Fishing Report For Fletcher Pond, MI

Current Report: Good

Considerably thick vegetation, and generally shallow water makes this lake unfavorable for large boats. As a result, there is limited fishing pressure, and the bass fishing is quite good for anglers fishing from canoes and kayaks.

WINTER. Ice, covering the lake in Winter, isolates largemouth around the deepest structure and creek channels. They can be found from 6 to 10 feet deep, around main-lake channel edges. Here they hold, feeding less frequently, awaiting warmer water to return in Spring. Slow presentations with drop shots, jigs or finesse worms are often the key to getting bites.

SPRING. Once water temperatures rise into the low 60's, largemouth will move from deeper wintering holes, to shallow water nearby spawning areas. Anglers report good topwater action from mid Spring through Summer, especially early in the morning, and on cloudy days. Vibrating jigs, swimbaits and spinnerbaits typically get bites just away from the shoreline. At this time they are feeding aggressively in about 1 to 4 feet of water, and preparing for the spawn. The north and northwest shorelines are hot areas in Spring. Once water warms into the mid to high 60's, they will create nests, then lay their eggs. Immediately afterwards, females move to deeper water and males remain to guard the eggs, and then the fry. After a couple weeks, the males also move to slightly deeper water. Spinnerbaits, vibrating jigs, plastic worms, swim jigs, and swimbaits catch bass during this period.

SUMMER. Water temperatures will warm considerably in Summer. Bass will feed shallow, early and late in the day, where they will be caught in 1 to 3 feet of water, on topwater lures, buzzbaits, spinnerbaits and a variety of other lures. Wacky-rigged stick worms always catch finicky bass when the bite is slow. Largemouth bass here feed on small sunfish and crawfish. During the hotter parts of the day, they are being caught on points, channel edges, and ledges 4 to 6 feet deep. Some of the best reports seem to be from anglers fishing around bays along the west and southwest sections of the lake.

FALL. When Fall arrives, bass here will follow schools of baitfish into coves and shallow bays where crankbaits, swimbaits, and slow-rolled spinnerbaits have been successful in prior years. Anglers typically have success in 3 to 8 feet of water, around points and shallow flats leading to deeper water. Some of the larger bass will seclude themselves from the school, in 8 to 10 feet of water.

Current Report: Good To Very Good

Yellow perch play a big part of the food chain for larger, predator fish like bass and pike. Yellow perch are fun to catch and 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 caught when they are feeding in weedy areas, in 5 to 8 of water. Later in Winter, as the lake freezes over they drop into 6 to 10 feet of water. Fishing for perch through the ice is expected to be good again this Winter, using minnows, mealworms, maggots, and nightcrawlers.

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 1 to 4 feet of water using minnows, mealworms, maggots, and nightcrawlers. Docks, weed lines, and drop offs, all attract yellow perch searching for a meal. Later in Spring, they drop into 4 to 6 feet of water. Pockets and flats along the north and northwest shorelines 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 3 to 8 feet of water. In early Summer, plus the first and last hours of the day ,seek them out in feeding zones, 2 to 4 feet deep. Drop-offs, and in areas with submerged vegetation are key feeding spots.

FALL. Early Fall finds yellow perch feeding in 3 to 8 feet of water. Later in the season, they begin to migrate deeper, toward Winter holding areas. 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, and humps. Minnows, swimbaits, underspins and bait are ideal this time of year.

Current Report: Good

The lake has a good population of northern pike, which gets very limited fishing pressure.

WINTER. Northerns here roam around under the ice looking for food, and ice fishing is expected to be pretty good this year. Live, large minnows, suckers, and shiners, as well as frozen smelt or ciscoes are catching northerns while ice fishing. Pike remain active in Winter, often congregating in or near the deepest remaining weedbeds, especially along the edges. Other structure options include long points, reefs, ledge drop-offs, and rocky humps, ideally nearby deeper water. Ice fishing was good here in winter. At times, when oxygen is depleted in deeper water, northerns suspend directly under the ice, where maximum oxygen is available. Other times they hold on structure in 6 to 10 feet of water, sometimes deeper.

SPRING. After ice out, northern pike migrate to shallow, warmer pockets, bays and coves around the north and northwest shorelines. Once water temperatures reach around 40 degrees, they move into even shallower areas with vegetation, to spawn. Ideal depths range from 1 to 4 feet. 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 adjacent to even deeper water. Bright colors, whites and flashy lures appeal to these predators. Noisy topwater lures can also produce some spectacular strikes. Alternate between baits until you identify which one triggers the most bites for the day.

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 from 4 to 6 feet deep, on ledges, reefs, weedbeds, humps and channel edges. Some of the larger specimens are suspending in open water, just outside feeding areas. Drift fishing produces some nice catches, using spinnerbaits, cut bait, and swimbaits. Early and late in the day, they move shallow to feed and can be caught around most weedy shorelines, in 1 to 3 feet of water. Noisy topwater lures, spinnerbaits and Johnson spoons with curly-tail grubs, catch nice pike shallow.

FALL. As the weather starts turning cold, water temperatures cool fastest in the shallows. This brings baitfish into shallower waters, and northerns follow along with this food source. They hang around weedbed edges, main-lake points, reefs, and rocky shorelines to ambush prey in 3 to 8 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.