Little Bay de Noc Fishing Reports

Well, this afternoon turned out to be absolutely awesome!  After a week of illness sweeping through the house, it was time to get out and get some fresh air.  I didn't feel like fishing in a crowd on the bay, so I decided I'd head north and try a new spot for some gills that I've always wanted to try.  As I was driving north I could hardly believe my eyes, 3 moose were browsing 30 feet off the side of the road.  I turned around to get some pictures and wouldn't you know it...I forgot the camera at home.  All I had was my cellphone, which doesn't exactly take the greatest pictures.  Several vehicles stopped to take pictures and the moose just stood there browsing like they had no care in the world.  It was a pretty cool thing to see.  I could have turned around and just gone home after that, but I eventually did hit the ice and found some gills in 22 feet of water.  They were finicky and would only hit a 1/64 oz. orange jig on 3/4 lb. sewing thread.  One of our old ice fishing clients told me about the clear thread a few years ago, and boy does it work, as long as you have a good smooth reel to put it on.  It falls faster because it's such small line, and it's  amazingly strong.  The gills left for a while and then I battled a nice pike and landed it on the sewing thread...that was the most fun part of the fishing.  I thought I had a trout or a bass on at first, but then the long runs kind of gave it away.  Anyways...I wish I had better pictures of the moose, but this  is the best I could do.  I did keep 12 gills for a meal and released several smaller ones and the pike.  The two bigger fish in the sink picture make the others look small...but they were all good eaters.  Keep those cameras with you folks...you never know what you're going to see here in the Great U.P.!!!