Great Lakes Fisherman's Digest

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Great Lakes Fisherman's Digest We are a website, television show, and travel booth all dedicated to exposing the incredible opportunities for fishing and travel in the Great Lakes region

17/01/2025

This weekend, we’re taking you on an unforgettable adventure deep in the Canadian wilderness at Camp Quetico, a world-renowned angling destination! 🎥 Experience breathtaking scenery, incredible smallmouth bass fishing, and expert guidance from Camp Quetico’s seasoned pros. Whether you’re a seasoned angler or dreaming of your first big catch, this episode is a must-watch!

📺 Catch the Show:

CBS Sports Network: Sat., 7:30 am EST
Pursuit Outdoor Channel: Sat., 4:30 pm EST
WILD TV Canada: 3 weekly airings
AT&T Sportsnet Southwest: Weekends, 9 am-9 pm
Comcast Sportsnet Chicago Plus: Mondays, 12:30 pm
WKBD-50 Detroit & All Suburbs: Sat., 7:30 am EST
WBSF-46 Midland/Saginaw/Bay City: Sun., 6:00 am EST
WOTV-4 Grand Rapids/Kalamazoo: Sat., 11:00 am EST
Fox-32 Traverse City Northern Lower: Sun., 7:30 am EST
WBKB-11 NE Lower Alpena: CBS-11 Sat., 12:00 Midnight; NBC-11 Sun., 5:30 am; Fox-11 Sat., 6:00 am
Fox-6 Marquette & U.P.: Sun., 8:30 am

✨ Plan Your Own Trip:
Ready to experience the adventure for yourself? Camp Quetico offers access to over 40 lakes, incredible fishing opportunities, and memories that last a lifetime.

🌊🐟 Don’t miss out!

1-16-25 Houghton Lake The Walleye bite has been more consistent at dawn and dusk using jigging minnows or spoons w/ minn...
16/01/2025

1-16-25 Houghton Lake
The Walleye bite has been more consistent at dawn and dusk using jigging minnows or spoons w/ minnow heads. Pike are being caught in lower numbers, but they are very healthy...very few hammer handles.
The surprise this season is the number of larger perch being caught...we haven't seen any limits of 12" perch yet, but the trend is positive.
Use larger minnows to land the bigger perch while keeping the smaller ones off your line.
Bluegill and Crappie anglers are very tight-lipped, but our spies have seen some nice baskets of 9"+ gills and 10" Crappie. Fish above the schools to coax out the bigger ones.
If you’re looking to come up to the area, stop in at Lyman’s on the lake for your
bait and if you’re looking for a daily shanty or an overnight sleeper shack, they have them available.
Houghton Lake Area Tourism Bureau

1-15-25 Saginaw Bay region ice fishing report. The Saginaw River has good ice, and anglers are taking good numbers of sm...
15/01/2025

1-15-25 Saginaw Bay region ice fishing report. The Saginaw River has good ice, and anglers are taking good numbers of small legal walleye. Jigging raps are the standard bait.
Saginaw Bay has ice, and fishermen are using caution as they move farther offshore. The ice is still unstable to reach offshore locations. Pockets of open water and thin ice are present! The northwest side has blow out and will take a good amount of time to gain ice. (Whites Beach to Point Auges) Those after the perch in the shallows are finding perch. Being mobile is the key to success. Beaded spoons and jigs with minnows are best. As always, ice conditions can change from day to day. Networking with local baitshops and reputable sources online are a good place to get conditions. If you are unfamiliar with Great Lakes ice fishing, it is recommended to hire a guide. Walking to productive walleye locations will be a very long walk. Guides also have tag along trips. This is where you have your own equipment and transportation. Snowmobiles with studs and scrachers are best. Quads with chains and ramps get it done. Side by sides travel isn't recommended on Saginaw Bay. Cracks open and close by the hour. These vehicles have a history of accidents at the cracks. Leaving shore with a full tank of gas and a complete safety kit is a must. Several means of navigation is also a must. Never use a cell phone as you primarily navigational aid.
Saginaw Bay is Michigans best walleye ice destination. With proper information and safety procedures it can be enjoyed safely. The limit for walleye is 8 fish at 13 inches and above. This is the highest walleye limit in North America! Fish over 10 pounds are also common!

For further information, you can also contact Saginaw Bay charter captain and ice guide.

