Have not ice fished Orchard, BUT summer time and spring are good from the boat. Gills are normally found just around the corner from the launch in the deep hole, the rest of the lake seems good for bass most of the summer. Some walleye are taken, although I have not fished there for them.

Yeah, I used to fish there in the summer. We got a couple nice pike out of there also. Lots of Bass and Gills also.
But, I don't understand why nobody goes there in the winter.
I may just have to try it out this year.

I think it takes a long time to freeze and get safe ice. Seems like its got open water when I drive by when many other lakes I fish are frozen.

it IS fished during winter...Generally its in that 80 ft hole near the launch, Most don't bother as its a slow to freeze lake, same as Union lake. Those deep water lakes rarely get good ice in this area, last year was an exception to that rule..

I live right down the street from Orchard lake and i fished on it yesterday. If you see a pair of Green shanties out there its me. anyway there is 5 to 6 inchs of ice, last year it got up to 18inchs and i hope it doesit again this year cause i icefished that lake untill april (it was nice and warm) ,ok butany way its good fishing, there is 13" perch on a 30ft shelf, about 1 hour after dark with a minow, right out from the boat launch, there is crappie, pike and sunnies out to the right about 300 ft off shore infront of a tunnel. thats all and happy fishing, ill be out there almost every weekend.

Welcome to the site,,, that's quite a "first post".

I think you're gonna have all the "friends" you can handle out there, this coming weekend! I'm sure everyone appreciates, you sharing your knowledge of the lake,, I hope it doesn't come back and bite ya in the a$$. When those "magic" words appear,( 13" perch), some people go "crazy". LMAO.

with that note of (13" perch), just a hint, they are light biters, very light, and I only caught 7 last year, and there is alot of bait stealers, so hug the bottem and fend off the small ones. see ya out there
but i know what tackle to put the minow on to catch them, sorry family secret

Today I went out, i was on the ice and fishin by 2:30, fished in the 30 ft where perch are only got a nibble then moved couple times move but nothing by that time it was 5:30 so i headed in. Ill be out tommorw again with the report

What time will you be there send me a P.M. I will be in a red Ford F-350

Anyone else wanna join the fun sitting on a ice cube, be there between 1 and 5 tomorrow, there is a good 6 inchs of ice

Do you have an frs radio I will have mine on channel 7-0 me and my brother were there today in the morning.

yea i got a radio, where were u guys fishin this morning

Not at Orchard

wow lots-O-snow and a good healthy 6 inchs of ice, how has the fishin been so far on it, i havent been there in a couple of days, just need a up date on where to fish.

Ice is a measured 3-4 inches with tape measure.

I find ice thickness measurements performed by fisherman to be real accurate. Just as reliable as our estimates of how long our fish are.

it depends on the patch of ice ur fishin, orchard lake when it freezes has open water spots around the lake so when you drill holes in different areas it will vary in ice thickness but on the older ice its a good 6 inchs, i've been fishin that lake for 10 years

Just wondering were you fished at on Orchard the day of the big snowstorm.

didnt go, I played in to snow with my truck, pulled out 3 people and made some money, i might be out there tomorrow and i'll post the lastest