So, let's hear those opening day reports!

[waterfoul]

Where'd you fish? What did ya catch?

We started out on Fremont. Windy and bumpy. I got one nice smallie not 5 minutes after putting in. Around 14 or 15". We then found one spot on the lake that was more tolerable and managed 2 smallies there. Killed my trolling motor battery fighting the wind. 2 fish on X-Rap, one on a Senko. My partner lost a BIG fish that we never got to see. My guess is pike.

Then went to Big Whitefish. Not as windy there... lake is better protected and smaller than Fremont. But we were stuck with the big motor and the anchor. We managed 12-13 largemouth. All from the same 100 yards of water only 3-5' deep. Having to pull anchor to move we simply let the wind drag us around. Half the fish came on X-raps... the rest on Senkos.

Started out the day hunting eyes. Didn't find a single one, but not for lack of effort. Nobody we talked to got an eye at either lake.

So, how'd the rest of you do?

Oh, and Robert.... "I'll be there around noon." Riiiiiiight.

[MrBluegill]

me and my frend went out on gun. my frend managed one smallie and we both had some good hits when we were troling spoons!

[icefishermanmark]

worked today. st. clair tomorrow.

[FISH21]

:yeahthat:

[raisinrat]

Had to work today but going out in the AM on the river raisin. Should be a great day and lots of fish.

[thedude]

a few bass on muskegon - most keepers. 2 nice 3lbers in particular.
couple google eyes and a pike. most of the catching came from the opposite end of the boat than the one i was on.:lol:

wind sucked.

burned the crap out of my fingers on my battery terminals. motor wouldn't crank and was sparking on the terminals from... corrision i guess..... anyway, went to unskrew the wingnut and it was a tad warm.... just replaced all the wires in the trailer. hopefully don't have to do the boat too. thats a task for tomorrow though.:rant:

on the bright side - all the lights on the trailer worked w/ out blowing fuses and my trailer brakes magically came back to life when i rewired the thing so i can back the boat up the incline in my driveway again.

[UP_ROKTOY]

one bass each for my partner and I. Bounced jigs, soft plastics etc of the heads of about 20 more and they didn't even think to look at them. The bite was primarily off for us. But we definately saw a lot of nice fish.

[catfishhoge]

I fished a smaller Ottawa county lake for the first time looking for some eye action. No fish, no hits, no errors!

Nice day and interesting lake. I believe I will give it another shot some day.

Rick

[Rat City Hooker]

Boated two keepers Saturday morning on the Saginaw with Riverwalleye.

Eyes where slow but the sheepshead action kept us busy.:lol:

[GVSUKUSH]

a few bass on muskegon - most keepers. 2 nice 3lbers in particular.
couple google eyes and a pike. most of the catching came from the opposite end of the boat than the one i was on.:lol:


Yeah, but I was using your plastics! :lol: 2 bass and a pike came on a big, shallow running, perch colored Rap. Besides Justin's burnt fingers, I still have one heck of a nasty wind burn on my face.

[jstfish48162]

bumpy ride on erie, but my partner managed a beautiful 18.5" smallie along with a couple smaller ones around 16".

no walleye, but caught a few white bass and lost 2 bigger fish near the boat. all fish on silver blade baits.

[glockman55]

a few bass on muskegon - most keepers. 2 nice 3lbers in particular.
couple google eyes and a pike. most of the catching came from the opposite end of the boat than the one i was on.:lol:

wind sucked.

burned the crap out of my fingers on my battery terminals. motor wouldn't crank and was sparking on the terminals from... corrision i guess..... anyway, went to unskrew the wingnut and it was a tad warm.... just replaced all the wires in the trailer. hopefully don't have to do the boat too. thats a task for tomorrow though.:rant:

on the bright side - all the lights on the trailer worked w/ out blowing fuses and my trailer brakes magically came back to life when i rewired the thing so i can back the boat up the incline in my driveway again.



