Saturday, July 11, 2020

7/9/2020 Southeast Lower Peninsula Michigan Fishing Report

Southeast Lower Peninsula

To access the original Michigan DNR fishing Report: Click Here!
Lake ErieWalleye action slowed as wind and a hatch of gnats made for tough fishing.  Some fish were found 15 to 20 feet down in 28 feet. Gold, purple and orange were hot colors. Those fishing the Hot Pond for catfish were not disappointed. No big numbers of perch; however, some anglers did have one or two jumbo fish as part of their catch.
From our friend Rich over at Andy's Tackle: Some anglers have been venturing out to the  sister islands for perch, however keep in mind that west sister island is in Ohio waters and east sister island is Ontario waters. So if you decide to make that trip make sure you have appropriate licenses.  Walleye anglers have mostly been targeting Lake Erie rather than the river, with Harnesses and  small spoons being the lures of choice. 

  • If you're planning on fishing any of the canals near Lake Erie Metro Park or Point Mouillee State Game Area you can get all of your bait & tackle needs met at  Bottom Line Bait & Tackle
  • If you're planning on fishing out of Sterling State Park or the Brest Bay area you can pick up tackle from the nice people at Jeff's Bait & Tackle.


Belle Isle: The lakes on the island are all pretty choked up with weeds.  However bass and pike are being caught on topwater frogs and buzzbaits.  While the larger bluegill and crappie are being caught on squirrel tail jigs and beetle spins along the weed edges in deeper water. Live bait has also worked well for bluegill and crappie if you're willing to weed through the smaller fish. 
Detroit RiverThose targeting white bass continue to catch fish. The odd walleye was caught in the lower river. In the mornings and evenings a few large channel catfish are being caught on night crawlers at the foot of Southfield Road and Jefferson in Ecorse. With plenty of freshwater drum and rockbass coming up as bycatch.  
Lake St. ClairWalleye were caught near the mouth of the South Channel off the shipping channel in 20 feet when trolling a crawler harness with bottom bouncers.  Some yellow perch were caught in the same area. Musky were caught trolling the shipping channel and near the Dumping Grounds. Panfish action was good in Bouvier Bay near the weed beds and out in the bay on the cabbage beds, where good size bluegills and pumpkinseed were caught. The smallmouth bite is starting to pick up, with fish hitting top water lures in the early morning or tube baits and swim baits near the Mile roads. Some caught a few down near the mouth of the Detroit River. 
  • For a more accurate report on Lake St. Clair I suggest reaching out to the people at Sportsmen's Direct  as their weekly LSC fishing report is usually far more in depth.  Phone: (586-741-6052)
  • Macomb County Bait Shops: Click Here!
Saginaw BayWalleye were caught 3 miles off Linwood in 18 to 21 feet with crawlers and
crankbaits. Those using crawlers caught fish 2 miles east of Spoils Island in 21 feet and at the old Dumping Grounds in 22 feet. A few anglers targeting perch were drifting in and around 28 feet just east of the Spark Plug but had little success. Walleye were caught all along the Slot from Sunset Marina to North Island in 18 to 20 feet. Those fishing the center of the bay out near the Coryeon Reef found walleye in 22 to 24 feet and east of the buoys in 26 to 28 feet. Off Bay Port, some had eight to 12 per boat, with the better fishing outside the islands in 18 to 20 feet with a crawler harness or flicker shad.  The fish were suspended about halfway down. Off Caseville, walleyes were found off the end of Sand Point and off Oak Point. 
  • For a more accurate report on Saginaw Bay I suggest taking a look at the weekly Saginaw Bay Fishing Report given to you by Saginawbay.com
Port AustinAnglers targeting walleye around the lighthouse and to the west in 20 to 30 feet caught a few with crawlers and crankbaits. Lake trout were caught by those trolling Yankee Reef in 115 to 135 feet with spoons in the bottom half of the water column. Those fishing around the thumb caught freshwater drum. 
Grindstone CityA few walleyes were caught straight out as well as both north and south of the port in 25 to 35 feet with a crawler harness and artificial baits. Smallmouth bass and sunfish were caught on crawlers and body baits inside the harbor.
Harbor BeachAnglers were targeting walleye in 30 to 40 feet between the harbor and Port Hope when using a crawler harness or crankbaits. 
Port Sanilac and Lexington: Steelhead and salmon fishing was good out of Port Sanilac when trolling downriggers and three colors of lead core about halfway down in 100 to 120 feet straight out and to the north. At Lexington, perch were caught in the weed beds 2 miles to the north when drifting. Bluegill and rock bass were taken on crawlers inside the harbor.

