# Where would you go this weekend and why?



## lureluzer (Jul 11, 2013)

Might be throwing a last minute (6-7hr away max) ice trip together. Problem is we don't know where to go. Honestly I just want to catch something over 12 inches. I don't care if it's a carp. 
Please don't say Houghton.....


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## IceHoleDestroyer (Nov 19, 2019)

lureluzer said:


> Might be throwing a last minute (6-7hr away max) ice trip together. Problem is we don't know where to go. Honestly I just want to catch something over 12 inches. I don't care if it's a carp.
> Please don't say Houghton.....


I’m in the same spot as you. I think I have a lake figured out for Saturday. Per reports I’m getting from a guy there. 4-5” of ice 3.5 hr drive


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## Fish2Win (Jan 21, 2009)

IceHoleDestroyer said:


> I’m in the same spot as you. I think I have a lake figured out for Saturday. Per reports I’m getting from a guy there. 4-5” of ice 3.5 hr drive
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


E pm which lake your going to/thinking about. I’ll call xichigan boys up to verify b4 you travel up. A lot of my tournament buddies are heading north to houghton area. So...... ya


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## swone (Jan 24, 2007)

St Helen. I had a great time.


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## IceHoleDestroyer (Nov 19, 2019)

swone said:


> St Helen. I had a great time.


Too far for my liking


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## swone (Jan 24, 2007)

It was about 5 hours from Akron, but I get what you're saying, 3.5 is a lot closer and much more manageable for a one day trip.


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## AtticaFish (Nov 23, 2008)

I was looking at traveling up to the Mitchell/Cadillac/Missaukee/Houghton area...... but really didn't want to get on the bigger lakes. I would be fine hopping around to some of the smaller lakes. Tough to find ice conditions from those smaller waters though. Pilgrims Village (Cadillac/Mitchell) has been posting ice reports of 9" to 12" with photos. They are saying sloppy with lots of snow as well. Would everyone assume (i know, "assume" is a taboo word in ice fishing) that smaller lakes would be good to go in that region?


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## 1MoreKast (Mar 15, 2008)

AtticaFish said:


> Would everyone assume (i know, "assume" is a taboo word in ice fishing) that smaller lakes would be good to go in that region?


I would think so Attica. There are lots of lakes they call "floodings" around that area that hold ice seemingly well from what I've heard. Good panish/pike populations.


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## swone (Jan 24, 2007)

I was on a little lake called Peach Lake near West Branch Michigan when I was up there two weeks ago and ice conditions on that lake were nearly identical to conditions on St. Helen. I didn't venture across the water that was 80' deep but I saw another guy walk across and he was fine. That's all I know but it's a first hand report.


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## fishingful (Apr 5, 2004)

Fletchers pond


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## Evinrude58 (Apr 13, 2011)

Bit far but have heard Hubbard Lake is a decent eye lake and has jumbo perch.


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

My buddy is going up to Indian River area leaving today for snowmobiling, turns out the weekend forecast up there is to be 39 tomorrow with some rain, that's warmer then here, doesn't make sense, with slushy snow on the ice be careful up their boys!


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## JakeL (Jan 14, 2019)

Just got home from saint helen. Thanks Swone! It was awesome. Ice was 12" + but covered with 3" -6" of snow and slush. We fished saint helen, clear lake and horseshoe. All had plenty of iceice but fishing was tough. Probably spent too much time moving. I would suggest finding good weeds and sit tight. We will be heading back in a few weeks.


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## Fish2Win (Jan 21, 2009)

JakeL said:


> Just got home from saint helen. Thanks Swone! It was awesome. Ice was 12" + but covered with 3" -6" of snow and slush. We fished saint helen, clear lake and horseshoe. All had plenty of iceice but fishing was tough. Probably spent too much time moving. I would suggest finding good weeds and sit tight. We will be heading back in a few weeks.



How did you do on clear and at Helens? I’m assuming Swone gave you all my spots.‍♂


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## JakeL (Jan 14, 2019)

Fish2Win said:


> How did you do on clear and at Helens? I’m assuming Swone gave you all my spots.‍♂


Struggled on both. We didn't have any specific spots just used navionix and watched the pack. Clear lake was the most difficult 1 public access point awfully far from where we wanted to try.


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## JakeL (Jan 14, 2019)

Hope to head back soon. Will be taking the wheeler. Way too much area to cover on foot.


