Michigan > Ice Fishing Michigan

Gull Lake 2023

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smeltbuster:
So, we dont have ice, & probably wont for awhile. Last night I hooked up the "Toon" & went Smelt fishing! It was a solo trip. I started in 55 FOW & picked up a few  after it got dark. The wind came up & I started drifting.The anchors did not hold.The fish disappeared. I got the anchors to hold finally in 68'. The fish moved into the green light (2'down,center of the boat) & it was "Game on". I quit at 8:40. p.m. & ended the night w/ 104 smelt. Excellent considering what the wind was doing. I could have had more, had I stayed longer, but was happy w/ the results. Open water smelt is not easy. If the boat moves at all, it is tough to see the bite. Specific things about the trip: 58" Patriot super ultra light rod/ Eagle Claw Mag inline reel 4lb. mono mainline, 5 fly rig w/ Gull Lake Smelt Factory ice flies & a 9.4 g Kodiak jig on the bottom. Best flies were "Smeltbuster",KB Special & Glow Drake. White spikes for bait. Aluma Glo 4800 green light. Most fish were caught 15'-20' down. 8 doubles & 1 triple. I fished the north 1/3 of the lake. "Waypoint 18" on my Helix 5 ;D. The "Toon" is a 14' Playbouy w/ a 25 hp Tohatsu motor. The anchors are cinder blocks. Next time I will have 3. I was the only boat on this 2,050 acre lake ! If you want to try this, you need a night w/ no wind or a very light wind. When I left the house,it was sse @ 8mph. That was almost too much. I have had a few of these trips & the best we ever done was 115 between 2 guys, so this was a very good trip.

SKIFFLAKEJIMMY:
Way to make lemonade out of lemon weather Sir!

skibumm100:
Great job SB! Did you put in at the park or Baseline? The shore ice just disappeared on LLL a couple days ago. Should freeze back up pretty quickly once we get a cold stretch.

smeltbuster:
I put in at Prairieville park. There are no docks in the water. I will be bringing waders next time. Someone tore Baseline up pretty good. Planning on a Sat. Nite trip (1/14), if the wind & temps cooperate.

smeltbuster:
A 2nd. trip Sat nite (1/14) was fun. We boated 89 smelt. When we ran in, we were breaking skim ice. Made quite a bit of noise.

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