Below are links to bait shop listings organized by county:  

Your area may not be listed within this fishing report so below is a list of links to pages in Southeast Michigan to help guide you to public lakes in your county.

Clinton County Public Lakes: Click Here!
Genessee County Public Lakes: Click Here!
Hillsdale County Public Lakes: Click Here!
Jackson County Public Lakes: Click Here!
Lapeer County Public Lakes: Click Here!
Lenawee County Public Lakes: Click Here!
Livingston County Public Lakes: Click Here!
Oakland County Public Lakes Page 1: Click Here! 
Oakland County Public Lakes Page 2: Click Here!
Washtenaw County Public Lakes: Click Here!
Wayne County Public Lakes: Click Here!

Saturday, February 22, 2020

2/20/20 Southwest Lower Peninsula, Michigan Fishing Report




Southwest Lower Peninsula

To access the original Michigan DNR fishing Report: Click Here! 


More anglers were out on the ice; however, fluctuating temperatures by the weekend will deteriorate the ice once again. Extreme caution still needs to be used, as one group of anglers went through the ice in Allegan County.   
St. Joseph River: Continues to produce a few walleye and steelhead. Most were fishing near the Berrien Springs Dam. Look for the steelhead bite with the warm-up. 
Note: At any time you can view the Berrien Springs fish ladder cam by go to this link or following their youtube channel. Subscribing to their channel helps fund the fish ladder cam. 
  • For a list of Berrien County Bait Shops: Click Here!
Kalamazoo County: Some lakes had ice fishing, while others had variable ice thickness. Extreme caution needs to be used. 

Grand River near Grand Rapids: Continues to produce a few good runs of steelhead.  Fish have been caught on jigs with wax worms, spawn and beads. Most are fishing near the 6th Street Dam and below. Walleye were caught off the wall and at Fulton Street. No big numbers, but steelhead still can be found in the Rogue River. 
Grand River near Lansing: Few anglers have been out. Water levels near the North Lansing Dam were slightly high but fishable. 
  • For a more accurate report on the Grand River at Lansing I suggest reaching out to the people at Grand River Bait & TacklePhone: (517-482-4461)
Kent County: Anglers were getting some bluegills on Murray Lake; however, caution needs to be used, especially on the north end. 

Muskegon Lake: Small perch were caught in 8 to 12 feet off Cottage Grove. The pike action was good off Heritage Landing and Fisherman’s Landing. Bluegills were caught in the northwest corner off the state park. 

Muskegon River: Had decent steelhead fishing.
  • For a more accurate report on the Muskegon Lake & the Muskegon River I suggest reaching out to the people at Snug Harbor OutfittersPhone: (231-719-0759)

White Lake: Perch were caught on the west end. Look for walleye on the east end. 

For more bait shops in the southwest lower peninsula follow the links below:
Berrien County Bait Shops: Click Here!

Allegan County Bait Shops: Click Here!
Ingham County Bait Shops: Click Here!
Branch County Bait Shops: Click Here!
Barry County Bait Shops: Click Here!
Kalamazoo County Bait Shops: Click Here!
Kent County Bait Shops: Click Here!


Your area may not be listed within this fishing report so below is a list of links to pages in Southwest Michigan to help guide you to public lakes in your county.

Allegan County Public Lakes: Click Here!
Barry County Public Lakes: Click Here!
Calhoun County Public Lakes: Click Here!
Cass County Public Lakes: Click Here!
Clinton County Public Lakes: Click Here! 
Jackson County Public Lakes: Click Here!
Kalamazoo Public Lakes: Click Here! 
St. Joseph County Public Lakes: Click Here! 