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## IceHoleDestroyer (Nov 19, 2019)

Slush on wixom was a struggle to move around and that was only 2-3”! Farthest we went was 1/2 mile from the ramp spot where all the locals were sitting. It was weird. None of the Michigan folk wanted to walk more than 100 yards. Granted it was 75-100 yards to the channel, but no one was venturing. I only caught the smallie once I ventured. It was overall a rough day at wixom. Caught prob 30 fish, nothin huge. Most were dink perch


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## JakeL (Jan 14, 2019)

We did go by Saginaw bay in Linwood and people were out a couple hundred yards.


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## IceHoleDestroyer (Nov 19, 2019)

JakeL said:


> We did go by Saginaw bay in Linwood and people were out a couple hundred yards.


I saw they had 2-3” of ice. Wasn’t worth my time. Could’ve done that at home. I’ll prob head to Chautauqua next weekend


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## Scum_Frog (Apr 3, 2009)

head NE and go too simcoe...they are killing big jumbos!


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## partlyable (Mar 2, 2005)

IceHoleDestroyer said:


> I saw they had 2-3” of ice. Wasn’t worth my time. Could’ve done that at home. I’ll prob head to Chautauqua next weekend
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Hopefully they have ice by next weekend. There was a few people out from long point before this warm up, but overall they have not had any more ice than we have. I would be interested in running up there sometime, never ice fished it but make 2 trips most years to fish it in the summer. 


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## IceHoleDestroyer (Nov 19, 2019)

partlyable said:


> Hopefully they have ice by next weekend. There was a few people out from long point before this warm up, but overall they have not had any more ice than we have. I would be interested in running up there sometime, never ice fished it but make 2 trips most years to fish it in the summer.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Saw that. Gotta be 1-2” still before this next cold snap this week. Couple teens and a single digit oughta put 3+” back on it


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## BudIce (Jan 10, 2015)

I know a guy up there been texting with him, as soon as I get the word I’ll be headed that direction.
Need to drill holes


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## KPI (Jun 4, 2011)

Talked to Hogan’s hut about lake Chautauqua they said not looking good as of today but there is time I guess 


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## Scum_Frog (Apr 3, 2009)

Looks like starting the night of Feb 4th its going to be freezing for a while up in saginaw.....


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## Rooster (Apr 8, 2004)

I’m looking to take a trip to Michigan around the weekend of 2/8. I would love to find a smaller lake (dragging on foot), with some depth (like to fish between 10 -20 FOW), and slab crappie. I don’t keep fish, so it could be a plutonium dump, I just want to pull some slabs through a hole at night. I hoped to go to the Kalamazoo area, but it doesn't look good. Cadillac is my fall back, but would love to find something better.


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## IceHoleDestroyer (Nov 19, 2019)

Rooster said:


> I’m looking to take a trip to Michigan around the weekend of 2/8. I would love to find a smaller lake (dragging on foot), with some depth (like to fish between 10 -20 FOW), and slab crappie. I don’t keep fish, so it could be a plutonium dump, I just want to pull some slabs through a hole at night. I hoped to go to the Kalamazoo area, but it doesn't look good. Cadillac is my fall back, but would love to find something better.


I’ll be following this post. I know nothing on Michigan lakes and kinda just sent it. I’m sure someone on here is willing to help a couple guys looking to get on fish up there some help


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## IceHoleDestroyer (Nov 19, 2019)

Rooster said:


> I’m looking to take a trip to Michigan around the weekend of 2/8. I would love to find a smaller lake (dragging on foot), with some depth (like to fish between 10 -20 FOW), and slab crappie. I don’t keep fish, so it could be a plutonium dump, I just want to pull some slabs through a hole at night. I hoped to go to the Kalamazoo area, but it doesn't look good. Cadillac is my fall back, but would love to find something better.


P.S. don’t waste your time on wixom!


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## Evinrude58 (Apr 13, 2011)

Interested in heading north either the weekend of the 8th or 15th. Also a foot dragger. Have done Houghton a couple times, way too big to drag. Was thinking may St. Helen or Hubbard.


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## AtticaFish (Nov 23, 2008)

Rooster - Sent you a PM. I am gonna be up in the Cadillac area and looking for smaller lakes also. Looks like there are several smaller lakes only about a half hour South of Cadillac/Mitchell and that was where i was going to try.

Evinrude58 - I believe the free fishing weekend is the 15th..... i have a feeling it will be pretty busy that weekend.


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## matticito (Jul 17, 2012)

Mexico, hot, beach, tequila, tacos.


