Lake Gogebic?

[r3kenned]

I am from the metro Detroit area looking to take a long weekend trip to ice fish the UP this winter.  I found a few lodges online on the north end of Lake Gogebic that look great, but I have never fished the area.  I know nothing about the lake.  Any advice for a UP ice fishing newbie on where to go or stay?  I primarily fish for northerns.  Anyone had luck on Gogebic for pike in the past few winters?  Thanks in advance for any advice you have!

[Chris Raymond]

I'd plan to fish it early and hope there's safe enough ice without too much snow.  Gogebic can be a real slush monster if the lake effect snow kicks up.  Most folks that I know fish the bay by Berland in the winter. 

[r3kenned]

Thanks for the tip Chris!

[CrankYanker]

Walleye Lodge. http://www.walleyelodge.com/  Right around Christmas. You won't have to travel far on the ice to get into fish.

[r3kenned]

Walleye Lodge. http://www.walleyelodge.com/  Right around Christmas. You won't have to travel far on the ice to get into fish.

I found this place online too, but tried to call them a few times and it sounded like the number was disconnected so I gave up.  I will have to try them again.

[GB 83]

Last yr I was a newbie! I got tons of help from the good people at maple ridge lodge in bergland. They help this KC guy catch walleyes and jumbo perch. The bait shop pointed me. Where to go. What color. What line......ect ect. Ended up catching nice eyes and perch at 1lb 14.47oz and 1lb 13.31oz. How we fish for perch in KS is way different than on Gogebic. I will be back to catch or try to catch that 2lbs plus perch for sure.
 

[berg285]

The guy to talk with is Gus at maple ridge he will point you in the right direction and help you out very nice guy. Nice place to stay also.

Maple Ridge Motel & Bait, 35802 West M-28, PO Box 346, Bergland, MI 49910, Phone: (906) 575-3545

[downriverbob]

I have been going there for a week every year for about 15 years, the past few years we go during http://www.mapleridgemotel.com/Hog-A-Thon.htm.  It is a long way to go for a long week-end but if you are really sold on going talk to Gus at Maple Ridge he won't B/S you.  I will also answer any questions you might have.  We don't target pike but do catching them. That fish was caught by my wife on a small teardrop and wiggler.  This is our perch catching set-up in on of Gus/Maple Ridge shanties. and perch that my wife caught three years ago just under 2 lbs. 

As others have said it get a ton of snow, you pretty much need a snowmobile to get around.

BOB

[r3kenned]

Thanks for the info Bob!  We usually fish out of a flip over style shanty.  Am I understanding you correct that I need a snow machine to even do this? 

How far from the lodge do you have to go to find fish? 

I have heard that some of the best fishing on the lake is near/in Bergland Bay at the north end of the lake where Maple Ridge is located.  Contour and vegetation maps I have found online seem to support this.  I get that Gogebic is a huge lake, but I am up for a walk on the ice if necessary.  Am I missing the point?…Is the snow just too deep to even consider pulling a flip over on foot?  Is the lake just too big and the fish too far from shore for this to be feasible?

I have access to an ATV, but in more than a foot of snow it is worthless.  Unfortunately I do not have access to a snowmobile…Thoughts?

[GB 83]

Maple ridge rents long track snowmobile now. Walking is hard hard work on Gogebic. Sometimes 10-15" slush and 6-10" of snow on top of the slush. I tried one time walking in snow shoes......just 1 time. Then I rented a snowmioble from Gus.

[ultraguy]

What type of bait or lure is a top producer out on Lake Gogebic?

 I've spent many years up there snowmobiling, hunting and visiting relatives that live in Ironwood. Our deer camp is just off M-28 and Rt2. Tip up fished once and caught a few small eyes. I'll be up there next month and would like to spend a few days jigging for perch and eyes. And I thought the Perch we get down here on the southend of Lake Michigan were monsters, seen some Perch mounts in the Hoop and Holler bar and I was always amazed.

[Yooper350]

Thanks for the info Bob!  We usually fish out of a flip over style shanty.  Am I understanding you correct that I need a snow machine to even do this? 

