My Wife and I went up to Glen Arbor this past weekend to fish Big Glen but found no ice. What a bummer. Be careful if you’re calling up there for information. I contacted the Sportsman Bait Shop three times .

The first email he didn’t answer my questions when he responded. I asked him how the ice was on Big Glen. His response was “ fishing is slow on little Glen”.

The second email he said there was 6 inches of ice.  Before I received a response to the second email I called him. When I asked him how the ice was on Big Glen he told me there was 6 inches of ice. Before I could confirm he meant Big Glen he said I have people to sell clothes to I have to pay some bills and hung up.

 Needless to say when I got up there was no ice on Big Glen. It wasn’t a wasted Trip as we fished Little Glen and caught some Perch and hit Glen Arbor where most everything was dirt cheap on sale.

For those of you that don’t know much about the timing Big Glen doesn’t normaly get ice until February . If you didn’t know it’s a great place to ice fish and the perch are huge. Â

Ice fishing on Little Glen is slow but there’s plenty of ice. I would have to say twelve inches. If you’re planning on heading up fish with spikes or wigglers. Look for 10 to12 foot of water and weeds on the bottom.

We run Ice fishing Trips on Big Glen for perch in February and the first few weeks in March.

Equipment , shelters and bait is provided $325

 Trips are 6 hours for one or two people each additional person is $50

If your interested contact us eyemagnet@veriszon.net leave a post or call 231-557-9582

I have been producing better numbers of fish on Spikes ,Mousies and Red Spikes. I’m using a dropper rig and it continues to produce better than most around me on a regular basis.

 Glow in the dark jigging spoon with 8 inches of 2 pound fluorocarbon to a number 12 Glow green Ratfinky by jigs and spins is by far the best.

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 Don’t’ get me wrong there are a good number of anglers that can’t stand it and try everything their experience tells them to try until they have nothing left. The balance are people that just don’t have the experience to know that every little think can make a difference.  Â

In my opinion ice fishing more than any other time of the year the key is finesse. What other time of the year do fish get a chance to stare at you’re bait for long periods of time with out any interruption.

A couple of week ago I was fishing Muskegon Lake for Bluegills  and had it going on. Not only was I catching fish the size of the fisher were significantly larger than most others had. Even though I look for any attention I can get as a Fishing guide it can be a bit awkward.  I would love to tell the guy next to me exactly what to do but I had to come off as boasting.

   I can tell the people around me were frustrated . I thought to myself why are these guys just  keep doing the same thing if it’s not working. Even though I knew it all along it really hit me. These guys just don’t realize how many things they can do to try and get these fish to bite.

For me one key was my Vexilar. The second thing was  the fishing rod I was using.  With my flasher I knew when I had my bait close to a fish and how it responded to my presentation.

With my longer 51 inch rod I couldn’t  keep a jigging pattern consistent so I switched to my 30  inch.  The longer rod had to much swaying movement. Sustaining the jigging pattern that they liked and not breaking it  was key.

 As a serious fisherman I don’t know of anything that gives you a better feeling than knowing you got the bite figured out. I knew my program was working but it wasn’t until my brother in-law came up to me to ask what I was doing that it became hardwired into my bag of tricks .

I had been under dressed that day . I had a shiver on and off the whole time I was there. The longer rod really pronounced my shiver and lake of stability. As I began to explain along with show  him what the pattern was I couldn’t hold the shiver back. As I talked though my presentation I couldn’t catch a fish and I knew what was wrong.

 I couldn’t control my jig. He often makes fun of my theories and this was no exception so the pressure was on. That was until I held my pole against my knee for stability. As soon as knew I was under control again I said “watch this”. I pulled four nice gills out as fast as I could go through the motions of un-hooking them.

 Many things plaid a factor that day even the fish made me look good. When it comes down to it it’s never just one thing. And it’s never as easy as someone puts on paper.

However from my experience jigging patterns are always one variable that makes a difference when ice fishing. Sometimes it’s as easy as jig or not jig and sometimes it’s not.

The picture above shows the flies I used that day. I made by myself. They dont’ work all of the time nor do they work eveyrwhere. They sure shine on Muskegon lake on  specific days.

