Jackson County Ice

[ReddHead]

Checked Grass Lake today. It looks like someone walked out a little further than I and checked the ice. Kind of even looked liked they may have tried to fish. I got out maybe 15 ft or so and it was holding all 240lbs. of me. I didn't have a spud so I couldn't tell you the thickness. There was about 1 1/2-2" of slush.
I also drove past Mellencamp. The lake was completed frozen over. The snow was covering the ice and it looked very dark because of it. If we can get some cold weather then this slush would really add to the overall ice. I'm still saying we will be fishing by December 7th.

[jacktownhooker]

thanks for the local report !

[ReddHead]

Hey Jacktownhooker:
What lakes do you usually fish around here? I've seen a few other guys posting from around Jackson. There is also a pretty big following of guys that fish the Brooklyn area. What would any of you guys think of a meet-n-greet. We had one a couple of years ago at the brass rail. It was nice to meet some local people. I'll also regularly try to post on hard water conditions.
Redd

[jacktownhooker]

reddhead in the past my time was limited and mostly a evening bite so gillettes was closest and i love catfish ! and the half dozen crappies i also git all the gills and crappie i need at mirror lk ! other than that have had good luck at clear lake for redears actually at night and round lk for perch and walleye ! and a few times at lime lk have did clark lk in past. have time now so am looking towards new lakes, mornings and the brooklyn area - allen lk got some big perch anyone have a secret spot or lake i can keep a secret ! but over all i dont mind sharing as there is over 100 lakes !have to work to find them and they arent always where ya found them next day ! and really how many ice towns set up anymore ? 90% of time im alone or at max 3-6 people out ! although when the word is walleye ive seen crowds on round devils and sand . meet and greet would be cool -i know lookin for the gills tried last year and didnt workout. my thought is have a fish outing maybe a brooklyn lake to do what we love and meet fishing and after - maybe a contest with half proceeds going to drinks -pizza -just throwing that out there for discussion as it should be for fun and fellowship as life is tough enough and living in michigan makes us the toughest in america!! who else could make it here but us ? and oh ya food for thought for the locals-jackson -lenawee-hillsdale we are the best ice fisherman in the nation!! . as proven thru national competition last 5 yrs !! jacktown

[jimhx720]

I would be interested in a MNG. Don't live in the area, but I fish out there quite a bit in the winter.

[EdB]

I could walk the shoreline here at Cavanaugh Lk but it melted some yesterday. It doesn't look to good this morning, a lot of water on the ice. I wouldn't risk going over deep water right now. I'm in for a M&G.

[nosleeptillbrooklyn]

Hey guys, I would be in for a m&g. I mostly fish Sand, Wamplers, Vinyard, or Clark because they are all within 10-15 minutes away. How about Jerry's pub on Wamplers, that way we can fish afterwards.

[wally-eye]

Not to hijack this thread but any of you Jackson boys ever fish Ackerson Lake? My folks used to live on there back in the 70s and we used to just kill the specs and pike thru the ice............pops had a spearing shanty and it was unreal how big some of the pike were for a lake that size.........

I was born and raised in Jackson so I've fished just about every lake in the county at one time or another.....

[JayJayMo]

Checked Grass Lake today. It looks like someone walked out a little further than I and checked the ice. Kind of even looked liked they may have tried to fish. I got out maybe 15 ft or so and it was holding all 240lbs. of me. I didn't have a spud so I couldn't tell you the thickness. There was about 1 1/2-2" of slush.
I also drove past Mellencamp. The lake was completed frozen over. The snow was covering the ice and it looked very dark because of it. If we can get some cold weather then this slush would really add to the overall ice. I'm still saying we will be fishing by December 7th.

I checked grass that day and went out to one of my perch holes had a school of em and nabbed about 8 or so, then I did go to mellencamp and got a couple gills and a nice crappie. Grass is pretty solid mellencamp is soft around the access point but there is some solid ice near inlet. I guess I may be crazy but crazy just caught mess for dinner:) I am down for a mng as well I usually go solo or with my tournament partner all over irish hills area and waterloo, been known to frequent picnkey rec area as well.

[jacktownhooker]

well thats 6 so if we keep this thread going for ice conditions we should get enough ! im still deer huntin so i appreciate the reports ! no sleep has good idea - thats what im talkin about ! another idea is meet around noon so anyone that wants to fish in morn can come in get warm and meet then off for the eve bite ! on a sat - anyone else ?

[jacktownhooker]

ackerson lake is basically private - there is a sportsman group to join for access and some locals go out and take there chances i havent but my ex lives the street behind lakefronts and they dont go fishing there i think because hubby dont fish and dont know how to access but i have heard its excellent and lots of structure - anyone know how to join or fish this lake ?

[Long Spurs]

I think as a member of the Jackson Outdoor Club (off Hart rd.) you can fish Ackerson Lk. Speared some nice Pike out of there when I was a kid! Caught some nice Crappies too. But haven't fished it in some years now.

