[david boyko]

How we looking in the waterloo area? Thinking about heading there in the morning. TIA

 

[Kaka Filipo]

Guys have been out this week

Is it safe to assume that Whitmore Lake near Rick’s Bait Shack will still be okay tomorrow (Sunday) evening? I’m trying to get out for the first time this winter, and I can’t get up there to check the ice. (Darn kids don’t want to go fishing with me.) I’m a little worried about the above freezing temperatures all night and tomorrow during the day.

 

[jaypluggin]

I drove by there today and it looked like they were having a tournament. Not sure how thick the ice is/was.

 

[JohnnyB87]

Is it safe to assume that Whitmore Lake near Rick’s Bait Shack will still be okay tomorrow (Sunday) evening? I’m trying to get out for the first time this winter, and I can’t get up there to check the ice. (Darn kids don’t want to go fishing with me.) I’m a little worried about the above freezing temperatures all night and tomorrow during the day.

Yea its good to go. Not sure about over by the launch, but there were 25 or so guys out in front of rocks yesterday

 

[Kaka Filipo]

Caught a few crappie on Whitmore Lake this evening. Thanks to those who replied with information on the ice. I even got my son to go with me, which was a good thing because he caught all of the fish.


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[Johnny O]

I went to fish Whitmore Lake this evening for the first time as I typically fish other nearby lakes. Made the realization that Rick's Bait Shop was not in business any more, at least not at the usual location. Did he relocate or just close for good? If he's closed for good, can anyone recommend a place relatively nearby to get minnows (especially suckers for tip-ups)? I live a little west of Ann Arbor so hoping for something that wouldn't take me too much farther north of Whitmore Lake (am also willing to drive west for minnows, especially if anyone has recs on a decent lake for pike fishing out that way).

I did try jigging some various sized hyper-rattles, rattle raps, and spoons hoping for pike, walleye, or panfish off of the boat launch area without success. Is it worth chasing walleye in the winter in that lake?

 

[Ronnie D]

Never fished Whitmore but if you go a few miles farther south on 23 you'll find my tek tronix balt shop on grand river. Great service and there at 6 am always.

 

[Kaka Filipo]

Never fished Whitmore but if you go a few miles farther south on 23 you'll find my tek tronix balt shop on grand river. Great service and there at 6 am always.

A few miles farther *north*, not south. I was excited for a few minutes thinking there was a bait shop closer to Ann Arbor.

Supposedly there’s a bait shop in a gas station somewhere on Textile Rd. in/near Ypsi.

Also, the guys on the ice today said that Rick’s is closed for good and that he would like to sell it someone.


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[RichP]

Major bummer about Rick's, just learned that myself earlier today.

If I have to drive to hamburg hardware or that place on grand river, guess ill be buying more chubs at a time and have a set up a place to keep em alive...

 

[michcats]

A small 5 dollar bubbler will keep them alive in a 5 gallon bucket in your garage for weeks

 

[icemanjoe]

Any locals or outdoorsman have any ice conditions to report in the county? I normally go to the Waterloo Rec Area to ice fish.
Thanks in advance - Jim

Try Cedar Lake 4 to 5" of ice. Fished it yesterday. Got some average size gills.

 

[JohnnyB87]

I went to fish Whitmore Lake this evening for the first time as I typically fish other nearby lakes. Made the realization that Rick's Bait Shop was not in business any more, at least not at the usual location. Did he relocate or just close for good? If he's closed for good, can anyone recommend a place relatively nearby to get minnows (especially suckers for tip-ups)? I live a little west of Ann Arbor so hoping for something that wouldn't take me too much farther north of Whitmore Lake (am also willing to drive west for minnows, especially if anyone has recs on a decent lake for pike fishing out that way).

I did try jigging some various sized hyper-rattles, rattle raps, and spoons hoping for pike, walleye, or panfish off of the boat launch area without success. Is it worth chasing walleye in the winter in that lake?

Closest place is peters hardware on M36, a little expensive and the count sucks. Whitmore is a tough lake, but some people do consistently catch walleye(im not one of them.)

 

[RichP]

I went into the tec-tronics bait shop for the first time this morning. Unsurprisingly, owner mentioned he has been getting a lot more business now that Rick is closed. Nice place, can't believe I wasn't aware of its existence.

 

[Johnny O]

I went into the tec-tronics bait shop for the first time this morning. Unsurprisingly, owner mentioned he has been getting a lot more business now that Rick is closed. Nice place, can't believe I wasn't aware of its existence.

Thanks everyone for the information about bait shops I the area; I’ll be happy to support one or more of them in Rick’s absence.

 

[jaypluggin]

Hit Whitmore today from 1030-230ish and not one bite. Plenty of people out there, 11 cars when I left. 4-6” of ice, fished from 6’-12’ and didn’t see one fish on the camera. Must be from the pounding this weekend. This was the launch area.

 

[Ronnie D]

Sat for 9 hrs yesterday in waterloo and nothing worth chucking the spear at. My son hauled in 13 perch 10- 12" and threw back twice that many. The first time i went to tek- tronix for bait i went home w/ a set of running boards for my pickup. Those guys probably make more $$ on re-purposed junk than bait.

 

[Nwohiofisherman]

Does anyone have an ice report from Patterson? Looking at bringing my father in law up this weekend. Thanks

 

[Bullrider115]

First post in this thread. I went and checked Portage, Clear, Crooked, Mud and Grass Lake yesterday. Portage had 5" 40 yards off the county park side. Shantys up and down the State Park Side. Crooked Lake is fishable in most areas with 3 to 5, there is still open water in one area. Mud Lake had 3". Clear and Grass Lakes I did not go out on but, shantys on both. Will be checking Cedar and Doyle Lakes today in hopes to be able to run the quad out. Has anyone seen machines on Cedar Lake?