M arch ushers in hope for many in northern Michigan. Hope for spring and warmer weather. Hope to get back out in a boat rather than to either stay sidelined inside or to have to gear up once again to go ice fishing. With the DNR permanent shanty removal deadline of March 15th here in the northern Lower Peninsula, warmer weather has indeed descended upon us, although seemingly fleeting at times.
With the warmer weather comes snowmelt and with that steelhead will begin to enter the Lake Michigan tributaries in earnest. Early spring steelhead will often fall for an aggressive approach, striking spinners and even crankbaits at times. The favorite for many of us in the guide community, however, are spawn bags or small jigs tipped with wax worms fished under a float. Despite the runoff from the snow, the river temperatures are still very cold, and fish behave accordingly. Fly anglers can do well by using egg sucking leach patterns or egg imitations fished close to the bottom. A warming trend or some sunny weather will have trout and steelhead eating stoneflies as well. Walleyes swarm many of the tributary rivers and are not an uncommon catch while steelhead fishing, but anglers should keep in mind that the walleye season is still closed on most bodies of water. Anglers should check the DNR regulations for the exact river they may be fishing.
Ice fishing opportunities in March still abound. The late ice period for many ice angling enthusiasts can be the best time to be out as pike and walleyes move shallow to feed and stage for their spring spawn. Many of the northern Michigan inland lakes that have walleyes should have excellent fishing until ice becomes unsafe. Michigan allows three lines per angler, so it is common to set two tip-ups with larger minnows for walleyes while jigging the third legal line.
Lake trout and whitefish bite well during the late ice period, with many fish venturing shallower, into the 30-80 foot range, a stark difference from the 100-175 foot range that many of these fish were taken in during the previous month. Deep tip-ups and jigging are the best ways to target lake trout, and whitefish fall for a spoon jigged close to the bottom.
Perch, which have been biting all winter long feed heavily in the late ice period and fishing can be downright hot, as can the smelt fishing at dusk and into the night. Lakes that have Lake Michigan tributaries flowing through them can be fished for steelhead through the ice. While steelhead fishing through the ice can be extremely rewarding, extra caution should be taken when fishing in any river or stream current, especially in conjunction with warmer weather.
March weather can be a bit unpredictable, and most of us are stir-crazy, waiting for spring to arrive. Fishing opportunities abound in March, whether it’s for late-ice species like walleyes and pike or steelhead on the tributaries. In either event, the waters are still cold so please be safe. It’s always better to stay high and dry.