Saginaw Bay/River 1/29 Report

[MichiganOutdoorFan]

The Bay near Linwood Road and Hoyles Marina has ice to only about a mile out. The fishing there and the rest of the Bay has been really spotty at best from what I have heard.

I fished the river near Independence bridge (Bay City) on Sunday. Only 3 inches of ice and still some areas of thinner ice (some idiot was tooling aound on his quad all over the river). Lots of fish! However lots of small ones, I caught lots of 10-14 inchers and from what I was hearing from the shantys around me that was the story of the day. I did manage to get 5 keepers in the bucket with 1 exceptionally nice one (I also lost a few). Caught a lot of Sheepshead too, damn things almost made me run out of minnows.

If we continue to get cooperating weather this week I will be out again this weekend. If you go out careful where you wander!

[COHO]

what size bait do you use in that current

[MichiganOutdoorFan]

I was using a 1/2 oz Kroc on one rod and a do jigger on the other with a whole minnow. A lot of this is covered in Old Dogs "Fun Night" post though.

[COHO]

i didnt see much from olddog, didnt want your secret lure or spot, just a general size. 1/2 oz is very helpfull its a big river and the one time i fished it it seemed my bait was on a 45 degree angle all day. i couldnt feel a thing other than my bait rolling down stream:eek:

[MichiganOutdoorFan]

i didnt see much from olddog, didnt want your secret lure or spot, just a general size. :eek:

It dosent bother me any..as a matter of fact I like hearing what other are fishing with as those 'eye change thier prefrence often and when you only get a few hours a weekend to fish its nice to know what to try 1st. Good Luck and let us know how you do!

[pilatusbahn]

If you're willing to give up lures....any particular color? I've been doing well with a blue/red/white or firetiger jigs and either a glow or silver do-jigger with blue tape. Just want to compare notes. Thanks!

[MichiganOutdoorFan]

White was the ticket last Sunday, but my information may be getting old, some of the guys on here have been going every day. I will be out there this weekend and will keep you updated.

[Southend517]

just went down by indy bridge 1-31-07. A lot of guys down there my spud goes all the way through in 3 hits without a problem yet there are a few power augers out there. I checked about 15 holes and made about 5 and ice was 2 1/2" pretty much everywhere I check. A few small ones caught but nobody had any iced. About 50 cars out there and no Michigan-Sportsman Decals but mine.
http://img489.imageshack.us/img489/7426/1000537axm9.jpg

[kingfisher 11]

Fished Indy last night with three other guys. Everything seemed to work. Our best was anything in Blue and Silver. Four of us caught over 40 fish but only 8 keepers.

[Bagman]

Hey southend, I was out there in the Shappel 2.0 In the red arctic armor. Caught a ton but nothing over 13. I checked ice every 20 ft and Dang I was kind of nervous. fished in 24ft, bite turned off at about 10 for us.

[MichiganOutdoorFan]

Caught a ton but nothing over 13.

FYI the legal limit is 15 inches..13 is only for St. Clair

[Cramer1]

Does anyone know if folks are riding the shoreline of the Saginaw river from the boat launch at the mouth down to the Bay Agg. cut? If so, is anyone catching any perch. Did pretty good there a couple years ago. Thanks

[jig head]

they are not riding 4 wheelers.
but they are walking across the river from the cement plant in essexville.

[Bagman]

Hey Michigan Outdoor Fan, I know, didn't say I kept them but thanks for the heads up.

[bigbob]

the 3/4 incher`s cook up like smelt :16suspect

[MichiganOutdoorFan]

Fished the Indy bridge Friday afternoon for a few hours. The wind itself was a battle, I staked my shanky into the ice and when I got out to get a breath of fresh air the wind blew the shanty and stakes right out of the ice. Same story though, still small ones, no keepers. I only fished from around 4-6:30 and I had a lot less action that last week. I may go out this afternoon, but I am wondering if this cold front may have slowed them down. Still only 3.5 maybe 4 inches of ice where I was. Where are the big ones?

[Ralph Smith]

Be careful with the wind we got coming, will lower river level and increase current blowing from sw. Hopefully it will switch in next day or two from the north.

[steve myers]

My buddies got three keepers barely legal and the usual 40 little ones or so by Indy Bridge.Were going to wait a couple weekd before another trip.We'll hit LSC next.