Captain Andrew Hendrickson
Northstar Fishing Adventures
(616)450-1417
Go Great Lakes Bay

Lake of the Woods MN Fishing Report - 1-14-24On the South Shore... Ice fishing is going great on the south shore of Lake...
14/01/2025

Lake of the Woods MN Fishing Report - 1-14-24

On the South Shore... Ice fishing is going great on the south shore of Lake of the Woods, with resorts and outfitters reporting thickening ice conditions with two feet of ice in some areas. Many ice roads are now open to 1 ton vehicles pulling a wheelhouse. Every road has different weight limits, check with each resort for details before traveling up and out on the ice.

Some good fishing this past week. As a rule, fishing activity is happening in 28 - 32 feet of water. Resorts do just about everything they can to get customers on fish and this past week, some resorts made some long runs, resetting fish houses in new areas miles off shore. Most are reporting good fishing as a rule.

It is common to sort through some small walleyes and saugers to get your keepers on LOW. Naturally, some big fish are showing up, especially in deeper water. In addition, this has been a very good year for jumbo perch with good numbers being caught. Other fish in the mix are eelpout (burbot), pike, tullibees and an occasional sturgeon.

Anglers are using the one-two punch of jigging in one hole and deadsticking the second hole. In the jigging hole, a jigging spoon tipped with a minnow head or tail in gold / pink, gold / glow red, glow white / pink, or Wonder Bread have worked well.

Especially in the deeper water, some anglers are finding success on rippin raps or using jigging spoons with a rattle as well.

On the deadstick, a small jig with a live minnow hooked behind the dorsal fin set 6 inches - a foot off of the bottom is working well. One day the jigging line catches most of the fish, the other day a deadstick is hot.

Electronics are very helpful to see suspended fish, know when fish are coming through and adjust your presentation to the mood of each fish. Most resorts, outfitters and bait shops in the area rent electronics by the day.

On the Rainy River... The Rainy River is still producing some nice walleyes and saugers, primarily in the mornings and evenings. A jig and minnow working well.

Catch-and-release sturgeon fishing continues to be good for those targeting them. An oversized hole, or three holes drilled together, with nightcrawlers or frozen emerald shiners on a sturgeon rig fished on the bottom are what anglers are using.

Ice conditions on the river can vary significantly due to the current. To stay safe and maximize success, always work with a local resort or outfitter familiar with river conditions.

Up at the NW Angle... Ice fishing continues to be very good up at the Northwest Angle. Resorts have fish houses set up on various pieces of structure as well as adjacent to structure in deep mud. A consistent mix of walleyes, saugers, jumbo perch, pike and tullibees in the mix.

Shallow structure is best right away in the morning and as the sun starts going down in the late afternoon. Mud is more of a slower bite but all day.

The ice road from Jerry's on the mainland (Angle Inlet, MN) to island resorts (as of this past week) was open to 1 ton vehicles. Guests drive right to their island resort after picking up a road pass at Jerry's or Point North Services. Venmo is also available at all resorts. Work through your resort for specifics.

Ice fishing is in full swing across Lake of the Woods and there are openings for lodging, fish house rentals, sleeper fish house rentals and meal plans across the area. Ice fishing is extended on LOW with fish houses allowed on the ice through March 31st, walleye / sauger season open through April 14th and a pike season that never closes.

For more information on fish house rentals, lodging, and helpful information, visit LakeoftheWoodsMN.com. & Lake of the Woods Tourism Bureau

13/01/2025

Experience the excitement as we join The Fallen Outdoors and veterans from across the country for an unforgettable ice fishing adventure on Michigan's largest inland lake. Guided by Just Fish Guide Service, we’re pulling up massive jumbo perch, aka “Teeter Pigs,” while celebrating camaraderie and the great outdoors.

📍 Plan your own adventure:

Tourism Info: Western U.P. Visitors Bureau

🙏 Special Thanks to Our Partners:

Skeeter Products, Inc: Engineered for innovation
Garmin Marine: Trusted navigation and fish-finding tools
Traxstech Corporation: The ultimate fishing systems
EGO Fishing - Designed for the Savvy Angler
Strike King Lure Company: Premium fishing lures
Lew's: Superior fishing reels & equipment
Off Shore Tackle Company: Precision trolling gear
Whitewater Fishing: High-quality apparel for anglers
Walleye Nation Creations: Top-tier fishing lures
WavePro: Smoothest ride on water
Amped Outdoors LLC: Long-lasting marine batteries
Team Dreamweaver: High-performance trolling gear
Flo-Fast: Efficient fluid transfer systems
Drotto Catch And Release Automatic Boat Latch

10/01/2025

We’re going back to one of your favorite adventures! 📺 Join us for the Teeter Pig Takeover on Lake Gogebic, Michigan’s largest inland lake, hosted by The Fallen Outdoors. 🐷✨ Watch as veterans across the country team up with Just Fish Guide Service to land massive jumbo perch in this heartwarming, action-packed adventure.