[jacktownhooker]

thanks long spur might check it out - not too far out of town

[Capnhook]

Hey Long Spurs - YOU'RE ALIVE. Haven't heard much from you lately. Can't wait to get on that ice!! Jacktownhooker- put me down for a M+G if we have one. Jerry's would be schweet!:) Capnhook

[browning13]

I just came down from marquette for thanksgiving break and I need to go ice fishing. haha I'm in the GR area and I wasn't expecting much in the way of ice but it sounds like a few people have found some.... I've got a really small pond I might check out tomorrow for the heck of it. Anyone think I have a chance of finding 2"of ice? haha

[jacktownhooker]

ya - especially if you are 100-150 lbs lighter than the rest of us !! can i follow behind ?

[jacktownhooker]

thanks capn! well thats 7 for m&g and three for jerrys pub ! and wamplers lk what do you think redd you started this - go to brass rail or jerrys pub and do some fishing ? i think its a great idea around noon or 1pm so anyone can stop by - fishing or not -morn and (or) eve. fishing not interrupted - wamplers or not as many lakes within 10 minutes anyone else ?

[ReddHead]

I'm down with a M&G at Jerry's. I have not fished Wamplers much but I'm sure some of you have some good spots. I usually fish Pink St., ie. Little Stoney right by Wamplers. I like that lake because it is small and easy to walk to any spots. I could probably get a few more people to come out that are not on this site. I say we play it week to week until we have good ice conditions.
If there is no ice to be had then we could do a M&G on the weekend to another bar like the brass rail.
Sounds like a fun winter.

[ReddHead]

I checked grass that day and went out to one of my perch holes had a school of em and nabbed about 8 or so, then I did go to mellencamp and got a couple gills and a nice crappie. Grass is pretty solid mellencamp is soft around the access point but there is some solid ice near inlet. I guess I may be crazy but crazy just caught mess for dinner:) I am down for a mng as well I usually go solo or with my tournament partner all over irish hills area and waterloo, been known to frequent picnkey rec area as well.

At Mellencamp did you walk through the park and out to the lake or did you go on from one of the cottages? I've always wondered if that little channel holds any fish. Not the one that goes under the road but the one on the south side of the lake that goes to the houses there. Have you ever fished the second lake back in there? I've been told that it is pretty deep.
I've caught moster perch out of Grasslake only twice. Both times in about 3fow and just before a major snow storm. I've never done any good after that. I have caught some nice crappie way in the back corner where it is deep by all of the houses. Do you ever get into the redears out there?
Redd

[JayJayMo]

At Mellencamp did you walk through the park and out to the lake or did you go on from one of the cottages? I've always wondered if that little channel holds any fish. Not the one that goes under the road but the one on the south side of the lake that goes to the houses there. Have you ever fished the second lake back in there? I've been told that it is pretty deep.
I've caught moster perch out of Grasslake only twice. Both times in about 3fow and just before a major snow storm. I've never done any good after that. I have caught some nice crappie way in the back corner where it is deep by all of the houses. Do you ever get into the redears out there?
Redd
the channel is shallow and never tried fishing it, it seems as if its a early late season kind of fishery. I got on threw the park and got off by the cottages it needs some time yet fell in 3 times out there due to sloppy shorelines, swampy and does not freeze well. I have been out to that pond back there and it does get deep there there is another pond even further back that is shallow and I have gotten back with my kayak and got nice catches of panfish.

[Duck-Hunter]

Im down for a M&G

[jacktownhooker]

kool !!

[Sandwich]

Crappie fishing is excellent but the pike are mainly stunted. Little skinny hammer handles. Gills are also stunted....Use to be an awesome lake but is pretty sorry now...

[Sandwich]

Crappie fishing is excellent but the pike are mainly stunted. Little skinny hammer handles. Gills are also stunted....Use to be an awesome lake but is pretty sorry now...


Sorry fellas I don't know what happened so I have to reply to my own message.:dizzy:
My above response was in reference to Ackerson lake..My sister lives on Ackerson. I fish Brills lake off 1-94 and Sargent Road..Born and raised on the Brills Lake..Awesome Pike, Crappie and gills but gills in the spring..Harder than hell to locate the big ones in the winter...
I fished the heck out of Allen Lake this winter and kicked the gutts out of some real nice perch...Surprisingly some decent gills too..Anyhow, I'm in for a M&G. Jerrys would be my choice...

[fasthunter]

I've been seeing ice around here near my house as well. Heck Kent lake was even froze over on Thanksgiving:SHOCKED::tdo12:. I have a pond that I like to fish first ice that freezes really quick, but I wouldn't be venturing out quite yet. If it stays cold though I may be taking the spud out and seeing how it is next weekend. I've been pretty ancy to get some gills and crappies.

[jacktownhooker]

Sorry fellas I don't know what happened so I have to reply to my own message.:dizzy:
My above response was in reference to Ackerson lake..My sister lives on Ackerson. I fish Brills lake off 1-94 and Sargent Road..Born and raised on the Brills Lake..Awesome Pike, Crappie and gills but gills in the spring..Harder than hell to locate the big ones in the winter...
I fished the heck out of Allen Lake this winter and kicked the gutts out of some real nice perch...Surprisingly some decent gills too..Anyhow, I'm in for a M&G. Jerrys would be my choice... welcome to the sight !! and thanks for sharing - sounds like you have some nice spots to fish ! im jealous ! :)