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SFM Ice Fishing Report 03.02.2020

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The first week of March provides ample opportunities to get after fish on the hard water if cold temperatures are maintained. This first week of March we will be experiencing a warming trend throughout Northern Michigan. While the good ice has been sustained due to the previous week of cold temperatures, we are expecting to see some slush forming due to the tease of spring predicted to hit us this weekend.

We expect to see the edges of lakes losing some integrity as those are the first areas to become unstable during the warming trend. In addition, the frozen slush layer on many lakes will simultaneously become soft and unstable along with the shoreline ice. While the large majority of the lakes listed below are showing safe and very fishable measures of ice; we encourage everyone to utilize this information as they head out onto the hard water. When looking to utilize vehicles such as side-by-side, quads, and or snowmobiles, be sure to check ice conditions before venturing out on your next adventure.

Long Lake in Benzie
With its shallow depths and protected shoreline, Long Lake has managed to form 9-10” of good ice. Anglers are catching northern pike and smaller perch with the occasional bluegill mixed in.

Upper Herring Lake
Upper Herring is reported to have fishable ice off the state access, roughly 7-8”. The remainder of the lake has coverage, but we advise all anglers proceed with caution due to the still-forming inconsistent ice in other portions of the lake.

Platte Lake
Platte Lake conditions have 6-7” of ice and good fishing being reported for perch and pike. We recommend not attempting to use machines for transportation.

Green Lake
Green Lake in Interlochen is fishable, but we recommend extreme caution. With ice thickness varying from 4-5” in many locations. Anglers have been fishing off the academy with some good consistency in action.

Long Lake in Interlochen
Long Lake had fishable ice off the Crescent Shores Rd DNR Launch Site. The ice in this area was reported to be 7-9” Anglers have been fishing 6-9” of ice in Settlers Cove in the south corner. The northern end of the lake is currently holding 8” of ice. Anglers are encouraged to only travel on foot and recommended to not use any type of ATV to travel to and from fishing destinations. Walleye fishing has been good for most anglers in mid-depth ranges and some fishing being found shallower.

Skegmog
Skegmog has formed 8-10” of ice allowing anglers to access the perch grounds located off the DNR Launch Site. These anglers have been finding good size and quantity. It is still recommended that anglers use extreme caution when fishing any areas other than the southern shoreline.

Bear Lake in Manistee County
Bear Lake has formed 8-10” of ice. Anglers have been fishing off of all public access sites and catching panfish and perch with some regularity.

Portage Lake in Manistee County
Portage Lake has formed safe fishable ice off the main public downtown access site. Anglers have found 5-6” of ice with even better ice East of the lunch ramp. Anglers venturing any further west than the Onekama Village Park are encouraged to do so with caution. We encourage only foot traffic and no machines on the ice yet.

Lake Mitchell
Lake Mitchell has formed 9-11” of ice. Anglers have been utilizing Little and Big Coves as well as the DNR Launch Ramp to access the lake. The ice near the creek outlet is not stable and should be avoided.

Lake Cadillac
Lake Cadillac has 7-8” of ice. The shoreline ice is more stable than past weeks, but it is recommended to use caution when initially entering onto the ice due to some of the shoreline ice breaking apart in the coming week.

SFM Ice Fishing Report 02.23.2020

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It is hard to believe we are already nearing the end of February. With the consistently changing temperatures and snow accumulations this past month we have had a challenging job of trying to keep up with the changing lake conditions in the greater Traverse City Area. Most of the lakes in this report will be facing the inevitable challenge of slush and water weight over the course of the next few weeks. We ask that all anglers use this report as a simple reference and not a guarantee as to what the ice conditions truly are. The best report any angler can get on ice conditions is to truly check it themselves as frequently as possible in order ensure accuracy and safety. We wish everyone a safe and successful end to February!

Long Lake in Benzie
Long Lake currently has 9-11” of good ice. Anglers are catching northern pike and smaller perch with the occasional blue gill mixed in. The lake is currently holding 4-6” of slush and snow mix on its surface making it very challenging for anglers to walk and travel on at this time.

Upper Herring Lake
Upper Herring is reported to have fishable ice off the state access, roughly 8-9” of ice. The slush is starting to take is toll on this specific body of water making travel a bit of challenge. Anglers have reported catches of walleye on the northern shoreline drop off areas in depth ranges from 15-20ft.

