Lake Chemung

[Passmeabrewski]

Anyone happen to know how thick the ice is on Lake Chemung by the boat launch? Anything biting?

Thanks!

[SPITFIRE]

I live there and I saw 6 shanties on the lake tonight. dont know how thick though.

[nelsonk44215]

I was out there sunday near the launch and there was about 3" of clear ice but was pretty sloppy on top. Caught a ton gills and perch but with no keepers.

Nelson

[Passmeabrewski]

I'm planning on fishing this Wednesday, ice permitting. Anyone know the status of Lake Chemung?

I know that most lakes are slush covered in 3" of water but the nights are getting cool and forecasts are predicting some lower temperatures. :chillin:

[jigmanII]

I just checked ice this am. No shore ice first couple feet(skimmed).
Took out 2x10 and spudded thru on second toss(white ice) . I got my 225lb frame off there and will check again thursday after the snow. I wouldn't advise trying Wed. with the current weather report.
This was at the launch.Stay safe.

[Passmeabrewski]

That's disappointing information. I would have thought with the below freezing nights, it would make a quick recovery. Anyone know of an alternative in the area with ice, just in case?

Forecast for Howell, MI http://image.weather.com/web/blank.gif 10-Day Forecast


http://image.weather.com/web/blank.gif High /
Low (°F) Precip. % http://image.weather.com/web/blank.gif Today
Dec 29 http://image.weather.com/web/common/wxicons/31/30.gif Partly Cloudy 39°/25° 10 % Tue
Dec 30 http://image.weather.com/web/common/wxicons/31/28.gif Mostly Cloudy 34°/22° 20 % Wed
Dec 31 http://image.weather.com/web/common/wxicons/31/14.gif AM Snow Showers 22°/14° 30 %

[Mtnman198]

I checked it yesterday afternoon (at the launch) the shore ice was gone out about 2 ft. If you walk around the penninsula you can step on fairly easy. I spudded out to where everyone has been fishing (anywhere from 5-25 ft of water) the ice was slick, but other than that, it took me multiple hard wacks to get through. The old holes were opened up pretty good, lots of water boiling out of them, it looked worse than it was

[Passmeabrewski]

I checked it around noon today. If I had to guess, I'd say that the ice around the shoreline is about 3 feet out now. The sun was shining and the surface ice looked wet & slick. There were two vehicles parked at the launch, a red jeep and a pick-up though I didn't see any people - perhaps they fell through? :rolleyes:

It's around 40 degrees outside right now, I'm sure the lake will take another hit this afternoon. Though tonight is expected to be much cooler and tomorrow's high is right around freezing, perhaps she'll be ready by Wednesday?

[bigrackmack]

Any open water at the North end?.........Mack

[Passmeabrewski]

I only checked at the boat launch. Though from what I could see there and along Grand River, the lake is pretty much locked with the exception of the few feet along the shoreline.

[Passmeabrewski]

Updates on Lake Chemung? It has been cold, at freezing or below since about 8pm last night, perhaps the shoreline will have frozen up well enough before the predicted snowfall tonight? :confused:

[Passmeabrewski]

Outside of the forum posting I hear that it was 2.5"-3" around mid-day yesterday. I'm estimating that it gained about an inch or maybe 1.5" since that time yesterday. I'm headed out there, make-shift spud in hand.

[Passmeabrewski]

A buddy and I hit Lake Chemung today. There was a solid 4" of ice once you got passed the slushy shoreline. I noticed from Grand River that there was open water towards the middle of the long lake.

We didn't mark much, caught a few gills but kept none. I talked to a couple others and their experience was the same. There were about 6 shantys out there and a handful of Carhart Extreme fisherman probably ok, but looked like they were freezing their sinkers off.

[srconnell22]

A buddy and I hit Lake Chemung today. There was a solid 4" of ice once you got passed the slushy shoreline. I noticed from Grand River that there was open water towards the middle of the long lake.

We didn't mark much, caught a few gills but kept none. I talked to a couple others and their experience was the same. There were about 6 shantys out there and a handful of Carhart Extreme fisherman probably ok, but looked like they were freezing their sinkers off.

Anyone fishing it today?

[newaygogeorge]

Anyone fishing it today?
If you do I hope you have a tab better luck than I, fished yesterday in the gusty wind from 1:00p till 8:00p only managed 5 keeper size (gills) never made it out to my intended spot. The ice seemed shacky past the christmas tree lots of air pockets.
4-5 inch of ice as stated by Passmeabrewski, graphed a lot of fish especially in waves must of been pike pushing all seemed to be holding tight to the bottom. I threw a ton of color at them slightly larger spoon tipped with lots of jigging seemed to tease but they were tight lipped. Good luck out there today.

[sgs2216]

Fished it today with about 10 guys....We fished all day and it was very slow .....Took home about 12 gills and 1 nice crappie at about 5 oclock....seen alot of people out there but no one having any luck...We had about 9 to 10 tip ups out at differnet depths and not one flag....Good luck whoever is next....

[Mark Sylvester]

What area is this lake located?:confused:
:idea:I need a way to get this info myself...any tips?;)
Sly:coolgleam

[josheupmi]

lake is in livingston county west of 23 off 96 i believe is the same one

[biggmatt]

right off of gr. river in brighton

[treboryenaws]

I've only ever done great once there. put in a lot of hours last year. The christmas tree never produced size for me.... BUT! I saw a GIANT crappie taken off of one of the points. There are a couple of good spots that will produce numbers of gills. For the most part the bigger gills are fickle but worthy of your time if you can find them

[shawnfire]

how is the ice out there, should be pretty good by now, just wondering how it is out from the boat launch

[SPITFIRE]

plenty of guys fishing it now shawn.

