Got a little time in between charters, the fishing on the bay this spring and summer has been fantastic. I have been very busy. The weather has been the best for catching a lot of fish without running all over the bay to find them. If you want to catch walleye in close, go straight out of the Quanicassee River and find the seven to ten foot water. There are lots of weeds, so good for the jigging, or the slip bobber method. I have been working the west side of the Bar in twelve to fourteen feet of water, with spinners and one ounce inline weights. Speed is very important, especially when the water is like a platter, no wind. I try to keep my speed between 1.1 and 1.3; productive colors have been pink and gold, gold and purple, and a black, silver and pink combo. I tie all my crawler harnesses to match the hatch, my favorites are the mayfly, strictly gold, and pink sunrise. I do have these for sale by contacting us online or by phone; you will not find these in the sporting goods store. I take great pride in running an educational charter, while making it FUN. I want to see people catch more fish once they have experienced a day on the water with me. You know, you can catch fish some days with very little effort. But I want to be there when the bite is tough, that’s the challenge. That is when all the details I point out and techniques that I teach pay off. If you are reading this, remember these two things: analyze why you just caught that fish, and never, never leave fish to catch fish. There are big fish along with the little ones. You just need to figure out the technique to get them to strike. The water temperature is now in the 70's so the troll will change. If you have your own boat, consider bringing it up and staying here; we have two fully furnished cabins on site available to rent. I can give you way points on the bay to put you on the fish; the rest is up to you. Please don’t hesitate to email the Lodge if you have a fishing question. I will try to answer it if I can. If I don’t know, I will find out. I need to clean the boat and get ready for the next trip. Thanks for checking in-be safe on the water!

I am finally taking the time to write-not my favorite thing to do. January was pretty much a non-event on the Bay this winter. Warm temps, rain and wind came together to undo the ice which had formed nicely in December. February was better. Temperatures finally managed to stay cold enough to build some safe ice. The wind was not always kind, however, as cracks opened up now and then to keep us on our toes.

I have been traveling 10-13 miles with my guided trips to find consistent fish. I have had many guided groups and watched some take their first walleye through the ice. We have started to fish in a little closer and have been doing well. This is traditionally the time of winter when the fish start moving in to shallower water. Spring is just around the corner - I saw my first flight of geese yesterday. Smaller jigs and perch minnows are better baits in shallower water. The fish are hesitant to bite, so finesse has played a role in hookups. We had rain on Monday; the ice is very smooth, but still 6-18" in closer (not always consistent; use your spud to check). There is some open water 5 to 6 miles out-I don't advise wandering around out there if you are not familiar with the Bay. Always be safe!

I will have some openings for guided trips on last ice. The 15-day forecast looks like temps will be cooperating, but the wind can change everything. We are not renting any more shanties for this season. I have some weekday availability through mid-March if the ice holds.

I will likely be doing some perch charters on the Sebewaing River when the fish move in. These trips are limited to 2-3 persons. Dates can be reserved, but we will determine whether or not it is worthwhile when the time for your trip comes. It has never been our policy to take you fishing when we know you are not going to at least have a good chance to catch fish.

I will be getting the charter boat ready in early April. Once our ice is gone, it won't be long before we can chase the walleye in shallow open water. If you are interested in a spring or summer charter for walleye, please contact us. We have a lot of bookings already on the calendar for May and June, but have some weekday openings. Some July weekends are still available, so please contact us by email or phone to lock in your fishing date.

Be safe and good fishing to you!

Ice conditions

Yesterday's wind caused the ice to fracture and move. Conditions are not safe right now-I advise you stay off the ice in our area until we see several nights with temperatures down in the teens and not a lot of wind! I will post when our conditions improve. Stay safe!

WOW-Where has the time gone? It hardly seems possible that so many months have passed. Our summer 2007 charter season was a great one-Saginaw Bay holds so many walleye! The winter ice fishing season promises to be equally exciting. I just want to take the time to say 'Thank you' to all of you who have made 2007 a fantastic year. From ice fishing to spring and summer charters to waterfowl season-without our clients, we are nothing. We just concluded our duck and goose hunting season. I guided 58 consecutive days. There were good numbers of ducks this season and divers were here a good length of time. A very mild fall made for good hunting.
So it's on to chasing fish for the winter season! I got out on the ice for the first time yesterday. The ice is thick enough to walk on now. I went out late afternoon and fished into the evening. I had 4 fish on and landed 2 nice eating size walleye. There is nothing like that first tug on the rod, watching it bend to the weight of the fish to bring back that ice fishing fever!
We are taking bookings now for this winter. Both guided trips and shanty rental with taxi service will be offered. Dates are already going fast, so please call or email to get on the calendar. I look forward to the opportunity to fish with you! Be safe!