Here are some kids I addopted on the ice. They were board so my daughter and I let them take turns realling in Perch for the afternoon.

One of the last places most walleye anglers go to catch fish is the weeds. However, according to Ernie Miller of Last Cast Charters in Muskegon, weeds are the perfect place to prowl if anglers want to catch a few walleyes.

           “Walleyes like to hang out in the weeds like other fish. There are always large numbers of bait fish in the weeds, which can provide walleyes with an easy meal,” Miller said. According to Miller, fishing in and around weed beds can provide anglers with good walleye fishing opportunities, regardless of the time of day. However, Miller changes his techniques as the day progresses.

           Early in the morning, Miller enjoys fishing the edge of the weeds on a flat or drop off, near a large weed bed. Just before and after the sun rises, many walleyes will be a few feet from the bottom, patrolling the edge of the weeds looking for a meal.Â

 Miller uses crank baits and fishes off the bottom early in the morning. During the early hours of morning, walleyes are still aggressively feeding and Miller typically covers lots of water if he doesn’t start catching fish in a short period of time. If fish are on a weed bed edge feeding, Miller says it shouldn’t take long to begin catching fish.

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      Once the sun rises, the tactics change slightly. “As the sun rays begin to penetrate the water during the mid-morning, I use a crawler harness on the bottom of a flat or drop off near a weed bed. I fish on the bottom because often the walleyes near the weed edge sit on the bottom outside the weeds to avoid the sun,” Miller added.

 These walleyes often sit on the bottom for hours and in order to put one in the boat, Miller says the harness must be on the bottom. “At this point, many of these walleyes are shutting down and not feeding as heavily. They will still feed, but it needs to be an easy meal which is why I put the bait right in front of them,” Miller said.

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       In the mid-morning and early afternoon, Miller likes to head to the shallows to fish for walleyes in the thick weed beds. “I like to find a weed bed in the shallows where the weeds come all the way up to the surface and troll over these areas with planer boards. Very few fishermen use this tactic for walleyes because fishing in the weeds can be a pain, but I have found that walleyes are often suspended in the weed beds a few feet from the bottom looking for bait fish swimming above them,” Miller explained. Walleyes hang out in the weeds during early afternoon to get out of the sun, feed, and to obtain cover and protection.

 When trolling with planer boards along the tops of weed beds, Miller prefers using crawler harnesses and trolls at about one mile an hour. After a few passes over one weed bed without a hit, he heads to a different weed bed.

           During the afternoon, walleyes don’t move far from the structures and weed beds they feed in during the night. Miller likes to check out weed beds that are extremely close to deep water or other structures. “At night, walleyes like to use the weeds and other structures as an ambush point. They patrol the edge of the weeds in the deep water or the structures that are near the weeds looking for bait fish. Many of them won’t travel far from these areas during the day,” Miller explained.

 When fishing the structures and deep water near weed beds in the afternoon, Miller likes using spoons and a Jason Mitchell Rod. Jason Mitchell Rods are relatively new to the fishing industry. Many of the rods are designed for specific fishing applications. “The Jason Mitchell Rods are extremely fast, so I can get good momentum and a lift of a spoon with a quick snap of the wrist. They are extremely sensitive,” Miller commented.

           During the day, another tactic Miller uses is casting a jig equipped with a slip bobber into holes in the weeds. “I often find holes in the thick weeds and go from hole to hole casting a jig. Walleyes will congregate near these holes because they can see into the open pocket of water and ambush bait fish that swim into the opening.” A new bobber that Miller likes for this style of fishing is called the EZ bobber. It is made in Michigan and simply snaps onto your line. Water can be added to the body of the bobber to increase the weight of the bobber, which helps if you need to cast great distances.Â

Miller does this when fishing holes in the weeds. “When fishing in the open areas in the weeds, it is important to stay as far away from the opening as you possibly can so you don’t spook fish that are sitting on the edge of the hole,” Miller said.

