SFM Ice Fishing Report 02.28.16

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March is upon us, and so is some excellent pre-spawn ice fishing. We at Sport Fish Michigan have had a very good winter of safe, productive fishing with a lot of really great people. We are hoping that the warm weather will hold off, giving us the opportunity to continue to enjoy what is left of the 2016 ice season. This weekend’s two-day thaw has added 1-3 inches of water to the ice of most lakes listed in the report. This definitely makes conditions and safety very unpredictable. We at Sport Fish Michigan ask that all anglers use caution and good judgment when venturing out to fish!

Crystal Lake in Benzie County has lost a lot of ice on its west end. The ice that was being fished two weeks ago is now unsafe. The only safe fishing to be had is on the east end of the lake near Beulah. Anglers on the east end have been having good perch action in 25-35 feet of water. Steelhead are being caught on wigglers in shallow water near and around some of the small creeks’ mouths.

Long Lake in Benzie County has been producing great catches of Pike. Most of the fish are being caught on Golden Minnows in 8-11 feet of water on tip-ups. The Perch that are being caught are very nice, but few and far between.

Upper Herring Lake has continued to be slow for all species. Perch and Walleye are being caught on occasion, but not in any large amounts. Most anglers are having action on Blue Minnows using tip-ups. Active depths have been 18-20 feet. Small trebles and fluorocarbon leaders have been key. The Perch that are being caught are running big.

Green Lake in Grand Traverse County is still fishing very well. The Smelt bite has been very consistent, and most anglers are getting good numbers off of both access points. Perch and Pike have been active on the southeast end of the lake.

Long Lake in Grand Traverse County has had a bit of slow streak this past week. There has been heavy pressure from anglers in most regions of the lake. The Walleye that are being caught have been small and mostly undersized. Anglers have had some luck finding big, mature, jumbo Perch in 18-30 feet of water at mid-morning times. These fish have been coming on Blue Minnows with tip-ups.

Skegemog Lake is fishing very well. There have been a lot of anglers with great catches in the past few days. The bigger perch have been found in the 14-17 foot mud flats adjacent to weeds. Wigglers and Spikes tipped on tungsten jigs has been the best tactic. Most people spearing Pike and Musky have been reporting slow action on the north end of the lake.

Portage Lake in Manistee County has offered some excellent Perch action this past week. Most of the bigger fish are being caught on the western side of the lake. Finding humps and slight depth changes ranging from 18-25 feet have held most fish. All traditional tactics for perch have been catching fish. Minnows, spikes, jigs, and tip-ups have been most common.

Lake Mitchell has endured heavy amounts of water settling on the ice’s surface in the past two days. The wind and warming weather has melted the recent snowfall which has made fishing conditions very wet and uncomfortable. The ice thickness is still very good. The Crappie bite has been good in 10-11 feet of water around isolated depressions. Black Tungsten tipped with Spikes has been best.

We at Sport Fish Michigan look forward to many safe and successful days during this 2016 season. With that in mind, we encourage all anglers to take this report as reference and not as a guarantee. Ice conditions change with the weather patterns. It is always good to use your best judgment and always check the ice with a good spud and a friend! Tight lines – we’re looking forward to fishing with you!

SFM Ice Fishing Report 02.20.16

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Benzie, Grand Traverse, Manistee, and Wexford County

50 degrees and sunny! That is not exactly what we call good ice-making weather!

