Higgins Lake ice

[swampbuck]

As of today on the north basin the shore ice is bad, you could still get on with tall boots, there is still a foot of ice but it is starting to get a little punky. There was 1 fisherman at birch lodge (went on at west rd.), a few off east road..... South basin still has shore ice. Ice on the lake is the same as north basin. I fished the south basin between sunflower and point detroit 15 fow, lots of agressive perch and smelt. There were 2 guys at the sunken island on atv's.

Its still fishable, but might not be this weekend. I am going to fish the south basin tomorow for trout and see how it goes from there.

[DocHoliday]

Thanks Swampbuck. If I make it back up this weekend I might go for some trout as well. I've had enough of smelt fishing for a season. About 10 years ago I fished that spot for lakers and caught quite a few in 60fow off that shore.

[buckslayerII]

Any size to the perch?

[swampbuck]

Any size to the perch?

small in that spot. I was catching jumbos in the north basin, but the shore ice is gone there. I was out for a couple hours this morning, Ice was still good, but degrading fast. I think I am done for this year.

[Boone]

Swampbuck,
Haven't fished Higgins for years. I could never find decent sized perch and the wife doesn't care for smelt so I never targeted them. Once while fishing for perch just out and east of detroit point I caught more splake than perch. I wasn't after splake so they all went back. If I remember there was a current that made the ice unsafe right off the end of the point. It was around 30 ft. with a sharp drop.

[swampbuck]

The big perch are hard to find, The competitition for food throughout their age range is really hurting them due to a overpopulation of smelt. I got into some good ones for a week or so before the ice got bad in that area.

Point detroit can be bad, I watched a truck go through there this winter. But for those who know where not to go its a good area. The splake are gone, they quit planting them. Still a few browns and rainbows, lots of lakers, and an increasing pike population.

I really wish the would let people net the smelt, There are just getting to be way to many.