Author Topic: Gull lake 2017/2018 (Read 30460 times)

PikeSlayer93 · « **Reply #150 on:** Feb 08, 2018, 08:31 AM »

Quote from: GpaPerchEye on Feb 08, 2018, 04:48 AM

Anyone going to try North end tonite or tomorrow night ? I'd like to give it a go, but with the expected conditions, I'd like to have someone to hold the other end of the rescue rope !!

I would almost say the north end has to be getting close the only thing I’m worried about would be all the snow on top of it.... it’s a lot of weight

smeltbuster · « **Reply #151 on:** Feb 08, 2018, 01:58 PM »

Hoping Smelt jr. can check it around 4:30 p.m., it might be a bit late for tonight , but I will let ya know ASAP ! I am planning on fishing Friday night .

GpaPerchEye · « **Reply #152 on:** Feb 08, 2018, 02:37 PM »

Thanks, SB. Friday works better for me - IF ice conditions allow.

smeltbuster · « **Reply #153 on:** Feb 08, 2018, 02:52 PM »

Smelt jr. just called. The north end is still UNSAFE at the park . 2 wacks w/ his spud. Very hard to believe ! He did not check Baseline rd. but will stop on his way home tonight. He is fishing the Bible Conf. tonight for pike. Keep ya posted !

GpaPerchEye · « **Reply #154 on:** Feb 08, 2018, 03:17 PM »

Many thanks for the update. I won't hold much hope for B/L. Marginal ice there tends to get broken up by traffic. Hope I'm wrong.

smeltbuster · « **Reply #155 on:** Feb 08, 2018, 03:57 PM »

He has seen a few guys out on the NE corner of the lake & figures they are getting on at Baseline. Depending on what he tells me tonight, I may go out early in the A.M. , just to check for myself. Very Concerned about the snow that is coming .

Average-Joe · « **Reply #156 on:** Feb 08, 2018, 05:15 PM »

Has anyone noticed a lot more small perch (3-5 inches) than usual? I've been fishing the same places and the same way I always have and am noticing this. I also haven't found near as many bluegills, although I know they're there from fishing in the summer and fall. Perhaps the small perch are filling the niche left behind by the disappearance of much the smelt population.

smeltbuster · « **Reply #157 on:** Feb 08, 2018, 07:47 PM »

Average-Joe, hope someone else comments on your observation. I fish for crappies & gills in Gull , in May & early June , & that's about it. I do quite well , but the perch are pretty much safe, when it comes to my fishing. Trolling small Rapalas & Crawdad imitations in less than 10' of water, ...well, lets just say , it makes me Happy ! As for Smelt Jrs. report tonight, he went 2 for 4 on pike, both were sub- legal. 5"-6" of ice at the Bible Conf. & he did check Baseline rd., out to about 100 yds. from shore & said it took 5-6 good whacks w/ his spud. Guessed 3-4" of ice. No fresh tracks out there, & no one out on the North end. That was at 7:45 p.m. . I am hoping to get out tomorrow night. A lot depends on the snow fall. its 845 p.m. & it has not started yet. We are supposed to get 7" in the next 18 hrs. , so time will tell. As usual , I will keep ya posted , Phil

Smeltman · « **Reply #158 on:** Feb 09, 2018, 08:42 AM »

Well I have heard that when the smelt population is small the perch population increases. The small perch feed on the same thing as the smelt. It happened on Higgins year's ago also. And that would would make sense with the size of the perch.

moose49017 · « **Reply #159 on:** Feb 09, 2018, 01:07 PM »

Well I got a pb perch the other day on Gull while I was fishing for pike.
Hit a 3.5" shiner! Surprised the heck out of me.

fishin4smelt · « **Reply #160 on:** Feb 09, 2018, 01:27 PM »

Nice perch Moose ! Send that pic & form to DNR and get a master angler patch of a perch. I did this in Sept. with a PB perch as well. The patch is pretty cool..

cnewby · « **Reply #161 on:** Feb 09, 2018, 01:38 PM »

Might be a tough sell that its 14" based on that picture. Not sure how strict they are on that sort of thing.

dutch3376 · « **Reply #162 on:** Feb 09, 2018, 03:38 PM »

Pb?? Pregnant belly??

GpaPerchEye · « **Reply #163 on:** Feb 09, 2018, 04:20 PM »

Too much snow for me to chase hypothetical smelt on shaky ice tonight. We have had nearly a foot here abt 25 miles west of gull

smeltbuster · « **Reply #164 on:** Feb 09, 2018, 04:29 PM »

Quote from: GpaPerchEye on Feb 09, 2018, 04:20 PM

Too much snow for me to chase hypothetical smelt on shaky ice tonight. We have had nearly a foot here abt 25 miles west of gull

Same for me, tonight. I'm 15 min. from Baseline rd. & we have 7-8" . Besides that, I couldn't find anyone that wanted to pull gear that far out tonight & break a trail.

moose49017 · « **Reply #165 on:** Feb 09, 2018, 05:50 PM »

Quote from: dutch3376 on Feb 09, 2018, 03:38 PM

Pb?? Pregnant belly??

Personal Best. 😁

moose49017 · « **Reply #166 on:** Feb 09, 2018, 06:01 PM »

Quote from: cnewby on Feb 09, 2018, 01:38 PM

Might be a tough sell that its 14" based on that picture. Not sure how strict they are on that sort of thing.