We at Sport Fish Michigan would like to take the time to caution all anglers viewing this report. The current warming trend has had quite an impact on most of the lakes listed below. Shorelines are deteriorating quickly and a majority of the lakes have large amounts of standing water. Most all of the lakes still have a good amount of safe ice – just very slushy conditions. Looking into next week’s forecast, it looks like some colder temperatures will arrive. We are hoping this will lock the shorelines back up and create a good hard surface to fish on. We ask that all angers take nothing for granted and use extreme caution when getting back out on the water this upcoming week. If you were using all-terrain vehicles last week, it doesn’t necessarily mean it can be done this week. Taking all of the recent variables into consideration, here is the latest ice report…

Crystal Lake in Benzie County has finally locked up 100%. Prior to the warm spell the past two days, Crystal had formed 3-4 inches on the entire west end. But with the warmer temperatures we encourage all anglers to stick to the east end and fish the shallow flats in Beulah until further notice. Ice on the east end is 7-10” thick and the perch action has been very good. The best fishing has been found in 35 feet of water. Fluorocarbon perch rigs have been working the best.

Long Lake in Benzie County is fishing well. The Pike have been active. The best bite has been from daylight to around 10:00 a.m. Picking back up from 12:00-2:00 p.m. Golden Minnows on tip-ups with the occasional artificial decoy under the spear has been the best bet.

Upper Herring Lake has stayed fairly consistent to last weeks report. The Perch are starting to become a little more aggressive with the pre-spawn bite gradually starting. Most of the Perch being caught in schools are small, but anglers are getting some big fish cruising solo on the 15-17 foot breaks. Walleye fishing is slow, with most fish coming on tip-ups and jigging Rapalas in 18-22 feet.

Ellis Lake, Lake Dubonnet, Spider, and Arbutus Lake have safe ice. The recent warming trend has added a lot of slush to some areas of these lakes. Use caution when venturing out. The pan fish bite has leveled off in to a slight mid-winter low. Some anglers are finding active pockets of Bluegills in the deeper portions of each lake. Small tungsten presentations with spikes are working well. Pike have been active in the shallow flats and weedy contour lines mostly keying in on Sucker Minnows.

Green Lake in Grand Traverse County has been offering some great smelt fishing. The smelt have been active after dark, feeding mostly on wax worms and Hali Jigs. Perch fishing has been good for some anglers in 60 feet of water. Pike fishing on the shallow weed flats and drop-offs has been fairly good as well. Most anglers have had success using bigger presentations.

Long Lake in Grand Traverse County is still producing good catches. Walleye that are being caught are averaging 13-18 inches. Catching keepers has been difficult for most anglers. The Perch, on the other hand, have been running big. Jumbos are being caught in the same depth as most of the Walleye. This depth has been 20-35 feet. Small Jigging Rapalas have been working best for Walleye. Wigglers and Blue Minnows have been the go-to for Perch. With the recent weather, we ask that all anglers use caution on Long Lake.

Skegemog Lake is still producing nice catches of Perch. More mature fish are starting to show pre-spawn feeding patterns. Most anglers have reported bigger fish and consistent numbers of females. The best fishing is yet to come! The guides at SFM are very excited to capitalize on these hungry jumbos during the month of March!

Portage Lake in Manistee County has been consistent all winter. Anglers have had better action on the Walleye in the past week. Walleye have been most active in 25-35 feet, feeding at first and last light. Perch have been ranging in size depending on the school and lake location. Bigger, mature Perch have been actively feeding in 17-25 feet of water. These fish are finicky and have been caught on small and large presentations. Big Blues on tip-ups with size 12 treble hooks with light fluorocarbon leader has been effective. Other anglers have had equal success enticing bites with small tungsten jigs. Electronics have been key while jigging the mature fish; most attacks are taking place 2-4 feet suspended off of bottom.

Lake Mitchell and Lake Cadillac have slowed. Prior to the recent warm spell, the slush had finally frozen solid on both lakes. Most anglers have preferred Lake Mitchell in the past two weeks for the better Crappie bite. 10-11 feet of water has held the active, higher concentrations of fish.

We at Sport Fish Michigan look forward to many safe and successful days during this 2016 season. With that in mind, we encourage all anglers to take this report as reference and not as a guarantee. Ice conditions change with the weather patterns. It is always good to use your best judgment and always check the ice with a good spud and a friend! Tight lines – we’re looking forward to fishing with you!

