  

Tawas:  Most of the activity was on and around the artificial reef which is up in the “armpit” of Tawas Point and north of Jerry’s Marina in 15 to 17 feet.  Anglers were taking a mix of walleye, lake trout and burbot.  Some were fishing further out in the Bay in 18 to 20 feet and taking walleye.  Yellow perch fishing was slow and most of the fish caught were small ones.  A couple were spearing pike both in and outside the harbor.  

Au Gres:  Had a lot of ice shanties south and west of the river mouth.  Anglers were getting a mix of walleye, pike and some yellow perch.  Down near the Pine River and Palmer Road, perch were caught in three to five feet but catch rates were spotty.  Walleye anglers going out to the Catfish Hole have done well in 16 to 17 feet especially in the evening.  There was no safe ice north of the river. 

Au Gres River:  Had a lot of activity with anglers getting some walleye and a few keeper yellow perch.  

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Northwest Lower Peninsula

Antrim County:  Ice anglers were out but some of the inland lakes had layers of ice, slush, and ice again so use caution. 

Little Glen Lake:  In Leelanau County was producing a few perch.  No word on Big Glen yet.  

Long Lake:  In Grand Traverse County was producing a few nice perch.  Try minnows, wigglers, wax worms or spikes.  

Frankfort:  A lot of ice shanties were set up along the north shoreline in Betsie Bay but no report on catches yet.      

Crystal Lake:  In Benzie County had anglers fishing the east end and starting to take some lake trout on tip-ups.  

Lake Missaukee:  Is producing panfish and pike.    

Lakes Cadillac and Mitchell:  Ice fishing is in full swing with some nice pike, walleye and panfish taken from both lakes.  The pike are hitting on tip-ups with sucker minnows.  Panfish are hitting on minnows and wax worms.  For walleye, try tip-ups with large shiners or jigging with rapalas.  

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Upper Peninsula

Overall: Snow on the ice is causing some slush which makes it harder to see areas that may not be safe and also makes travel on the ice a bit more difficult.  Those heading out will need to be careful.    

Lake Gogebic:  Continues to provide opportunities for walleye, northern pike, and yellow perch.  

Keweenaw Bay:  Ice has formed on Keweenaw Bay, Huron Bay, and Portage Lake.    Keweenaw Bay is providing angling for lake trout, whitefish, brown trout, and splake.  Newcomers to Keweenaw Bay will find fish off the mouth of the Falls River as well as off the Sand Point Lighthouse.   

Little Bay De Noc:  Has ice and travel north of the “Narrows” was good.  Two large pressure cracks have opened just out from the Terrace Bay Inn causing problems for some anglers so please use caution in this area.  There are various pressure cracks around the Sand Point area so use caution.  Walleye anglers reported fair catches with a lot of undersize fish throughout the Bay.   Best areas were in the channel in Gladstone in 28 to 35 feet and off the Center Reef in 24 to 35 feet when jigging rapalas with minnows at dusk.  Perch catches were low but the fish caught were over 10 inches with many up near 14 inches.  Several areas were producing fish including Kipling in 14 to 25 feet, in the channel just south of the “Narrows” in 28 to 35 feet and south by the shipping docks in Escanaba in 25 to 30 feet when using minnows.  Good pike action in the Kipling flats and near the shipping docks in Escanaba when jigging rapalas or using tip-ups with sucker minnows.   Some are targeting whitefish off Sand Point which is the best area to fish for them.  

Manistique Lakes:  Continues to produce a few perch, walleye and pike.     

Brevoort Lake:  Was producing some walleye and yellow perch.    

St. Marys River:  Still had quite a few ice shanties in Munuscong Bay where the walleye and yellow perch bite was decent.  

Hessel:  Ice anglers are catching pike and yellow perch around the Les Cheneaux Islands.  The perch were hitting on spikes, wigglers and wax worms.  Many were less than seven inches but some up to 10 inches were caught in 10 to 15 feet.  A few pike were taken in 22 feet.  Anglers are reminded to use caution and watch for moving ice especially where currents are found.  

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Fishing Tip: Finding panfish through the ice

Have you been attempting to target panfish during your ice fishing trips this winter, but aren’t having much luck? Consider the following things.

Are the panfish sticking to shallow or deep depths? Are they hanging out in the weeds or on the rocks? Are they suspended or are they hugging the bottom? 

Due to the weather much of the state has experienced recently, panfish are likely to be in deeper water to find more oxygen. Keep that in mind when you look for them!

Also keep your presentation efforts in mind. A popular effort includes putting a jig on the bottom and using a twitch-pause-twitch routine with it.

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

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