Saginaw Bay Area did not have much ice left and what was there was not good ice.Nothing to report on the west side of the bay as the ice was either gone or no good. Boats going out from the mouth of the Saginaw River and trolling out by the Range Light did well for walleye when using husky jerks. Those fishing the Hot Ponds caught pike and carp. The Quanicassee River was wide open. There was no fishing from Sebewaing to Wildfowl Bay as the ice was either bad or actually breaking up. A few were ice fishing off Mud Creek. If you find a school of perch you can limit out but most anglers were only getting four or five fish or getting skunked.
- Au Gres River down at the Singing Bridge, the river was open and a fair number of steelhead were caught. The river ice at Au Gres was not safe.
- Saginaw River had pretty good walleye fishing especially during the warm spell. Boat anglers were somewhat hampered by the high winds. Fish were caught near the Independence Bridge, the Cass Avenue Launch, Zilwaukee, and Ojibway Island. Some walleye were also taken at the confluence where the Shiawassee and the Tittabawassee join and form the Saginaw. Vertical jigging with fire-tiger jigs and twister tails was productive or try jigs and minnows.
- Tittabawassee River was somewhat slower. Those fishing near Center Road had little success. Up at Gordonville Road, boat anglers did pretty well up at the Dow Dam when casting fire-tiger rapalas.
Outer Saginaw Bay:
Caseville Area the Pigeon River at Caseville is breaking up and there’s no fishing activity. The ice out by the breakwall has broken up.
Tawas Area still had some ice fishing in the “armpit” northwest of Jerry’s Marina, but the action was spotty. Perch and walleye fishing were slow but a couple lake trout were caught. The ice is gone in front of the Pine River and there was not much left at Palmer Road.
- Tawas River had open water. Steelhead anglers caught a few fish on spawn.
Fishing Tip: Safety tips for spring ice fishing
It’s almost officially spring and although this season has been fairly inconsistent for ice fishing, there still may be numerous opportunities in different locations throughout the state to get out on the water. But just remember, there are a few important safety precautions to take if you plan to do so:
- Towards the end of the season, ice becomes rotten and soft. Even if it’s thick, it might not be strong enough to hold someone safely.
- Don’t forget to still carry the appropriate safety items, such as ice picks and a throw rope. And remember to wear a personal flotation device when heading out.
- Continue to use the buddy system and know you’ll have someone with you to help if you fall through the ice.
- Carry a fully charged cell phone in a waterproof plastic bag. Make sure it is easily accessible on your person in case of an emergency.
- Pay attention to the weather. If it hasn’t been consistently cold or if there has been a lot of wind you can’t guarantee there will be solid ice to head out on.
For more information on ice fishing, check out our Ice Fishing – The Coolest Sport Around article.