Platte Lake
The east end of the lake has continued to remain in the 8-10” range of thickness. The western end of the lake is reported to remain around an average of 6-7”. The walleye fishing has been slower in most areas of the lake. Smaller perch and the occasional northern pike are being captured on the eastern end of the lake.

Green Lake
Green Lake in Interlochen is fishable but we recommend extreme caution. With Ice thickness varying from 7-10” in many locations. Anglers have been using machines on the entire lake as of last week. The snow accumulations and slush have been getting increasingly worse with the warming temperatures. The smelt fishing off Betsie River Road and the DNR state launch near the music camp has been best between 7 and 8 pm in 40-55ft of water.

Long Lake in Interlochen
Long Lake had fishable ice off the Crescent Shores Rd DNR Launch Site. The ice in this area was reported to be 8-9”. Anglers have been fishing 9” of ice in Settlers Cove in the south corner. The northern end of the lake is currently holding 8-9” of ice. Anglers have been utilizing snow machines, four-wheelers and side-by-sides throughout the lake as of last week. The snow accumulations and warmer temperatures have created some challenging slush conditions. With the ice quality on this specific body of water mostly being comprised of white ice. We warn that with the warmer temperatures this ice strength will weaken very quickly. Please use extreme caution in the weeks to come when fishing Long Lake.

North and South Lake Leelanau
The south lake currently has an average of 8-9” of ice throughout. The slush conditions on the south lake are starting to create challenging travel conditions for most anglers traveling on foot and ATV. The north lake is currently holding an average of 8-9” of ice and anglers are reporting a good walking surface with limited snow and slush.

Big Glen Lake
Big Glen is currently holding 5-6” of good ice. Anglers are reporting good catches of lake trout and perch on most of the lake. The snow and slush conditions are reported to be fair for both foot and ATV travel.

Skegmog
Skegmog has formed 8-9” of ice allowing anglers to access the perch grounds located off of the DNR Launch Site only. These anglers have been finding good size and quantity. It is still recommended that anglers use extreme caution when fishing any areas other than the southern shoreline. The lake surface remains in great shape as it has been very wind swept through the most recent snowfall. Slush conditions are reasonable to work with at this time.

Bear Lake in Manistee County
Bear Lake has formed 11-12” of ice. Anglers have been fishing off of all public acres sites and can catching panfish and perch with some regularity.

Portage Lake in Manistee County
Portage Lake has formed safe fishable ice off the main public downtown access site. Anglers have found 7-10” of ice with even better ice East of the lunch ramp. Anglers venturing any further west than the Onekama Village Park Access are encouraged you do so with caution. Anglers are running machines on most of the lake. Anglers are not running any machines west of Portage Point. It’s is recommended that everyone fish east of the point.

Lake Mitchell
Lake Mitchell has formed 12-14” of ice. Anglers have been utilizing Little and Big Coves as well as the DNR Launch Ramp to access the lake. The ice near the creek outlet is not stable and should be avoided with warming temperatures this coming week. Slush is building in most areas.

Lake Cadillac
Lake Cadillac has anywhere from 11-13” of ice. Most areas with access points are still in good shape even with this weekend’s warmer temperatures. As the forecast continues to bring warmer daytime temps, we predict heavy slush on this body of water both on the shoreline and on the lake itself.

SFM Ice Fishing Report 02.15.2020

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The conditions in the middle of February will be very similar to earlier in the month. Here at Sport Fish Michigan we continue to see larger inland lakes sustaining the ice they have due to the colder nights we have been having. This next week will be bringing some warmer temperatures during the day. The recent snow accumulations on some of the lakes in the area are ranging 2-6” of fresh snow. We do not see this causing any issues but as always, we encourage caution when on the ice. We can only give reports on day to day conditions, and we ask that anglers only use this report as a reference. While the large majority of these lakes listed below are showing safe and very fishable measures of ice, we encourage everyone to utilize this information as they head out onto the hard water. When looking to utilizing vehicles such as side-by-sides, quads, and or snowmobiles be sure to check ice conditions before venturing out on your next adventure.

Long Lake in Benzie
With its shallow depths and protected shoreline, Long Lake has managed to form 8-9” of good ice. Anglers are catching northern pike and smaller perch with the occasional blue gill mixed in.

