Little Bay de Noc Fishing Reports

Started off this afternoons trip looking for bass near the mouth of the harbor. After a couple hours, I only landed 3 fish in the 12 to 15 inch range. Only thing I had any action on was a Zoom Trick Worm, rigged Wacky (hooked through the middle,) on a drop-shot rig.

I decided to switch gears and try something else. I had gear with me to chase panfish and pike. My dad showed up after work and was casting big baits for pike, so I decided to go after some gills, and we could compare notes later. I started in shallower water (6 to 8 feet,) where Diane and I had been doing well in the last month, but had no action. I figured the cooler water pushed them out a little deeper. Set-up on the deep edge of a weedbed in 10 to 12 FOW, and was on fish instantly! I was just dropping a small ice jig with a piece of worm straight over the side of the boat and worked it about a foot off of bottom. Mostly small gills and perch at first. As it got closer to dark, the bigger panfish started to bite. Ended the evening landing 22 gills, 8 perch, 5 rockbass, 5 largemouth bass (small,) and 3 smallmouth bass. Kept 19 assorted panfish, including several gills in the 8 to 9 inch range and a huge rockbass that was 11 to 12 inches.

While I was doing that, my dad motored over to show me a nice pike he caught. It was longer than the 36 inch ruler he had in the boat, (guessing 37-38 inches.) He caught it on a large Storm swimbait. After a couple quick pics, she was released.

Another guy I know was throwing for pike tonight, and he landed one about 35 inches on a black and silver bucktail spinner. He also had a slightly bigger one miss the bait at the boat. With water temps in the low 60's, now is the prime time for big pike!

Just goes to show LBDN has so much more to offer than just walleye fishing! Get out and enjoy it if you can.