🎥 Catch the Action:

CBS Sports Network: Sat., 7:30 am EST
WILD TV Canada: 3 weekly airings
AT&T Sportsnet Southwest: Weekends, 9 am-9 pm
Comcast Sportsnet Chicago Plus: Mondays, 12:30 pm
WKBD-50 Detroit & Suburbs: Sat., 7:30 am EST
WBSF-46 Midland/Saginaw/Bay City: Sun., 6:00 am EST
WOTV-4 Grand Rapids/Kalamazoo: Sat., 11:00 am EST
Fox-32 Traverse City Northern Lower: Sun., 7:30 am EST
WBKB-11 NE Lower Alpena:
CBS-11 Sat., 12:00 Midnight
NBC-11 Sun., 5:30 am
Fox-11 Sat., 6:00 am
Fox-6 Marquette & U.P.: Sun., 8:30 am

🛶 Plan Your Own Trip: Discover the magic of Lake Gogebic, its famous jumbo perch, and more! Learn more at Western U.P. Visitors Bureau and book your trip with Just Fish Guide Service for your own unforgettable experience.

🌟 Relive the excitement of this incredible event showcasing camaraderie, big catches, and the beauty of Michigan's frozen wonderland. Don’t miss it this time around! ❄️🐟

1-8-25 Houghton lake has 8 to 12 inches of ice. pressure cracks are forming in the normal  spots. Decent size fish being...
10/01/2025

1-8-25 Houghton lake has 8 to 12 inches of ice. pressure cracks are forming in the normal spots. Decent size fish being taken along structure and depth contours. Run and Gun using jigs topped with a minnow head works best for me.But I don't set up camp or use tip ups.Tight lines, everyone.

Houghton Lake Area Tourism Bureau

06/01/2025

We’re taking you deep into Ontario’s breathtaking wilderness for an unforgettable fishing trip at Kesagami Wilderness Lodge! From battling trophy pike to reeling in abundant walleye, this episode has it all. 🚤

💡 Plan Your Own Adventure:
🌐 Explore Kesagami Wilderness Lodge: https://www.kesagami.com

📌 Special Thanks to Our Partners:

Skeeter Boats: Engineered like no other
Garmin & Garmin Fish & Hunt: Reliable navigation & fish-finding tech
Traxstech: Versatile fishing systems
EGO Fishing: Designed for the savvy angler
Strike King Lures: Premium fishing lures
Lew's: Superior fishing reels
Offshore Tackle: Precision trolling gear
Whitewater Fishing: High-quality apparel
Walleye Nation Creations: Top-tier lures
WavePro: Smoothest ride on water
Amped Outdoors: Long-lasting marine batteries
Team Dreamweaver: High-performance trolling gear
Flo-Fast: Efficient fluid transfer
Drotto Catch and Release: Automatic boat latch
📺 Click here to watch now and dive into the adventure! ⬇️

03/01/2025

This weekend, we take you deep into the Ontario wilderness to Kasagami Wilderness Lodge, where breathtaking scenery meets world-class fishing. 🛩️ From trophy pike to abundant walleye, we’re diving into the thrill of the catch with expert guides to show us the way.

📺 Catch the Action on These Channels:

CBS Sports Network: Sat., 7:30 am EST
Pursuit Outdoor Channel: Sat., 4:30 pm EST
WILD TV Canada: 3 weekly airings
AT&T Sportsnet Southwest: Weekends, 9 am-9 pm
Comcast Sportsnet Chicago Plus: Mondays, 12:30 pm
WKBD-50 Detroit & All Suburbs: Sat., 7:30 am EST
WBSF-46 Midland/Saginaw/Bay City: Sun., 6:00 am EST
WOTV-4 Grand Rapids/Kalamazoo: Sat., 11:00 am EST
Fox-32 Traverse City Northern Lower: Sun., 7:30 am EST
WBKB-11 NE Lower Alpena:
CBS-11 Sat., 12:00 Midnight
NBC-11 Sun., 5:30 am
Fox-11 Sat., 6:00 am
Fox-6 Marquette & U.P.: Sun., 8:30 am

💡 Plan Your Own Adventure!
Explore the beauty of the Kasagami region by visiting the local tourism bureau for trip ideas. And don’t forget to check out Kesagami Wilderness Lodge at kesagami.com for an unforgettable experience!

📽️ Check Out the Teaser Below!
Tune in for an exhilarating journey filled with incredible catches, beautiful scenery, and memories to last a lifetime. Don't miss it!

