Walleye Express

Just got the word. The bay ice is on it's way out. Open water and white caps after the first crack out of Linwood. Bring on the night bite, #18 Rapala's and those post spawn monsters.

With price hike approval suspected for the 2007 Michigan license fee's, theres a buyers window now to avoid them for at least this year. 2007 Hunting and Fishing Licenses on Sale Starting Today The Department of Natural Resources announced that 2007 hunting and fishing licenses go on sale starting today. The prices for the licenses remain unchanged from 2006, however if a fee increase is approved by the Legislature later this year, it may take effect before next year, DNR officials said. “We encourage hunters and anglers to purchase their licenses early this year if they would like to take advantage of the current prices,†said DNR Director Rebecca Humphries. “We are continuing to work with the Legislature to develop a new license fee package that will likely see incremental increases spread over the next few years. Should the Legislature approve new fees, we hope they will be enacted immediately, but for now licenses remain at 2006 prices.†Anglers who purchase a 2007 license should hold on to and use their Michigan Fishing Guide from last year. The guide is now a two-year publication, as a cost-saving measure to the department. A new guide will be published again in 2008. The guide also is available online at the DNR Web site at www.michigan.gov/dnr under the Publications and Maps section. Hunting and fishing licenses are available at several retailers around the state, and a list of locations to purchase licenses can be found under the Hunting section of the DNR Web site. Licenses also can be purchased at DNR Operations Services Centers and some DNR field offices, or can be purchased online at the DNR Web site by clicking on the Hunting and Fishing License Section. The online site accepts Visa, Mastercard, Discover Card and American Express. A valid Michigan driver’s license, Michigan identification card or MDNR Sportcard is required to purchase a license. DNR officials also remind hunters and anglers there is a 15 percent discount when four or more licenses are purchased at the same time. Also, when purchasing a license for a minor who does not yet have a Michigan driver’s license, you are required to purchase an MDNR Sportcard for $1. “The revenue from license sales goes into the Game and Fish Protection Fund, and is used to support the bulk of the conservation work the DNR performs every day to provide exceptional hunting and fishing opportunities in our state,†Humphries said. “For decades, the hunters and anglers of Michigan have strongly supported the conservation of natural resources in our state.†The DNR is committed to the conservation, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural resources for current and future generations.

That's actually a tough question. I've already ran 4 trips on the bay on the ice, and turned down or canceled many more this season. My first scheduled (deposit taken) trip is on May 5th on the Tittabawassee for smallies out of my sled. The first Bay trip June 2nd on the Grady. But there might be a few more before the walleye season closes on March 15th or some in early April for night time walleyes. But most of those are played by (if we can go we'll go) strategies, with no deposits taken for any certain day. Many of my fall, early spring and winter trips are better off having that format, considering the weather and ice condition variables. Makes for fewer client disappointments, deposit refunds, costs and hassles.

The longer one is in the water, the less your chances for survival, even after rescue. Heres also another idea for your ice spikes. Below is a picture of my helmet I wear out when ice fishing. Three years ago I took my own little polar bear swim, in that first crack out of Linwood road. I was in the middle of a freak storm that came up quick, had 40 MPH+ winds and churned up a white-out with 10 yard visibility. My GPS brought me back to the crack where I had went out earlier. But, the crak had opened about 3 feet, so I layed down my 4 foot aluminum skids to cross it. My dog sled caught the skids in the back, and when I gunned the 4 wheeler, the chains on the front wheels caught the skids and pulled them away from the edge of the ice on the other side of the crack. Down the front end went in 7 FOW with me on the machine. I tried my best too get to my ice picks that went around my neck and under my suite, but could not do it. So I scrambled off the back of the machine and onto the dog sled and shanty attached to the back of each other. They also saved my 4 wheeler from going down. Some guys came along and got everything out of the crack. But I learned a lesson about where might be the best place for my ice spikes. My head was always above water and even though it may look goofy (and even more goofy when I wear it) the spikes are now where i can reach them under any circumstances.

Death On The Saginaw Bay Feb 26, 2007 08:17 AM EST (TV-5) -- Bay County authorities are reporting another death on the Saginaw Bay. Two people fell into open water in Linwood on February 24th. The Cost Guard was able to pull them both out from the ice but a 50-year-old man was pronounced dead at the hospital. A 29-year-old male was treated and released. The men were apparently snowmobiling and four-wheeling across the Bay. This is second death on the Saginaw Bay this month. Ice is unpredictable and can become dangerous in a matter of seconds, the Coast Guard would like to remind people to be safe if they are going to venture out on the ice.