[SPITFIRE]

Anyone have any successs iceing eyes after dark out there?

[newaygogeorge]

What area is this lake located?:confused:
:idea:I need a way to get this info myself...any tips?;)
Sly:coolgleam

Mark pm sent

[RyGuy525]

I'm headed to chemung in the morning. Where is the nearest bait shop and are they open at 6:30 in the morning? Thanks for any help!

[bigrackmack]

I'm headed to chemung in the morning. Where is the nearest bait shop and are they open at 6:30 in the morning? Thanks for any help!
What are you looking for?.....Minnows?

[RyGuy525]

Yea

[zx10r2004]

bring waxworms and spud. it gets thin in spots.

[RyGuy525]

that certainly isen't what i wanted to hear! But thank you i appreciate it and will make sure to bring the spud.

[zx10r2004]

there is plenty of ice just if you go toward the park side be careful.

[Mark Sylvester]

Please post your results,OK????
Sly


:coolgleam

[jigmanII]

there is plenty of ice just if you go toward the park side be careful.

He means the launch side,(Hughes road) do not go to the park side. It is to soon.

[catfishtom210]

FYI: The baitshop I know of near Chemung doesn't open until 9:00! (The one in Brighton near Grand River and Old 23? by the bank.) At least those were the hours posted for 12-31 and 1-1 when we were there at 7:00 on 1-2. Ended up back at KD (we were there first at 6:15 but KD opens at 8:00) and then on Crescent where it was slow. Got a good minnow count from Ken though. Nice guy who actually listens to your questions, asks questions, and tries to match you with a lake and fish in his suggestions. I don't blame Ken for directing us to a lake with no fish! ;-)

Seriously I can see why so many guys here like to buy from Ken and KD. I just wish more/any shops would open earlier (6:00) during the winter.

[Passmeabrewski]

Anyone know the thickness of the ice by the boat launch? Just curious. It was between 4 & 5 inches the middle to late of last week, but it has been cold enough- we should have some more.

[lawnguy]

3-4 inches tops! as of Saturday afternoon. Flasher showed a ton of fish but real finicky eaters and very small. One paper mouth through the ice that was decent sized but other than that.....booooooo. The pressure on this lake has quadrupled in the last few years. With the growing numbers. the fishing has went way down hill.

[Passmeabrewski]

Thanks for the reply on the ice.

I know that in the Summer months the lake is extremely over-crowded;most of the action is PWC related. With people covering every area of the lake from sun up to sun down May through October it cannot be good for the fish breeding grounds.

[ET]

3-4 inches tops! as of Saturday afternoon. Flasher showed a ton of fish but real finicky eaters and very small. One paper mouth through the ice that was decent sized but other than that.....booooooo. The pressure on this lake has quadrupled in the last few years. With the growing numbers. the fishing has went way down hill.

I posted this back in 2003. It's interesting to see the responses.

http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/forum/showthread.php?t=30413

[Passmeabrewski]

I posted this back in 2003. It's interesting to see the responses.

http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/forum/showthread.php?t=30413

Thanks for the posts down memory lane.

My optimistic theory is that the lake will hold a strong population of fish for some time to come. In regards to the lackluster once-in-a-while dinks that have been biting (or not often biting)... A week ago the center of the lake was open water- perhaps it still is. Until the lake is locked and the O2 level drops well enough to where the fish come off the bottom to become prey, are the eyes and pike going to start hitting. One fellow out on the ice said to me, "It doesn't matter when I come out here, someone always said that the fishing was great yesterday!" Let's just hope tomorrow is the day after's yesterday.

[RyGuy525]

Well today sucked. Got there at 7 am and left around noon. I caught 7 or 8 dinky little bluegill ad Kelly Johnson zeroed. We then tried to find a little out of the way lake for an hour or so with no luck. Ended up at the same privae lake he and i have been hitting the last few weeks but that was even slow. Atleast we got him dinner for the night.
I forgot to add that there was lots of ice out there. Probably 6-8 inches in most spots including over the 30 foot hole.

[Passmeabrewski]

Any improvement in Lake Chemung? The status has to improve, from what I've experienced and read, it cannot get worse! Thanks

[SPITFIRE]

Some nice crappie in the evening but no numbers. I put a 12" slab on the ice last night with a ficious jig.

[newaygogeorge]

Any improvement in Lake Chemung? The status has to improve, from what I've experienced and read, it cannot get worse! Thanks

Dinks dinks and more dinks, slabs seemed to be tight lipped for me yesterday.
was nice to see all the families with kids out there.

[Lordofallthatswims]

I was out fishing yesterday, about 5 hours with pretty low action, but I don't think its the lake. I've fished Horshoe in Howell, Woodland in brighton, and Thompson in Howell, with very little luck on any of them. Its gotta pick up sometime, and hopefully I'm their when it does.

[Sportman1225]

I fished all day this past Saturday (1-17-09) with the wind and snow. Wouldn't be able to do it without a shanty though. Ended up catching 50 or so bluegills, but only 15 worth throwing on the ice.
Fished in 23 fow and caught them anywhere from right on the bottom to 6 feet up from the bottom. The bigger ones seemed to be up higher in the water column than the dinks. The bite seemed to be best between 8am and 12 pm, then picked up again around 3 pm to 5:30 pm.
There was at least 8 inches of solid ice with a couple inches of slush and snow on top.

[Passmeabrewski]

I'm thinking about hitting Lake Chemung tomorrow. Anyone able to report on the ice or fishing conditions?