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## Rooster (Apr 8, 2004)

IceHoleDestroyer said:


> P.S. don’t waste your time on wixom!


I did some research on Wixom after your post, and it was still in the running. Looks like easy access to deep water. It looks like it used to be a much better crappie lake. I’ve watched a youtube video of some dude slaying the 8” crappie back in Feb 2013. If I can’t have size, I will settle for numbers. But, It sounds like I need to cross it off my list.

I’ve got a handful of lakes north of Kalamazoo, but the word is 2.5” of ice, and this weekend is not going to help. I’m looking at smaller lakes north of Saginaw.

In the past, I’ve used the master angler database to vet the smaller unknown lakes, might help somebody:

https://www2.dnr.state.mi.us/masterangler/


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## AtticaFish (Nov 23, 2008)

Their DNR site also has a lot of their lakes with contour maps in this link:
http://ifr.snre.umich.edu/MiFISH/
You have to play with the map layers (lake maps & access points) and base map colors (light gray) so you can see everything. No clue how accurate any of it is gonna be. I am just winging it!


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## kozak (Jan 31, 2005)

I’m thinking about heading up to Lake Simcoe in a few weeks. Can anyone recommend a guide? We’re going target perch one day and either pike or lakers one day. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.


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## IceHoleDestroyer (Nov 19, 2019)

Rooster said:


> I did some research on Wixom after your post, and it was still in the running. Looks like easy access to deep water. It looks like it used to be a much better crappie lake. I’ve watched a youtube video of some dude slaying the 8” crappie back in Feb 2013. If I can’t have size, I will settle for numbers. But, It sounds like I need to cross it off my list.
> 
> I’ve got a handful of lakes north of Kalamazoo, but the word is 2.5” of ice, and this weekend is not going to help. I’m looking at smaller lakes north of Saginaw.
> 
> ...


It’s definitely quick to deep water. Lake is down 8 feet and about 20 feet off shore you’re in the channel which is 20 feet+. It was ALOT of 3” perch which in my opinion isn’t worth it. My first ever smallie through the ice is was salvaged my trip but even then it was huge. I had a local tell me to try a spot in which I did and it didn’t pay out. He proceeded to send me a pic of a bunch of 7-9” crappies the day after when he fished it. Who knows if he was full of it or not but if you go to wixom I can send you to that area. Again though, don’t think it’s worth it


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## LakeMaster (Jan 21, 2020)

matticito said:


> Mexico, hot, beach, tequila, tacos.


I’m with ya! I moved to Ohio but no good weather to ice fish. I guess I’m ready for warm weather to return. When does it get decent in Ohio for spring fishing?


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## brad crappie (Sep 29, 2015)

LakeMaster said:


> I’m with ya! I moved to Ohio but no good weather to ice fish. I guess I’m ready for warm weather to return. When does it get decent in Ohio for spring fishing?


Am keeping note on if we have a wArm winter and Hardly any ice out spring stinks! Weather finally stabilizes by mid May! The best bites are between all the cold fronts


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## 1MoreKast (Mar 15, 2008)

Evinrude58 said:


> Interested in heading north either the weekend of the 8th or 15th. Also a foot dragger. Have done Houghton a couple times, way too big to drag. Was thinking may St. Helen or Hubbard.


Eveinrude - I will be up there the 15th, had no idea about the free fishing weekend but not letting the crowds stop me. We got a place on Lake James there just southeast of Houghton. I've fished Houghton quite a bit from a boat but never on ice and I see the concern for dragging. I'm wondering how this Lake James is...pretty sure it's private though. They stock it so must be active. Either way us Ohio guys gotta stick together!


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## IceHoleDestroyer (Nov 19, 2019)

LakeMaster said:


> I’m with ya! I moved to Ohio but no good weather to ice fish. I guess I’m ready for warm weather to return. When does it get decent in Ohio for spring fishing?


Usually towards end of April it starts getting better. Mid to late May and June the crappies are on fire at most places


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## JakeL (Jan 14, 2019)

Evinrude58 said:


> Interested in heading north either the weekend of the 8th or 15th. Also a foot dragger. Have done Houghton a couple times, way too big to drag. Was thinking may St. Helen or Hubbard.


I just booked a cabin in saint Helen again for the 7th through the 10th. Let me know if you’re going to be in the area if you want.


