lapeer county public lakes

[predatordave]

howdy all, i am wondering if anybody out there has fished any of the public lakes in lapeer county this winter. i am going to try cedar lake and long lake on thursday and i am just looking for some tips or any other suggestions for lakes to fish. i have never fished either of these lakes but have heard good things about them. i live on a private lake and nobody out here has been catching anything. early season i was nailing the crappies but few and far between now. oh yeah has anybody ever fished pero lake for panfish or pike. it is kinda private but there is a park on it you could walk through and get on it that way. i live right across the street from that lake too.
thanks in advance, dave

[scottyhoover]

I tried the lake that is in the metamora st. rec area park, i think its called lake minnawana. it is chuck full of 4 inch bluegill, can't keep them off your hook. Every time I've been out in ortonville public lakes (algoe, davison) the gills just weren't biting. they are there though. I want to try neppasing, just haven't got there yet. I read some decent reports from there.

[predatordave]

howdy i have never fished those lakes but i know they get tons of pressure during the summer and all i ever hear of anyone ever catching is the little gills. i am thinking about trying neppesing also. i kinda want to try it out at night for walleye. i have never ice fished for walleye though that is the problem.
later, dave

[bignoccursg]

IVE NEVER FISHED LONG LAKE, BUT A GUY I KNOW STOPPED BY AND SHOWED ME A 13LB. NORTHERN THAT HE TOOK FROM THERE ABOUT A WEEK AGO.

[robin]

I've fished all of the lakes in the state game area, summer and winter. I definitely wouldn't waste my time if I were you. You may get lucky and catch a pike out of Long Lake, but I would be very surprised to hear it. Nepessing is even more of a joke. I've got a buddy that lives over that way and he's always at me about giving it another shot. Waste of time! You can catch 4 inch perch out from the restaurant, but you'll be very lucky to find a pike or walleye. If you have the time, run down to Lake St Clair or up to the Saginaw River. If you have to stay around Lapeer, get yourself onto Elk Lake. I'm no expert, but I've been burned too many times on the lakes you were speaking of.

[mcanes1]

Long lake has a deep hole (just N.W. of the ramp). Couldn't keep the L.M. Bass off the tip-ups for the pike.
Fished for crappies, bluegills and perch 200 yards north of the island. With o.k. results. Waxworms outfished the minnows on pearl tear drops.
Hope that helps.
As far as Nepessing, the weekends is a "zoo" with snowmobilers. I have friends that have done well with walleye and crappie after dark. Right out from the old "Pelicans" restaurant about 175 yards out. there's a little drop off with a weed edge. Had succes for pike on tip - ups and dead smelt.

[predatordave]

thanks guys for the input. i am going to talk to my buddy to see what he wants to do. i am also thinking about checking out holloway over off of mt morris rd and back into zemmer park. i have never fished it before but i duck hunt it in the fall and there are always tons of people catching loads of crappie over that way. i dont know about the ice though. does anybody know if it freezes good. i am pretty sure it will be good this year. but better safe than sorry. oh yeah any body know anything about pero lake. i can catch the crappie left and right in the summer but never seriously ice fished it. thanks again.
later, dave

[mcanes1]

I was on Holloway last week, a couple hundred yards out, by the boat launch.
The ice was around 15".
In the past, I've been warned not to go near the dam area during the winter time.
Other than that you practically go anywhere on the lake.
Let me know how you do.

[Young Steve]

3 of us fished Long Lake on Sunday afternoon. Ended up with about 2 dozen crappie. Mostly caught on teardrops with a minnow. A few on wax. No hit's on the tip ups. Fished North of the boat ramp near the small dam. There's 3 permanent shanties out there. Approx. 24 feet of water. Crappie were 3 to 4 feet off the bottom.

I'd fish it again and probably will.

Good luck if you go.