How far from the lodge do you have to go to find fish? 

I have heard that some of the best fishing on the lake is near/in Bergland Bay at the north end of the lake where Maple Ridge is located.  Contour and vegetation maps I have found online seem to support this.  I get that Gogebic is a huge lake, but I am up for a walk on the ice if necessary.  Am I missing the point?…Is the snow just too deep to even consider pulling a flip over on foot?  Is the lake just too big and the fish too far from shore for this to be feasible?

I have access to an ATV, but in more than a foot of snow it is worthless.  Unfortunately I do not have access to a snowmobile…Thoughts?

I would come with the plan of trying to do it on foot but in the back of my mind have a snowmobile rental budgeted into the plan.  If conditions are rough a sled will make the trip much more fun and enjoyable. 

[stcroixx09]

gotta love the danglers bob n that looks like an old stcroix rod in front, cant get them anymore , i got 2

[downriverbob]

I have seen more 4 wheelers and Argos stuck on that lake I wouldn't believe it.  As others have said the area gets a ton of snow so travel can be very hard.  Snowmobiles even get stuck every now and again, you have to travel on areas that are hard packed.  To try to hand pull a flip over unless your are very young or very fit it would be dangerous.  I also mounted my Otter sled on downhill skis to get it out of the snow for less resistance when towing.  

As the season progresses the fish move out of Bergland Bay out to the deeper parts of the lake, first ice/early ice the bay is the place to be.  You have to remember Bergland Bay is the size of a small lake in itself. 

Almost all the perch I have caught have been on small teardrops with tail hooked wigglers, the rods have spring bobbers, and the rods are on Danglers as stcroixx09 noted.  I use 4lb fluorocarbon line.  I have caught most of my walleye on tip ups(Finicky Fish Factory brand).  I use 4 rods in shanty for perch.

[ultraguy]

Thanks for sharing that information.

[hoppy63]

Any info on gogebic?

[Icefisher40]

Do you ever catch perch dead sticking minnows on Gogebic?

[downriverbob]

 I have caught a fair amount of bigger perch on tip-ups on smaller sucker minnows.  I have tried smaller minnows dead stick and only attract smaller perch.  Usually you are fish over wiggler beds when you have the best luck with bigger perch.  I usually have smaller minnows, wax worms, and wigglers when fishing Gogebic.

BOB

[fishlaw]

R3Kenned-- I have fished Gogebic numerous times in open water and a few times thru the ice.  I have only seen 1 northern pike in all my trips.  I don't think Gogebic is a good lake for lots of pike action.  The ones that are in there tend to be big, but I do not think there are very many of them.  Maybe I am wrong, but before you drive all the way up there from Motown you should check with the various bait shops. 

[r3kenned]

R3Kenned-- I have fished Gogebic numerous times in open water and a few times thru the ice.  I have only seen 1 northern pike in all my trips.  I don't think Gogebic is a good lake for lots of pike action.  The ones that are in there tend to be big, but I do not think there are very many of them.  Maybe I am wrong, but before you drive all the way up there from Motown you should check with the various bait shops.

Thanks for the heads up!  I have been looking into it a lot more and got the same feeling you have...not a ton of pike.  I am still excited to try to land one of the 2+ pound perch thou.  When I make it I will try for some pike, but I am now going into it as a "perch trip".  Any pike I land will be a bonus.

[GB 83]

Coming up to Gogebic. Are the perch hitting? Is the slush getting bad? I know the weather and wind will be a bear this weekend but I would like to get on perch. Where should I start out at? North end? Or down by Gogebic lodge? Thanks

[mi-coastie]

As of last weekend, the ice in Bergland was about a foot thick with 6-8 of crusted over slush. At the East shore boat ramp the ice was 13" and the slush was 3-4in under a crust of ice. The perch seemed to be hitting best in the morning off the Gogebic Lodge, on wigglers. I had zero luck up in the bay of the Bergland ramp, and pulled a few 13in walleyes out of 25-30fow off the east ramp. My brother-in-law pulled a 22in eye on a small minnow at the same spot. Check in at the bait shop in Bergland, I am sure he can give you more info.