Southeast Lower Peninsula
Lake Erie - Panfish and perch are being caught off Metro Park. Anglers fishing Brest Bay were taking some walleye, but caution needs to be used.
Huron River - Anglers have started to catch walleye up near the dam at Flat Rock.
Detroit River - Anglers are still taking perch out in Airport Bay. Panfish are hitting in the cuts and canals around Gibraltar.
St. Clair River - Is shut down because of all the ice coming down the river. Boat anglers will have to wait a little while longer.
Lexington - Has ice and anglers fishing in the harbor are taking steelhead, brown trout and the occasional whitefish.
Port Sanilac - Anglers here need to use caution as strong winds have produced some cracks in the ice. Those fishing in the harbor have caught steelhead, brown trout and some perch.
Saginaw Bay - Those fishing off Pine River and Palmer Roads reported good walleye action with some limits taken when going out 2 to 5 miles and fishing in 10 to 20 feet of water. Walleye fishing was good from Erickson Road and Linwood south to Bay City in 14 to 21 feet of water. Evenings were best. From Thomas Road, anglers are going all the way to the shipping channel and doing well in 24 feet of water. Some walleye were taken at night in 8 feet of water off Vanderbilt Park. Nice perch were caught near Spoils Island on the right day. The marina at Sebewaing was giving up small perch, but some bigger ones were caught at Geiger Road and Mud Creek. The fish were good size but not in large numbers. A few perch were caught in the harbor at Caseville.
Tittabawassee River - The ramp on Gordonville Road was finally free of ice an even though the fishing pressure was light, those that went walleye fishing did pretty good.
Saginaw River - Walleye fishing has been slow however some fish were caught throughout the river from the mouth to the south end of Bay City. Perch were caught near the Independence Bridge and in the Bay Aggregate cut, which is upstream from the Patterson Road access site.
Quanicassee River - Some bullhead were caught at night.
Southwest Lower Peninsula
Kalamazoo River - Those fishing the deeper holes below the Allegan Dam have caught some steelhead. Try spawn or a wax worm under a bobber. Walleye were caught up near the dam.
Gull Lake - Pike have been taken on tip-ups along the southeast portion of the lake. A few smelt were caught when using small minnows.
Grand River at Grand Rapids - Steelhead fishing has picked up for shore anglers off the East Wall. Some are bouncing spawn off the bottom while others are using a jig with a wax worm under a bobber or floating Wobble Glo's with spawn. Boat anglers are doing well when running the middle of the river. A few walleye have been caught using minnows, bucktail jigs, and white twister tails. From Johnson Park up, boat anglers using drift socks are walleye fishing along the east side of the river. A couple walleye were also taken off the Fulton Street Bridge. A nice pike was caught up near the dam.
Grand River at Lansing - Has open water fishing. Pike and walleye are being caught on minnows and crawlers.
Lake Lansing - Is a good place to fish pike with tip-ups. Also look for bluegills and perch.
Duck Lake - Located near Springport in Calhoun County has been giving up some nice bluegills.
Sessions Lake - Nice bluegills were starting to hit. Fish the weedbeds in 7 feet of water with teardrops and spikes.
Reeds Lake - Ice anglers continue to catch pike, perch and crappie. Some big bluegills were caught over by the island.
Lincoln Lake - In Kent County, look for perch and crappie when fishing with minnows or wax worms. Try tip-ups with minnows along the east side of the lake for pike.
Northeast Lower Peninsula
Thunder Bay River - Walleye fishing has been fair to good. A few trout and whitefish have also been caught. The ice is still holding all the way out to the mouth but ice conditions here are a day to day thing so anglers need to use extreme caution.
Van Etten Lake - Still has ice and fair to good numbers of perch are being caught. Look west of Loud Island for crappie.
Tawas - A few ice shanties can still be seen out on the bay. Perch are still being caught but the fish are small. Walleye fishing was good in 20 feet of water.
