Lake Cadillac-Hawg Hunt results and pic

[wecker20]

Fished last night on Lake Cadillac in our Wed. night hawg hunt. My boat did very well, putting 5 legal fish in the well but you only weigh your biggest fish. We caught all smallies and in 4-8ft of water. My fiance caught our biggest and it is her biggest smallmouth she's caught. Here she is. Weighed 3.19lbs
http://us.f809.mail.yahoo.com/ym/us/ShowLetter?box=Inbox&MsgId=5095_263473_1513_1496_156219_0_1805_204032_2 679445963&bodyPart=2&YY=53288&order=down&sort=date&pos=0&view=a&head=b&Idx=1
Here's 1st place. 3.58lbs.
http://www.theeyeshaveit.net/a_cad_1.jpg
Here's 2nd place. 3.22lbs
http://www.theeyeshaveit.net/a_cad_2.jpg
We also have a critter pot. And this guy can catch some dogfish. I think he targets them.
http://www.theeyeshaveit.net/a_cad_d.jpg

[waterfoul]

Do you guys put the dogfish (Bowfin) back? I've only ever caught a few, but I've never put one back in the lake. I've been told that they are not a native species, are verocius eaters and compete with the game fish, and can actually starve them out if given the chance. So, I always take em out of the lake.

[steelie]

Good Day,

They are indigenous to Michigan and much of the Eastern US. From the Michigan DNR website...

Bowfin (Amia calve)

The bowfin is a primitive fish that lives in muddy bottomed lakes and marshes. Sometimes called "dogfish," bowfins are often seen gulping air at the surface. They can grow to over 3 feet long. The males guard the eggs in a circular nest hidden among water plants, and also protect the young after hatching, as shown in this poster. These fish are predatory, feeding on other fish and crayfish. They are not highly regarded as a food or game fish.

Also see this link...

http://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/FactSheet.asp?SpeciesID=305

Steelie

[wecker20]

We normally do not throw them back. They eat all game fish and a lot of them. Here's the pic of my fiance. I only see a red x on the first one.
http://www.theeyeshaveit.net/a_cad_g.jpg

[wyle_e_coyote]

That's your fiance ?...and she likes to fish....does she have a sister ?? :lol:
Lucky man!!!

That is a real nice smallie...all of them are. Good job!

I caught a 7lb dogfish on a white spinner bait one time, thought I had a real nice bass at first. I could not believe it hit a spinner bait, untill then I always that they were bottom feeders. We would target them off the dock with cut bait. Start a fire in the pit, get some beer and watch the polls. They have some mean teeth!

[wecker20]

Yeah I know, I'm a lucky guy. She also likes to snowmobile and she hunts w/ me during rifle season. She wants me to get her into bow hunting too. It's great! We're fishing tonight and tomorrow too. Get out 2-3 times a week.

[Frozenfish]

Got any more pics of your fiance, I mean bass, :yikes:

In all seriousness nice catch!!!

[Papa_Ron]

Why is it that I always hear about fishing Lake Cadillac, but rarely ever hear anyone talk about Lake Mitchell? Beings that the two connect. I have fished Cadillac only twice in my lifetime, both times hauling in some rather excellent panfish (great gills & crappie). Never did make it through the channel to Mitchell either time. Is Mitchell not a particularly good lake for anglers?

[wecker20]

I fish Mitchell later in the summer for largies on docks. Half the boats on Wed. went there for bedding largies but most are done and only males are on the beds. I'll always hit my smallie spot first on Cad. then run over to Mitchell for a largie in mid summer.

[Fishfoote]

Your fiance sees the picture you posted with your signature under it, you might get in some trouble :lol: Nice fish!

[waterfoul]

I'm going to be at the State Park over the 4th of July. Not sure if we are bringing the go-fast big boat or the fishing boat. How deep is the channel under M-115?? Can you get a 24' deep v stern drive boat thru there or not? I am pretty low slung so the bridge clearance won't be an issue... more worried about sucking the sand/mud off the bottom with the Bravo One drive.


And..... where do you fish for the smallies? How about the largemouth? Never fished the lakes before.

Mike

[UPSMAN1965]

hi,
I was wondering if the smallies were caught off beds up there or are they all done spawning? also where are some good smallie spots on Cadillac I can only seem to find the largies? thanks

[wecker20]

Waterfoul, the channel is not very deep. Deepest in the middle might be 6 ft but if another boat is coming and you have to move over, it's 3-4 ft. Coming from Cadillac into Mitchell, the deep part of the channel jogs to the left and is very shallow outside of the deeper water. You gotta know Mitchell if your going to run it on plane. Very shallow lake and lots of areas to rip the lower unit off. If you catch and release only for bass, I might tell you where I go. Sorry, but I'm a tourny fisher and I have three on Cadillac. Told my fiances mom where I catch my fish on a different lake and she kept them. :rant: That's the last time I give her any help.

[UPSMAN1965]

well i found 1 Smallie today on mitchell and the rest were largies. we took 23rd out of about 80 boats in the BBT tourney with 11.81 pounds. our big fish was 3.67. we needed 1 more kicker. 2 more pounds would have put us up in the top ten somewhere. The winner had 15 and some change. We had our limit by 9AM just couldnt get a 2nd kicker.

[wecker20]

Here is another bass my fiance caught on Rose Lake this past Friday.
http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/526/medium/Rose_Lake.JPG