[predatordave]

howdy all thanks again, if anyone wanders out onto holoway becareful around the mt morris bridge it doesnt look that good. i drove by it today and it looks as if the ice is real thin there and the snow is wet. just a little warning. the rest of it looks good snowmobile tracks everywhere out there. i am going to try out long lake on thursday i will let you all now how i do. i just bought some lake maps so that will help me tons. and i also talked to my buddy going with me and he has fished it many times and always does well in the deep hole by the launch.
later, dave

[northern_outdoorsman]

Cedarlake...small gills...I made a trip up there and was disappointed...I would try Elk Lake as I have heard good things about that lake...

[Johnr]

Hey pal,
I too agree with Robin about Lake neppessing, we were there about 2 weeks ago and it was a total waste of time. We caught 3inch gills and there was about 15 guys out there who didnt get anything else but the same thing. I dont know who keeps saying neppessing is any good!
The last time I was there was about 10 years ago and know now why I never went back!
I saw 1 guy who had a gill about 5 inhes long.
The same with Kent lake over by kensington park. You hear all theses great reports well , $10 worth of gas and 3 ours later and alll I got were 3-4 inch perch there too..!!
It was a Joke!
Not to mention I live in St.clair and was just hoping to get some decent gills but did not catch or see one caught there aweek ago Monday. There was a guy there actually keeping 3 inch perch!!
I will stick to Lake st.clair until someone I know well actually cathches anyting worth driving to these so called great spots for gills lakes!!! It really is a shame, I hate to give up my hopes on these places but the end result is always the same. Good Luck!!
Johnr

[predatordave]

just wanted to say thanks again, i have also heard good things about elk lake but i think it is a private lake. and just my luck i dont know anyone that lives on it. i bought some lake maps so maybe they can help me out if i try long lake. but i am pretty sure nepessing is scratched off the to try list. right now i am trying to find fish in pero lake. it is an awesome producer in the summer times for me but i dont know where to start on the hard water. i am looking though. i let everyone know how i do. in the book of lake maps i have it says the dnr did a study on pero in 1992 and the average gill is over 7 inches. i can definately vouch for that too.
later, dave

[Liver and Onions]

dave,
I sent you a pm.
L & O

[Wishn I was fishn]

If i'm not mistaken there is a smalle sumken island in the middle of Pero lake. I try ice fishing it a couple years ago. I spent most of the time trying to find that island with no success. If you end up fishing that lake and dont mind a partner let me know I wouldnt mind giving it another shot.

[predatordave]

howdy again, there is a sunken island in the middle and it is a pain to find in the winter. luckily someone marked it this year with a nice big branch sticking up the ice. i fished it for a short period of time today with no luck. i also hit a few other spots on it with no luck. even in the summer time pero is a hard lake to find the fish but when you do it pays off. wishin i was fishin- next time i head out there i will let you know.
later, dave

[E Man]

I too am hopin to get out on Long Lake Thursday after work to try to get some Craps. Will try to be out there around 4:00, might be later though. I'll be in a blue portable shanty. There's usually not many people on the Lake. Good luck. Hey Young Steve are you free to do some fishin tomorrow?

[predatordave]

howdy e man, i dont know if i will be out there tomorrow night or morning. if so either no shanty or a portable black one depends on how the temp is reading. if i dont see ya good luck and let me know how you do.
later, dave

[Fidel Casserole]

Anything to report from your Thursday night trip?