Wasn't that in Connan the Barbarian 2. When they went to the wizzards island to get the Horn of the idol?

This may have been the best/short walleye ice fishing season we've ever had on the Saginaw Bay. Or at least in my lifetime. But with todays Warm Weather/Gail force West wind forecast, it may be over for this year. The Bay is froze all the way across and may hold together for one more week if the nights stay cold. But she'll be tested today for sure. Heres a couple of pictures from the last 2 days.

I bought my Jet Boat in 1988 to fish the very shallow Tittabawassee River. Obviouslly one of the advantages to using the jet, is going safely across very shallow waters. But to do so, you have to be on plane. And I soon found out that going fast in this shallow water, was not very popular with the guys in regular boats that could not go fast. One guy who later caught up to me after I passed him (always at a safe distance) asked me if I had some Express mail I had to deliver. Thus Walleye Express was born. I have also recieved some other verbal ideas/suggestions from others who I've passed, but prefer not to put those supluratives on the side of any of my boats. :eek:

Fishunter. I like either, but have the best luck when it's changing/moving. One of my first experiences and learning lessons having to do with this subject came about many years ago, and was demostarted to me by my Granfather. And the funny thing was, I notice it again yesterday while ice fishing on the Saginaw Bay. We fished Saturday with a constant procession of fish coming in and out of our holes all day long. They were very active. I keep the minnows I buy while ice fishing in a clear plastic quart jar, so I can seal the top so they won't spill on the way out. Well, they also were very active in that jar all day long. Now yesterday, the fish were sluggish and fewer showed up in the hole. And the minnows were the same way in the jar. They all gathered at the bottom and hardly swam around at all. Grandpa always said whatever mood your bait is in, so to are the fish. Capt. Dan.

Silver/Blue Silver/Red #3 Do-Jiggers, tipped with a minnow head. Walleyes love a little head.

The fishing today was almost as good as it was yesterday, except for the hook to catch ratio. My client today was no stranger to walleye fishing, but was not used to how very lightly our Bay fish bite through the ice. We had not set down for 5 minutes when the first fish lit up the FL-8. Concentrating on my own rod tip for the slightest twitch, I also keep my clients rod in my peripheral vision. When I seen his rod twitch and load up every so slightly, and he kept holding it motionless, I said set the Hook". "Set the hook Mike" "Set the Hook". He then simple started to reel the walleye up, but it let go about 6 feet under the ice, as it was not hooked but simply holding onto the minnow and treble. Not wanting to offend I calmly explained as best I could about the light biting nature of even the biggest walleyes on the Bay. It took him a while, but I cannot say I ever seen so many nice walleyes (I think eight) get a free ride to the surface without ever getting picked by a hook on the Do-Jigger express. But we ended up with 8 decent fish and had a excellent day on the ice.

I knew something was up this morning when we neared the end of Ericson Road and there was just as much traffic leaving the Bay as there was coming towards it. We pulled onto the ice and stopped a guy heading back to his truck. "Bad out there" I asked. "Yup" crack is about 3 feet wide open and the places some of those guys are crossing is nothing more than floating ice between the cracks. Having a client this morning, I wasn't into playing leap frog over open water while pulling both a dog sled and shanty behind my 4 wheeler. At that point we decided to head out from Linwood Road. I had a spot marked in 21 FOW and getting to that spot was way easier. We fished there for about an hour and I had this nagging gut feeling I could head way out and cut back around to my favorite spot in the Black Hole. I punched it in on the GPS and it was another 2.86 miles north from where we were. There were very few if any others I could see set up between us and where I wanted to go. But I thought if we take it slow and be careful we could get there. Long story short I made the Big Loop and we set back up by 10:30 on this spot, all by ourselves in the deepest part of the Black Hole, 26 feet on the FL-8. There were fish in the hole immediately. We limited out by 3:00pm, lost many others and C&R'd 8 others before we called her quits at 4:30. Another bad day saved.

Shu. That doesn't muddy the waters at all. Theres just to many other variables from one body of water to the other to make any one of them universal. Color (IMHO) is only a very small part of the equation that trigger fish to strike or forage. Like I mentioned before, if fish had a rational, thinking brain, we'd never catch one.