SFM Ice Fishing Report 02.12.16

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Benzie, Grand Traverse, Manistee, and Wexford County

February is here, and it has brought some very cold weather! Sport Fish Michigan has been diligently hitting the hard water and has had some great success. The recent cold front has put a stop to most of the slushy conditions that the end of January presented. Most of the lakes we have been fishing in the past month have formed some excellent ice and great fishing conditions. Clients have had the opportunity to capitalize on hungry fish and nice weather!

Long Lake in Benzie County is still in excellent shape. The snow cover is virtually non-existent due the heavy west winds coming from Lake Michigan. The Pike have been extremely active. The best bite has been from daylight until around 10:00 a.m, and picks back up from 12:00-2:00 p.m. Golden Minnows on tip-ups with the occasional artificial decoy under the spear have been the best bet.

Upper Herring Lake has hit a bit of a mid-winter lull. The Walleye have taken a more non-aggressive stance, biting strictly in the morning at first light, and in the evening within the last hour of daylight. Most fish have been on the jigging rod, tip-ups have not producing very much action. Smaller blues on tip-ups have been icing some nice jumbo Perch, but not very many. We look forward to seeing what will happen with the Perch as the month of March approaches.

Ellis Lake, Lake Dubonnet, Spider, and Arbutus Lake have locked up tightly with the recent cold snap. Most of the snowfall on these lakes has frozen into one solid block of ice depending on the area of each lake you are fishing. Crappie and Bluegills seem to feeding at the brighter, higher-pressure times of the day due to the large amount of snow cover. Pike have been active in the shallow flats and weedy contour lines, mostly keying in on Sucker Minnows.

Long Lake in Grand Traverse County is being fished in most regions. Due to the inconsistent ice for most of the winter, we encourage all anglers use their best judgment when venturing out on this body of water. The anglers that have had recent success have been targeting Perch and Walleye. The Walleye have been found in 16-25 feet at low-light times of the day. Most of the Perch and Walleye being caught during the day have been found in 25-35 feet of water. Blue Minnows on Perch Riggs and Jigging Rapalas have been the most effective tactic. Anglers have been tipping the jigs with minnow heads to entice the bite.

Skegemog Lake has been consistent all winter. The Perch bite has picked up dramatically in the past week. More mature fish are starting to show pre-spawn feeding patterns. Most anglers have reported bigger fish and consistent numbers of females. The best fishing is yet to come! The guides at SFM are very excited to capitalize on these hungry jumbos during the month of March!

Portage Lake in Manistee County is still producing great catches of fish. Perch have been ranging in size depending on the school and lake location. Bigger, mature Perch have been actively feeding in 17-25 feet of water. These fish are finicky and have been caught on small and large presentations. Big Blues on tip-ups with size 12 treble hooks and light fluorocarbon leader has been effective. While other anglers have had equal success enticing bites with small tungsten jigs. Electronics have been key while jigging the mature fish; most attacks are taking place 2-4 feet suspended off of bottom.

Lake Mitchell and Lake Cadillac have been hit or miss. Lake Mitchell seems to be consistently out-fishing Cadillac. Anglers finding subtle depth changes and small depressions have been doing well on pan fish. Small tungsten jigs with 1-2 lb. test tipped with spikes and wax worms have worked best. The best depth range for hungry active fish on Mitchell has been 10-11 feet of water. Pike have been few and far between. Most active Pike being found have been on the move between 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. in the shallow flats with weed cover. Larger sucker minnows on tip-ups have been effective on opportunistic fish.

We at Sport Fish Michigan look forward to many safe and successful days during this 2016 season. With that in mind, we encourage all anglers to take this report as reference and not as a guarantee. Ice conditions change with the weather patterns. It is always good to use your best judgment and always check the ice with a good spud and a friend! Tight lines – we look forward to fishing with you!

