Houghton Lake Report 03SEP2004

[FWF]

Summer conditions on Friday; no wind, temp of 84 degrees, water temp up to 75 degrees.:)

Launched at DNR site on west shore around Noon. Started fishing straight out from launch about 1.5 miles, 7 FOW surrounded by 11 FOW. Crawlers or leeches - no go. Casting with a chrome and black HOT-N-TOT produced a 15" Smally and 2 hammerhandles in about 30 minutes. Daughter casted a chrome and blue Wally Diver and caught one 20" pike.

Moved to middlegrounds with same setup. 15 FOW, marking many fish, but only managed one nice 13" Crappie on the chorome H-N-T.

Began trolling in 15 FOW off of Cut River around 6 PM. Still calm, hazy conditions. Marking loads of fish, but no luck. Trolled the H-N-T's, crawlers, and GULPS behind planer board 30 - 40 ft back, 30 ft out, to no avail. Packed up at 7:45 and headed to launch.

Unusual day for HL - usually crawlers will produce something. I have never had luck with H-N-T's here but they were the only thing going on Friday. Lake was loaded with fisherman (nice to see), a few recreational boats too.

[Burksee]

FWF, First let me be the first to greet you to the M-S.com website. Please take a moment and fill out your profile with some information about yourself. You may want to post in the "Introductions" forum as well. Do you fish HL quite a bit? We have a cottage off the lake on the southside in Prudenville. My neighbor (retired) keeps me posted on the fishing. It's not been overly productive up there lately. We're hoping to get up there later in the month.

Thanks for the report on HL! Keep those cards and letters coming! :lol:

[FWF]

Thanks for the welcome and I'll post some information soon....
We usually spend a week at HL in the summer (rented cabin, Woodbine) and then make day trips as much as possible. I've been going to HL since I was a kid. I can confirm the slow fishing this summer (we were at the lake during the beautiful July 4th week) and with a couple of other trips there.

I am usually torn between driving an hour to HL (and usually catching something!) and going to Saginaw Bay (30 minutes) and likely gettting skunked. The other option has been Sanford Lake, but I am still working on locations and techniques there.

[newk8]

Hey FWF, welcome to the forum. I think you will find it very helpful and insightful as most of the guys who post are pretty honest sportsman. I fish the three lakes you were speaking of quite a bit. I have done very well on Houghton this year as well as Sag Bay. My father just sent me a good report off of Sanford lake where her caught 6 on Labor day. I have not fished for walleye in a couple of weeks due to terrific salmon fishing right now, but if I get some info I would be glad to share it with you!!