Caz. I am a report posting hoar. In fact I've been called a Product Pimp by some moderators on other sites, because I post to much info to often about the lures I use and modify that catch fish. Some of these products I mention I pro staff for, others I never will. I make the posts to help others out and thats all. I make a pact with all my sponsors up front and well before any freebies exchange hands, that if and when their products work I'll mention them. If they don't, I don't. But even with that arrangment I get grief from all angles. Guys who hate me for simply sharing any fishing info and other who think I do it strictly for self gain and thats all. I've been sharing info with other fishermen since the late 1970's, for free. Long before I was a guide or charter captain. Started out writing articles for the MSSFA newspaper, back when it was a monthly publication and everybody I knew belonged to the Steelheaders. Both times and attitudes about sharing info have changed drastically these last 25 years. This new generation is all about ME, ME, ME. And with the advent of the internet, so have peoples perceptions and purposes for hosting sites geered around making advertising money over the free sharing of information. Sorry, I guess I've strayed off the subject some, but it's a sore spot for me. It's Sites like this, that are not overtly ran by advertisers, who forbid any product to be mentioned that competes with theirs, is places I will stay and share virtually anything I can to help. If that changes, I'll be on my way again, with no hard feelings. Now, as for my Waypoints, you'll have to buy them. Even a Product Pimp has his limitations.

You got that right Frank. In fact, I'd say I've grown even more caucious in my old age. Remember when there used to be 2 islands at the mouth of the river back in the 60's. I spent the night on the little one, one year after a duck hunt turned nasty and we couldn't get back that 1 mile to shore. Spent another night in the old lighthouse, on Charity Island with my brother and dad after a freak thunderstorm kepts us out there till after dark. Lots of mice and snakes on that island.

With more then a little apprehension, I decided to head out this morning on the Bay. I kinda chickened out last night from our scheduled plans today, after reading the predicted off shore wind forecast. But two cell phone calls from both my buds early this morning, who went anyway's without me, was all I could mentally take. When I arrived at Ericson, there were already about 80 vehicles parked on the ice. There was a well worn trail going out that veered well North and cut through lots of rough ice and pushed up pressure cracks. I wanted to go more towards the Black Hole and where one of my buds was fishing. So I fallowed the well worn trail North and towards Pinconing road, to avoid that open water, and then cut back South when I got even with where my bud was set up. And that open water is indeed straight out from Ericson road. I/we seen it on the way back in tonight, and we actually fished all day about 1 mile NE of it in 21 FOW. I Started fishing by 10:00am. My bud had 3 fish by then and neither of us hit another till 4 :45pm. But then all heck broke loose, and we went 15 for 23 in the next hour. Here's a couple pictures for your enjoyment. I also want to mention another thing. After re-rereading my own post about the tragedy on the Bay and the use of a GPS for safety sake, it may have sounded harsh the way I described the unfortunate man who lost his life. It was a bad choice of words on my part and I apologize if it did sound uncaring. We are all brothers on the ice. And loosing a brother is always a tragedy. :(

Missing snowmobiler's body found Coast Guard searched for nearly 10 hours By Jeff Piechowski BAY COUNTY (WJRT) - (02/08/07)--After hours of searching on the Saginaw Bay for a missing snowmobiler, the Coast Guard has found the body of a Saginaw County man. Wednesday night, the Coast Guard received a call regarding a flare being spotted on the bay northeast of Linwood in Bay County. A Coast Guard search crew located a vehicle and empty snowmobile trailer parked on the ice near Erickson Road. A HH-65 Dolphin from Air Station Detroit and a 20-foot ice-capable boat from Station Saginaw River were deployed. Thursday afternoon, crews found the body of Peter Ries. Ries, a former resident of Lansing, was transferred to Bay County Medical Services and was pronounced deceased by local EMS. Authorities say they didn't find any of Ries' fishing equipment or his snowmobile, which will make it difficult to determine what happened on the bay

For those of us very familiar with the Bay, we know that there has always been a spot NE of Linwood road that simply stays either open or very thin during the most severe winters. The nature of the bottom near and along the Nayonquin Point area north of Linwood road, keeps it that way because of the shallow shoals, ledges and bars that force the water to roll upward, keeping any ice from forming and whatever ice that does, to continually work back and forth or stack up around these bottom contours. And with the Bays natural counter clockwise flow, along with any high winds magnifying this effect, its a natural and continual force. It's part of the same flow force that keeps ice broken up between Parish road and Bresettes Beach. It's no different then keeping your hose running during a freeze. As long as it's moving it won't ever freeze. I don't know for sure. But I partially blame this tragedy on the mans lac of knowledge of the area, and/or the possible lac and knowledgeable use of a hand Held GPS. This small investment and the easy training involved to use one, can indeed save your life. Whenever I go out with clients or by myself, I plot my course. I lay down waypoint numbers in numbered order, every step of the way to where I fish. Every time I encounter a crack, or the trail takes a turn, or I go in a different direction, that spot becomes a waypoint I return to when coming back in. I may have to go 1 mile out of my way going back in at night from where I end up, but I travel exactly on what was the safe trail I made going out. For Gods sake everyone, buy and use one or travel with others for safety.