1-1-25 Oscoda area Fishing Report AuSable RiverRecent rain and snow runoff has increased the river flow and active chrom...
02/01/2025

1-1-25 Oscoda area Fishing Report AuSable River

Recent rain and snow runoff has increased the river flow and active chrome steelhead are abundant. The most productive for me has been hot shotting 3.0 mag lips in the deep holes. Best colors have been gold / fluorescent orange and the green prirate. 70’-80’ back. Several lakers have been taken as well. Many lakers trout are being caught at the pier heads casting Cleo’s and spinners.
Take advantage of the mild winter conditions and experience the adrenaline rush of river steelhead fishing. For charter information contact Captain Gene at Calypso Sportfishing Charters 989-739-2313. [email protected]
Oscoda Area Convention & Visitors Bureau

1-1-25 Marquette County Fishing ReportIce conditions on Inland lakes have enough ice to run Sleds or Small Machines. Ice...
01/01/2025

1-1-25 Marquette County Fishing Report
Ice conditions on Inland lakes have enough ice to run Sleds or Small Machines. Ice conditions do vary greatly once you get closer to the superior shoreline. We have observed many areas with spring holes or honeycomb ice. Best bet is to book with MQT Adventures to find fish and safe fishing conditions.

Fishing report-
On shallow eutrophic lakes, pan fish have been caught in 9-13 feet of water using small tungsten tear drops.
Watermelon, purple fire tiger, glow, wonder bread and chartreuse have all worked well tipped with a wax worm or twitching fly plastic. Look for shallow w**d beds along drops and fish the edge of the w**ds, mid morning and late afternoon have provided the best bite windows.

Olgiotrophic lakes or big basins, have been fishing tremendously well, glare ice has allowed for easy travel, low snow levels have opened access to many areas not commonly plowed. Targeting crappie in 22-30 feet of water using large presentations, chartreuse and hot pink double jointed pinhead minnows or size one swedish pimples. Tipping these with plastic solder flies or large swim baits have attracted and caught many large crappies that are roaming deep water. Keep a smaller presentation on hand to appeal to the occasional stubborn gill or walleye.

Pro tip- I recently have been using the new flx-30bb which has allowed me to adjust frequency and cone angles to cut through tall w**ds and also reach out and see fish that traditional fish finders wouldn’t be able to see by adjusting the transducer degrees from 15* - 7.5 * Using this new system while hole hoping has cut down time between catches and optimized my harvest in the most critical hours when the bite is the best.
-Catch ya on the water-

Captain Mike Koziara
MQT Adventures
906-362-7926
Travel Marquette

12-28-24 Monroe Fishing ReportLaunched out of Bolles Saturday morning and started by Luna in 15 FOW. Water had 18”-24” v...
31/12/2024

12-28-24 Monroe Fishing Report

Launched out of Bolles Saturday morning and started by Luna in 15 FOW. Water had 18”-24” visibility. Found fish pretty quickly, but they wouldn’t fire. Most marks were tight to the bottom. Moved around looking for active fish. Headed into Brest Bay and out by Stony Point but found nothing but dirty water full of floating w**ds.

After searching numerous spots, we headed back to Luna in hopes those fish would turn on. Within 10 minutes of our first pass, we pulled 4 fish in a small area. Pulled lines and reset a couple more times, picking away at a few more. Walleye Nation Reapers in Gold Digger and Antifreeze 20-25 back were good. We also had a couple P-10s out that produced fish. Speed was 1.1-1.3 mph.

Looking back, we should have probably stayed on those fish rather than running all over the lake, but in the end, it worked out well.

Explore Monroe

30/12/2024

🎥 Catch the Action Now! Our ice fishing adventure is live and ready for you to enjoy! From jumbo perch to expert tips on tip-ups and jigging, this episode is packed with excitement and breathtaking moments in northern Michigan.

🌟 Plan Your Own Trip
📍 Explore the area and more with local insights from the Cheboygan Area Chamber of Commerce

🙌 Special Thanks to Our Sponsors

Skeeter Products, Inc: Engineered like no other.
Garmin Marine : Reliable navigation & fish-finding equipment.
Traxstech Corporation: Versatile fishing systems.
EGO Fishing - Designed for the Savvy Angler
Strike King Lure Company: Premium fishing lures.
Lew's: Superior fishing reels & equipment.
Off Shore Tackle Company: Precision trolling gear for every catch.
Whitewater Fishing: High-quality fishing apparel.
Walleye Nation Creations: Top-tier fishing lures.
WavePro: The smoothest ride on water.
Amped Outdoors LLC: Long-lasting marine batteries.
Team Dreamweaver: High-performance trolling gear.
Flo-Fast & Drotto Catch And Release Automatic Boat Latch: Efficient boat handling & care.