SFM Ice Fishing Report 02.04.16

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Benzie, Grand Traverse, Manistee, and Wexford County

Despite the late start to our 2016 ice season, Sport Fish Michigan has had a very busy and successful January. Clients have had the opportunity to capitalize on some excellent Perch, Pike, and Walleye action. Unfortunately, the recent warming trend has made ice conditions on most lakes a bit dangerous! Looking at the forecast we are fairly confident things will lock back up and create even better ice conditions than what we had prior to this warm spell.

Long Lake in Benzie County is still in excellent shape. The warm weather has melted all the snow on the ice surface and has refrozen making things very slippery! The Pike have been active. Tip-ups baited with Golden Minnows have been most productive. The Perch bite has been slow with a lot of small perch hanging around the shallow weed flats.

Upper Herring Lake has been hit or miss. Anglers have mostly been targeting the Walleye bite in the late evening. Fire Tiger Jigging Raps tipped with a minnow head has been a good technique. 15 to 19 feet of water has been the main feeding zone for most fish. Pike have been fairly active, cruising the steep breaks and shallow flats. Tip-ups have baited with big Blues have been most attractive.

Ellis Lake, Lake Dubonnet, Spider, and Arbutus Lake have been hit with many inches of lake effect snow. Combining the recent warm up with a large amount of snow, this has created inconsistent and dangerous ice conditions on all of these lakes. Anglers have still managed to find fishable conditions and are having success with Bluegill, Pike, and Crappie. We ask that all anglers use your best judgment.

Long Lake in Grand Traverse County is still 100% frozen. The ice is very unsafe and inconsistent. Recent snowfall has added even more weight and created very slushy conditions.

Skegemog Lake has recently had some excellent Perch fishing. Most anglers have had a lot of success fishing minnows in 15 to 20 feet of water on light fluorocarbon perch rigs. The Perch have been running in size-oriented schools. 8 to 10 inch Perch have been the norm with some anglers finding some much larger fish.

Portage Lake in Manistee County has been great. Before the recent warm up, Portage Lake had some of the best ice conditions in Northern Michigan. The ice thickness has ranged from 7 to 10 inches of good blue ice. Active Perch have been feeding from 15 to 35 feet of water. Jigging small tungsten tipped with wax worms and fishing perch rigs with big blues has been most successful. Anglers have had no problem finding 7 to 10 inch perch. There have been some very big Perch caught on Portage this past month and we are hoping for many more! Walleye action can be found in 25 to 40 feet of water during low light conditions. Angler’s techniques have varied, but most have been using Jigging Raps tipped with a minnow head. Walleye have not been coming in large numbers, but the ones being caught are very mature.

Lake Mitchell and Lake Cadillac both present good safe ice conditions. Anglers are finding good numbers of Bluegill and Crappie on both lakes. The Crappie bite has been better in the evening with good action after dark. Bluegills on Lake Mitchell have been consistent. Anglers finding weeds, structure change, and isolated depressions have had the most success. For Pike, bigger sucker minnows on tip-ups and spearing have taken most of the larger fish.

We at Sport Fish Michigan look forward to many safe and successful days during this 2016 season. With that in mind, we encourage all anglers to take this report as reference and not as a guarantee. Ice conditions change with the weather patterns. It is always good to use your best judgment and always check the ice with a good spud and a friend! Tight lines and look forward to fishing with you!

SFM Ice Fishing Report 01.23.16

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Benzie and Grand Traverse County

The ice fishing report in Northern Michigan is looking very positive. Most of the inland lakes in the area have consistently safe ice for anglers to venture out on. Our guides have been busy scouting and guiding anglers on a daily basis. Being that we have not seen the “arctic blast”, that we experienced the past two years, our guides have been focusing on smaller bodies of water. Walleye, Pike, Perch and Bluegill have been our main target species. It has been very nice to get out on good safe ice the past couple of weeks and we are very optimistic for February and March. Below is a list of lakes and their current ice conditions.

