Waters in the Upper Peninsula and the northern sections of the Lower Peninsula still have good ice for those not yet ready to put away the ice fishing gear. For the southern sections of the Lower Peninsula, this could be the last weekend for ice fishing and as always, caution needs to be used. The reformed ice is very slippery so be sure to bring some cleats for better traction.

UPPER PENINSULA

Keweenaw Bay - The coho, herring and perch bite were a bit slow but the smelt action was good between Baraga and Bucks Marina. As for lake trout, the bite was good one day and absent the next. Those able to catch them did so out from Pequaming and out on Newton’s, Farmer’s and the Big Reef in waters 90 to 315 feet deep. Old Mission and the Whirl-I-Gig were also producing a few fish.

Stanley Lake - Has seen a fair number of anglers targeting walleye.

Menominee - The ice was holding. Perch anglers are jigging in 50 feet of water.

Menominee River - Walleye have been caught at first light and also in the evening with the average fish in the 20 inch range. Fish the Wisconsin side near the Hattie Street Dam with a variety of colored jigs in all sizes. Walleye and a few whitefish were caught from the Sixth Street slip. Trout anglers are casting rapalas, yarn or spawn on the Michigan side where there is open water near Hattie Street. A couple brown trout and steelhead were also caught. Anglers are reminded that the possession limit for walleye is (1) fish from March 2nd through May 1st, 2009.

Little Bay De Noc - Still has ice however travel has been limited due to drifting snow. Anglers marked good numbers of fish but catch rates were a little slow. The better walleye action was near the mouth of the Escanaba River and the Center Reef. At Kipling, anglers were using tip-ups with sucker minnows in 30 to 40 feet of water while the river anglers were jigging rapalas and minnows in 20 to 30 feet of water. Lot’s of sub-legal walleye and some jumbo perch between the Narrows and the First Reef. Perch anglers reported the most consistency in 14 to 17 feet of water when jigging minnows and wigglers. Most of the jumbo perch were out deeper in 30 to 40 feet of water. Buckeye Cove still has some good pike spearing in 30 feet of water. The whitefish action slowed a bit but some fish were taken off Sand Point when jigging minnows and spawn in 80 feet of water.

Munising - Trout Bay and Munising Bay have good ice with a couple feet of snow on top. Travel conditions are difficult. Conditions can change rapidly outside the bay so extreme caution needs to be used. For Trout Bay, some limits of coho were caught when using cut bait however catch rates were not consistent. Those heading out north of Grand Island for lake trout need to use extreme caution. In Murray’s Bay, anglers are catching a few smaller whitefish. Fishing was slow off the river and the City Dock. The lucky ones took home a few coho, whitefish, splake and herring. Off Sand Point, anglers are catching a few whitefish, splake and burbot. Coho are just starting to hit off Sand Point.

Cedarville and Hessel - Fishing has been very slow in part due to frigid temperatures. Perch fishing has slowed in Cedarville, Hessel and Musky Bay. Anglers were using mostly wigglers in 12 to 14 feet of water and not having much success. A few small pike were seen. Fishing was slow in the Moscoe Channel.