Hi All,
For most of us residing in the northern hemisphere, May 1st means spring is in full effect. Trees are budding, birds are nesting and kids and teachers are looking at roughly a month of school left. That’s what spring is all about, right?
Did someone mention ice fishing?
Welcome to Gladstone, Michigan, where it didn’t take divine intervention to walk on water in May. The crazy spring weather allowed the ice to stick around until the beginning of May, causing one unusual situation. Walleyes actually moved up the rivers and into spawning grounds before the ice had left the lake. With the opening day of walleye season for the Upper Peninsula being May 15, we worried about how the fishing would pan out for our opening week charter on Little Bay de Noc.
Those worries were put to rest in a hurry, as the group landed walleye after walleye, one topping 28 inches. The average fish ended up being around 20 inches and were available through a variety of methods. The group had a great time and enjoyed a variety of things the beautiful spot has to offer.
With their departure on Saturday the 18th brought about “family week.” This consists of a great week of fishing and fun for my dad, brother-in-law Brian, and I. The cabins at Bay Shore Resort are packed with fellow fisherman all geared up to hit one of the nation’s best walleye destinations. Our friends Steve and Scott joined us for the trip.
The week brought some fantastic fishing and great friendships to our group. We caught fish daily and even came one fish short of a five-man limit on Monday. Steve managed to net this week’s “Big Fish” award with a 28.5” hog caught while trolling crankbaits over shallow water at night. We consistently caught fish in the 20-23” range, perfect for the table and offering a great fight. From leadcore to live bait rigs, it seemed fish were available in a variety of locations and methods.
Check out the slideshow for a few pictures from the week. Contact Captain Bill if you’re interested in hitting one of the hottest walleye fisheries in North America and experiencing Michigan’s beautiful Upper Peninsula!
Tight Lines!
Mike
Here we go!