Following their instructions to point the tail ... I believe it qualifies.

stevenmang85 · « **Reply #167 on:** Feb 10, 2018, 05:43 AM »

Average Joe. I wouldn't necessarily say more small perch, they are just the only fish around. I fish a couple spots for bluegill not including the bay. Caught them good for the past 40 years (my father included) and this year they are not there! I can't find my crappie hole, and couldn't find my little perch hole. There are other places I want to check but don't get the time. It's really really weird. The only thing I can think is that the added predation between new Lakers and steelhead have all the small fish acting funny. Smelt included! I strongly believe that there's still enough smelt for good fishing.... But everything small is hiding this year or something.

Iceassin · « **Reply #168 on:** Feb 10, 2018, 07:23 AM »

Quote from: moose49017 on Feb 09, 2018, 06:01 PM

Following their instructions to point the tail ... I believe it qualifies.

Don't doubt it for a minute. Bass fishing a few years ago with a bubble gum sinko, wacky style, and landed a 16 incher just north of the island. Gave it away at the launch...wished I had of put it on the wall now

. (sorry Duane...mis-spoke the first time I told ya'

) On the same day, watched a deer (buck) swim from the island to the mainland on the east

Big fish do abound in Gull...some are just few and far between.

smeltbuster · « **Reply #169 on:** Feb 10, 2018, 09:22 AM »

Just got a call from Smelt Jr. @ 10:15 a.m.; he is on the North End pike fishing. they went on at the far end of the beach ,& he said the ice is about 3" for the 1st. 50 yds. or so & then it gets thicker. Almost 8' in some spots . He has 1 tip-up in front of the creek in 25 FOW & said the ice is about 4" there. A few other guys out there & 1 on a snowmobile. LOTS of snow on the ice & slush the 1st. 50 yds. then just snow after that he said. They are 2 for 3 right now, 1 27 incher & 1 sub-legal. I am probably going to head out there in a few hrs. ,don't know about smelt fishing tonight. with all that snow ,it may be a tough walk w/ all my gear !

smeltbuster · « **Reply #170 on:** Feb 10, 2018, 07:36 PM »

I did go fish w/ Smelt jr. & a couple of his friends. We ended up going 7 for 11 on pike, & only 2 were legal size. About 10-12 inches of snow on the ice. Most of the ice I checked was 6-7". The boat ramp area is very unsafe . I was checking around the area, when we got done & went through twice. Less than knee deep , so I didn't get wet ! LOTS of SLUSH for the 1st. 100 yds. or so, then just snow. We went on at the west end of the beach area. NO one smelt fishing tonight, as of 7:30 p.m. , tough walk out there. Big Party on 2nd. bay though.

Smeltman · « **Reply #171 on:** Feb 10, 2018, 11:58 PM »

Sounds like a tuff walk to smelt grounds. I doubt I will make down there this year again then. I am going to miss smelt fishing with Smeltbuster. Its pretty bad twice last year and once this year smelt fishing on Gull .

. Thanks for all the updated reports Smeltbuster.

GpaPerchEye · « **Reply #172 on:** Feb 11, 2018, 03:50 PM »

Hmmm. Sounds like game over for this season. Too bad, but that's just too bad. I add my thanks for Phil's dedication to great reports. Thank you !

smeltbuster · « **Reply #173 on:** Feb 11, 2018, 05:37 PM »

Smelt Jr. found something interesting in the stomach of one of the pike we caught yesterday. 1st. time we have found these in a Pike

. 1st. time for me trying to post a pic on here, hope it works !

Oscoda Ice · « **Reply #174 on:** Feb 12, 2018, 05:29 AM »

Intersting smeltbuster. A tube and a stickbait "senko". I wonder if he got them when attached to a hook or just sitting on the bottom of the lake.

-Kyle

DaveSS1 · « **Reply #175 on:** Feb 17, 2018, 12:30 PM »

Wow can’t believe this thread has hit the bottom of page 2..... anyone heading out tonight before the warmup and rain kills the ice?

KZOO13 · « **Reply #176 on:** Feb 17, 2018, 01:09 PM »

Went out last night in search of crappies and didn’t catch a single thing other than Gull Lake’s famous 5” bay bluegills. Talked to a group of 4-5 guys that made a trip all the way from Detroit searching for some smelt. Felt bad for them as they seemed to be unaware of the issues going on at Gull. They headed out towards the second bay and left 2 hours later with no luck. They were the only ones I saw targeting smelt on the southern end of the lake

Smeltman · « **Reply #177 on:** Feb 17, 2018, 03:41 PM »

That does suck for them. I feel their pain.

smeltbuster · « **Reply #178 on:** Feb 17, 2018, 06:02 PM »

Thought I would share this . I talked to "Bob" last night & he told me that him & his friend fished the north end in 70 FOW ,one night this past week . He said they fished for over 3 hrs. & caught no fish. He did think he had 1 bite. Said he really didn't even mark very much. 3 smelt trips for him this yr. & 3 Skunks, if Bob cant catch them , I'm thinking it is not a good sign. We were going to go last night, but decided it probably wasn't worth the effort. Smelt jr. did catch a 20" Laker on the North end, Monday afternoon, on a minnow that he was jigging in about 25 FOW, in front of the creek. He is going to check the ice there, either tonight or tomorrow morning.

3300 · « **Reply #179 on:** Feb 20, 2018, 10:09 AM »

can hardly see the lake on the cam. hope no one is on it!

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Author Topic: Gull lake 2017/2018 (Read 30460 times)