Ice fishing

Dana · December 27, 2010, 08:22:15 PM

I need some help finding the crappie on the lake on this map. Are any of you good at finding the best area based on reading a chart? I have been out three times and not one bite the lake is known for holding some nice fish. My access point is from the right side of the map which is actually South.

http://www.dnr.state.mi.us/SPATIALDATALIBRARY/PDF_MAPS/INLAND_LAKE_MAPS/CHARLEVOIX/MARION_LAKE.PDF

gary · December 28, 2010, 04:56:06 AM

Sorry Dana I'm not good with maps. Is there any structure on the bottom? I have seen crappie stay around a stump and not hit anything unless it was put within inches if them. Where I am fishing the crappie have been in 18 feet of water and hitting around four feet of the bottom.

Dana · December 28, 2010, 07:34:54 AM

Gary I don't know if there is structure. I will have to wait until my friend gets up to their cottage and can show me the areas. He has only fished the lake in the summer though.

Dana · December 31, 2010, 06:51:11 AM

Hayden caught this 30" pike yesterday. It's his bigest fish yet and as you can see he's pretty happy about it.

A bullhead he caught earlier in the week.

Norm · December 31, 2010, 07:34:05 AM

Way to go Hayden!

Nothing like a big northern on ice fishing tackle, he did a good job to bring it in.

blaze83 · December 31, 2010, 08:51:33 AM

:D :D :D My dad and I went out a few days ago and did pretty well :D 8)

Burlkraft · December 31, 2010, 10:42:20 AM

Nice catch Blaze!

I bet you got a secret spot to catch nice ones like that! :D :D :D

pigman · December 31, 2010, 10:42:41 AM

Those are not keepers, throw them back in to grow some more.

sandhills · December 31, 2010, 02:50:57 PM

Personally, I like the fish Hayden catches a lot more, might have something to do with flavor ???

Magicman · January 01, 2011, 09:16:49 AM

I think that blaze is using a secret bait to get a limit like that. ;) I also think that Congratulations are in order.

Dana · January 01, 2011, 02:01:07 PM

Not to be out done by his brother, Noah caught this 25 1/2" northern today. With 48 degree temps over night the lake was slick to walk on.

bill m · January 01, 2011, 06:12:34 PM

I've got a freezer full of the ones Blaze and his dad caught. I like them best served with a good rum and coke.

Dana · January 09, 2011, 07:29:49 PM

Another good day on the lake for Noah.

Jeff · January 09, 2011, 07:34:33 PM

Thats a good one. looks like better than 40" ?

fishpharmer · January 09, 2011, 07:37:57 PM

What kinda fish is that, I don't see whiskers? ;)

Magicman · January 09, 2011, 08:00:16 PM

Fish, I think kinda like a chain pickerel. I was going to ask Dana how you cook them.

fishpharmer · January 09, 2011, 08:08:13 PM

Must be a pike. Does look like our jackfish, I confuse muskie and pike.

Well, I mean, they confuse me.

Reddog · January 09, 2011, 08:17:18 PM

Yup Pike, Muskie have faint vertical tiger stripes.

Jeff · January 09, 2011, 09:16:05 PM

Easy difference, Pike have light markings over dark (bean shape) Muskellunge have dark markings over light backgrounds, quite similar in shape.

The Tiger Musky, (a hybrid between a male northern and a female Muskellunge) has the stripes.

fishpharmer · January 09, 2011, 09:24:31 PM

Thanks, If I ever see a real one or the other, it will be clearer. 8)

Jeff · January 09, 2011, 10:10:33 PM

Here is a video I found that has a walleye, a northern, then at the end a Musky. You will see the big difference in the northern and musky. Body shape is about all they have in common.

http://vimeo.com/3169554

Norm · January 10, 2011, 08:17:27 AM

Whoa that is a big northern to take through the ice!

Reddog · January 10, 2011, 09:33:34 AM

MN's description of the differences.

QuoteMuskies are light colored and usually have dark bars running up and down their long bodies. That's the opposite of northern pike, which have light markings on a dark body. Muskies are silver, light green, or light brown. The foolproof way to tell a muskie from a northern is to count the pores on the underside of the jaw: A muskie has six or more. A northern has five or fewer.

A sterile hybrid of the northern pike and the muskie--the tiger muskie--is stocked in several heavily fish lakes of the region. This species has dark markings on a light background, as on muskies, but has rounded tail fins, as on northern pike.

Jeff · January 10, 2011, 09:42:49 AM

Check out the Michigan DNR Fish I.D. site links below. The regular Great Lakes Muskellunge would be hard pressed to say an indivisual fish has stripes or bands unless it is a Tiger. Been in the boat with a lot of Muskies over the years as that was my dad's main hobby. Musky Hunting.

Northern Pike

Muskellunge