2/20/2020 Southeast Lower Peninsula, Michigan DNR Fishing Report


To access the original Michigan DNR fishing Report: Click Here!
Detroit River: Boat anglers have caught yellow perch in Airport Bay. They are sorting through the small ones but still getting a few keepers. Those fishing the canals around Gibraltar are also getting some fish.
Huron River: Boat and shore anglers are getting steelhead on Hot-n-Tots, small jigs with wax worms and black flies.   
Oakland County: Had ice; however, some of the inland lakes still had open water and thin spots, so caution needs to be used. Melted snow has created a layer of secondary ice and slush on the existing ice. Anglers could be found on a few of the small inland lakes in the northern end of the county. They caught panfish and northern pike. The bite was not really aggressive. Best time slots were before 11 a.m. and after 3:30 p.m. The early morning bite for pike improved when using a tip-up with a golden shiner.    
  • For more public lakes to fish in Oakland County: Click Here! 
  • Oakland County Bait Shops: Click Here!
Lake St. ClairNot much has changed as there is still some ice in the areas that have been holding on. Conditions are highly variable with the constant freeze/thaw cycles, and extreme caution needs to be used. Catch rates were slow as these same areas have been fished extensively because of the limited ice coverage.
  • For a more accurate report on Lake St. Clair I suggest reaching out to the people at Sportsmen's Direct  as their weekly LSC fishing report is usually far more in depth.  Phone: (586-741-6052)
  • Macomb County Bait Shops: Click Here!

Saginaw Bay: Ice conditions still vary throughout. Those fishing off the county park in Pinconning caught a few perch with jigs and minnows in 5 feet. A couple pike were also caught. At Linwood, anglers were only getting out a short distance, and catch rates were minimal. Those walking off the state park were on questionable ice, and open water could be seen from the parking lot. Some are walking straight out; some are fishing near the Kawkawlin River or heading out to the first main pile of ice before the open water starts. The ice is not safe beyond this point. Fishing was very slow, with just a couple walleye or whitefish taken by those jigging a Swedish pimple tipped with a minnow. Anglers were out from Sebewaing to Bay Port; however, ice conditions vary. Overall fishing was slow, with only a few pike caught in the marinas or near shore. Some perch were caught out of Mud Creek, but most were small. A couple walleye and lake trout were caught, but the overall fishing was slow. Ice formed once again at the pier in Caseville, and a few anglers fishing off the parking lot caught a couple lake trout. Use caution as the winds have moved the ice in and out at Caseville all winter.

  • For a more accurate report on Saginaw Bay I suggest taking a look at the weekly Saginaw Bay Fishing Report given to you by Saginawbay.com
Saginaw RiverHad ice. Boats could only get out in a few small areas at Zilwaukee and the Saginaw Marina at Rust Avenue, but they were breaking ice to do so. With all the ice, piloting a boat was somewhat difficult. A couple walleye were caught when they could find open water, but the overall action was slow.    
Tittabawassee RiverHad ice, and the boat launches were not usable as there was a lot of shore ice.

Below are links to bait shop listings organized by county:  

Your area may not be listed within this fishing report so below is a list of links to pages in Southeast Michigan to help guide you to public lakes in your county.

Clinton County Public Lakes: Click Here!
Genessee County Public Lakes: Click Here!
Hillsdale County Public Lakes: Click Here!
Jackson County Public Lakes: Click Here!
Lapeer County Public Lakes: Click Here!
Lenawee County Public Lakes: Click Here!
Livingston County Public Lakes: Click Here!
Oakland County Public Lakes Page 1: Click Here! 
Oakland County Public Lakes Page 2: Click Here!
Washtenaw County Public Lakes: Click Here!
Wayne County Public Lakes: Click Here!

Friday, January 24, 2020

Smeltdown: Small Fish Continues Vanishing Act (Repost)


Hey everyone, I'm posting this article about the Lake Erie rainbow smelt population from the Detroit FreePress because it related to a walleye article I'll be posting soon.   To see the original Free Press article Click Here!



Tom Durecki remembers the glory days for smelt fishing — or smelting — in Michigan in the 1970s.
"The smelt are running!" was a call that sent fisherman scrambling to Michigan rivers and streams to dip nets and catch buckets full of the silvery fish as they moved into tributaries to spawn at the onset of spring — right around this time, every year.
"It was absolutely fantastic," said Durecki, owner of Tom's Bait and Tackle Shop in East Jordan. "Even into the '80s, we'd go up to Carp River in the U.P. and you'd get what you wanted in an hour — five, 10, 15 gallons."
Those days are gone. The smelt population has declined so much, so quickly over the past two decades that most anglers don't even bother trying anymore.
Why it's occurring isn't simple to explain. Researchers said they think the arrival in the Great Lakes of invasive species like zebra mussels disrupted the food chain and plays a role. But it's not the entire answer. Adult smelt today are almost a third smaller than they were less than 40 years ago.

