[Ricky Bubbles]

Good morning gentlemen -

I'm going for a float on the Huron River tomorrow at Island Lake. Would I be wasting my time if I tried fishing for some smallmouth or pike while on the river? Are they biting at all right now? If yes, any tips on lures / baits / presentation?

I have a little bit of everything tackle wise, and have both fly and spinning rods.

Weather conditions and stream flow overall seem to be in favor of kayaking, but fishing maybe not so much.

Any advice is appreciated.

 

[MIfishslayer91]

Good morning gentlemen -

I'm going for a float on the Huron River tomorrow at Island Lake. Would I be wasting my time if I tried fishing for some smallmouth or pike while on the river? Are they biting at all right now? If yes, any tips on lures / baits / presentation?

I have a little bit of everything tackle wise, and have both fly and spinning rods.

Weather conditions and stream flow overall seem to be in favor of kayaking, but fishing maybe not so much.

Any advice is appreciated.

Not sure how the winter smallmouth fishing is, but I’ve caught a lot of pike in the Clinton during winter. Look for slack water with cover and deep holes and work cranks or spinners real slow, or drift or float minnows.

 

[Levelpebble Angler]

Good morning gentlemen -

I'm going for a float on the Huron River tomorrow at Island Lake. Would I be wasting my time if I tried fishing for some smallmouth or pike while on the river? Are they biting at all right now? If yes, any tips on lures / baits / presentation?

I have a little bit of everything tackle wise, and have both fly and spinning rods.

Weather conditions and stream flow overall seem to be in favor of kayaking, but fishing maybe not so much.

Any advice is appreciated.

My home water is the lower stretch of the Huron (Belleville to Erie) and I do alot of fishing all year long and I've never caught a smallmouth when the water temp drops past 50. Not saying it's not possible but I would be very surprised to see a bronzeback caught this time of year in the river. Pike are definantly still active and feeding this time of year but again I have never hooked up with one in the river this time of year.

 

[michcats]

Theres pike in there ive caught them on my bday before use biggest walleye minnows you can find or small golden shinners holdens in milford calls them bass minnows

 

[Ricky Bubbles]

Thanks guys!

 

[mfs686]

The best day I ever had fly fishing for smallmouth, on a SE Michigan river, was on a snowy, windy, rainy day in the beginning of April. Water temps were in the upper 30's to low 40's. Fished big flies low and slow and dredged the bottom.

 

[Ricky Bubbles]

The best day I ever had fly fishing for smallmouth, on a SE Michigan river, was on a snowy, windy, rainy day in the beginning of April. Water temps were in the upper 30's to low 40's. Fished big flies low and slow and dredged the bottom. View attachment 634923

That's a great fish. Were you using streamers?

 

[Levelpebble Angler]

The best day I ever had fly fishing for smallmouth, on a SE Michigan river, was on a snowy, windy, rainy day in the beginning of April. Water temps were in the upper 30's to low 40's. Fished big flies low and slow and dredged the bottom. View attachment 634923

That's a heck of a fish to be proud of there considering the conditions and being on a fly.

 

[mfs686]

That's a great fish. Were you using streamers?

Yes, that one hit a Circus Peanut. Others came on a Black Leech with a magnum dragon tail.

Since the DNR changed the regs to C&R all year there are people who fish the Huron all year long. The bite is tough right now but the fish caught can be beasts.

 

[Levelpebble Angler]

Yes, that one hit a Circus Peanut. Others came on a Black Leech with a magnum dragon tail.

Since the DNR changed the regs to C&R all year there are people who fish the Huron all year long. The bite is tough right now but the fish caught can be beasts. View attachment 634951

Do you get any on spinning/casting gear or just stick to the fly? I'm pretty curious because I fish the lower stretch for steelhead during the cold months but have never got a fluke smallie, only walleye.

 

[mfs686]

Do you get any on spinning/casting gear or just stick to the fly? I'm pretty curious because I fish the lower stretch for steelhead during the cold months but have never got a fluke smallie, only walleye.

Just fly and I have never caught one either. Most of the fish in the lower take off into Erie when the temps drop. I think. At least that is what they do in a lot of the rivers that dump into the Great Lakes.

 

[Levelpebble Angler]

Just fly and I have never caught one either. Most of the fish in the lower take off into Erie when the temps drop. I think. At least that is what they do in a lot of the rivers that dump into the Great Lakes.

I agree. I'll go from catching bass left and right in early october then temp drops and it's walleye and steelhead.

 

[TroutFishingBear]

I've got a handful round flatrock during Jan to feb but incidental catches and never big. The bridge where the street goes over it in flatrock has given up most of em as I recall.
Start gettin a few incidental catches in late march.
I tried pike this jan with dead creek chub, no dice but that's cuz the good spots are frozen over. I start gettin em on cranks below the dams on warm february days
Pike will bite year round in the huron

 

[Levelpebble Angler]

I've got a handful round flatrock during Jan to feb but incidental catches and never big. The bridge where the street goes over it in flatrock has given up most of em as I recall.
Start gettin a few incidental catches in late march.
I tried pike this jan with dead creek chub, no dice but that's cuz the good spots are frozen over. I start gettin em on cranks below the dams on warm february days
Pike will bite year round in the huron

 

[Levelpebble Angler]

I haven't caught a pike on the Huron in over 3 years and I fish it probably 50+ days a year for smallies/walleye/steelhead. I did get a small muskie last fall throwing a small crank.

 

[TroutFishingBear]

I haven't caught a pike on the Huron in over 3 years and I fish it probably 50+ days a year for smallies/walleye/steelhead. I did get a small muskie last fall throwing a small crank.

I got 68 on the huron last yr...9 were between 30 and 39 inches. They are in there big time. I fish a2 area mostly, tho, but couple yrs ago my second cast of steelie season at labo popped a 27" or so pike, really thought it was steel lol.

 

[Levelpebble Angler]

I got 68 on the huron last yr...9 were between 30 and 39 inches. They are in there big time. I fish a2 area mostly, tho, but couple yrs ago my second cast of steelie season at labo popped a 27" or so pike, really thought it was steel lol.

Wow that's crazy. What do you use? I do all my pike fishing out in the Detroit river and lake Erie around point moullie. I use mostly chatter and spinner baits and some top water stuff.