Waiting For Ice 12/29/11



Lindy Slick Jigs. 

Ice fishing season is starting out slow this year.  Today (12/29) we still have open water on Budd Lake and all of the surrounding lakes that we like to fish on first ice.  I've have heard two reports that the East Bay of Houghton Lake has up to 5-inches of ice in spots and guys are out fishing.  I plan to drive up to Houghton tomorrow and check the ice conditions and will report back. Like the rest of the waiting ice fishermen I have been stocking up on fishing lures and have all of my equipment ready to go when we have safe fishing conditions.

    

Houghton Lake Walleye Report 1/23/11

Tip Up Walleye



I arrived at the lake at 8:00am the thermometer read -13.  Excited to fish the new spot I mapped out the night before, I got out into the cold and unloaded all of my frozen gear.  After a bit of work getting everything started and packed I took off on a three mile trip to the NE.  I followed the route on my GPS out to my fishing area and realized that the area didn't have any signs of other fishermen.  Excited about the area even more I started drilling holes along the contour.  Stopping for a minute to enjoy the morning views I noticed lots of steam rising out of the new holes which is not a sight you see everyday.  The fishing action was very good all day  (9am - 3pm) and I saw lots of walleye, perch, and pike on the camera.  My first walleye was under size and he hit on a ghost bug and a small minnow. I caught six walleye jigging and one on a tip up with only one keeper.  The bite today was a bit of attract and then finesse.  I had a few fish swim in then just look over the bait and move on.  By the end of the day I was jigging a Darter in one hole to get the fish into the area and hooking them with a small jig and a wax worm on my second pole.  This was a odd bite for Houghton and without my camera I would have never figured the fish out.  The area I fished today was loaded with 14-inch walleye which is great sign for the future.  



Undersize Walleye Minnow / Flying Jig



Houghton Lake Walleye Report 1/21/11

Moxi Minnow Walleye

It was another wonderful morning of walleye fishing on Houghton Lake today.  My dog Tracker and I were on the ice at 6:30am setting up the shanty and drilling holes enjoying the cold full moon morning.  After a bit of work we were setup and fishing by 7am.  I started out fishing with a Blue / White GHOST BUG by Northwoods tipped with a 3-inch minnow.  Just before sunrise I had my first strike and a few minutes later I hooked a very nice walleye and lost him when he came off the hook halfway up the hole.  After light I turned on my fish camera and watched the second walleye I hooked.  I also watched him swim off after I lost him when my 6 pound leader broke at the barrel swivel.  At around 8:45am the action really picked up when I changed over to the Moxi Minnow.  The first drop I hooked a 14 inch walleye, then about twenty minutes later I hooked a 15 inch, and a 11 inch micro walleye later.  Early on the fish hit hard on the slow natural presentation and then after light the more aggressive flashy and loud presentation brought in the fish.  Tip up fishing was slow, one walleye and one miss.  Overall report, hooked seven walleyes two keepers, lost two keepers, three undersized.  Saw four walleyes on the camera that didn't bite, lots of perch and one pike today.  Lures tried out today:  Moxi Minnow Perch - caught lots of fish, recommend this bait when you need to attract fish to your area.  Ghost Bug - great with a minnow, excellent when fish are in the area and you need a natural presentation.

Second Walleye Moxi Minnow

Micro Walleye Moxi Minnow

Testing: Ghost Grub, Jiggle Bug, Moxi Minnow

Tracker Staying Warm

Cold and Windy Day On Houghton Lake