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!