Even more puzzling, a new study shows smelt hatchling survival is improving, but it doesn't seem to impact the dwindling adult population.

The smelt's plight matters, researchers said, because smelt are an important food source for some of the sport fish that drive Michigan's multibillion-dollar fishing tourism industry.

They also can tell scientists key things about the Great Lakes through their behavior, such as about water temperatures that contribute to harmful algae blooms in Lake Erie.

"People ask about it every spring: 'What happened to the smelt?' " said Michigan Department of Natural Resources fisheries biologist David Clapp, who is based in Charlevoix.

There's no simple answer, and the mystery in some ways is deepening.

"Trying to explain it is not that easy," said Chuck Madenjian, a research fishery biologist with the U.S. Geological Survey's Great Lakes Science Center in Ann Arbor.

"There's nothing really that obvious about what's driving that pattern."

Invasive species
Like so many fish people associate with the Great Lakes, the rainbow smelt is an invasive species. The approximately 6-inch fish is native to the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, but moves into freshwater to spawn.

It was first stocked in Crystal Lake in Benzie County in 1912, after several unsuccessful attempts to stock smelt in the St. Mary's River to support another transplanted fish, Atlantic salmon. Smelt were found in Lake Michigan in 1923 and then spread throughout the Great Lakes.

Smelt quickly thrived in their new freshwater home. The commercial harvest of smelt on the Great Lakes reached 4.8 million pounds by 1941. The population showed large fluctuations over the years, impacted by lamprey eels and the emergence of whitefish and lake trout.

Some 94% of smelt harvested from the Great Lakes come from Lake Michigan — on both the Michigan and Wisconsin sides. It was around 1993 when smelt stocks began to plummet.

The Great Lakes Science Center does annual prey fish surveys in the lakes, trawling the lake bottom and counting what they find. Their 2013 survey found 11 juvenile smelt — smelt less than a year in age — per hectare, an area of 10,000 square meters. That was only 6% of the long-term average count.

"Rainbow smelt biomass in Lake Michigan during 1992-1996 was roughly four times higher than rainbow smelt biomass during 2001-2013," scientists from the Science Center wrote in a report on Lake Michigan prey fish populations last year.
Clapp pointed out that the start of the decline coincides with the arrival and spread of zebra mussels in Lake Michigan.

"That changed the reproductive and nutrient dynamics of the lake," he said.
Smelt eat zooplankton, small aquatic shrimp-type creatures, and they have declined significantly over the same time period, Clapp said.

But that's not a perfect answer, Madenjian said.
"We don't know why smelt would be affected, but not a lot of other species," he said.

The take by anglers also doesn't fully explain the drop, Madenjian said. Nor does larger fish, such as salmon and lake trout, preying upon smelt, he said.

"The amount of predation on them by salmon and trout was bigger in the 1980s than the 1990s, and yet the big drop was in the 1990s," he said. "You begin to doubt that predation was a driver."

Cannibalism?
The plot further thickened with research out of Purdue University that shows smelt offspring survival is rising in Lake Michigan, but with no impact on the adult population of smelt, which are now on average 2 inches shorter than they were in the 1970s — down to about 4.5 inches in length.

"Traditionally, the ratio of the number of offspring that survive and the number of adults that are around is pretty constant," said Zachary Feiner, a doctoral candidate in Purdue's Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, who was part of the research team.

"We saw that the number of offspring was increasing. It was really unexpected, especially since adults are smaller, so they should be laying fewer eggs, and laying worse eggs.

"We really don't have an answer for it."

One theory: Smelt are known to engage in cannibalism on their hatchlings. With fewer adult smelt, the juveniles have a chance to thrive.

As scientists continue to seek answers, Feiner outlined why it matters.
"Smelt, alewives, they were invasives. Now they're supporting a multibillion-dollar fishery," he said. "These are the forage fish at the base of the food chain."