Upper Herring Lake
Upper Herring is reported to have fishable ice off of the state access, roughly 6-7”. The remainder of the lake has coverage, but we advise all anglers proceed with caution due to the still forming inconsistent ice in other portions of the lake.

Platte Lake
Lake conditions have 5-6” of ice and good fishing being reported for perch and pike. We recommend not attempting to use machines for transportation.

Green Lake
Green Lake in Interlochen is fishable, but we recommend extreme caution. With Ice thickness varying from 2-4” in many locations. Some anglers have been fishing off of the academy. We do not encourage activities on Green Lake.

Long Lake in Interlochen
Long Lake had fishable ice off the Crescent Shores Rd DNR Launch Site. The ice in this area was reported to be 6-7” Anglers have been fishing 6-8” of ice in Settlers Cove in the south corner. The northern end of the lake is currently holding 7” of ice. Anglers are encouraged to only travel on foot and recommended to not use any type of ATV to travel to and from fishing destinations. Walleye fishing has been good for most anglers in mid depth ranges.

Skegmog
Skegmog has formed 6-7” of ice allowing anglers to access the perch grounds located off of the DNR Launch Site only. These anglers have been finding good size and quantity. It is still recommended that anglers use extreme caution when fishing any areas other than the southern shoreline.

Bear Lake in Manistee County
Bear Lake has formed 6-7” of ice. Anglers have been fishing off of all public access sites and can catching panfish and perch with some regularity.

Portage Lake in Manistee County
Portage Lake has formed safe fishable ice off of the main public downtown access site. Anglers have found 3-4” of ice with even better ice East of the lunch ramp. Anglers venturing any further west than the Onekama Village Park Access are encouraged you do so with caution. We encourage only foot traffic and no machines on the ice yet.

Lake Mitchell
Lake Mitchell has formed 8-10” of ice. Anglers have been utilizing Little and Big Coves as well as the DNR Launch Ramp to access the lake. The ice near the creek outlet is not stable and should be avoided.

Lake Cadillac
Lake Cadillac has 7-8” of ice. The shoreline ice is more stable than past weeks’, but it is recommended to use caution when initially entering onto the ice.

SFM Ice Fishing Report 02.04.2020

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Ice Fishing Report – Early February
As we approach the second weekend of February, we at Sport Fish Michigan continue to see larger inland lakes gain ice. The consistently cooler weather has been very helpful in sustaining and creating more fishable ice, which allows our guides and all other eager ice anglers to take advantage of a great early February bite. The snow accumulations which had been creating slushy conditions have melted and helped to form a solid and safe layer of ice. We can only give reports on the day to day conditions, and we ask that anglers only use this report as a reference. While the large majority of these lakes listed below are showing safe and very fishable measures of ice, we encourage everyone to use caution as they head out onto the hard water. When looking to utilize vehicles such as side by side, quads, and or snowmobiles, be sure to check ice conditions before venturing out on your next adventure.

Long Lake in Benzie
With its shallow depths and protected shoreline, Long Lake has managed to form 7-8” of good ice. Anglers are catching northern pike and smaller perch with the occasional bluegill mixed in.

Upper Herring Lake
Upper Herring is reported to have fishable ice off of the state access, roughly 5-6”. The remainder of the lake has coverage but we advise all anglers to proceed with caution due to the still-forming inconsistent ice in other portions of the lake.

Platte Lake
Lake conditions have 4-5” of ice and good fishing being reported for perch and pike. We recommend not attempting to use machines for transportation.

Green Lake
Green Lake in Interlochen is fishable, but we recommend extreme caution. With ice thickness varying from 2-4” in many locations. Some anglers have been fishing off of the academy. We do not encourage activities on Green Lake.

Long Lake in Interlochen
Long Lake had fishable ice off the Crescent Shores Rd DNR Launch Site. The ice in this area was reported to be 6-7”. Anglers have been fishing 6-8” of ice in Settlers Cove in the south corner. The northern end of the lake is currently holding 6” of ice. Anglers are encouraged to only travel on foot and recommended to not use any type of ATV to travel to and from fishing destinations. Walleye fishing has been good for most anglers in mid-depth ranges.

