taking my little brother and his friend fishing

[blondie]

We have no boat but they've been bugging me to take them fishing since the weather has been quite warm. Does anyone have any ideas where I could take them??? I've been to northshore but they're bored of that place. Thank you so much! We are willing to do travel a hour to hour and a half radius centered from Escanaba.

[acesario]

Why not take them to the mouth of the Ford? I think its about 10 minutes from Esky.
I've seen people fishing up and down from the boat launch, noticed a TON of minnows in the water, and we've seen fish on the fishfinder in the river when pulling out to to fish walleyes.
Who know you might pickup a walleye, or more likely some bass or panfish.
Good luck.

[blondie]

What should we use...I practically got everything (my fathers)?

[acesario]

Worms and bobbers are always a good idea, plastics too like fake works or tubes. Otherwise for bass my favorites are topwater lures like poppers, jitterbugs etc. Spinners and spoons like mepps, crocodile spoons daredevils all work. Shallow running rapallas work well.

[blondie]

Thank you!!!!

[jerkbait]

I'll second the Ford river. Go to the boat launch and fish on the trail heading down to the river mouth. Those lures are all successful for me as well. Ive also had success with a large jig head with a plastic swim bait with a paddle tail. Jerking the pole and then winding jerk then wind some more. The bass hammer it down there. Cast to positions on the clock starting from left to right or right to left fan pattern. Good luck

Jerkbait

[COACH DONBOB]

We have no boat but they've been bugging me to take them fishing since the weather has been quite warm. Does anyone have any ideas where I could take them??? I've been to northshore but they're bored of that place. Thank you so much! We are willing to do travel a hour to hour and a half radius centered from Escanaba.

MY BROTHER HAS A SMALL POND IN HIS BACK YARD HIM AND HIS BOY 10 AND 13 CATCH TROUT ,ROCK BASS AND PERCH MAY BE SOME SMALL MOUTH
GARINTEED TO CATCH FISH . IT ANT FAR IT IS IN FLATROCK . MAYBE IF YOUR INTERSTED


DON

[tomjohn]

Will my 16' mirro craft fit in to do some trolling. lol

[YooperTroll]

If you want to guaranteed catch fish right now (can't promise size), take them to the Groveland Mine Ponds. That first pond where the fishing dock is...all along that shoreline you can catch bluegills (albeit mostly small ones) right now and the occasional bass using the standard hook and bobber. Took my boys out there last week...they had a ball. They could actually watch some of the little ones fight over their worm by the shoreline.

Again, I can't guarantee you'll catch a lot of good-sized ones out there fishing from shore...but you will catch fish. For kids, that's usually all that matters.

It's about 45 miles or so from Esky...well within your stated time/distance range.

[sho]

Harbor in Esky and the bridge crossing to Aaronson island in Ludington Park where my favorite spots to fish when all I relied on was pedal-power. Hook and worm usually did the trick!

No wall mounters, but being able to "sight fish" the sunfish, bluegill, small bass, and perch in there was always a good time. Actually, the wall along the West side of the harbor was fairly productive too.

[YooperTroll]

I concur on Ludington Park...if you hit it right you can catch some keepers as well. One morning last summer my son and I pulled 18 nice eaters (bluegills) out of there from shore. Not the norm...but there's usually some sort of action to be had there.

We've caught a couple of keeper pike there as well.

[blondie]

Thanks guys for all the info...we tried ford river for the past couple days and we caught some smallmouth bass and only one keeper about 16"! this weekend we're gonna try esky harbor.