[predatordave]

howdy, sorry about not getting some results on here earlier but i was out of town. well the fishing wasnt all that great but it was a great day to be fishing. me and my buddy went to cedar lake in the morning drilled hole and hole and tons more holes with nothing to show for it. i thank my grandpa for going to florida and leaving the gas auger in my hands though. about 12:30 we got some lunch and headed over to another public lake called twin lake. i didnt have a map or have never really fished it in the summer so we started by drilling holes about 10-20 feet apart and checked the depths. we found some water about 25 feet deep so we tried it for about an hour with no luck. so the drilling started again. found a good drop off and set up shop in about 15 feet of water. right off the bat i had some bites right on bottom. then i moved it up and was able to look down and see the gills trying to eat my minnow. they looked like some nice sized gills. as i was trying to feed gills minnows my buddy caught 2 12-14 inch bass. i was looking down the hole when i saw a head looking at my monnow. i nudged my buddy and told him a big bass was looking at my bait. well i looked down my other hole and saw its tail it was no bass but a nice pike. i would say it was about 28-34 inches or so. well i didnt catch it but it sure would have been a nice fight on 4 pound test. it swam around my minnow for about 5 minutes looking at it and trying to figure out what the funny looking growth was coming out the minnows snout (teardrop). then we headed over to long lake about 6 or so. set up in about 25 feet of water. about 5 feet off the bottom my buddy caught 2 crappies. i ended up meeting young steve and eman. it was good to meet you guys. how did you guys end up doing. i liked long lake even though i didnt catch any i had quite a bit of bites so we are going back out there tuesday after work. all in all i got skunked and my buddy caught 4. but any day fishing is fun to me.
later, dave

[Young Steve]

P-Dave,

We did alright Thursday night, last Sunday was a better day with bigger fish. We did catch quite a few small crappie. I think we ended up keeping only 4 fish. I wish they all we as big as that slab E-Man caught (11"-12"). I guess that's fishing for you.

You should definately get out there again. It's a pretty good fishery. Soft water fishing can be great too. The only thing is it doesn't open for fishing until early July because it's a refuge for migrating birds and other critters.

Post a report if you get out again. I'll do the same. Ice should be good for a while yet.

Fish on!!

[E Man]

Yeah I wish I would of fished that lake yesterday instead of driving the hour to St.Clair. Went out by the new spillway launch and got skunked. The weather changed for the worst and it just isn't that much fun fishing in a white out 1.5 miles out with offshore wind howling. I kept thinking I could be fishing 10 minutes from home and catching fish on a little land locked lake. I'm sure to fish that lake again, maybe I'll see you out there.

[Fidel Casserole]

Where do you access Long Lake from in the winter? I've been there in the summer, when it's open 2 months or so, and am familar with the location of the gate to the launch.

It was my understanding that the gate is always locked, other than in the summer. Is this correct and if so..where do you park for ice fishing? I am guessing..in the lot across from the gate and then you drag/carry your stuff in??

If so can I hire some one to take my stuff to the lake for me? :rolleyes:

Thanks in advance for your help and info!

[mcanes1]

The gate opens on Jan. 1st and is open until July. And yes that is the spot that everyone access' at.

[predatordave]

howdy, hey fidel we use the same gate that you would use in the summer. it is open up so you can drive down to the lake. it actually opens for a couple months in the summer, july-?, and then it closes so noone can get back there and duck hunt or any other hunting actually. then it opens up again in the winter for ice fishing for a couple months then closes again. looks like a buddy and i will be heading out there again tomorrow. i will let you know how we do. i am taking a light to drop down in the water to try and attract the crappies. sometimes it works sometimes it doesnt.
later, dave

[chuck44mag]

Dave you and buddy will be at Long Lk. Tus.3/4/03?
What time you going to be there?
I only live about 5 miles S. of the lake.

[predatordave]

hi guys, well we went out last night to long lake and got snowed on a little bit. we getting tons of bites but only took home two crappies. they were biting real light. and they were real picky. had to be a fresh minnow that was twitchin and trying to swim or they wouldnt even bite it. had most of our bites right before dark till about an hour after. we got to meet chuck44mag. it was nice to meet ya chuck.
later, dave

[Tech Rally]

Hi folks,

In case you havn't heard, the Lapeer East Bands are holding a fishing tackle auction on Friday March 28 at the Lapeer East High School cafeteria. Doors open at 5pm and bidding starts at 6pm.