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## Fish2Win (Jan 21, 2009)

JakeL said:


> I just booked a cabin in saint Helen again for the 7th through the 10th. Let me know if you’re going to be in the area if you want.


naifc tournament that weekend. The place will be a zoo and all the spots your gonna fish will be drilled out and occupied by teams . You won’t be able to fish it/enjoy yourself. I’ve fished this tournament a bunch. Jm2cents


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## matticito (Jul 17, 2012)

LakeMaster said:


> I’m with ya! I moved to Ohio but no good weather to ice fish. I guess I’m ready for warm weather to return. When does it get decent in Ohio for spring fishing?


What ice hole said. End of april I've been to my fav lake and caught perch, crappie and cats. I dont bother with the "outdoorsmen" that crowd where the walleye hang. If I wanted to bump elbows with someone I'd stand at a urinal. At least a urinal wouldnt have worm containers and whatever other trash left behind.

You can always try a river or creek for some steelhead. I'm not much for freezing my butt off though.


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## JakeL (Jan 14, 2019)

Fish2Win said:


> naifc tournament that weekend. The place will be a zoo and all the spots your gonna fish will be drilled out and occupied by teams . You won’t be able to fish it/enjoy yourself. I’ve fished this tournament a bunch. Jm2cents


Good heads up! Still going but will probably focus on a different lake. We are taking a wheeler this time so will be able to run around clear a little better.


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## JakeL (Jan 14, 2019)

Eyeballing lake margrethe. Any experience?


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## brad crappie (Sep 29, 2015)

brad crappie said:


> Am keeping note on if we have a wArm winter and Hardly any ice out spring stinks! Weather finally stabilizes by mid May! The best bites are between all the cold fronts


Let me rephrase this I have been keeping track of our winters the last ten years if we have above average winters with less ice our springs stink like below average temps until almost the middle of May or just a bit earlier


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## fishwendel2 (Nov 19, 2007)

JakeL said:


> Good heads up! Still going but will probably focus on a different lake. We are taking a wheeler this time so will be able to run around clear a little better.


Don’t forget your required helmet when operating your atv in Michigan 


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## Evinrude58 (Apr 13, 2011)

Definitely going North I need some ice.


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## Evinrude58 (Apr 13, 2011)

Right now plan is to head to Hubbard Lake Friday. Waiting on a couple people to get back to me so I can book it.


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## lureluzer (Jul 11, 2013)

Let us know how you do. We might be taking a quick trip somewhere this weekend. I put in for vacation the 20th - 28th. Destination unknown at this point but we will be on ice for a full week. Out of state obviously. Possibly Green Bay or little bay de noc.... Not sure yet. Open to suggestions.


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## RStock521 (Jul 17, 2008)

lureluzer said:


> Let us know how you do. We might be taking a quick trip somewhere this weekend. I put in for vacation the 20th - 28th. Destination unknown at this point but we will be on ice for a full week. Out of state obviously. Possibly Green Bay or little bay de noc.... Not sure yet. Open to suggestions.


 Both area great options. We did Green Bay last year and had a blast. Tons of whitefish. Consider Simcoe for whitefish too, it's closer and the fish are way bigger. Either way, you can't go wrong. Have fun!


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## lureluzer (Jul 11, 2013)

A couple guys don't have their passports so simcoe is out for this year. I will make it there one of these days though.

Were you using meegs for the whitefish? I've watched a bunch of youtube videos with guys using those. That's one of my bucket list fish through the ice that I'd like to scratch off this season.


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## RStock521 (Jul 17, 2008)

lureluzer said:


> A couple guys don't have their passports so simcoe is out for this year. I will make it there one of these days though.
> 
> Were you using meegs for the whitefish? I've watched a bunch of youtube videos with guys using those. That's one of my bucket list fish through the ice that I'd like to scratch off this season.


 Yup, Meegs and Vibrato's. Meegs is what most people seem to use though.


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## Deadeyedeek (Feb 12, 2014)

RStock521 said:


> Yup, Meegs and Vibrato's. Meegs is what most people seem to use though.


Be on Geen Bay 9th-11th let anyone know how we do DD


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## lureluzer (Jul 11, 2013)

That would be great DD!


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## Rooster (Apr 8, 2004)

My plans have changed 10 times in the last week (this work and family thing really gets in the way of fishing), but I will at least get a few days/nights on the ice. I will be staying in West Branch from Thursday to Saturday. I plan to fish Secord for crappie on Thursday night. Tons of lakes in the area, and I’m still not sure where I will be fishing…..but, it will be on the ICE!


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## Carpn (Apr 5, 2004)

I know several people who've done bay de noc . While they did catch fish is fell short of the hype . 