           Walleyes can be lethargic during the day. Many anglers will tell you their favorite time to fish walleyes is at night. After the sun goes down, walleyes become aggressive feeders. Many of the walleye that hang out in the deep water during the day will head to the weeds during the night and feed for hours on the abundant bait fish that can be found there. “Trolling the edge of weed beds at night can produce a lot of fish for anglers. I suggest anglers who are learning how to troll for walleyes at night troll near a weed bed they are familiar with. As I mentioned earlier, weeds hold some walleyes all day long. Many walleyes will migrate to the weeds at night so anglers trolling the edge of the weeds at night will have an opportunity to catch the migrating fish and walleyes that spend their time there in the daylight hours,” Miller noted. Walleyes are always hanging out near structures including wood pilings and weeds.Â

If someone is just learning how to fish for walleyes, they should start in the weeds because they will learn how to fish structures without losing as many lures as they would if they were fishing other structures like wood pilings. Fishing weeds can be frustrating because anglers are always pulling weeds off their line and lures, but at least they still have them.

           Most anglers who enjoy fishing take a fishing trip or two each summer. Sometimes we head to a lake that we know as well as we know an old friend. Other times we explore new waters. When exploring a new lake, Miller always heads to the weeds.  “If I am fishing a lake that I have never been to, I ask the guy at the bait store where the weeds are on the lake. Most of the time, bait shop owners or other anglers will tell me where the weed beds are.

 Once I have an idea of where they are, I head to the woods as soon as I am on the water. Regardless if it is first thing in the morning or after dark, I know that walleyes will be in or near the weeds. Weeds are a great place to start. It doesn’t mean I will stay there all day. Often I put a few fish in the boat right away because I stopped to troll the edge of a weed bed,” Miller explained.

           Miller believes fishing the weeds for walleyes is a great way to catch fish and is a strategy many walleye anglers overlook. Fishing open water and near large structures is often the preferred method of most walleye anglers. However, Miller believes the weeds are a great place to fish because they consistently produce fish. “I have found that walleyes of all sizes tend to hang out in or near the weeds at some point during their daily routine. Hanging out near the weeds has allowed me to put more walleyes in the freezer which makes my clients and I happy,” Miller said.

             As you head to the water this summer in search of walleyes, don’t forget to head to the weeds. You may be cleaning your line off more than you’re used to, but you might also be cleaning more fish.                                    Â

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There are three things to consider that will help in getting river run fish to hit. The first thing is try not to spook the fish. The second thing is how you present your bait . The third is the size of your lure or bait. Being prepared with small less conspicuous baits and larger flashy baits is always best.

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Visually these fish are very sharp. If you can see them they can see you. These fish are typically spooky and for good reason . Most of these fish have seen and had to deal with people several times before they have had the opportunity to start spawning. The odds are they have tried to start their spawning process more than once and have been scared off by over eager fisherman before they ended up in front of you.

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 The fish quickly learn to associate people as a threat. When determining how close to get you need to keep in mind that It’s import to have good control over where your casts land in the water. You don’t want to be casting so hard to get your bait to the fish that you have to cast three times to get one in the zone. The odds are that if you can’t control you casts a few of your casts will land on or near the fish. It doesn’t take many times where your sinkers or lure lands to close to the fish and they become spooked.

The end result is they move on or won’t stay in one place long enough to concentrate on them.. What your wearing can make a difference on how close you can get to the fish. Try to dress in neutral or dark colors that don’t completely contrast with the background of the river bank. If you can stay close to the bank or structure on the bank.

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Presenting your baits is as important as anything. The main thing is what ever your fishing with, you don’t want it to enter the water near the fish. There are several presentations to key in on that can help with this. One is using bobbers with spawn. This is an effective technique when fish are in holes or deeper runs. This works well for several reasons. Your hook is up off the bottom which in the rivers usually has rocks, leaves or wood tight to bottom. If your fishing on bottom all that stuff can interfere with your presentation as it drifts through the fish.

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Let alone it can be very frustrating if you getting snagged and losing hooks and having to tie on new hardware several times at every stop. You don’t need to be at the same depth as the fish. If anything you can be 12 inches to 24 inches above them and still be in the strike zone. With this presentation it’s a good idea to use a barrel swivel below your bobber. Tie on to that using about a two foot leader. If your main line is 10 pound test use a leader of 8 pound. If your Main line is 8 pound use a 6 pound leader. If you do get caught on structure you can usually limit your loss to a hook and some leader line. Keep in mind you want to cast above the whole keeping the entry of your bait well away from the fish.