Long Lake in Benzie County has formed 5-6 inches of solid ice. The Pike have been active on a fairly regular basis. You definitely have to pick the right day and barometric pressure. High-pressure days with sunlight have been good. The perch have been small and not very active.

Bass and Otter Lake have also formed 4-5 inches of good blue ice. The snowfall from the past few weeks has made it difficult to walk or tow a jet sled on both lakes. The pan-fish bite has been decent at first and last light. Pike in Bass Lake have been fairly slow but most anglers have had decent tip-up action on the shallow side of the breaks.

Big Platte is 100% frozen. SFM had guides scouting the ice today. It is not recommended to fish as of right now. The shoreline has not formed good ice. 50-60 yards from the shoreline the ice is 3-4 inches. There is currently 2-3 inches of snow on the surface of the ice. Once the shoreline thickens the lake should be ready to fish.

Upper Herring Lake has formed a good base of ice. Most areas have 4-5 inches of good ice. The Walleye fishing has been productive based on the time of day and weather patterns. Successful tactics have consisted of jigging and setting tip-ups. The best depth has been between 16-19 feet of water. The Perch have been small but active.

Ellis Lake, Lake Dubonnet, Spyder, and Arbutus Lake have 4-5 inches of ice. Each of these lakes has a fair amount of snow accumulation, which is creating slushy walking conditions. There have also been several reports of spotty ice conditions because of the snowy conditions. Caution should be taken when venturing out on Spyder and Arbutus. Blue Gill action has been fair on Spyder Lake and the Pike fishing is steady on Lake Dubonnet with most of the Pike being small, 12-20 inches.

Long Lake in Grand Traverse County has frozen 100%. Unfortunately the ice thickness is very inconsistent and unsafe. Crescent shores boat Launch has 3-5 inches of ice with 6-7 inches of snow. This has created a very slushy ice surface and has added a lot of weight to the ice. The ice off of Long Lake Peninsula is very unsafe and inconsistent. SFM highly recommends that all anglers avoid fishing on Long Lake.

Skegemog Lake is offering some great Perch fishing and safe ice conditions. The perch have been very active in 15-17 feet of water. Wigglers and minnows have been working very well. Average size has been 6-8 inches with the occasional fish reaching the 10-11inch mark.

We at Sport Fish Michigan look forward to many safe and successful days during this 2016 season. With that in mind, we encourage all anglers to take this report as reference and not as a guarantee. Ice conditions change with the weather patterns. It is always good to use your best judgment and always check the ice with a good spud and a friend! Tight lines and look forward to fishing with you!

SFM Ice Fishing Report 01.12.16

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Benzie and Grand Traverse County

Finally! Northern Michigan is getting some consistently cold temperatures. With the major storm front we are also accumulating quite a bit of snow. With the recent snowfall, the ice that has formed has been half blue ice and half frozen slush. Sport Fish Michigan has been continuously scouting ice conditions in hopes to hit the hard water ASAP. As of today, January 12, 2016, the ice report is as follows.

Long Lake in Benzie County has formed 4-5 inches of solid ice. The snow has not had a chance to settle on the surface due to high NW winds coming off of Lake Michigan. This had made for good walking and fishing conditions. Northern Pike are starting to travel the shallow breaks and flats.

Bass and Otter Lake have also formed 2-3 inches of good blue ice in the past two days. Total, they both have roughly 4 inches as of this afternoon. However, 1 inch of the ice formation is frozen slush. Recent snowfall has covered both lakes with 3-5 in of snow making walking and towing portables a little more of a challenge.

Big Platte Lake has recently formed ice on roughly 90% of its surface. It is very close to being completely frozen. It is still very unsafe and should not be fished until it has a bit more time to gain in ice thickness.