Smelt also illustrate how the smallest plant and aquatic life in the Great Lakes are changing, Feiner said. And as a fish that likes colder water, they can show how stratification — changes in a lake's water density and temperature — is changing on Lake Erie, where algae blooms have sparked drinking water crises in recent years.

"Smelt can be a canary in the coal mine in a few ways," he said. "They can tell you what's going on in the environment."

Monday, December 16, 2019

Product Review: Vimov Saltwater Fishing Pliers




Company Description:  Vimov Saltwater Fishing Pliers (2 Pack), Stainless Steel Titanium Plated Multi Tool 


Image result for VIMOV Saltwater Fishing Pliers (2 Pack), Stainless Steel Plating Titanium Multi Tool (Hook Remover, Braid Line Cutter, Split Ring Opener) for Saltwater Angling, Kayak and Boating

Multiple Function: The fishing hook cutter can remove and repair hooks, cut steel leaders, hold tiny line and open split rings. The pliers are also capable of cutting, stripping, pulling and crimping as well. With the Vimov pliers you have the option to change treble hooks on crankbaits or clamp sinkers. Besides this these pliers can be a backup for a knife in case of fishing line entanglement when scuba diving. 



  • The titanium plating process makes these fishing pliers corrosion resistant, colorfast, UV resistant under use in saltwater and other harsh environments.
  • Small Jaws of the split ring pliers are designed to hold the tiny hooks and grip thin fishing lines firmly. 
  • Hard and solid line fishing hook cutter is sharp enough to cut braid, mono filament, fluorocarbon, fly line and nanofil.
  • Portable and lightweight: This fishing tackle is only 5 inch long, you can put it in pocket conveniently. Split ring pliers fishing is much more suitable for anglers with small hands, like female or teenagers.
  • Fine Hand Feeling: Ergonomical molded grip handle make the fly fishing pliers very handy to carry and make you work efficient and freely.



Features:
Titanium Plating Process: This fishing multitool is corrosion-proof, corrosion-proof and high hardness. It doesn't matter if you're fishing in saltwater or in a pond the Vimov fishing pliers are a handy tool to have with you.

Lightweight: At just over 2 ounces, they can be conveniently taken anywhere.

Comfortable Handle allows for use without fatigue or slipping.


Specs:
Color: Black
Material: Stainless Steel& Plastic
Length: 5 Inch
Craftmanship: Plating fishing pliers titanium
Weight:2.11 oz
Package Include: 2*(Fishing Pliers+Nylon fishing pliers sheath)


Price: 16.99 for 2 Pack

How I used: Initially I purchased the Vimov pliers to check out their qualiy.  As well as to see how they would hold up to everyday usage. However when I received the pliers I noticed that they are much smaller than a normal pair of fishing pliers at only 5 inches in length. Which in turn limited the scope of their use in my eyes. 

Normally I carry two pair of needle nose pliers with me in case I need to remove hooks from fish or anything else.  One pair is a simple pair of hemostats and the other is heavier pair of needle nose pliers. The Vimov pliers have taken the place of my smaller hemostats as they are small enough to serve the same purpose with a few extra benefits. 

The Vimov pliers are small enough get hooks from deep within the throats of small panfish.  While also picking up some extra duties throughout the day.  The line cutter sharp and efficient enough to cut braid, mono and flourocarbon with no problems.  I didn't have a reason to try out the hook cutter on the pliers but from what i can tell it will do fine cutting light wire hooks but not thicker hooks that you may use for saltwater or bigger catfish. 

The split ring pliers works great on the small split rings that standard pliers tend to be too big for. While the split shot closers are perfect for small size 00 split shot used for fly fishing. And what's better? They come in a two pack so I can keep one on me and the other in the kayak as a part of my kayak tool kit. 

Overall the Vimov pliers have surpassed my expectations when it comes to functionality and coming in a set of two. However there is one thing I've found to be a problem with the Vimov fishing pliers that is they're fragile based on their design. Most multipurpose fishing piers have one thing in common and that is they all have a triangular shape. As a result most plier manufactures leave no empty space between the fulcrum and tip of the jaws which causes the two sides to rest flush atop of each other when the pliers are closed.  This simple design was missed with the vimov fishing pliers leaving a weak spot where the pliers don't meet.  As a result if gripped too tightly you'll get stress breaks in this spot.  In fact if I squeeze them too tight I can see the metal bend just a bit. 


