Landings are a gauntlet of rough, frozen slush ruts. Once traffic disperses onto the bay, it’s mostly smooth wind blown ice. Any snow remaining is in drifts amongst the slush ruts or towards the top of the bay. There is a chance for a dusting of snow over the next couple of days. A couple of inches would be great for insulating fish shacks when next week’s polar vortex moves into town. It looks like ideal weather conditions for the weekend. Ice is getting thicker by the day, with the exception of shallows and areas with currents. Even though it’s below freezing, an inch or more of rain fell across the U.P. in the last week, increasing the flow from rivers and creeks and compromising ice at the mouths of those tributaries. I think most people know the areas of concern on the upper bay. At least 4 out of 5 anglers I am aware of who went into the drink by Butler’s Reef knew. But even if you know, you need to be smart, pay attention to your location, and navigate wisely. Or don’t go–especially in the dark.

Increasing your odds,

-Blade, Blades Bait and Tackle

Upper Peninsula

Little Bay de Noc: Anglers targeting perch reported fair to good fishing, with some reports of catch limits in the upper bay. Anglers were using spoons tipped with minnow heads and tungsten jigs baited with insects. Some anglers reported catching perch in the shallows; however, those fishing deeper water reported larger average fish sizes as well as higher numbers.

Anglers targeting walleye reported slow to fair fishing and very lethargic marks on sonar units throughout much of the week. Anglers attributed peak increases in walleye aggression to changes in atmospheric pressure. They used set lines, such as tip-ups or rattle reels, baited with sucker minnows or shiners, in combination with jigging rods. Anglers also reported catching walleye on jig heads baited with minnows, snap-jig-style baits, and spoons.

Ice conditions persisted during the week, remaining similar to those of the previous week. The combination of warm weather and high winds following a snowfall had made for excellent travel conditions.

Department of Natural Resources