Lower Herring Lake has formed no ice as of yet. Being so close to Lake Michigan, and with the recent high winds, the lake has been extremely rough. With this week’s cold front we are hoping to at least get 100% coverage perhaps by as early as this weekend. It may be fishable with safe ice as early as next week.

Upper Herring Lake, however, does have ice coverage. In fact, one ice angler was spotted near the launch earlier this afternoon.

Arcadia Lake is also frozen, just south of Frankfort in the town of Arcadia. This can be a nice option for northern pike, lake-run yellow perch, bluegills as well as walleyes. It is uncertain just how much ice is on Arcadia, so caution should be taken as with all early-ice opportunities.

Ellis Lake, Lake Dubonnet, Spyder, and Arbutus Lake have 3-4 inches of ice. Each of these lakes has 3-5 inches of snow accumulation and should be navigated with caution. Bluegill action has been fair on Spyder Lake and the Pike fishing is steady on Lake Dubonnet.

Long Lake in Grand Traverse County has formed quite of bit of ice in the past three days. Long Lake has areas with open water and the ice that has formed is very thin and inconsistent.

We at Sport Fish Michigan look forward to many safe and successful days during this 2016 season. With that in mind, we encourage all anglers to take this report as reference and not as a guarantee. Ice conditions change with the weather patterns. It is always good to use your best judgment and always check the ice with a good spud and a friend! Tight lines and look forward to fishing with you!

SFM Ice Fishing Report 01.04.16

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Yes! Its early January and the guides at Sport Fish Michigan are all chomping at the bit to hit the ice. As we all know, it has been a very mild winter thus far in Northern Michigan. However, with the latest cold snap things are gradually starting to materialize. We have had guides out doing ice checks the past few days in both Benzie and Grand Traverse County. All of the smaller inland lakes seem to show similar ice conditions; in Benzie County, Long Lake, Otter, Bass, and Little Platte have 90-100% ice coverage. Each lake seems to have between 1-3 inches of ice. However the ice coverage that has formed is not solid blue ice. Recent snow accumulations and wind create what a large majority of ice that anglers like to call "Honey Comb" ice. This is not as strong as normal clear ice, as there are pockets of air in it, creating the cloudy ice. Despite the warming temperatures expected later this week, this type of ice is a great start in forming a good solid base for the 2016 season. In Grand Traverse County, Lake Dubonnet and Cedar Hedge are both showing the same ice conditions as listed above. If the weather continues on the path it is on, we could be hitting the ice as soon as early next week.

First ice in Northern Michigan is a great time to take advantage of early winter Perch and Bluegill action. Shallow water flats and gradual drop offs into deeper portions of our Northern inland lakes present a great opportunity for all pan fish species. Another active species to target this time of year is Northern Pike. Pike love to cruise the drop offs and weedy flats during first ice. Tip-ups with shiners and sucker minnows generally are the go to for this presentation.

We at Sport Fish Michigan look forward to many safe and successful days during this 2016 season. With that in mind, we encourage all anglers to take this report as a reference and not as a guarantee. Ice conditions change with the weather patterns. It is always good to use your best judgment and always check the ice with a good spud and a friend! Tight lines and we look forward to fishing with you!

Ice Season Preparation

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It’s almost Thanksgiving, and we are still a long ways off from the hardwater season here in northern Michigan. Like many other ice fishing fanatics, I can’t wait to get back out onto the ice, but just because we may not have fishable ice for a while doesn’t mean that there aren’t things we can do to get ready to hit the ice when we do get it. Preparation for the ice fishing season to me is much more than just drooling over the ice fishing catalogs and tackle and the local tackle shop. It may be a bit different for those that don’t run a busy ice guide service like I do here at Sport Fish Michigan, but the basic plan is still the same. I put together a checklist that can rundown so that I don’t forget anything.