Skegmog
Skegmog has formed 6-7” of ice allowing anglers to access the perch grounds located off of the DNR Launch Site only. These anglers have been finding good size and quantity. It is still recommended that anglers use extreme caution when fishing any areas other than the southern shoreline.

Bear Lake in Manistee County
Bear Lake has formed 6-7” of ice. Anglers have been fishing off of all public access sites and catching panfish and perch with some regularity.

Portage Lake in Manistee County
Portage Lake has formed safe fishable ice off of the main public downtown access site. Anglers have found 3-4” of ice with even better ice east of the lunch ramp. Anglers venturing any further west than the Onekama Village Park Access are encouraged you to do so with caution. We encourage only foot traffic and no machines on the ice yet.

Lake Mitchell
Lake Mitchell has formed 8-10” of ice. Anglers have been utilizing Little and Big Coves as well as the DNR Launch Ramp to access the lake. The ice near the creek outlet is not stable and should be avoided.

Lake Cadillac
Lake Cadillac has 7-8” of ice. The shoreline ice is more stable than past weeks but it is recommended to use caution when initially entering on to the ice.

SFM Ice Fishing Report 01.13.2020

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We at Sport Fish Michigan are very excited to see some fishable ice in Northern Michigan. The fluctuation in the weather has been very frustrating for our guides as well as all eager ice anglers in the area. Looking at the long term forecast, it appears that we will be experiencing some consistently cooler temperatures that will help build good ice on most bodies of water. We can only give reports on the day to day conditions, and we ask that anglers only use this report as a reference. As ice conditions change daily, we encourage all anglers use their best judgment when venturing out on the ice.

Long Lake in Benzie County
With its shallow depths and protected shoreline, Long Lake has managed to form a consistent 5-6” of good ice. Anglers are catching northern pike and smaller perch with the occasional bluegill.

Lower and Upper Herring Lakes
Both of these Benzie County lakes were currently wide open as of 1/10/20. Anglers are encouraged to use extreme caution on both lakes over the next week or two.

Platte Lake
Platte Lake in Benzie County recently skimmed over. With the recent winds and snowfall, Platte has areas of skim ice and open water. It is currently unsafe and not safe for ice fishing.

Green Lake
Green Lake in Interlochen is currently open water and not safe for ice fishing.

Long Lake in Interlochen
As of 1/9/20, Long Lake had fishable ice off the Crescent Shores Rd DNR Launch Site. The ice in this area was reported to be 3-4”. Anglers have been fishing 4-5” of ice in Settlers Cove in the south corner. The northern end of the lake is currently holding 4” of ice. Anglers are encouraged to only travel on foot and recommended not to use any type of ATV to travel to and from fishing destinations. Walleye fishing has been good for most anglers.

Skegmog
Skegmog has formed 4-5” of ice allowing anglers to access the perch grounds located off of the DNR Launch Site only. It is recommended anglers use extreme caution when fishing any areas other than the southern shoreline.

Bear Lake in Manistee County
Bear Lake has formed 4-6” of ice. Anglers have been fishing off of all public acres sites.

Lake Mitchell
Lake Mitchell has formed 7-9” of ice. Anglers have been utilizing Little and Big Coves as well as the DNR Launch Ramp to access the lake. The ice near the creek outlet should be avoided entirely.

Lake Cadillac
As of 1/9/20, Lake Cadillac had 6-7” of ice. The shoreline ice as of last week was inconsistent, and it is recommended to use caution when initially entering on to the ice.

SFM Ice Fishing Report 02.16.17

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Benzie, Grand Traverse, Antrim, Leelanau, and Manistee Counties

Most of the species we are targeting in Northern Michigan have been cooperating very well. The recent full moon had a slight impact on the walleye and perch bite, but we were still able to capitalize on some small feeding windows. We are seeing a warm up in the forecast for next week, which has us concerned about what the end of the month will bring for ice conditions. The majority of the lakes listed below remain at the same thickness stated in the previous ice report. Snow coverage has been very limited, and at this current time, the ice is in great shape. With the warming trend forecasted we feel the ice could deteriorate quickly. We ask that all anglers remain cautious for the rest of the season: warm weather and sun, accompanied by rain, make for very unsafe ice conditions.

