Fishing Report For Lake Charlevoix, MI

Current Report: Good

Lake Charlevoix is considered a good smallmouth bass fishery. Locals report Horton Bay and Oyster Bay are popular smallmouth areas, as well as many other areas of the lake with shallow weeds and cover.

FALL. Fall is in full swing and smallmouth have followed schools of baitfish into coves and bays 6 to 30 feet deep. They thrive in the cold, clean water, which is an ideal environment for them. Reefs on the main basin, Loeb Point, the mouth of the Boyne River, and drop-offs around Horton Bay, all are reporting good catches. Locals suggest tube jigs, as a great choice when the bass are around 15 feet deep. Drop shot rigs with small worms or shad shaped plastics are also popular in 10' water or deeper. 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. 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 45 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. 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. 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 12 to 20 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 15 feet of water. They are being caught on topwater, crankbaits, swimbaits, Ned rigs and tube baits. Smallmouth bass here feed on crawfish, gizzard shad, 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 to 35 feet deep. Often these deeper fish tend to school, so finding them can deliver some fast action. Anglers fishing the South Arm narrows, humps in the main basin, and around Hayden Point, are reporting good catches.

Current Report: Fair To Good

The numbers for walleye are down in Lake Charlevoix, but there are still some quality walleye to be caught.

FALL. Fall brought cooler temperatures to shallow water, drawing walleye and baitfish back toward deeper haunts. Walleye continue to be a major draw for anglers. 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 and late in the day finds them in 8 to 15 feet of water, mid day they hold 15 to 30 feet deep. Areas reporting walleye catches include the Round Lake channel, the mouth of Boyne River, the Ironton Narrows, and points along the south arm around Advance. Later in Fall, they move out slightly deeper. Dragging jigs, bottom bouncers, or worm harnesses with nightcrawlers or leeches, around ledge drop-offs is catching walleye fairly consistently. Watch for the bigger walleye to be slightly deeper than the majority of the school.

WINTER. This Winter, fishing for walleye has been pretty good through the ice, 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 18 to 50 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. 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. In Spring work points, drop offs, submerged structure, rock ledges, flats and flats adjacent to deeper water. The mouth of Boyne River and Jordan River are two classic hotspots. Here, in 2 to 12 feet deep, they will spawn once the water warms to the mid to high 40's. When they move 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 12 to 20 feet deep around points, flats, shoals and ledges, nearby shore, often staying in close proximity to their spawning locations. Main lake drop offs are producing nice fish.

SUMMER. Water temperatures rise in Summer, and walleye fishing is good if you can get your bait deep enough. Early in Summer, walleye tend to concentrate in 12 to 20 feet of water. 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. The rest of the time they are cruising flats and creek channel edges, 25 to 40 feet deep , preferring the cooler temperatures. When the bite is slow, grubs and nightcrawlers, fished just off the bottom typically catch walleye.

Current Report: Good

FALL. As Fall is working its way toward Winter, anglers are finding yellow perch feeding aggressively in 12 to 25 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. Very small jigheads tipped with minnows, nightcrawlers, wax worms and plastics are catching nice perch 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. Schools typically school in Round Lake, on flats near East Jordan, along the narrows at Ironton and deeper flats off Horton Bay in Winter. Early in Winter, perch are caught when they are feeding in weedy areas, in 10 to 20 of water. Later in Winter, as the lake freezes over they descend into 25 to 35 feet of water. Fishing for perch through the ice was good again this year, 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 2 to 12 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 14 to 20 feet of water. Shallow gravel shorelines, and rock near tributary mouths, have historically delivered good 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 6 to 25 feet of water. In early Summer, plus the first and last hours of the day ,seek them out in feeding zones, 3 to 8 feet deep. Drop-offs and in areas with submerged vegetation are key feeding spots, as are deeper weedlines, mid-lake humps and flats.