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Now set the length between your hook and your bobber about 2 feet longer than the hole is deep. Start off by using less weight than what you think you need. You don’t want your bait to sink straight down. Ideally what you want is by the time your bait has drifter down to the hole where the fish are your bait has worked it’s way down toward the bottom. Because your bait is sinking as it’s drifting with the current your line will be at an angle. Furthest down stream is your bait. This will be what the fish will see first which is exactly what you want. If your not quite sure if your down to where the fish are and decide to add weight let your bobber tell you when you have added enough.

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 If you bobber begins to hesitate as it’s drifting you catching bottom and that’s not what you want. This presentation usually works best with a 2 inch ball of Skein Spawn. The large ball of skein well above the fish is a large target the fish will key on.

The easiest way I’ve found to keep the skein on is to use a snelled hook. Slip the knot down the hook about ¼ inch and pinch the knot to the hook to keep it from moving. With your other hand push your leader line from in front of the eye of the hook back through the eye. This will make a loop behind the eye of the hook. Push it until you have a large loop. Slip the skein inside the loop so it’s centered and pull until the skein is attached. To finish it off I usually make sure the point of my hook is turned into the skein so it’s not showing.

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While fishing for fish on beds I usually use a 7or 8 weight fly rod with a sinking tip or a spinning rod with split shot and a small wet fly. I find the sink tip with a small minnow imitator 18 inches behind a #12 single egg pattern is very effective. I usually try to target the fish that are hanging near the back of the bed first. What your trying to do is get your sinking line to pull the fly through the fish in a down stream direction. This represents a minnow chasing a single egg as it drifts down stream. This triggers the fish to feed for two reasons.

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 The first reason is they don’t like fish feeding on the eggs. The second reason is male dominance. There is a natural pecking order established in every group of fish especially when they are on beds. The smaller fish always get picked on and pushed around by a bigger fish in the area. Sometimes it takes fishing flies up to six inches long to trigger this response. When the fly lands you want it upstream and on the opposite side of the as you are. The sinking tip should land down stream from the fish. You want the current to pull your sinking tip which will drag your fly though the fish. You want this to happen without the sinking tip going through the fish if at all possible.

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It takes some practice. By the time you get the placement of your cast correct you may have spooked some fish. This is another reason I target the fish toward the back first. If some of the fish do get spooked with little adjustment you can cast a little further upstream and fish the front of the beds. Your now targeting fish that haven’t been startled by your previous casts.

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When fishing with a spinning rod and flies it’s a bit easier. I tie a barrel swivel on with a 5 to 6 foot leader to a fly or a spawn sack. When I tie on the barrel swivel I leave a tag end of about 4 inches. I use the tag end for split shot. If your split shot gets hung up in the rocks you can do a quick snap and the split shot will slide off. For someone who is buying their flies this can save them allot of money. Another advantage is It’s easier to put on a split shot than a whole new leader, especially when it’s cold outside. When deciding where you need to be when casting you should stand up stream from the fish. Cast well past the fish and up stream.

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 This keeps the noise from the bait entering the water away from the fish. As soon as it hits the water start reeling your line in. As your reeling in, your line will fade back toward the fish because of the current .You want to reel it in so your sinker ends up about 10 feet upstream from the fish. By this time your bait is down stream form your sinkers. This is where the long leader comes in. At this point allow your bait to drift down and through the fish. The fish see your bait well before they see your sinkers.

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 I try to use either small eggs of neutral colored flies when trying to get the fish to feed out of hunger. I will spend a good amount of time on a group of fish before giving up. I believe by drifting baits that aren’t bold or flashy a person is less likely to spook the fish. If you can keep the fish together in one location some of the fish will bite.

Shoreline Service
2080 Lakeshore Dr
Muskegon, MI 49441

It was floating on the surface of the Muskegon River because it couldn’t  handle the meal. Talk about your eyes being bigger than your stomach .

This is why big streamers work so well