One of the first things that I like to make sure that I do is to check all shanties. By this, I mean that I pull out the Otter Outdoors flip-over style shanties as well as the new Otter Outdoors pop-up style shanty. On a nice dry day, I will set up each shanty, inspecting it for any damage from storage or the previous season. It’s much easier to apply patches or make repairs when the weather is more mild and dry than when the wind is whipping and the snow flying. And oftentimes, most patches need warmer weather for the best adhering anyways. While the shanties are up, I also inspect them for anywhere that may become an issue during the season. Spots that get a lot of wear and tear or pressure points are likely spots to have fabric failures, and it’s far easier to attend to this type of preventative maintenance now rather than later. I look at the ice anchors as well, to make sure that they aren’t bent or dull. And I also check the lines that tie to the anchors, looking for weaknesses or frays.

Before putting away my Strikemaster ice augers in the spring for storage, I always make sure that I “summarize” them by adding a fuel stabilizer to the fuel tank. I then run the motor for a few minutes to make sure that the stabilizer is all through-out the system. Now in the fall, when I check them, I run them for a few minutes, making sure they start easily. A few hard starts now makes for easy starts on the ice. If the blades need to be sharpened or replaced, I do that now when my fingers aren’t frozen from the cold. I also look at the spark plugs to make sure they aren’t fouled or dirty. A good spark plug can make all of the difference on a cold winter’s day. Of course, if the auger isn’t working, I can take it into the repair shop now when I have time on my hands and can afford to wait. There’s nothing like an ice auger failure when you’re out on the ice. For us here at Sport Fish Michigan, we love our Strikemaster augers for their reliability and cutting ability, but because we have customers on the ice every day of the season counting on us, we always have a backup on hand for each guide trip. Just in case!

Now is also the time to recharge all of the batteries that may get used. Batteries for portable ice electronics are great at keeping a charge, but I still like to top it off. I always put away my batteries with a full charge (which is also recommended by the manufacturers), but sometimes a battery does go bad, and replacing a dead battery now will prevent a load of frustration later. And for those that use battery powered ice augers, it’s the same thing as far as charging them to make sure that they work properly.

All of our Sport Fish Michigan ice guide customers get a heated shanty to fish from, and on my fall checklist is to check the heaters. I fire each one up to make sure that it works properly. I also make sure that I have plenty of propane cylinders to get me started.

Vehicles are a huge part of our operation, as each guide customer is transported to and from their shanty when it is safe and applicable to drive a vehicle of some sort on the ice. For us, we use a few different vehicles. For most of our guide trips, Sport Fish Michigan transports its customers in a 6 person Polaris Ranger Crew. This makes ferrying our customers out to the shanties and back a breeze. Sometimes, however, the snow is deep enough that we have to use snowmobiles to transport our guests. Before the ice season, I make sure that all of the maintenance on our snowmobiles and the Polaris are all up to date.

The fun part of getting ready for the hardwater season is playing with tackle. I go through my tackle looking for hooks that need to be replaced or sharpened as well as lures or jigs that were put away improperly. In the heat of battle out on the ice, it’s easy to toss a jig or lure into the wrong place. By at least starting the season all organized, I can reasonably hope that I will cut down on the time it takes to hunt down that lure that is going to be “the ticket.” Sport Fish Michigan targets a large variety of species under the ice, and we have tons of lures, jigs, jigheads, plastics, live bait rigs and whatnot to keep track of. A rig that we use for jigging lake trout is probably not the same one that we use to catch perch or steelhead through the ice.

One thing that I am very persnickety about is the line that is on each reel. This is a component that is all too often overlooked by many anglers. The line is our only connection to a fish, and is one that I am not willing to sacrifice or compromise on. I replace any line that looks like it has seen better days, or where there may be an issue. Whether it is a tip-up spool or a rod/reel combo, I make sure to inspect each one. My Sport Fish Michigan guide customers are counting on me to have everything in working order. There are enough things that we can’t control on a guide trip, but having good line is one thing that I can control.

