Fishing Report For Brevoort Lake, MI

Current Report: Good To Very Good

WINTER. This Winter, fishing for walleye has been pretty good, as it has been for the last few years. Before, during and after the ice, anglers report catching them in the main basin area, in 12 to 25 feet of water, along deep creek channel edges, rocky humps and ledges. Steep drops in the area toward the dam are also producing during these cold months. These same areas and depths are classic spots during the upcoming ice fishing season. They primarily feed on small fish, staying close to the bottom. After ice-out blade baits, jigs, swimbaits, spoons, deep-diving crankbaits, and worm harness spinners, all work while deep trolling or drifting.

SPRING. Early Spring brings warming water in the shallows, and draws walleye here to feed, especially rocky areas and inlet channels. Tipping jigs with minnows, leeches and nightcrawlers is a favorite approach for walleye here, and some nice fish are currently being caught this way. Shallow, rocky banks are producing the better fish. In Spring, work points, drop offs, submerged structure, rock ledges, and flats adjacent to deeper water. The upper end around the Brevort Lake Campground Boat Launch, and the inlets for the Brevoort River and Massey Creek is where they make an annual spawn run, starting in late February. Here, in 2 to 10 feet deep, they will spawn when the water warms to the mid to high 40's. When they are shallow, bright colored jigs, tipped with minnows or nightcrawlers typically catch them. Spinnerbaits, jerkbaits and crankbaits are also working when walleye are up shallow. Afterwards, they move to 10 to 18 feet deep around points, flats, shoals and ledges, nearby shore, often staying in close proximity to their spawning locations. Main lake drop offs tend to produce nice fish.

SUMMER. Water temperatures rise notably in Summer, and walleye fishing is good if you can get your bait deep enough. Early in Summer, walleye tend to concentrate in 8 to 10 feet of water. As Summer develops they descend in deeper water, around 10 to 18 feet deep. Throughout Summer, early in the morning, and from dusk to long after dark are good times to catch walleye. At those times they move slightly shallower to feed in low-light conditions. Night fishing is often good in Summer, as well. When the bite is slow, grubs and nightcrawlers, fished just off the bottom typically catch walleye.

FALL. Fall brings cooler temperatures to shallow water, drawing walleye and baitfish into coves and bays. Walleye continue to be a major draw for anglers, even as the weather cools. Locals report catching nice walleye on long points, flats along the river and creek channels, and structure off shore. Jigs, swimbaits, spoons, crankbaits, jerkbaits, and spinnerbaits are all historically good for catching walleye this time of year. Early in Fall finds them in 8 to 10 feet of water, in Late Fall they hold 8 to 20 feet deep. Dragging jigs, bottom bouncers, or worm harnesses with nightcrawlers or leeches, around ledge drop-offs catches walleye fairly consistently. Watch for the bigger walleye to be slightly deeper than the majority of the school.

Current Report: Good To Very Good

Fat yellow perch here feed on small fish and invertebrates. Anglers are catching them in 4 to 10 feet of water, around any type of vegetation. As Summer warms the water, they will move deeper, and can be found 20 feet deep, or deeper. A nice population of yellow perch here provides a steady food source for larger, predator fish. They also make for an excellent fish fry.

WINTER. The cold of winter drives perch deeper again in search of food and stable water conditions. Mid-depth flats are ideal Winter holding spots. Early in Winter, perch are being caught when they are feeding in weedy areas, in 12 to 22 of water. Fishing for them through the ice was good last year using minnows, mealworms, maggots, and nightcrawlers. As the lake begins to freeze over, they remain as deep as 20 feet. These baits continue to work now, while ice fishing, and again once the ice is gone. Plenty of yellow perch were caught last winter through the ice, and there's no reason to expect anything different this year.

SPRING. Perch spawn in Spring when the water temperature warms to the mid 50's and mid 60's. Anglers will begin to catch them in 6 to 12 feet of water using spinners, small spinnerbaits, underspins, minnows, mealworms, maggots, and nightcrawlers. Docks, weed lines, drop offs all attract yellow perch searching for a meal. Later in Spring, they migrate toward shallow water to feed. The mouths of Brevoort River and Massey Creek have historically delivered great stringers of perch.

SUMMER. Fat yellow perch here feed primarily on small fish and invertebrates. Spinners, underspins, small crankbaits, mealworms, nightcrawlers and maggots are catching perch in 8 to 18 feet of water. In early Summer, plus the first and last hours of the day, seek them out in feeding zones, 6 to 12 feet deep. Drop-offs, standing timber, lay-down trees, shallow weed lines, and in areas with submerged vegetation, are key feeding spots.

FALL. Early Fall finds yellow perch feeding in 12 to 14 feet of water. Later in the Fall, they begin migrating toward Winter holding areas, often in the deeper sections, around the edges of weedbeds, drop offs along flats, channel edges, rock piles and humps. In late Fall focus on 14 to 18 feet deep cover. Minnows, spinners, spoons and small jigs are ideal this time of year.

Current Report: Good To Very Good

Northern pike are now roaming the shores, especially in weedy areas, looking for small fish to eat. shiners and minnows are the most popular live bait, but night crawlers and leeches work too, when tipped on spinners. Jerkbaits, Johnson spoons and noisy topwater baits are also catching some big northerns

WINTER. Pike remain active in Winter, often congregating in or near remaining weedbeds, especially along the edges. Other structure options include long points, reefs, ledge drop-offs, and rocky humps, ideally nearby deeper water. Look for them in 6 to 20 feet of water before ice over. Last winter, many nice northerns were caught through the ice on minnows, worms and cut bait, and fishing should be good again this year. At times, when oxygen is depleted in deeper water, northerns suspend directly under the ice, where maximum oxygen is available. Other times, especially, the bigger pike, hold on structure in 10 to 22 feet of water.

SPRING. Once the ice melts, anglers report catching northern pike in the shallows on flashy lures. For many decades the Johnson Spoon has been a deadly bait for northerns, especially when tipped with a white, or bright colored trailer. Jerkbaits, big spinners, swimbaits all catch northerns here. As the water warms, noisy topwater baits like the Whopper Flopper are a good choice. Once water temperatures reach around 40 degrees, they move into even shallower areas with vegetation, to spawn. Ideal depths range from 1 to 6 feet. Big pike stage on points, shallow flats and inside coves. The mouths of Massey Creek and Brevoort River are classic spawning grounds. After spawning they linger in the shallow bays for a short period. Once water temperatures rise into the 50's, they move to deeper weedbeds and shallow structures 4 to 12 feet deep, adjacent to even deeper water.

SUMMER. Northern pike scatter all around the lake, rather than gather in groups. This makes them difficult to locate. During the day they are holding shallow around weed beds in 5 to 6 feet of water, or up to 18 feet deep on ledges, reefs, rock piles, islands and channel edges. Some of the larger specimens are suspending in open water, just outside shallow feeding areas. Trolling or drift fishing produces some nice catches, using spoons, big spinners, cut bait, and deep diving crankbaits. Early and late in the day, they move shallow to feed and can be caught around most weedy shorelines, in 4 to 8 feet of water. A good option is the weedbeds off Christensen Bay. Spinnerbaits, noisy topwater lures, and Johnson spoons with curly-tail grubs, catch nice pike shallow when they are shallow.

FALL. As the weather starts turning cold, water temperatures cool fastest in the shallows. This brings schools of shad into shallower water, and northerns follow this food source. They hang around weedbed edges, main-lake points, reefs, and rocky shorelines to ambush prey in 8 to 20 feet of water. This is a prime feeding time, as they prepare for winter. It is also a good time to catch a trophy pike.