By: Capt. Sean McDonald
January normally opens up a larger playing field for the Ludington area ice fishers. Our drown river mouths like Pere Marquette, Pentwater and Manistee Lakes should be safe enough for foot travel but always bring a spud to check your ice. Perch that live in Lake Michigan and in these lakes are the primary targets, first ice also is the best time and place to catch a trophy northern pike.
Perch numbers and size have been good for the open water angler that was able to venture to these waters in the first part of December. The good fishing should continue throughout the winter. Try to target the deepest part of the lakes for perch the first half of the winter or around the edges of these deep holes. Minnows will work well and if you encounter a lot of small perch bigger minnows will work better, by sorting them at the hook.
Blues fished on tip ups, dead sticks and tip downs will keep the smaller perch from biting. Slab Grabber Spoons will work well in the deeper water and enable you to catch them without bait. Many anglers will use Hali Jigs tipped with waxworms or spikes but tend to do a lot of sorting from smaller fish. Pike anglers will target the drop offs and underwater points with tip ups and shiners or dead smelt. Those that are spearing pike will also do well as soon as they can get their shacks on the ice as pike are aggressive fueling up for their winter resting period. Good luck on the ice in January and it is looking like we are going to have a nice long ice fishing season for a change.
Capt. Sean McDonald
Katch Me Charters
(231) 510-2072
www.centurycircle.com
