Lake Mitchell Fishing Report

By Dave Foley

Lake Mitchell Fishing Report 2010

Fishermen, including myself, get into ruts. We tend to fish the same spots, use the same techniques, and tie on the same baits. That may fill your stringer with fish. Or it may not. I've learned that when the fishing gets tough, I talk with other fishermen. Locally I often end up checking out the seen with the folks selling bait on Shaffer's Bait and PilgrimVillage. This year's Fishing Report is based on stuff I learned from others and a good dose of fishing wisdom passed on to me by Steve Knaisel, the owner of Pilgrim Village.

Early Spring
Just after the ice goes out, the crappie head for the shallows in the back of the coves and the Causeway on Lake Cadillac. Swimming among the emerging weeds these black and gold panfish will hit small bait-like pinhead minnows, as well as maggots and waxworms impaled on teardrop hooks. Use light line and tiny bobbers. Some do well with miniature plastic grubs.

After the April 30 Pike and Walleye Opener
The gamefish are hungry. Narrow minnow Rapala type lures and spinnerbaits cast over and through emerging weeds will bring savage strikes from northerns. At dusk or on dark days, walleyes bite. During the first half of May, fans of live bait will do best with big shiners suspended under bobbers. Later in the month nightcrawlers and leeches may be the right choices for walleye.

The actual spawning of bluegills and sunfish may not begin until late in May, but nevertheless the fish are cruising the shallows. Using a small black spider garnished with a waxworm under a bobber can be effective. Bass fishermen find success casting fat crank baits with a bluegill pattern in areas where bass are bedding. Keep moving until you find a concentration of fish.

Early Summer: June to the 4th of July
The bigger hand-sized bluegills are late spawners and typically bed in deeper water. After spawning these fish head to 10-15 feet of water. Anglers find success fishing bait under bobbers in openings in the weeds.

Pike and walleye fisherman break out the weedless lures, typically spinner baits, and rip them through weeds. Not all weeds are equally productive so perseverance pays off for those who keep exploring.

Mid-Summer
The larger fish move deeper and relate to weed edges. With electronics anglers search for isolated weed beds in deeper water. Deep running crankbaits and weighted spinner baits are productive. Bass anglers use a variety of plastic grubs and worms.

On hot nights anglers cast Jitterbugs and buzzbaits listening for the sound of a big largemouth smacking their lure.

Fall
The first cold spell, occurring around Labor Day, seems to snap the fish out of their summer lethargy. Big fish become catchable again. It is feast or famine fishing. Some days the catching is good while on others you can't buy a bite. As the water gets colder, fish crankbaits and spinner baits more slowly. Look for green vegetation. Avoid weed beds of dying plants.

Walleyes begin to feed at night along drop-offs and near the canal. The blue and gold Rapala Husky Jerk is productive. Peak fishing may occur around Halloween or during deer season.

Ice fishing
First ice finds all fish ready to take on whatever food offerings are available. Crappie anglers search for schools of fish, which may be anywhere from hovering just below the ice surface to hugging the bottom. Minnows work well. Bluegill anglers favor tiny grubs on teardrops as they search among the weedbeds for eating size fish. Often gills school by size so if you catch little ones, assume the adults are elsewhere.

Though great catches of jumbo perch are uncommon. Those fishing 10 to 15 feet with minnows or grubs occasionally are rewarded.

The tipup still seems to be the weapon of choice for pike and walleye. Keep moving until you find the fish. More 30-inch plus size northerns come through the ice than at any other time of the year. Those who would rather not depend on a pike's need to feed on hooked minnows, sit in shanties with spears poised. Spear anglers probably land the majority of big pike.

Fishing through the Seasons on Lake Mitchell – 2009

Spring (April and May)

Typically the ice goes out around April 10. The first warm blast of spring air brings crappies into the shallow waters of the coves where they are catchable using plastic grubs and pin minnows under bobbers. Anglers also flock to the Causeway on Lake Cadillac.

As the water warms the pike get active and are ready to inhale Mepps type spinners, crank baits, spinner baits, and big minnows swimming under bobbers. Look for northerns in the emerging weedbeds and in the coves. If the spring is warm, bluegills will become active in the shallows late in May. Sunfish are often more eager to bite than bluegills in the spring. The walleye fishery, though not what it was twenty years ago, is coming back. Dark days and nights are most productive, with most fish being taken along the south and east shores. Casted and trolled crankbaits as well as night crawler harnesses work best. .

