Saginaw Bay had no fishing in Linwood as the ice was poor. Anglers were fishing the Hot Ponds but no reports came in. A few eight to 10 inch perch were caught in the cut off Finn Road when using tiny tube jigs under a bob
ber. Quanicassee and Thomas Road had no anglers. At Sebewaing, perch fishing in the marina was slow to fair with no limit catches but lots of sorting. No report for Geiger Road to Bay Port as the ice was poor and not fishable. Caseville and Mud Creek were very murky. Perch fishing was spotty for those putting in a lot of time.
- Saginaw River had good walleye fishing especially near downtown Saginaw and around the train bridge but once again rain slowed the bite. Some perch were caught in the channel from the state launch to the mouth. Those fishing downstream had to work a bit harder. Blue ice minnows and chartreuse heads worked best.
- Tittabawassee River also had good fishing for boat and shore anglers before the rain. Anglers were using chartreuse ice minnows and chartreuse heads. Shore anglers casting along Dice Road near Apple Mountain caught some walleye. One angler had a limit catch but fished all day for it. Most are casting jig heads with twister tails. Hot colors were chartreuse and white.
Au Gres Area: Had no reports. Eagle Bay Marina at the end of Sagatoo Road had open water and pockets of ice that were bad. Slow fishing except for a few perch.
- Au Gres River: Water at the Singing Bridge was very muddy. A few anglers tried surf casting but had no luck.
Outer Saginaw Bay:
Oscoda Area boat and pier anglers are taking some nice lake trout. Boat anglers are trolling rapalas and the pier anglers are casting spoons. Gold and orange or silver and orange were good colors.
- Au Sable River steelhead are just getting started and were caught all the way up to Foote Dam.
Tawas Area did not have much to report. Any remaining ice in the bay was not safe.
- Tawas River had a few suckers in it but the river was very muddy.
Fishing Tip: Safety tips for spring ice fishing
It’s almost officially spring and there still may be opportunities in different locations throughout the state to get out on the ice. Please remember to take these safety precautions if you plan to head out:
- Towards the end of the season, ice becomes rotten and soft. Although ice may still be more than a foot 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.
- 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 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, visit Michigan.gov/fishing.