Keweenaw, Huron Bays 2021

[Da Burbs]

Lots of solid ice off baraga marina. Tried for burbot last night. Pretty slow bite only managed a few.  Will be down again in another week or so.

[atallgiraffe]

Had one splake (too small for keeps) off Willow Tree yesterday, otherwise slow for me. Didn't end up staying after dark. Gonna try off marina tomorrow I think.

I poked the ice over on L'anse side yesterday on my way back just to see and the 3rd sheet off of shore was just an inch or so. Not sure if that ice has hung around or not? There was a gap between the old ice and the new ice as I saw from coming down the hill into Baraga, suggesting it was trying to leave or break up.

[atallgiraffe]

Out off the marina today. Bay frozen all the way across now. Someone off sand point, a few at the marina, otherwise relatively quiet.

[Trapper906]

5 shacks between sand point and squaw beach. Not real sure how thick the ice is out this way tho.

[Dillyb123]

I talked to the guy who does the fish surveys when we leave the ice and he said he checked it on Saturday and there’s 1.5 inches of ice.

[Trapper906]

I talked to the guy who does the fish surveys when we leave the ice and he said he checked it on Saturday and there’s 1.5 inches of ice.

A quy was heading out while I was there. He walked out and cut a hole then came back on shore I was able to ask him how much and he said maybe 3 inches.. hoping it sticks around and builds more I want to try for Lakers.

[IceShantyTrout]

Anyone catch lakers out here? I haven't ever fished here before and since I am by myself I am a little nervous going out on bigger water. Any tips?

[Dillyb123]

I’d wait til the ice gets better but I get them around 120 feet

[IceShantyTrout]

Awesome thank you dillyb123! I appreciate it, I will wait and maybe check it out a bit later on.

[plankton_vision]

TIPS: Don't be the first one out. Always check ice conditions and weather because the ice is not landlocked and can breakup and drift. Don't fish near the open water edge.

[Dillyb123]

Yes listen to Plankton here. Strong south winds can change ice conditions in a heartbeat. Last year I was in front of the falls on a windy day it was coming out of the north. And the ice was moving underneath me from the waves.
Especially in the early winter, go where you know people are at. I think this was the first day people are in lake trout waters

[Chris Raymond]

Has anybody been to the smelt grounds off Baraga in the last two nights and is the ice think enough for machines?  When I was down there three nights ago, I didn't see any ATVs or snowmobiles...am just wondering if it might pay to take the machine down tonight for smelt and burbs.

[Dillyb123]

I heard 6-8” off the BP. A couple machines were running at the red rocks last weekend. I’ll check it out tomorrow after work

[Chris Raymond]

I heard 6-8” off the BP. A couple machines were running at the red rocks last weekend. I’ll check it out tomorrow after work

Great.  Thanks for the 411.

[atallgiraffe]

When I was out last weekend there was an ATV with tracks off the head of the bay, then somebody off the Baraga marina on an ATV. There was around 8" of ice average, more in some places and a little less in others (just from the holes I drilled for the shanty and tipups). In both cases that was on the sheet of ice that's been around for a while, I'm not sure how thick it is in the parts that are more newly frozen.

[atallgiraffe]

I assume L'anse side is fishable?

[Trapper906]

I assume L'anse side is fishable?

Yes it is there was a few shacks off of the falls river today when I stopped at Indian country..

I was told there that there is around 5 or 6 inches of ice off of the gig also and people have been doing decent on Lakers.

I will make my mind up in the am of I am gonna go off of the gig or squaw Beach.

[atallgiraffe]

Thanks for the info.

Headed up tomorrow but haven't decided myself what I want to do. I've never fished for lakers. sounds like that could be fun but I'm not sure I have enough line on any of my reels right now. Maybe I'll get rigged up for that next week then give it a try next weekend.

You just use a spoon with a minnow on it near the bottom?

[Trapper906]

Thanks for the info.

Headed up tomorrow but haven't decided myself what I want to do. I've never fished for lakers. sounds like that could be fun but I'm not sure I have enough line on any of my reels right now. Maybe I'll get rigged up for that next week then give it a try next weekend.

You just use a spoon with a minnow on it near the bottom?

I use Bucktail jigs mostly between 1 oz and 2 oz depending on the current.  White seams to be the go to color tip it with a chunk of sucker meat or smelt and pound the bottom with it.

Alot of people use bobbing sticks but I prefer a pole. Just make sure you have a braided line that way you can feel em bite down deep mono has to much stretch.


This will be the first year of using electronics on the ice should be fun watching them swim up and smack the jig

[Dillyb123]

I like sucker more since it stays on a little better than smelt. I got a couple redhorse fillets still in the freezer. But yeah I use the geboos (I think that’s how you spell it) and it’s a challenge, def use heavy braid on a rod

[atallgiraffe]

Thanks, guys! Decided I'll give it a go today off Squaw Beach. Gonna head out in the afternoon and stay a bit after dark for some burbots, too.

[Dillyb123]

2 burbot both around 20” so far. Can sure hear the ice being made underneath my feet. That noise used to scare me so much but I’m used to it now 😂
Off the BP in Baraga

[Trapper906]

2 burbot both around 20” so far. Can sure hear the ice being made underneath my feet. That noise used to scare me so much but I’m used to it now 😂
Off the BP in Baraga

What kind of depth are you fishing them burbot in?

Ever fish them off of squaw Beach area?

[Dillyb123]

What kind of depth are you fishing them burbot in?

Ever fish them off of squaw Beach area?

Never tried off of there. I’ve always fished off the BP since I was a little kid
And I am in 38 feet.

[coregonus]

Saturday was slow. Fished 120-230 feet and had some fish look at spoons, but no bites. Caught a few whitefish and a laker Sunday in 70-80 feet.

[906hex]

Were you out from the lighthouse?  I was skunked on Sunday but someone gave me a burbot so I didn't come home empty handed.  Love this weather!

[coregonus]

Yeah, trying to stay away from the crowds as best I could. The weather was too nice for anyone to stay off the ice!

[Dillyb123]

Sure is a windy one today almost lost my pop up tent when setting it up

[atallgiraffe]

I tried 130 - 200 ft off Squaw on Saturday and likewise had a few lookers but no takers

[sunup]

Found ice fishing stuff in Lighthouse parking lot today. Gave it to the DNR creel survey fellow. He has it in his truck. Said he would ask around too. You will get it back sooner or later. 👍Maybe the fishing was so bad it was intentionally left. I didn’t get a bite today either.