BIG RAPIDS – Anglers are hopeful for a huge month of fishing in July.
So far, so good.
In Mecosta County, “I know a lot of people are trying but it’s hit and miss with a lot of species like perch, specs, bluegills, walleyes,” Tanner Havens of Frank’s Sporting Goods in Morley said. “There’s lots of bass. At Croton, lots of people are catching trout down there.”
Jeff Green of Rodney said he’s had a certain amount of success in recent weeks.
“Two weeks ago, I did well at Mecosta Lake, primarily with nightcrawlers,” Greene said. “This week, I did well on Clear Lake and Chippewa Lake, primarily using minnows. On Clear Lake there’s lots of crappies. On Chippewa Lake it’s mostly bluegills. The mystery lake is Hillview. I don’t know what’s going on. Last year, it was my go-to lake. This year I can’t get them interested to bite.’
In northwest Michigan, the DNR said at Ludington fishing was hit or miss. A few Chinook and coho were caught at Big Sable Point and straight out in 110 to 220 feet of water when fishing 60 to 75 feet down the DNR said, adding green and blue spoons and flies worked and the piers remained slow.
At Manistee catches were hit or miss but a few Chinook were caught along the shelf both north and south of town, and south towards Big Sable Point, the DNR said. Depths ranged from 130 to 250 feet of water while fishing 60 to 80 feet down. Green and blue spoons and flies were effective. Pier fishing remained slow.
“They’re catching a couple of summer run steelhead, the skamania strain at Tippy Dam,” Rob Eckerson of Pappy’s Bait Shop in Wellston said. “Nightcrawlers for bait has been the best indication so far. At smaller lakes, they’re still catching bluegills. They’re coming off the beds. In the bigger lakes they’re coming off the end of bedding.
“Bass fishing is good. They’re starting to bite the surface lures. Rubber worm products have also been good for the bass, perch and bluegills at Manistee Lake have been good, Portage Lake not so much. Fly fishermen are chasing the hex match. That’s been sporadic due to the weather.”
Anglers at Frankfort were reporting good numbers of Chinook off the bank in 110 to 150 feet of water and working the top 55 to 80 feet of water. Fish were hitting on medium and large spoons with blues and greens getting more hits. They were also hitting on flies and meat rigs, the DNR said.
Anglers at Onekama heading straight out and trolling north reported Chinook, lake trout and steelhead in 100 to 130 feet of water the DNR said.
The May fly hatch at Portage Lake slowed down and the DNR said panfish anglers reported bluegill hitting on the east end of the lake. Bass fishermen were reporting some up close activity.
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