Crystal Lake in Benzie County has formed 8 inches of ice coverage on the very east end of the lake. White fish can be found in 43-50 feet of water but in very small schools. Anglers have had nice catches of perch in 25 feet of water fishing off the Beulah access. The remainder of the lake is all open water. The only fishable water is right off of the town of Beulah. Because Crystal Lake is 70% unsafe ice, anglers should be very cautious fishing the east end because conditions can change with high winds.

Long Lake in Benzie County has formed 11-12 inches of ice. Pike fishing has recently improved on Long Lake. Golden Minnows on tip-ups have taken most fish. Perch and pike have been found in 6-9 feet of water. Perch minnows and small tungsten jigs have taken fair catches of perch.

Green Lake in Grand Traverse County has formed 8-9 inches of ice. Smelt fishing has definitely picked up in the past week. The best times to target active fish have been from 6-9pm. 45-55 feet of water has produced the most smelt action after dark. Anglers targeting pike have had success in 10-15 feet in weed-covered flats and along steep breaks.

Long Lake in Grand Traverse County has formed 9-10 inches of ice depending on what region of the lake you are on. Long Lake can be very inconsistent in ice thickness. Anglers should use extreme caution fishing Long Lake. Anglers have had success finding active walleye both jigging and fishing tip-ups along steep breaks and adjacent to weed beds in 30-35 feet of water. The hottest depth for both big perch and walleye seems to be 25-35 feet depending on the time of day. Large perch have been found in 30-40 feet of water, as well. Anglers have not found large numbers of perch. However, the perch being caught have been very nice in size.

South Lake Leelanau has 10-11 inches of ice on the south portion of the lake only. Anglers have found perch, pike, and walleye off all major boat ramp sites. Walleye fishing has been best in 18-25 feet, mostly on tip-ups and larger blue minnows presentations. Perch have been found in 15-25 feet depending on the bottom make-up. The shallower weed clumps have produced nice quality, however the deeper, softer, weed covered depths are producing numbers of fish. The northern portion of the lake has 5-6 inches of ice. Anglers have had some luck finding walleye on the drop-offs and perch have been found in 25-35 feet of water.

Skegemog Lake in Antrim County has 12 inches of ice coverage off of the south shore access site to the mid-central portion of the lake. Anglers using blues, tungsten jigs and wax worms accompanied by an underwater camera have had great success. 11-16 feet of water seems to produce active fish on a consistent basis. The larger perch have been coming on orange and green tungsten jigs tipped with spikes and wax worms.

Portage Lake in Manistee County has formed 10-11 inches of ice coverage. Anglers have been fishing mostly off of the north access sites for perch, pike, and walleye. Most perch have been found feeding on top of weed-covered areas in 16-25 feet. Anglers pursuing large perch in smaller schools have been targeting the 35-40 feet of water. This is also a great depth to jig and set tip-ups for walleye. Some walleye of a larger size have been found in the central portion of the lake in 28-32 feet of water at first and last light.

Bear Lake in Manistee County has formed 12 inches of ice. The walleye action has been in a bit of lull this past week. Anglers have been targeting walleye and pike off of southwest and north access sites. The more aggressive fish have been feeding along weed-covered drop-offs and contour changes in depths ranging from 12-18 feet. Pike and walleye seem to be on the move together, feeding in the same general areas.

Lake Mitchell and Lake Cadillac in Wexford County have both formed 12-13 inches of ice. Lake Cadillac has recently produced some very nice catches of crappie during daylight hours. Anglers finessing active fish with very small, dark-colored tungsten have had the most luck. Walleye have been found in 19-21 feet on Lake Mitchell. Pike have been active throughout the day; larger pike have been coming on tip-ups using 4-5 inch sucker minnows as bait. Weed-covered flats ranging from 9-12 feet have been best for pike action.

We at Sport Fish Michigan look forward to many safe and successful days during this 2017 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 2.7.17

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Benzie, Grand Traverse, Antrim, Leelanau, and Manistee Counties

As we approach mid-February, we at Sport Fish Michigan could not be more pleased with ice conditions and fish activity. Due to Northern Michigan experiencing such a variation in temperatures this winter, the fish seem to be avoiding the mid-February lull. February on any lake can be a very difficult time to find active fish. Snow coverage, limited daylight, and fishing pressure usually contribute to a slower bite. However, most species have been active and remain in a very positive mood! We are really looking forward to excellent fishing this month. Ice conditions seem to be maintaining, and snow coverage on most lakes is very limited. As we all know, a day of warm weather and rain can alter a lake’s condition: we ask that all anglers use caution and good judgment when hitting the ice this month.

