Pike fishing on Thornapple River

[Big Al]

Hey Boehr, do you know why pike season was closed down on the Thornapple on Jan. 21? I'm just curious because I just heard that this morning and I know a couple of guys that fish the backwaters almost every weekend. Big Al

[boehr]

Originally posted by Big Al:
Hey Boehr, do you know why pike season was closed down on the Thornapple on Jan. 21? I'm just curious because I just heard that this morning and I know a couple of guys that fish the backwaters almost every weekend. Big Al

I assume you are talking Thornapple Lake in Barry County. I don't know where Jan 21 came from because the season on Thornapple Lake for northern pike and muskellunge is the last Saturday in April through November 30 (page 19 & 26 in the Fish Digest). As far as why, there is no fish biologist here today but I would guess because of spawning and not wanting musky to get speared by someone thinking it was a pike during ice fishing. Thorapple Lake does have a decent musky fishery.



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[Big Al]

The proprietor at the bait shop in Middleville informed me that the Thornapple River itself between Thornapple Lake and 68th street in Kent county is closed to pike fishing. He said that someone from the Yankee Springs DNR headquarters confirmed it. I believe the season closed down sometime in December for pike in Thornapple Lake. I can understand that, but why in the actual river, most of it doesn't contain any Musky. Big Al

[boehr]

Yankee Springs is nothing but a state park office, I will check with fisheries and find out about the river.

[Big Al]

Thanks Boehr.

[boehr]

I finally confirmed what I thought, The Thornapple River is NOT closed to pike fishing. There was a proposal to close the season in the river right by the lake because of two muskies getting speared there last year but that did no go through and was only a very small section right near the lake. There river is under normal seasons like any other inland water.

The only closure is on Thornapple Lake itself.

Hope that clears it up.

[Big Al]

Thanks for the help Boehr. The bait shop owner must have been misinformed. I really appreciate the help that you give me and the rest of the people on this site. I just hope that I don't cause you too much inconvenience. Big Al