12-27-24 Lake Erie fishing report out of Huron ohio . Best fishing was in 32 ft of water. We started 2 miles east of Hur...
29/12/2024

12-27-24 Lake Erie fishing report out of Huron ohio . Best fishing was in 32 ft of water. We started 2 miles east of Huron lighthouse and the best baits were bandits, Smithwick p-10s and WNC reapers. The best leads were 50 to 120 off planer boards. The best leads with 2 oz snap weights were 50 to weight then 30 to 50 back. Best trolling speed 1.4 to 1.6 . If you want to get on the bite contact Captain Nick Dood at 616-293-4306 , reelliveactioncharters.com or on Facebook
Reel Live Action Charters

27/12/2024

This weekend, join us as we go ice fishing. From jumbo perch to thrilling moments on tip-ups and jigging rods, this episode is packed with the kind of action that makes Burt Lake and Mullet Lake a true northern Michigan gem!

📺 Catch the Episode:

WILD TV Canada: 3 weekly airings
AT&T Sportsnet Southwest: Weekends, 9 am-9 pm
Comcast Sportsnet Chicago Plus: Mondays, 12:30 pm
WKBD-50 Detroit & All Suburbs: Sat., 7:30 am EST
WBSF-46 Midland/Saginaw/Bay City: Sun., 6:00 am EST
WOTV-4 Grand Rapids/Kalamazoo: Sat., 11:00 am EST
Fox-32 Traverse City Northern Lower: Sun., 7:30 am EST
WBKB-11 NE Lower Alpena:
CBS-11: Sat., 12:00 Midnight
NBC-11: Sun., 5:30 am
Fox-11: Sat., 6:00 am
Fox-6 Marquette & U.P.: Sun., 8:30 a

🌟 Plan Your Trip: Explore the incredible fishing and family-friendly activities in Cheboygan, a hub for exploring Burt Lake, Mullet Lake, Black Lake, and more!

🎥 Watch the teaser trailer now and join us for the adventure! Don’t miss out on an unforgettable weekend of ice fishing action.

12-24-24 Lake Gogebic Fishing ReportPerch and walleyes are still cruising the shallow w**ds but also getting some in the...
26/12/2024

12-24-24 Lake Gogebic Fishing Report

Perch and walleyes are still cruising the shallow w**ds but also getting some in the deeper mud. Sucker minnows for walleyes and wigglers for perch
Majority of the walleyes are being caught in low light and just before/after daybreak/sunset. W**d edges have been best in 7-12 fow.
8-10” of ice in the bays, main lake varies a lot. I went and checked ice today, main lake varied from 4”-7”
Didn’t find anything thicker than 7” and only a few 4” spots, majority was 5-6” with about 1” of snow cover. Bait and rooms at Timbers in Bergland and other places around the lake. Call Justin Soffa for a great day on the lake.

Western U.P. Visitors Bureau

12-25-24 Munuscong Bay Merry Christmas!Lots of nice perch in 3-4ft of water within a mile from Dan's resort . Tip downs ...
25/12/2024

12-25-24 Munuscong Bay Merry Christmas!

Lots of nice perch in 3-4ft of water within a mile from Dan's resort . Tip downs with a small treble and a minnow out produced jigging in the shack today. A few keeper walleye and lots of short fish mixed in also . There is 6-7 inches of good ice in close to shore . There is a pressure crack running from Gull isl running out towards north west . And use caution around the w**dbeds I found a soft spot with slush and 2-3 inches of ice. Hopefully it will hold up to the next week of warm temperatures and possible rain forecasted . Capt John Customeyes charters LLC Customeyes Charters, LLC

12-23-24 Escanaba areaIce conditions are fairly good as of now finding between 3-5 inches of ice throughout the bay. But...
24/12/2024

12-23-24 Escanaba area

Ice conditions are fairly good as of now finding between 3-5 inches of ice throughout the bay. But with the weather conditions over the next 4 to 5 days definitely proceed with caution and use a spud. Snow run off and strong south winds are starting to turn shorelines slushy…. Fishing has been hot for both good sized fish and eaters fish have been coming anywhere from 30 up to 20 FOW jigging spoons and raps have been taking most fish, tip ups on top of structure seem to be most effective! Again use extreme caution over the next week or so with changing conditions ice is changing by the hour, go slow an pay attention! If you're looking to get out on a great adventure in the UP. Give Tristan a call at 734-623-3686

Visit Escanaba

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