Review: I would definitely recommend the Vimov fishing pliers to anyone who ask.  However I would recommend them as a back up tool rather than a primary pair of pliers.  This is due to the size which makes them uniquely agile when it comes to unhooking smaller fish but they don't offer the length needed to unhook a deeply hooked larger fish. 

The multitool functions of the pliers are awesome giving you one more reason you'd be happy with this pair of pliers on your hip.  All of the tools function as needed which will only make fishing easier. 

I haven't had any issues with corrosion as of yet so I can not speak to how corrosion resistant they are. However I try to keep all of my fishing tools clean at all times. So I believe they'll hold up great for me under normal usage.

The overall strength of the product is the only aspect of the Vimov pliers that I call into question. So if you do purchase a pair make sure you try not to be too heavy handed with the pliers.

Pros: Corrosion resistant, lightweight, small enough for small hands, multifunction; small enough for removing hooks from the mouths of smaller fish; a good backup pair for larger pliers

Cons:  Not very strong can break when used with too much force.

Monday, December 2, 2019

How to Tie a Basic Marabou Jig





In every anglers tackle box you'll have tackle that is species specific.  Then again there are those baits that you believe are species specific but the reality is they are not.  The marabou jig one of those baits thats often prejudged as being only for crappie.  When in fact marabou jigs are often used for other species like white bass, hybrid striper, walleye and smallmouth bass. Because they are so versatile i've taken the time to learn how to tie my own marabou jigs and below is a quick overview of how you can tie your own.

Tools you'll need:

Vice: Pretty much any fly tying vice will work.  You don't have to invest in anything expensive to tie jigs of any kind. You just need a vice that will hold the jig heads tight enough for you to wrap in your materials. 



Bobbin& Thread: The next tool you'll need to tie your own jigs will be a bobbin a color and thickness thread of your choosing.  A simply a tool designed to hold thread while wrapping thread onto your hooks or jigs. 


Whip Finish Tool: A whip finish tool is what you'll need to tie your finishing knots to complete your jigs.  If you don't know how to use a whip finish tool there are plenty of videos on youtube that will give you a quick tutorial. 

Once you have your tools assembled the fun begins. Because this is the point at which you pick your materials and color patterns for your marabou jigs.  In this case I used chartreuse, black and pink. Below is the list of materials I used but you're not limited to my list.

Thread:  The thread is used to tie in each of your materials on to you jigs.  I personally use 210 flatwax denier for tying jigs as its thin enough to not make small jigs too bulky and strong enough to tie larger jigs from striper and walleye.  I pick my colors solely based on what patterns I'm tying.

Jig heads: The jig head you choose is also gonna be based which pattern you're tying.  For basic marabou jig patterns a collarless round head jig sizes from 1/80oz and up will work great.  However for smaller sizes like 1/64oz and 1/80oz you'll want to use a thinner diameter thread like a 140 denier.

Chenille:

Marabou:








Flashabou:













Hard as Nails: 

1. Place jig head in the vise

2. Starting at the base of the jig head wrap thread over itself back to a point just above or before the hook point. 


3.Measure your marabou tips to match the length of the jig head. Then wrap that portion into the jig head by wrapping thread up the shank of the hook then back down in order to smooth out the body. 

4. Wrap in 3 or 4 strands of flashabou up one side of the hook shank then wrap it around the other side making a loop which will hold the flashabou in tightly along each side of the tail.


5. Pull some of the chenille fibers off of the holding thread and wrap the holding thread on to the hook shank, wrapping the thread up to the jig head. 

6. Wrap the chenille up the hook shank in the opposite direction of what the thread has been wrapped. 
7. Once the chenille is wrapped to the jig head, cut off the tag end and wrap down the chenille with about 4 wraps. 

8. Finish up your tie with 3 whip finish knots. 

9. Finally use a straightened paperclip to adhere Sally Hansen Hard As Nails to the thread knots in order to harden them and further strengthen your knots. 


This is probably the easiest jig to tie for multi-species fishing.  Comment below if you have any experience with fishing with marabou jigs for crappie or any other fish. 

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