Ice conditions off Gladstone + fishing report

[The Bait Shop Guy]

Fished off the Gladstone harbor Wednesday evening. First time I've been out in a week. No problem getting around, but you have to drive slow. The snow was pretty well knocked down after the last rain and warmer temps, but all that slushy snow is now ice, and every set of tire tracks acts like a speed bump. Measured 17 inches of ice.

Marked a couple dozen fish between 5 and 6:30, but most of them didn't show up until after 5:45. Only had a couple "hot fish" that would even chase a bait. Most would just swim up and look at it once before swimming away. Lost one small fish on a Shiver Minnow around 5pm, then had a group of active fish show up about 6:15 - got one short and one 20 incher out of that group on the good old #9 Glow Hot Perch Jigging Rap.

Talked to a few guys at the access. Everyone was marking fish, but two zeroed, and one caught an 8 inch walleye. Still a tough bite out there.

[CRAHO]

Same story for me tonight (2/15). Lots of activity on the graph around 6pm off the Yacht Harbor in 30fow. Lost two minnows, but no good bites, no fish.. Tried assorted Buckshot jigs and Rapalas along with tipups to no avail.. Tomorrow there is a fishing Derby on Au Train Lake, if anyone is interested.. Always a good time, $10 to enter and includes a big Fish Fry dinner in Munising after the derby.

[KiplingHouse]

Got some nice Perch on Saturday. Started around 11:30 and stayed good until about 1:30 for Perch. Fished that evening and didn't get anything but marked some fish. I can't seem to get any walleyes despite some fish at night checking out my rappala. We caught the Perch on a little teardrop and wigglers. One was 12" and the rest were 10-11. Not the excitement of walleye but still pretty cool pulling up a big Perch. And dinner was good :)

[The Bait Shop Guy]

Marked good numbers of fish again off the Gladstone harbor, but still only getting a couple to bite. On the plus side, there seems to be some bigger fish around, based on the size of the marks on the graph, (I don't know about you, but I'd rather fish for big fish that don't bite, than little ones that don't bite! LOL!)

Landed one short walleye and a 17 incher on a #8 Glow Tiger Snap Rap. Also missed two good fish on that bait. It amazes me that they can smack a lure with 5 hook points on it, and not get stuck. If I look at one the wrong way when taking it out of the box, it sticks me!

Going out again tonight. Maybe this will be the night.

[The Bait Shop Guy]

Another tough one last night! Caught the first fish that I marked at 6 O'clock, (14 incher.) Marked 14 more fish in the next 45 minutes and never had another bite!