Fishing Report For Crystal Lake, MI

Current Report: Good

Giant smallmouth bass live in the extremely clear water of Crystal Lake. The lake is widely-known as an exceptional smallmouth bass fishery with 5 lb to 6 lb smallmouth being caught relatively often.

FALL. Fall is in full swing and smallmouth have followed schools of baitfish into coves and bays 6 to 20 feet deep. They thrive in the cold, clean water, which is an ideal environment for them. Points and shallow rock ledges off Benzonia, Elberta and Railroad Point are productive smallmouth areas. Locals report that tube jigs are a great choice, as are drop-shot rigs with small worms or shad shaped plastics. Jerkbaits, deep-diving crankbaits, and slow-rolled spinnerbaits, are also successful, when bass are shallow to mid depth. Later in Fall, smallies move to slightly deeper water, around 12 to 30 feet deep. Fishing shallow for smallmouth is often good on cold, windy, cloudy and rainy days.

WINTER. Winter will isolate them around deeper structure, points, flats and creek channels, often suspending in open water above these features. They can generally be found from 15 to 40 feet deep. Jigging spoons, tube baits, drop-shot worms, jigs and Ned rigs tend to temp smallmouth in deep water. I like to work these deeper haunts very slowly, as the bass are somewhat sluggish. Here they hold, feeding less frequently, awaiting warmer water to return in Spring.

SPRING. After ice out, when water temperatures rise into the 50's, smallmouth move from deep wintering spots to shallower water, just outside spawning areas. Once the water warms, smallies will attack a patiently worked topwater bait. They feed heavily in 2 to 12 feet of water at this time, and are typically caught on jerkbaits, crankbaits, tube baits, Ned rigs, and crayfish imitating plastics. Rocky flats, rip rap and docks are popular hangouts. Once water warms into the high 50's, they move into shallower water, and create nests in gravel or sand areas, then lay their eggs. Females then move to deeper water and males remain to guard the eggs, and then the fry. After a couple weeks, the males also move into 6 to 16 feet deep, and feed aggressively. Crankbaits, tube baits, Ned rigs, plastic worms, spoons and swimbaits are catching smallies during this period.

SUMMER. Smallmouth bass are currently feeding shallow early and late in the day in 8 to 24 feet of water. They are being caught early in the day on topwater, crankbaits and swimbaits. Ned rigs, drop shots, plastic worms, jigs, and tube baits work well during the day. Smallmouth bass here feed on crawfish and small sunfish. They prefer rocky or gravel bottom areas, as this is where crayfish live. During the hotter parts of the day, they are being caught on points, humps, and ledges around 20 feet deep. Often these deeper fish tend to school, so finding them can deliver some fast action. Anglers fishing shallow rock ledges off Benzonia, Elberta and Railroad Point are reporting good catches.

Current Report: Good To Very Good

FALL. Lake trout are returning to relatively shallow water, as Fall weather cools the lake. Popular areas in Autumn include Railroad Point around Frankfort, ledges and channels nearby Beulah, Benzonia and Elberta. They can typically be found 40 to 120 feet deep on points, flats and humps that have a rocky bottom. Lake trout feed on small fish, so lures imitating baitfish, sunfish, perch or small trout are good choices. Cloudy days, early mornings and early evenings are the best time to catch big lakers. Later in Fall they return to 60 to 100 feet deep, or deeper. Spoons, jigged vertically within the target depth can entice bites. Trolling with spoons, brightly-colored jerkbaits, and spinners with a variety of rigging methods to get these lures to run deep. For big lakers, use larger baits.

WINTER. Favoring water temperatures in the 40's, lake trout find areas to their liking in 80 to 160 feet of water, and tend to stay there throughout the cold months. Locals report catching nice lake trout through the ice this hard-water season, on Crystal Lake. Depth can vary from day to day but fish deep as they are typically holding deeper than 120'. Lake trout feed on small fish, so lures imitating baitfish, sunfish or small trout are good choices. Other choices include jigs tipped with smelt, shiners, nightcrawlers or Berkeley Power Crawlers. Learning these areas before the lake ices over can get you into some of the better area for ice fishing. Patient anglers willing to work slowly are catching some nice lake limits through the ice. After ice out, trolling with leaded line or downriggers, or vertical jigging with spoons and jigs, completes the cold-water season in 80 to 100 feet of water, or deeper.

SPRING. Prime laker fishing season is during Spring. Spring weather finds lake trout, along with baitfish, into 20 to 60 feet of water. Early Spring is a prime time to catch big lakers. Lakers are caught around Beulah, Benzonia and Elberta, and in areas of the lake which have deep water next to shallower, feeding spots. Jigs and heavy spoons are catching the majority of these big lakers. Slow trolling with leaded line or downriggers allows small crankbaits and spinners to be worked in deeper water, which also produces some nice fish. Later in Spring they typically drop into 80 to 120 feet of water.

SUMMER. Summer heat drives lake trout deeper, generally below the thermocline in 100 to 160 feet deep. Early and late in the day, lakers may feed as shallow as 10 feet deep. Generally, lake trout prefer to stay deep, near the thermocline throughout Summer. They look for depth variations like ditches, channels, humps and ledges, but are being caught in the deeper water around this structure. Heavy spoons and jigs, as well as very slow trolling, with leaded line or downriggers, produce many of the lakers being caught during Summer. In late summer concentrate on 60 to 120 feet of water.

Current Report: Good To Very Good

Crystal Lake is loaded with yellow perch. Michigan anglers report catching a lot of small perch, while trying to land the bigger specimens - those 12' or longer. These fat perch provide a steady food source for larger, predator fish.

FALL. As Fall is working its way toward Winter, anglers are finding yellow perch feeding aggressively in 10 to 20 feet of water, especially around weed lines and drop offs, Later in the Fall, they begin migrating toward Winter holding areas, often in the deeper sections around the deeper edges of weedbeds, drop offs along flats, channel edges, and humps. Minnows, spoons and jigs are ideal this time of year.

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 caught when they are feeding in weedy areas, in 10 to 20 of water. In winter when ice fishing, locals are jigging spoons or jig heads tipped with minnows or bait. In early winter, focus on the southeast end of the lake, as winter progresses migrate toward the Railroad Point Natural Area. Later in Winter, as the lake freezes over they descend into 30 to 75 feet of water.

SPRING. Perch spawn in Spring when the water temperature warms to the mid 50's and mid 60's. Anglers are beginning to catch them in 2 to 6 feet of water using minnows, mealworms, maggots, and nightcrawlers. Docks, weed lines, drop offs all attract yellow perch searching for a meal. Later in Spring, they drop into 8 to 12 feet of water. Coves, bays and flats in the Elberta, Benzonia and Beulah areas 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 35 feet of water. In early Summer, plus the first and last hours of the day ,seek them out in feeding zones, 4 to 10 feet deep. Drop-offs and in areas with submerged vegetation are key feeding spots..