Chequamegon Bay Ice Fishing...

[Jim Hudson]

The fishing has picked up since we got ice in other places besides just the bay itself. But, still it is spotty. Some guys do really well, and some come home skunked. But that happens everywhere. This is a tough body of water to fish, the fish move so much day to day, and some of those days the fish get a serious case of the lock jaw. So really, there is no real hot tip, besides MOVING if the fish are not in the area you are fishing.

For the Houghton Point area, fish are being caught from 20FOW out to 70+ FOW. You can fish from Houghton Point over to Long Island and then back over straight to Bodin's Resort (just north of Houghton Point). Machine travel is good here, 8 to 10 inches of ice. Do not go north of Bodin's Resort on a machine, ice is still sketchy. But a person could walk off the Sioux to get on some fish.

Over here off Bayfield, north of the Ferry dock is the only place I would venture out. The Washington Avenue Beach area here in Bayfield, and also off Red Cliff. The ice near Bodin's Fisheries in Bayfield is pretty sketchy!!! People are fishing out off Basswood and up through the North Channel for lakers. Ice in all these areas seems to run anywhere from 3 to 7 inches, with 5 inches being the norm. Use caution here please. OH, yes the Ferry is still running, but should be shutting down here for a few days or a week, as I seen the trees being set up to mark the windsled route yesterday.

[outdoor ran]

Jim we did pretty good off of Houghton point on Sat. We started in close on the sharp break. Then after the fish quite we moved around until we marked some more in the channel around 60ft. Felt good to get back to the bay.

How did you and Scott do at Bay De Noc?

[Jim Hudson]

Randy

Am glad you guys did well out there. Always a treat to catch a few different species of fish throughout the day. Good job man!!!

Scott and I did fairly well, not many walleyes caught. We did run into a quality fish that made the trip!! And plus, just hanging with another hardcore angler all weekend was a bonus!!!

[outdoor ran]

Jim, I got the whole story on the Mich. site. Sweet fish! We have some super fat walleyes around 28" at the shop. Let me know next time your in town and you can stop by and check it out.

[Jim Hudson]

Cool, will do Randy...

[Boxcar Wllie]

Went out yesterday. Lots of people out...did anyone have any luck? No fish through the hole for me. Nice day though...

[scifisher]

What are the late season regs for the bay? I would really love to get out a couple more times before the ice is dead.

[Iceboy]

We were out there yesterday and didn't catch anything. Graphed around 10 separate trout following my bait aggressively through the water column, but never biting. I could literally reel up my bait 30 feet and they would follow it all the way but never hit it. A little frustrating, but others were saying they hadn't seen any fish at all so I felt like I was at least in the right spot for them. (42' of water off of Houghton Pt) Just no takers. Any hints on getting them to bite? Mostly was running smaller jigging spoons with crappie minnow heads or smelt skin on them. Most of the sightings were 12-3 PM.

Yet another year of skunking on Cheq Bay, but it was so nice out there it hardly mattered. What a day!

dan

[Jim Hudson]

Heard a lot of skunkings from this past weekend. But also heard of some good fish catching as well. I didnt make it out with the masses this weekend, as I try to shy away from the crowd the annual fishing contest brings.

Today, a group of us hit some deep water laker action through. Not a huge amount of fish caught, but we did end up with 10 lakers through the hole, along with one splake.

Here is the biggest fish today, 31 incher that was probably 10lbs.

Another nice Laker, caught by good friend Tony Boshold...

For ice conditions, we found 6 to 8 inches of ice where ever we travelled today in the islands. But with the warmer temps today, slush pockets were forming everywhere. And with the forecasted higher temps all week, the ice will start to crumble quickly over this deep water. Looks like this short lived season for chasing deep water lakers will be over shortly.

The ice in Chequamegon Bay should hold well for sometime yet, but I expect ice out sooner this year then last. Late ice is a good time to be on the bay, and the fishing will definately pick up. Just use caution as the temps increase!!!

[outdoor ran]

Jim, we might be heading over to the bay on Sunday for some fishing. Is the Bay giving up any fish anywhere. Hows it been for ice and fishing off of the Onoin and Sioux? Someone told me to check out Pikes bay, I'm not sure if I even know where thats at?

Thanks for keeping all of us updated with reports this winter

[Jim Hudson]

Randy

There are fish still being caught... But still a little spotty. But as the days get longer and the weather stays warmer, the fish will continue to bite better!!

The ice is starting to get really sketchy around Bayfield here.. Which includes Pikes... Pikes is a creek just south of Bayfield that empties into Pikes Bay, where Port Superior and Pikes Bay Marina are located.

For the Sioux and the Onion, I am sure the same conditions are being found. So, as Sunday nears, I will give you a better report.

A guy can always fish around Ashland if the ice in these spots gets too deterioted by the time you come on down.. The ice is still really good over along the Ashland side over to Washburn... Splake, Browns, and Cohos can be found here as well, and like I said the bite should be picking up in this area as well...

[Jim Hudson]

Randy

Just an update.. There were still people off the Onion and Sioux today.. Ice conditions to me are unknown... But, from the looks of the ice, I wouldnt want to be on it.. Test it out and see how it is for walking I guess... But if not, resort back to the Washburn and or Ashland area...

[Bob Horn]

How much snow did you get?

[Jim Hudson]

Bob

Just got done shoveling, and there was about 5" of snow.. But it's still snowing!!! Should make travel on the lake a bit better for a couple days.. Then as it warms up, it will even be more sloppy...

[Bob Horn]

Is there any smelt,trout, or salmon in the bay now?

[Jim Hudson]

Smelt are everywhere.. And the trout and salmon following them!!

[outdoor ran]

Jim, could you keep us posted on ice out around Hought point. I really want to get over there for some early trolling. Hopefully the LS boat will be back from the shop soon. If not I'll have to bring the smokercraft. Is there a boat lauch right there where I went off for ice fishing at the coal dock in Wasburn? Thanks

[Jim Hudson]

Randy

Will do man... Am hoping for open water around the first part of April...

For a boat landing, yes there is a great launch at the marina just to the west of the coal dock...

[Quickstrike]

Washburn has a great launch and marina, I really want to hit the bay this spring for some trolling and chase some smallies a little later in the year, haven't fished open water on the bay in years and really want to get back.

[outdoor ran]

Jim, how she looking over there? Any predictions on when you'll be able to launch at Wasburn and troll along Houghton point? I'm getting that trolling bug bad.

[Jim Hudson]

Soon... With the rain we are getting, the ice is gonna go quickly... The ice is locked in from Houghton Point to Washburn yet, but north it is broken up and the ice is floating back and forth depending on wind direction... I will keep ya updated... So yeah, people are still walking off Ashland to fish on the ice... But that won't last very long...

Had a commercial tug come into the landing here in Bayfield to break up the ice... Hopefully that will be ice free here soon as well..

[Jim Hudson]

A person can get out of the Bayfield launch fine now... Just have to find a spot out of the way of the moving ice chunks to fish... Seen a few boats coming into town today..

I will probably hold off for another week, or until the ice decides to sink.. Would hate to have a wind switch and then have to make my boat into an ice breaker..

[outdoor ran]

A buddy of my tried trolling out of Wasburn the other day. He was trolling somewhere along Houghton point. Cant say for sure where. Anyway he noticed some white jugs and a flag thinking it might be a net he trolled outside of it. Before he could do anything the bottom came flying up and he stuck a ball and broke his Cannon downrigger in half. Turned him around and made one heck of a mess. Could of been alot worse.

So becareful around that area. Are they building a pier or something there?

[outdoor ran]

opps I posted that under the wrong thread--brain fart