Crystal Lake in Benzie County has formed 7-8 inches of ice coverage on the very east end of the lake. White fish can be found in 43-50 feet of water, but in very small schools. Anglers have had nice catches of perch in 25 feet of water fishing off the Beulah access. The remainder of the lake is all open water. The only fishable water is right off of the town of Beulah. Because Crystal Lake is 70% open water, anglers should be very cautious fishing the east end because conditions will can change with high winds.

Long Lake in Benzie County has formed 11-12 inches of ice. Pike fishing has recently improved on Long Lake. Golden Minnows on tip-ups have taken most fish. Perch and pike have been found in 6-9 feet of water. Perch minnows and small tungsten jigs have taken fair catches of perch.

Green Lake in Grand Traverse County has formed 8-9 inches of ice. Smelt fishing has definitely picked up in the past week. The best times to target active fish have been from 6-9pm. 45-55 feet of water has produced the most smelt action after dark. Anglers targeting pike have had success in 10-15 feet in weed-covered flats and along steep breaks.

Long Lake in Grand Traverse County has formed 9-10 inches of ice depending on what region of the lake you are on. Long Lake can be very inconsistent in ice thickness. Anglers should use extreme caution fishing Long Lake. Anglers have had success finding active walleye both jigging and fishing tip-ups along steep breaks and adjacent to weed beds in 30-35 feet. The hottest depth for both big perch and walleye seems to be 25-35 feet, depending on the time of day. Large perch have been found in 30-40 feet of water, as well. Anglers have not found large numbers of perch. However, the perch being caught have been very nice in size.

South Lake Leelanau has 7-8 inches of ice on the south portion of the lake only. The north end of the lake is not producing safe ice at this time due to inconsistent weather and winds. Anglers have found perch, pike, and walleye off all major boat ramp sites. Walleye fishing has been best in 18-25 feet, mostly on tip-ups and larger blue minnow presentations. Perch have been found in 15-25 feet depending on the bottom makeup. The shallower weed clumps have produced nice quality, however the deeper, softer weed-covered depths are producing greater numbers of fish.

Skegemog Lake in Antrim County has 10-11 inches of ice coverage off the south shore access site to the mid-central portion of the lake. Anglers using blues, tungsten jigs, and wax worms accompanied by an underwater camera have had great success. 11-16 feet of water seems to produce active fish on a consistent basis. The larger perch have been coming on orange and green tungsten jigs tipped with spikes and wax worms.

Portage Lake in Manistee County has formed 10-11 inches of ice coverage. Anglers have been fishing mostly off the north access sites for perch, pike, and walleye. Most perch have been found feeding on top of weed-covered areas in 16-25 feet. Anglers pursuing large perch in smaller schools have been targeting the 35-40 feet of water. This is also a great depth to jig and set tip-ups for walleye. Some walleye of a larger size have been found in the central portion of the lake in 28-32 feet of water at first and last light.

Bear Lake in Manistee County has formed 10-11 inches of ice. The walleye action has been in a bit of lull this past week. Anglers have been targeting walleye and pike off the southwest and north access sites. The more aggressive fish have been feeding along weed-covered drop-offs and contour changes in depths ranging from 12-18 feet. Pike and walleye seem to be on the move together, feeding in the same general areas.

Lake Mitchell and Lake Cadillac in Wexford County have both formed 10-12 inches of ice. Lake Cadillac has recently produced some very nice catches of crappie during daylight hours. Anglers finessing active fish with very small, dark-colored tungsten have had the most luck. Walleye have been found in 19-21 feet on Lake Mitchell. Pike have been active throughout the day. Larger pike have been coming on tip-ups using 4-5 inch sucker minnows as bait. Weed-covered flats ranging from 9-12 feet have been best for pike action.

We at Sport Fish Michigan look forward to many safe and successful days during this 2017 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 12.27.16

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With the warmer than usual weather pattern that has descended upon us staying longer than we had hoped, SFM would like to caution all ice anglers to please stay off the ice.