We're looking at doing a green bay trip as well towards the end of the month . Kinda keeping options open for now and waiting to see what mother nature deals us


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## Scum_Frog (Apr 3, 2009)

I know simcoe has been on fire....Bay de noc seems to have fish but few and far between.....if people are up for the travel ive seen good reports on winnipeg. Who knows. This season sucks so far.


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## AtticaFish (Nov 23, 2008)

I went up to Michigan (Cadillac/Mitchell area) this past weekend and tried my hand at hopping around to smaller lakes one day. Kind of funny to hear people here in Ohio talk about how much better the panfishing is up there..... but the people on the smaller lakes THERE were catching nothing but 6" crappie..... and KEEPING them. To the point where some guys said they were close to getting their limit. They were complaining about size limits and what the state stocks and why the state sprays for swimmers itch because it hurts the spawning and how the pike fishing isn't what it used to be and they never should have stocked walleye and etc, etc, etc. Made me feel like i was back in Ohio. haha Maybe it was just the little lakes i picked out to fish were junk lakes? Maybe it was just the weather? Maybe it is a grass is always greener on the other side syndrome???? Not sure, but i wasn't about to keep 6" crappie and i sure caught my fair share of them. Needed 4 wheel drive on about the whole time to get to those smaller lakes too because their back roads are a lot more.... back road .....than ours in Ohio. Several of the access points were down unpaved roads with signs that marked them as seasonal and were not plowed by the county. I got to them just fine in my Tundra, but never knew what to expect.

I fished Lake Mitchell on the last day. Went out to an area where there was a decent pack of shanties the day before and did pretty good there. Caught some decent black crappie and bluegill, one redear, and a pike. Did loose what looked like a giant crappie at the hole. It was a fun trip to get out on the ice. When i go back up there again i know what the FIRST place i will go to is.... and it sure won't be lake hopping to the smaller lakes. Did get to see some beautiful lakes though.


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## Rooster (Apr 8, 2004)

AtticaFish said:


> When i go back up there again i know what the FIRST place i will go to is.... and it sure won't be lake hopping to the smaller lakes.


I think I learned my lesson too. The allure of the smaller lakes (easy drag, less pressure) is wearing off. I’m sure there are some hidden gems out there, but without spending some serious time in the area, I think you would have to be very lucky to just stumble on the right lake at the right time. All I found was a bunch of dinks. Next trip, I’m hitting a “known” lake with the rest of the crowd.


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## AtticaFish (Nov 23, 2008)

Rooster said:


> .....I’m sure there are some hidden gems out there, but without spending some serious time in the area.....


I think time is the key. The majority of the lakes i fish around me have taken me years to figure out the best spots for certain times of the years. Trying to find the "spot on the spot" where the bigger dominant fish of a system hang out int the winter with only a day or 2 to fish even a small 150 acres lake takes a lot of luck..... or some excellent map/water reading skills. If i do head back, i most likely will stick to the same general area/region so maybe it would be worth it to revisit (briefly) one of those smaller lakes that people did tell me had good fishing. Just take a different approach each time and cover as much water as possible. With a blind search, just have to try and maximize your potential for finding fish.


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## DBV (Jan 8, 2011)

I am headed to Rice Lake, Ontario to ice fish. They have at least 15 inches of ice, so need to get out at least once, since forecast still does not look great to form ice around NE Ohio. Fish Rice Lake every year in the Summer and Fall, so will be interesting to try it in the winter. 

Very cold temps on Thursday, Friday and Saturday morning, so not sure if that will contribute to lockjaw, but at least will be fun to ice fishing and in winter wonderland!


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## lureluzer (Jul 11, 2013)

Well everything is set. Headed to Oconto Wisconsin on the 20th for a week. Going to try to go 5+ species. Eyes, whites, perch, pike, and hopefully some big brown trout. Some crappie and gills thrown in for good measure. Anyone ever been? It's straight across the bay from little sturgeon bay.


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## Scum_Frog (Apr 3, 2009)

lureluzer said:


> Well everything is set. Headed to Oconto Wisconsin on the 20th for a week. Going to try to go 5+ species. Eyes, whites, perch, pike, and hopefully some big brown trout. Some crappie and gills thrown in for good measure. Anyone ever been? It's straight across the bay from little sturgeon bay.


I would run a touch further and go too little bay de noc and hammer big eyes.


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## lureluzer (Jul 11, 2013)

We'll probably fish there for a day. Oconto is known for wall hanger eyes and pike. I'm sure we'll head over to sturgeon bay too.


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