View Lake Details. Fishermen will find a variety of fish including sucker, sturgeon, bullhead, northern pike, rainbow trout, smelt, rock bass, pumpkinseed sunfish, walleye, splake, smallmouth bass, perch and crappie here. While it doesn't give up big numbers of trophy fish, Burt Lake can usually be counted on to provide enough walleyes for a fish fry. 15 in. Post Fishing Report Report Ice Depth Report Water Temp They are likely to be in the shallows, making them vulnerable to casting and trolling with shallow runningcrankbaitsand spinners. "Coldwater Lake is so dependant on stocking that the impact of VHS was huge. There's always perch to be had in Portage Lake, and though it may take some time to find them, once you do the result is usually well worth it. Onekama: Walleye anglers have been working the channels in Portage Lake since the opener, but no reports have come in. In the spring, before there are many weeds, trolling the shallows withcrankbaitsprovides the most bang for your buck. The entire lake is surrounded by county roads. Choose an appropriate time of the day and season to fish for Walleyes. These are the times when most fish are heading to their feeding grounds, and when most species are active. In a typical Michigan winter, the ice action can be expected to start on the Saginaw River around the middle of January. means grab your tackle box and hold on to your hat - you are in for some Like any sport worth its name, fishing for Walleyes requires a tactful approach. Reaching the other side, begins the portage, which is a . "We stocked it with walleyes in 2005 and again in 2011.". Saginaw River is another good jigging spot in the area, where anglers generally fish a 3/8 oz jig with split-tail minnows and paddle-tails. The forage and structure of this lake also offer the Walleyes protection from anglers, thus, allowing them to grow large. This isMichigans largest inland lake and despite fishing pressure and recreational boating, it still provides the opportunity to catch a lot of walleye. Not limited to just springtime jigging on the Detroit River, northern Michigan has some great walleye fishing almost year-round. Anglers have two choices: fish deep using finesse techniques during daylight hours or wait until after dark when the walleyes move shallow. During late spring and early summer, look for walleyes in the shallows of East Bay and adjacent Churchill Point. The lake is located on and is accessible from U. S. Route 224 and State Routes 14 and 225. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. Beautiful waterfront home on Portage Lake! Some, like me, treat themselves to high-grading their candy bags. Locals suggest using paddle-tails while jigging in off-color waters where the clarity is limited. walleye, guiding it through a hole in the ice. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Ice Fishing in Michigan: The Complete Guide. Ice fishing in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Spanning more than 275,000 acres, Lake St. Clair is part of the Great Lakes system, and big pike are frequently caught on broad, shallow flats and near the edges of shipping channels. Plenty of inland lakes in Michigan have great walleye fishing too. Almost twice the size of Hubbard Lake at 17,260 acres, Burt Lake is popular with walleye anglers. "Upper Belleville Lake can be very good right after the opener," he said. Once the weeds get taller and thicker you should change to pitching and jigging hooks with leeches using a slip-bobber. Eastwood, MI. Plenty of inland lakes in Michigan have great walleye fishing too. Kalish admitted that the initial plants of walleyes in the lakes were a unique experiment. Closely related to the walleye and similar in appearance, sauger are generally smaller than walleye, reaching 4 to 5 pounds (or more) and up to about 20 inches. Because Hubbard Lake has clear water, catching Walleye fish in this lake can be hard. As one of the busiest waterways in the Great Lakes, the St. Clair River connects two lakes, Huron and St. Clair. During this period, the lakes freeze over enough for you to enjoy your ice fishing experience. Predators tend to hold down any contributions that we might get from natural reproduction.". Those fish should grow quickly and begin contributing to the fishery in 2013. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Pitching a jig tipped with a worm or leech into a weed pocket and twitching it until it settles to the bottom is one effective technique. Michigan anglers jig minnows while drifting downriver, ice jigs, and spoons in deep waters along the dropoffs and ledges. Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Yellow Perch, and Steelhead are other types of fish found under the surface. Maximum 9 feet deep. Use trolling crankbaits during Summer and drift using slip bobbers with leeches at night. All Game & Fish subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. Salt Creek runs through Imagination Glenn County Park and Haven Hollow Park, both offering angler-access. Unlike most of the lakes in this list, Holloway Reservoir is a man-made lake. This area is for trophy walleye fishing, where you can reel in a 30 to 32-inch keeper, tipping the scales at 14-pounds. Fisheries View all reports Status of the Fishery Resource Reports contain the results of major fisheries surveys on Michigan lakes and rivers. Ice Fishing on Portage Lake - YouTube Fishing tournament in Onekama, Michigan. the lake trout, the smelt, and the walleye. Others go into a dreamscape of good first dates, movies worth seeing a second time and dirty tricks to play on their bosses. Whether by boat or onshore, a fishing pole will bring you some of the