Get rid of those Damn Wing Nuts...Use nuts and tighten down with a wrench. Bad connections could burn out the fields in your motor...

Glock

[Southend517]

Saginaw River - 6 smallies and a huge sheep all in the evening.

[Dutch]

I waded the Flat River and hit the smallies pretty good. I probably brought in a dozen fish, most between 12 and 15 inches. The largest one was probably 17.

[RichP]

Yesterday AM - Ford Lake -- 2 undersized eyes, 2 Silver Bass, and a one nice size catfish

Yesterday PM - Shorefishing in Livingston County -- two dozen 8-9" bluegills.

Today AM -- Belleville Lake -- 0 fish, lost my favorite Rapala to a fellow fisherman's prop :mad:

[franky]

I fished the Flint river, and floated from seymour rd. park to firemans hall. Started at about 7 and pulled out at 3:30, we limited out catching one 30 incher and the rest about 20. All on chartreuse or firetiger rapalas. Caught some suckers, pike, sheepshead, and carp. Quite a fun day

[Capt Hook]

Caught a ton of fish on the AuSable River tossing 1/8 jig and spottail shinner into deep holes in river and hopping it back in. Most hit on the edge of the rips. Mostly small males but a few spawned out females to 8#.

[raisinrat]

Well fishing could have been alittle bite better got about 15 smallies saw 2 on beds today. One was VERY big maybe around 5 lbs or so. Got some nice rockies has well. Biggest fish was about 16 inch most where 12 to 13. Going out tommrow night, more than likely going to a different area. I fished about 3.5 hours then had to come home and clean up the house.

[JJ Mac]

Fished Lake Charlevoix for the opener. A strong east wind seemed to have the fish in an off mood. I marked a lot of fish. Water temps were 52-54 degrees. I started in the morning and had a double, one bass and one walleye--lost them both. No more luck for a couple more hours and then landed a 16 inch smallmouth and a 21 inch walleye. The walleye came on a black/silver husky jerk. Lots of boats out this morning.

Headed out again later that evening with my buddy Bill. Only a few boats out, telling me that it must have been tough bite for others too. No luck at all on the eyes, but we did land/release this slabber smally pushing master angler size. He hit a firetiger reef runner.

Hopefully things will pick up later this week. Sure was nice just to get back out there.

http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/526/bllysmlly.jpg

[Crazy Bird Hunter]

Man JJ, that is one PIG of a smallie:SHOCKED: !! Nice fish.

[icefishermanmark]

Went to St. Clair today and it SUCKED! The east wind was wicked and the waves were high. We each ended up getting one largemouth in the launch. Not alot of fish for over 6 hours.

[Bucky]

couple bass

[jstfish48162]

JJMAC...fishing the south arm? i have had success in the past in the far northern corner of the south arm. also have had good success behind the little island on the west side. alot of bedding fish in those areas opening weekend a couple years ago. very nice smallie, but not uncommon on that lake.

[BassFisher91]

Went out on Panema today...Winds were strong and waves were big. I went out back to the smaller little lake/pond thing, and caught 2 decent sized bass on crankbaits. I only casted about 20 times and got those 2, today was more of a test to see if my boat was doin o.k. after the winter.

[November Sunrise]

I have four ChatterBaits still in their packages. I'm hoping to head out for a couple hours sometime this week and see if all the hype about these lures has been merited.

[November Sunrise]

http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/526/bllysmlly.jpg

That's a beautiful smallie. Great picture!

[devo024]

Went out Sat afternoon after the sun warmed up the water some. Lansing area at an old gravel pit that the DNR says they stock with smallies and largemouths. Got 1 hit, saw a hugh carp and a muskrat swimming. It was pretty windy, not alot of wind break where I was. Think Im gonna try around the island next time.

[jcurtis]

My dad and i fished lincoln lake for a few hours saturday morning, but then i had to work and he had to go to traverse city for the weekend. We caught nothing and threw everythign we had at them, they just werent biting. It was pretty cold and windy so after 3 hours of nothing we called it a day.


there were only about 5 other boats ont he lake and it didnt look like any of them were doing any good either.

