Saginaw Bay perch fishing was productive weather permitting. Fish were caught in various cuts, canals, marinas and the bay itself when using perch rigs with minnows. The occasional crappie, rock bass, large mouth bass and even a couple pike were also caught. Crappie were caught when floating small jigs tipped with a minnow. Those trolling for walleye have taken a few fish on crank baits in 15 to 24 feet. Very few limit catches but most are taking some fish home.
Saginaw River walleye fishing was spotty. Most were jigging minnows or plastics near Saginaw, Bay City and down to the mouth. Most were two to four pounds but some were up to seven pounds.
Outer Saginaw Bay:
Tawas pier anglers targeting whitefish had spotty success at best. Catch rates were hit-or-miss depending on the weather. Specific wind direction, colder water temperatures and stained water are important for a good bite. The bite is usually tied in with the first week of the firearm opener but it has been too warm with sunny skies and clear water. Anglers will want to continue to try as conditions are slowly changing.
Fishing Tip: Winter Free Fishing Weekend coming this February
The 2017 Winter Free Fishing Weekend – February 18 and 19 – provides a perfect time to get more individuals and families out trying the sport of ice fishing.
As part of this weekend, all fishing license fees are waived for the two days with residents and out-of-state visitors allowed to enjoy fishing on both inland and Great Lakes’ waters for all species of fish during their respective open seasons. Please note all regulations still apply during that time.
To encourage involvement in the 2017 Winter Free Fishing Weekend, organized activities are often offered in communities across the state. These activities are coordinated by constituent groups, schools, parks (local/state), businesses and others. Will you be joining them and planning an event?
We’ve compiled numerous resources to help you plan and execute an event in your community. Simply visit Michigan.gov/freefishing and look through the Free Fishing Weekend Event Planning e-Toolkit. If you’ve already been hosting Free Fishing Weekend events, thank you! We’ve got tools to help you as well via the Free Fishing Weekend Event Promotion e-Toolkit located at the website listed above. Resources in this e-Toolkit include outreach and public relations materials.
Come fishing with us this February – for more information, visit Michigan.gov/freefishing.