Chasing fish under the ice is hard enough as it is, but with a few easy items on a checklist, at least some of the frustration can be headed off. An afternoon dedicated to making sure everything is in top working order in the fall can lead to who knows how much less frustration when out on the ice and things stop working properly. I’m just as excited about getting out onto the ice as the next ice fanatic, and Sport Fish Michigan has lots of guided ice trips on the books already, and with some pre-season work, we will have everything rigged and ready when the ice forms.

SFM Ice Fishing Report 03.11.15

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Due to heavy amounts of snow and recent warmer temperatures, ice deterioration is making venturing out onto the ice difficult and dangerous. Inland lakes are experiencing ice melt at shorelines, and slushy conditions exist.

Sport Fish Michigan strongly recommends staying off ice due to these unsafe conditions.

The U.S. Coast Guard is urging people to use caution on Great Lakes waterways due to warmer temperatures and unstable ice.

http://www.kare11.com/story/weather/2015/03/10/coast-guard-offers-thin-ice-warning-for-great-lakes/24690639/

http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2012/01/west_michigan_ice_cover_too_th.html

SFM Ice Fishing Report 02.04.15

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Crystal Lake has seen quite a bit of ice fishing pressure the past few weeks since it has frozen over. With lots of good solid ice, measuring an average of 9”, anglers are able to fish anywhere they want. Perch fishing has been fantastic most days, with the occasional slow day here and there. Perch rigs have been producing well when fished in waters anywhere from 24-35 feet. Whitefish and lake trout are starting to be caught, but they haven’t moved up shallow yet. Anglers having the most success are fishing anywhere from 100 to 150 feet of water. Smelt action is heating up in earnest, and reports are that several anglers have had 150+ smelt evenings/nights when fishing for these tasty fish.

Long Lake has lots of ice, but the bite has slowed considerably of late. Walleye anglers are still managing to scratch out a few here and there, but the hot walleye bite from a few weeks ago is over.

Lake Leelanau, however, has had steady walleye action lately in the Southern Lake. Anglers fishing at dusk both jigging and fishing tip ups have seen action. North Lake Leelanau has been very poor so far.

Big Glen Lake has been producing some spotty perch action—the perch that have been caught have been of good size, even if the numbers haven’t been high. Little Glen has had better numbers of perch the past week or so. Small jigs tipped with wax worms or wigglers when they can be purchased are producing as are the standard perch rig with minnows.

Portage Lake has had some great perch action for some anglers, and terrible perch action for others. From the sounds of things, those anglers that are willing to move a lot and chase the schools are the anglers that are finding the success. The anglers that take a more stationary approach are finding the bite next to impossible. The standard perch rig or small jigs tipped with spikes or wigglers are the best bet.

Further to the south, Muskegon Lake has been mostly a dud despite reports to the contrary. Anglers have struggled to not only find perch, but also to get them to bite. Seasoned ice anglers that are well familiar with Muskegon Lake’s perch fishing are even finding the bite difficult.

Other Area Lakes and Rivers:
Crappie, pike, walleye, and good-sized perch are being caught on inland lakes. Steelhead fishing pressure is low, making this a great time to beat the crowd.

Hamlin Lake: Bluegill, crappie, and perch are being caught.

Lake Cadillac: While the bluegill, crappie bite has been slow, pike fishing has been good for both tip-up and spear anglers. Some walleye and good-sized perch.

Lake Charlevoix: A large pressure crack is forming around the drop-off at 95 feet.

Lake Missaukee: Perch, bluegill, and crappie are all being successfully targeted.

Lake Mitchell: Anglers have been targeting perch, pike, bluegill, and crappie. Perch anglers are getting the best results by moving to find schools of active fish.

Manistee River: Steelhead fishing on the Manistee is providing a great way to get away from the crowds on the lakes.

Pere Marquette River: While the steelhead bite has been good, cooling temperatures will likely slow the bite.