[MuskyDan]

lost a good musky, caught a 34" fish and my girlfriend got a 38" She is killing me this year.

[mykass]

Fished Dow Damn Friday night with five friends we ended up with a cool dozen eyes from 16-24 inches not bang up by any means but enough to get the frier hot. Fished Sanford on saturday bite was slow in the morning but in the afternoon we got into an ample amount of toothies. Rolled two Skies by the boat and caught enough Northerns from13" to 34" to keep us busy lost a few that were bigger but the story of the day was the fish slapping at the blades very frustrating. Saw many fish follow to the boat. Any way it is nice to be able to get back after them:D

[RichP]

http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/526/bllysmlly.jpg

Holy Smallie Batman! You using trick photography there????

[The Whale]

mykass - I hope it was after midnight on "Friday night" when you caught your Walleyes at the Dow dam. Season didn't open until Saturday the 29th. ;)

[ICEGUY]

Gettin a few bass there. While there Monday (yesterday), a guy came from the mouth off the rocks, with 5 walleye in his bucket. Wouldn't beleive it if I did not see it. Using hot-n-tot black/gold 20 feet from shore. My bud Paul was there also, and we were amazed. tightlinesyall

[rockfordredneck]

10 pike, 2 walleyes, 2 smallies

[waterfoul]

10 pike, 2 walleyes, 2 smallies

Can I ask where?? I'd love to get into some pike.

[CubanFisherman]

Can I ask where?? I'd love to get into some pike.
Yeah, I would be very grateful if you would send me a PM. I haven't been able to find the toothy critters with consistency.

[booktens]

Waterfoul..... you wouldn't go there it sux :lol:

[scoot]

First, we went for quality and I ended up with a 40" musky (pic posted on another thread). Got back around noon due to my friend having to work. My other friend and i decided to hit another lake for quantity. We ended up getting 25 bass and 12 pike in a few hours. Nothing big but I needed a fix my first time out. I couldnt have asked for a better day, 40" musky, and then a bunch of small hard fighting fish.

[waterfoul]

First, we went for quality and I ended up with a 40" musky (pic posted on another thread). Got back around noon due to my friend having to work. My other friend and i decided to hit another lake for quantity. We ended up getting 25 bass and 12 pike in a few hours. Nothing big but I needed a fix my first time out. I couldnt have asked for a better day, 40" musky, and then a bunch of small hard fighting fish.

Again.... where do you guys get these pike in West Michigan?? And what other thread is the picture of your Musky?

[waterfoul]

Waterfoul..... you wouldn't go there it sux :lol:

You know, I was only about 15 minutes from Croton... but went to Big Whitefish instead. Oh well.

[booktens]

Little White has some good pike in it also.

[sfw1960]

You know, I was only about 15 minutes from Croton... but went to Big Whitefish instead. Oh well.

CBH , BT , RR ....oh there's a ton of other guys on this site that know...
:yikes:
MIKEY!!!
If you NEVER learn the ponds and keep sayin' that they suX , you'll be doin' what you're doin' right now....
Lookin' @ decent results and NOT gettin' them yourself!
:rant:
I haven't fished B Whitefish for quite some time ... by design....
I'm not sayin' it suX - I'm sayin' I think there's better water around here... two ponds for instance...
:dizzy:
Now I better DUCK!!
:hide:

Robert

BTW~ Nice sMaLLjaW JJ !

[waterfoul]

Well, I'm off to Croton with Booktens.... report to follow.

[brismit]

Floated on our inflatable pontoons / bellyboats from Croton to Thornapple on the Muskegon. Lots of people and slow action. Caught a small browny and a nice rainbow. And a big ole carp :lol:

[bucknduck]

3 of us boating the tittabawassee on Saturday and caught 10 walleye 9 using trolling harnesses that I made and 1 on a jig. Kept a few for dinner and let the rest go.