By: Capt. Sean McDonald
Katch Me Charters
(231) 510-2072
www.centurycircle.com
If the ice holds up this month, we will have some great ice-fishing opportunities. Otherwise, the steelhead run in the Lower Pere Marquette River should be in full swing.
Weeds will begin to grow under the ice as the days become longer. Concentrate your efforts on the north side of the lakes where the weeds will begin to grow back the fastest because of the southern sun. With the warmer temperatures, the edges of the lakes start to melt first which brings more oxygen into the water making the fish more aggressive. Perch will begin to migrate into shallow water to spawn. bluegills will stage adjacent to their spring spawning grounds, and pike and walleye will move closer to the river mouths before making their way upstream to spawn. Pere Marquette and Manistee Lakes have the strongest currents, and I have seen the ice vanish on them overnight.
Pay attention to where the river channels are and use extra caution in March. For jumbo perch in their pre-spawn mode, the smaller-sized minnows will work well again compared to the larger blues they prefer in the winter. Bluegills and crappies will remain happy to bite tipping tungsten jigs with spikes, plastics, and wax worms. Good luck and enjoy the remaining day’s ice fishing until next December.