While there had been some nice ice formation earlier in the month of December with the cold temperatures, the warming trend that is still upon us has made for very unsafe and unpredictable ice conditions. Already this year, we have had 3 unfortunate deaths resulting from anglers falling through across northern Michigan.

We understand the draw to get out onto the ice to get after those early ice biters, but no fish is worth falling though for. Tempting as it may be, the ice is softening and weakening to the point that we feel that anglers should just stay off the ice completely. As ice conditions will continue to worsen this week with warmer than usual temperatures, it is far better to play things safely and stay home than to risk falling through. It will take several days of below-freezing temperatures to re-firm the ice, and the long-term forecast has next Wednesday and Thursday back below freezing. With any luck, things will freeze solidly enough to hopefully entertain the thought of getting back out onto the ice by the following weekend. But as Mother Nature and Old Man Winter can be unpredictable, we will just have to wait and see.

In the meantime, please use common sense and extreme caution and stay off the ice. There are a whole new season of fishing shows getting ready to air and lots of tackle to sort through, so for us here at Sport Fish Michigan, that’s what we will be doing! Watching fishing shows and sorting tackle, waiting for safe ice.

SFM Ice Fishing Report 12.22.16

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Benzie, Grand Traverse, Wexford County, Antrim, and Manistee Counties

Ice fishing season is approaching very fast in northern Michigan! It is so exciting to see most of the inland lakes in the area making ice in late December. Mid December provided very cold temps, which had us pointed in the right direction, but now with the warming trend, things are at a standstill in ice formation. All of the lakes listed in this report are lakes that we have had a chance to check in the past few days, we will be adding more lakes to report as time progresses. We ask that all anglers take nothing for granted and use extreme caution when getting out on the water this upcoming week.

Taking all of the recent variables into consideration, and with the forecasted warming trend coming in this next week, anglers should use extreme caution. Most lakes listed in this report have 3-5 inches of snow on the surface; with the warm weather ahead this will make for worsening ice strength and very slushy, wet conditions. The condition of each lake listed below will definitely get more unsafe after the forecasted warm front.

Long Lake in Benzie County has formed 3-5 inches of ice. With high winds this past week the ice in some areas is thicker than others. The pike have been found in 7-10ft of water on top of, and adjacent to, weed beds and flats. Spearing has been slow, however, tip-up action has been fair with presenting golden minnows and smaller suckers 1-2ft off bottom.

Green Lake in Grand Traverse County has recently produced 100% ice cover. It is definitely not safe to fish, but it is great to see 1-2 inches of good blue ice form on such a fantastic lake this early in the season. We are hoping for cooler weather in the next week or so to continue to build ice on this body of water. First ice for smelt, perch and large pike can be productive on this particular body of water.

Long Lake in Grand Traverse County has 100% ice coverage. As many of you know, it is very protected by the wind so the recent snowfall has had quite an impact on the ice surface. With only 2-3 inches of ice and large amounts of snow, we caution all anglers to stay off the ice until better conditions with thicker ice arrive.

Skegemog Lake in Antrim County has 2-3 inches of ice coverage off of the south shore access site. This is another lake we are very happy to see freeze so early in the season. Skegemog is an excellent lake to target first ice perch feeding in the shallow weed flats. Anglers using blues, tungsten jigs and wax worms will have great success. We are looking forward to getting out on Skegemog as soon as safe ice conditions persist. Skegemog is NOT safe to fish at this current time.

Portage Lake in Manistee County has made 2-3 inches of ice coverage. Being so close to Lake Michigan, heavy west winds have kept most of the snow off of the ice’s surface. We encourage anglers to wait for colder temperatures and thicker ice before venturing out on Portage. Portage Lake provides excellent perch, walleye and pike fishing for anglers to take advantage of.

Lake Mitchell and Lake Cadillac have both formed 3-5 inches of ice; anglers have been on both lakes for the past week. From what we are seeing and hearing, ice off Kenwood Park on Cadillac seems to have the safest ice. Crappie and pike are being found in 15-25 ft. Anglers fishing Mitchell have been sticking strictly to Big Cove, crappie and blue gill action has been hit or miss this past week. We stress that all anglers use extreme caution when hitting these two lakes.

We at Sport Fish Michigan look forward to many safe and successful days during this 2017 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 we’re looking forward to fishing with you!