state's best and most diverse fishing, not to mention picturesque views. Instead, this fish has a lightly sweet taste when cooked. He has since expanded the blog to include gear reviews, fishing reports, and even recipes for cooking up your catch. The Detroit River anglers use something locals call Wyandotte Worm, a finesse-style black or brown plastic worm. Unlike in the Detroit River, Lake Erie Walleye anglers usually go for trolling. Both will also interest the giant smallmouths and surreal bluegills that the lake is famous for. What is the deepest part of Portage Lakes? Its known for its channel catfish and largemouth bass. Although this lake occasionally receives small plants, the Walleye population in the lake is sustained through natural reproduction. Perch fishing on southern Lake . Feel free to consult your guide and the DRN website in advance. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. There are plenty of fishable rivers and inland lakes in the state with great Walleye fishing. Its important to be especially careful when planning an ice fishing trip for Walleye, even if youre heading out with a guide. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. is a recreation site about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) north of Buffalo Narrows. From perch fishing, to jigging up walleyes and setting tip-ups for pike, Adam is well-versed in a large variety of techniques and species through the ice. A great area to find Walleyes in this lake is drop-offs with gravel bottoms during the post-spawning season. The Walleye Lodge features a live bait and tackle shop and a fish cleaning station, pontoon and fishing boat rentals, and 400'+ of dock space available for your use, as well as grilling areas, fire pit, paddle boats and . The property is about 24 miles from downtown Houghton, approximately a 35 minute drive. It covers 2000 acres and is located northwest of Lapeer County and northeast of Genesee County. You will need to be more patient and have more prowess when fishing in thick weed pockets. History & Wildlife If youre a serious angler, Nimisila Reservoir is for you. Local clubs make an effort to stock fall fingerlings; 80,000 spring fingerlings that we planted a few years ago provided a fishery the last few years, but it was almost entirely for adult fish last year. This lake has a surplus of protein rich forage, allowing walleye to grow big quickly. Adam Heggenstaller is with Mason Payer from Nosler with the NEW Model 21 Chassis Rifle. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. The warmer the water gets, the deeper the fish go, holding to reef areas across the lake. Due to minimal pressure, this lake has become a great place for walleye fishing. 2023 Outdoor Sportsman Group. Catching Monster Walleye on Portage Lake in Michigan 4,304 views Jul 14, 2019 29 Dislike Share Save Outdoor Life in Michigan 362 subscribers #Walleye #Walleyefishing #mi #PortageLake. Lets dive right in. , Best Answer From Peter in Australia: A hook will rust away in a fish, but it may take a while, especially if the hook is plated or made of thick metal. Locate depressions and manmade structure and experiment withcrankbaitsand jigs ( oz jigs,1/8 oz jigs,1/16 oz jigs)depending on the time of day and season. Although this is a manmade lake, Kent Lake is the second most fished lake in Michigan. Well talk about the most productive techniques, lakes and rivers you can explore, the best time to go, and more. Ice fishing for Walleye in Michigan is a treat for many anglers, residents, and visitors alike. Lake St. Clair is known for a variety of fish -- bass, walleye, muskellunge -- but northern pike are a prime target for many anglers in this Detroit-area lake. Saturday April 15, 2023 . These areas are prime spots, but dont limit yourself to these alone. Study the lakes layout to understand where you locate high populations of fish. With shores that range from sandy to rocky to clay . Start at the bottom and work your way up for suspended Walleyes. The GPS coordinates for this Lake are 44.3616208 (latitude), -86.2293385 (longitude) and the approximate elevation is 581 feet (177 meters) above sea level. They are usually in shallow water during the post-spawn period and move towards the edge of deep holes as the water warms. Scott Oglanian with his personal best walleye while ice fishing. Kalamazoo, MI. great fishing for Fishing on the drop off, the old fashioned bobber, hook, and worm is the best choice. This season is, however, characterized by an increase in the growth of weeds which make it hard to fish. Berlin Lake lies in the northeastern part of Ohio at the junction of Stark, Portage, and Mahoning counties. Lake Michigan Fishing Charters There's nothing better than a day out on the water with your friends and family. The Walleye fish has a subtle flavor and as such lacks a strong fishy taste. Winter Walleye fishing is also popular here, although you should definitely be very careful while working the ice. Fishing map Depth map Instagram. Please feel free to call us at 1-877-665-2311. "Ford Lake does have some natural reproduction. Enjoy summer by the lake with great fishing, boating, canoeing, swimming, water sports, or relax on the sundeck. This is because these fish are low energy following high spawning activities and dont fight back as much. Two great fishing spots in Hubbard Lake are Churchill Point or Doctor Point. February 5, 2023 to February 5, 2023 . Eagle Lake is a great lake for catching walleye, smallmouth bass, northern pike and muskie. After the weeds get thick, pitching a jig ( oz jigs,1/8 oz jigs,1/16 oz jigs) orslip bobbertipped with a leech into weed pockets is your best bet.