The fishing on the Bay has been fantastic! The month of June saw a definite crawler bite. Some fish taken on Hot-N-Tots but primarily on crawler harnesses. Silver and blue ladderback Tots brought fish to the boat. I continue to mark a lot of bait fish. Fishing has been hot in the Slot and in the area of the Bar. Callahan Reef is a traditional hot spot as well-and don't ignore the weed beds in shallower water. The areas near North Island and Heisterman Island (north of the Sebewaing River) in 12-14' of water have been productive too. Just an informative note: The Sebewaing Harbor Marina is a good place to launch for access. The channel is well marked, and while it still needs dredging, it is being used without incident. The Spark Plug is another hot spot, but it is certainly not necessary to run to deep water to find fish. I recommend jigging lead-headed hair jigs, especially in the morning. The bigger fish tend to hold on the bottom in the morning. There are so many walleye in the Bay this summer! Bigger fish in 20-26' of water, but I have pulled four-pounders in 13' as well. The water temperature has warmed up fast. June brought great weather to catch fish and just have fun.
I have really enjoyed my charters this year. My primary goal is teaching techniques which will allow fishermen and women to catch more walleye on their own boat. I have had the pleasure of having lots of great people on board. Walleye fever is a disease I am proud to have a hand in spreading around! Please check our website for access to our photo gallery; click on our web albums link. Our charters are affordable and include a light lunch. July will be another great month on the Bay-dates are available. You will gain knowledge about what works and why. If you want to learn to catch more walleye, or just spend an enjoyable day with friends or family, contact us! August and September should be great for perch fishing, so keep that in mind for a late summer getaway.
Be safe!

Spring report for walleye!

Well, it's here - the time to boat those 'eyes that have come out of the river and the deep. We have been fishing since the third week in April. Weather has been perfect, a little windy, but we can deal with that. It seems that going with the wind or quartering with the waves is the ticket. We have made several trips, have caught lots of keepers. I've been pleasantly suprised; not too many throw backs (under 15"), nice three to four pounders. Some days we had to quit early because we had our limit, but that's okay. We are booking charters NOW! Some weekend days are full but we have open week days. We are doing afternoon trips too. Call or email so we can get you out to catch your limit, and have a blast. I try to teach and share all that I know, which will allow to you catch fish with our charter or on your own. We have been trolling crawler harnesses slow with bottom bouncers and some crank baits. Lots of fish out there to catch. We enjoy sharing that experience with those who love to fish! We will be starting to jig for them on the Bay. We are hoping for a large mayfly hatch, as soon as it warms up, and stays warm. Check out our photos from the link to our web albums on our home page. See you out there!

Well, it's time to change seasons. We had a fantastic winter season - lots of walleye. We had to go all the way out to the plug to catch limits. During one week, I traveled 186 miles on the ice with guided trips. Lots of fishermen; the fish seemed to move north every day. We fished 30' of water a lot of days. I will have a different shanty to guide with next year. I did get into some fish at some of our regular spots closer to the Lodge. I enjoy the one on one of guided ice fishing trips. There is a lot to teach when it comes to 'hard water' fishing; your whole world is a ten-inch hole. The change in weather has made the ice unsafe. I can't believe guys will risk their lives just to catch those 'eyes!
I'm working on the charter boat now; getting ready to chase the early season walleye. We will likely start near the mouth of the Saginaw River; maybe go after some perch in the Sebewaing River. We will need some warm rain to get the perch active. I will be fishing in April, but May 1st will signal the start of my walleye season - I can't wait! Last year we found some great spots for spring 'eyes. (Hint for those of you reading this: A lot of boats ran right past the fish that I was catching in five feet of water) The summer season was one of the best - the fish never left the inner Bay.
If you have questions, or would like to book a charter, please email me!

Captain Doug