I'm very sorry to report that with both this strange winter, along with how the Saginaw Bay has froze over this year, has claimed it's first victim. The strong off-shore winds we've continually had is the most dangerous culprit. And it's one of the main reasons I have not ventured out myself dispite reports of thick ice. Rescuers recover body of missing snowmobiler. Witness reports seeing emergency flare early this morning. By Jeff Piechowski BAY COUNTY (WJRT) - (02/08/07)-- The Coast Guard has found the body of a missing snowmobiler who was last seen Wednesday night. Shortly after midnight this morning, a caller reported spotting an emergency flare on the bay, northeast of Linwood in Bay County. A Coast Guard search crew found a vehicle and empty snowmobile trailer parked on the ice near Erickson Road. Two fishermen say they helped a man unload gear from his truck and trailer yesterday (Wednesday) afternoon at the location. The two returned to shore about 6:30 last night, saying that they had seen open water. Authorities spoke with them this morning. "They came and asked us where we seen (sic) the guy last night, and we told 'em, and we told 'em where the open water was. And that's where they're at right now," said Charlie Horen. "It's scary out there. You gotta be careful," said Luke Maylin. "There's open water, jagged ice, clear ice, everything kinda blends together. You gotta watch where you're going. The search had centered on an area about one-half mile offshore and about four miles north of Linwood. The body of the missing man was found Thursday afternoon floating in that same open water. Only a ice scoop and glove were visible on the ice near the open water where they pulled the body out. His identity has not been released.

Hi all. I am sorrounded by at least a dozen ponds that are within a 2 mile drive from my house. 3 of which are next to impossible to drive to. I would have to unload my truck and walk, as there are no trails to drive a quad or sled. I am going out to one pond "40th street pond" in the morning in search of crappie and gills. These ponds are suppose to be loaded with pike "not a fav of mine" I chose to not fish for pike cuz I've eaten pike in the past and don't have a taste for them, tried cleaning them "thats a nightmare due to Y bones, and they just plan stink to all high heaven. Thanks in advance for any feedback you can give me. Jeff. Jeff. The smell Pike have comes mainly from their slim layer and skin. The flesh may be strong depending on their seasonal diets and what particular body of water you catch them on. The "y" bones are a factor when cleaning. But I find their sweet flaky meat to be rather tasty. And like $100.00 dollar bills, I never met one I didn't like. And like in most game fish, it's the care you give the flesh prior to cooking, then the preperation after. A good rule of thumb for all fish, is to sprinkle a light layer of iodized salt on them, and soak them in the frig for about 4 to 6 hours after cleaning. The salt removes all blood and slime and breaks down any fat layers that hold toxins of any sort. You will see most of this floating on the top when done. Rinse fillets under cold water when done soaking, then freeeze or eat them. MMMMmmmmmmm.....Good. Capt. Dan.

Kudos on the Rip-Cord. I've used their 2-10 for walleye jigging rivers for years and love it strong yet supple nature along with it's castability.

SPRING. SUMMER. FALL. FALL/Night Ice catch to fallow.....I hope.

When long trolling leads are the norm, I couldn't agree more. But I actually went back to mono from spider wire, when casting for river kings on my charters. With the short length from the rod tip most times during strikes, and the brute force that kings deliver this punch when innitially hooked, you have to be a body builder to hang on for that first 2 minutes. Actually I had more breaks offs because of the sheer force of the fish and the (non-stretch) stopping power spider wire had when you pulled back.

For those interested. Plan to attend an ice fishing seminar Sunday, February 11th here at Frank's. Things take off around 6:00 p.m. and the guest speakers are Mark Martin, Mark Brumbaugh, Mike Gofron, and Ross Grothe. The seminar is "FREE" and should last 2-3 hours.

Heres a neat read written by me, with some cool old pictures if your ineterested. http://bay-journal.com/bay/1he/places/fish-sagbay-manyen.html