Au Gres - Had good walleye fishing in the evening in 15 to 20 feet of water.
Higgins Lake - Still has good ice. Some smelt are being caught in 40 to 50 feet of water near Big Creek. Lake trout can still be found in 80 to 100 feet of water, and some nice fish have been caught this winter. Fish near the creeks for rainbow trout. Perch are hitting, but anglers will need to sort out the small ones.
Houghton Lake - Still has plenty of ice where pike and walleye are being caught. Some nice crappies were caught off Flint Road, and perch were caught near the Cut River. Bluegill fishing is still slow but should pick up in the next couple of weeks.
Lake St. Helen - Still has good ice. Look for pike and walleye in the First Lake. Look for bluegill in the south end of the Third Lake.
Northwest Lower Peninsula
Bear River - In Petoskey, has absolutely fantastic ice fishing for steelhead. Fish are being caught near the mouth between the pier and the docks using wigglers and small spawn bags. Limit catches are common.
Traverse City - While the bays did get some ice, it should not be considered safe ice. Anglers might better wait for open water fishing.
Boardman River - Some steelhead were caught when drifting a wax worm under a bobber. Target the deeper holes between the mouth and the dam.
Cedar Lake - Near Greilickville was producing some smelt. Some pike have been caught on tip-ups.
Long Lake - Ice fishing for walleye continues but many are small.
Crystal Lake - Smelt and whitefish have been caught. The better fishing seems to be at night.
Lake Missaukee - The ice is holding and the panfish action ranges from fair to good.
Manistee River - Steelhead fishing has started to improve now that the lower river has opened up.
Lake Cadillac - Still has good ice and even better pike and crappie fishing.
Lake Mitchell - The ice is holding and the pike fishing remains very good.
Upper Peninsula
Keweenaw Bay - The coho and herring action has been fair off Sand Point and the lighhouse. The lake whitefish bite has been up and down but some good days were reported straight out from the Baraga Marina in 80 to 105 feet of water. Though lake trout fishing was spotty, waters 240 to 280 feet deep were the most productive. Anglers smelt fishing at night have started to report nice catches at the head of the bay and between the Baraga Marina and the lighthouse. Perch fishing was fair.
Stager Lake - Located near Alpha in Iron County is producing a good number of bluegills. The keepers range from 6 to 9 inches. Though you will have to sort out the small ones, the bigger ones make the trip worth while.
Bass Lake - Located near Iron Mountain is producing some splake when using tip-ups with small minnows.
Little Bay De Noc - Ice conditions remain good and travel on the ice has improved with the snow settling. With the close of walleye season, anglers have switched over to whitefish. Fair to good catch rates were reported just off Sand Point when jigging spawn, wigglers and minnows in 63 feet of water. Those fishing off the Terrace Bay Inn were also catching fish in waters 40 feet deep or more. A few nice perch were caught off Saunders Point when jigging wigglers in 30 feet of water.
Au Train - No anglers are fishing near the mouth of the Au Train River yet.
Munising - Those fishing off Sand Point and the mouth of the Anna River were catching a few small whitefish and some burbot on spawn, minnows or wax worms in about 55 feet of water. A few splake were also caught using the same baits in 40 feet of water. Smelt were hitting on a glow jig with a wax worm in 45 feet of water off Sand Point. Whitefish were caught in 60 feet of water off Powell's Point. Limit catches were reported in Trout Bay when jigging artificial baits in the top 50 feet of water. Extreme caution needs to be used as the ice thickness varies from one spot to the next. The ice here can be in one day and gone the next.
Munuscong Bay - Walleye season has closed so anglers are targeting perch. Catch rates have been slow but should increase in the next few weeks as the perch begin to move into the shallows.
Cedarville and Hessel - The perch are still scattered in Musky Bay. Those lucky enough to find a school of fish are taking some nice 10 inch perch when using minnows, wax worms and wigglers.
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