Coho Action Picking Up on Lake Michigan; Spring Steelhead Run Should Be Dandy

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Published: 03 March 2021

By Louie Stout

The ice is disappearing on Lake Michigan and the cohos are pushing into the shoreline and the mouths of tributaries.

Indiana Lake Michigan Biologist Ben Dickinson said anglers were catching quite a few coho at pier heads around the southern end of Lake Michigan.

“The ice is gone now and the boats are starting to get out and have success at creek mouths and near shore,” he said. “Coho, lake trout, browns and an occasional king has been caught. It’s sporadic, but the fish are there.”

The spring St. Joseph River steelhead run into Indiana waters is a week or so away because the water temperature remains cold due to the snow runoff.

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Hensley Shares Late Winter Ice Fishing Tactics

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Published: 25 February 2021

By Louie Stout

Ice fishing for panfish

Now that the polar vortex has left us – hopefully for good – it’s time to get energized about ice fishing again.

But hey, it’s late in the season. Anyone who ice fishes knows the bite isn’t nearly as good as it was with first ice.

At least not until we start getting a real thaw and are into that precarious part of the season known as “last ice.”

What do you do until then? We sought the advice of Brian Hensley at Clear H2o Tackle, one of the most avid ice fishermen we know.

But first, let’s talk about the ice conditions. The thaw is mushin’ up the snow and the ice may be honeycombing in some areas. But several lakes still have a good 8 to 10 inches, except on those waters where the birds kept areas open prior to the recent deep freeze. The shoreline areas may be thawing quickly, so be careful. You still need to use common sense before trekking across unknown waters.

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