Latest Michigan DNR fishing report 1-18-2018

Here is the latest ice fishing report from the DNR.

DNR Fishing report Southeast Lower Peninsula

Lake Erie: Perch anglers were still taking some fish in the Metro Park Marina and near the Banana Dike. Try minnows and spikes. Those fishing the Lake Erie Metro Park Marina caught bluegills. The fish were six to seven inches.

Lake St. Clair: Perch fishing continues to be excellent across the lake. A good number of fish were taken near Cotton Road and the St. Clair Metro Park. Most were using a gold spoon with a red bead tipped with a minnow. Those targeting panfish had some luck nearshore and in the canals. Some have taken walleye in eight to 12 feet. Those spearing pike were taking smaller fish.

Saginaw Bay: Had a lot of anglers from Erickson Road south to Linwood, with Linwood being the most popular access point. Walleyes were taken in 17 to 20 feet in the vicinity of the second pressure crack. Anglers need to use extreme caution near both pressure cracks as they are still active and changing all the time. Both people and machines have fallen through the ice near them. Walleye were caught in 14 feet off Parish Road. Perch anglers were getting some fish in five feet off Anderson Road and six feet off Linwood. Good catches including a couple limits came from the shipping channel near Spoils Island. A few were fishing in 10 feet off the trailer park near the river mouth. East of the Saginaw River mouth, success was slow at Finn Road and at Vanderbilt Park. Perch anglers in the lower Quanicassee River caught a few small ones. Slow perch fishing from Sebewaing to Bay Port. A few pike were speared or caught on hook and line and several perch anglers reported seeing pike down the holes. Perch fishing was a little better off Mud Creek in Wildfowl Bay. A few pike and walleye were taken incidental to perch in Wildfowl Bay. At Caseville, the thaw last week made the river and marina pretty murky and fishing slowed to a standstill. No fishing at Port Austin as the few shanties inside the harbor were pulled to shore.

Saginaw River: Be careful of the ice in or near the channel. The thaw last week caused the current to pick up and it thinned out the ice. You might be standing on eight inches of ice in one spot off the current and two steps away there might only be two inches! The thaw caused the water to muddy up and fishing slowed. From Wickes Park in Saginaw north all the way to the Independence Bridge, catches were limited to a walleye here and there with a lot of sub-legal fish caught and released. A couple eater-size fish were taken between the Independence Bridge and the mouth. Those fishing out of the main current seemed to be doing a little better, and evenings were best. A few walleye and some perch were caught inside the Yacht Club basin. Again, these areas out of the main current seem to be where the fish have been holding.