Summer (June, July, and August)

The bass typically finish spawning in early June, while the bluegills continue to bed throughout the month. With bass season opening Memorial Day weekend, the tournaments return and these anglers know where to find bass. Watching them may give you an idea where to fish and what to use. On warm summer nights, try fishing top water and large blade spinnerbaits for largemouth bass.

Pike continue to be active though most of the larger fish have moved into the main lake weed beds. After spawning, bluegills and crappies move to deeper water. Savvy fishermen keep trying different spots until schools of larger fish are found. Look for the edges of weed beds and pockets in the vegetation, especially milfoil, to find summer fish. Using artificial grubs, tubes with weed guards, and spinner baits allow anglers to fish in the weeds.

Fall (September, October, November)

Fall is a feast or famine time for fishermen as changing weather and water temperatures affect the fishes’ propensity to bite. The first cold snap after Labor Day often gets bass and pike biting. As weeds die and drop, crankbaits can be used again. Typically you catch fewer fish this time of year, but they are often bigger. Look for bass to be active on bright warm days. Smallmouth move to 4’ to 6’ feet flats over sandy bottom. After dark, walleyes are at their best and readily take crank baits retrieved slowly by fishermen wading out in front of the canal and shorelines near drop offs.

For up-to-date fishing information check with Steve Knaisel at PilgrimVillage on M115 or Jim Anderson at Schaefer’s Bait on M55.

Winter (December, January, February)

Winter is the best time of the year to catch pike over 30". To find pike, set up out from the mouths of Big, Little, and Franke coves or try the north end of the lake. Tipups and spear anglers do the best. Spear season now runs from December 1 through March 15. New regulations now permit anglers to use three lines (or tipups). The Big Cove area produces bluegills using wax worms, maggots, and grubs. Minnows are the bait of choice for crappies which can be found almost anywhere in the lake. Crappies often bite best and dusk and on into the night. Be sure to move bait to different depths since crappies suspend.

Lake Mitchell Fishing Report 2008

The abundant vegetation in Lake Mitchell provides ideal habitat for pike, bass, bluegills, crappie, and sunfish. The best fishing months are May and June, but savvy anglers make consistent catches throughout the summer. Some of the biggest pike for the year can be taken by those out on the lakes during the fall. The lakes froze on the 22nd of November and ice anglers appeared during the first week of December and, when it wasn’t storming, the fish were biting.

Winter is an excellent time to fish Mitchell as the weeds gradually drop down so anglers on foot and snowmobile can fish spots that are weed-choked during the open water months. Lake Mitchell may be one of the best lakes in the state for ice anglers to try for pike and crappie. Spearing season now has been expanded throughout the ice fishing year and lasts until pike season ends March 15. It is probably the ideal way to land trophy pike.

Lakes Mitchell and Cadillac are favorite destinations for bass tournaments and almost every summer weekend the roar of boats at dawn signals the start of a fishing competition. Tournament anglers usually weigh-in (and release) full boat limits averaging two to three pounds per fish. Bass over four pounds are not uncommon. Of the two lakes, Cadillac and Mitchell, the largemouth bass tend to prefer Mitchell while smallmouth are more likely to be taken in Cadillac. The east and south sides of Mitchell are considered good for small mouth. Tournament anglers prefer tubes, grubs, and plastic worms but also do well with crank baits and spinner baits.

Pike are plentiful and found in every part of the lake. A big minnow swimming under bobber or spinner bait fished in and along weed edges usually puts northerns in the boat. Before the weeds get high, crank baits work well. In the winter pike are voracious feeders. Ice anglers fishing tipups, jigging spoons or jigging Rapala minnow-type lures don’t usually go home empty handed.

Walleyes are starting to be caught again. Trophy fish in the seven to nine pound range were taken during the winter. Most of these big females were released so they could continue to spawn. Anglers, who persistently and patiently, troll live bait rigs, crank baits or wade out from shore to cast minnow lures in the fall occasionally land a walleye. Practicing catch-and-release with walleye helps our lakes rebuild that fishery.

The crappie fishing has never been better. Limit catches can be made anytime of the year to anglers willing to keep moving until they find schooling fish. In the first weeks after ice out in April, the Lake Cadillac causeway and Mitchell’s coves are magnets for crappie. Pinhead minnows under bobbers and tiny grubs are the favored baits. Unlike most fish which hang near the bottom, crappie suspend so adjusting bait depth can make a real difference in your catch.

Though occasionally a good catch of perch is made, most of the fish are less than eight inches long. There are plenty of perch available, but they need to have a growth spurt.

Likewise there are a lots of miniature bluegills nibbling on hooks. The bigger fish tend to school deeper after the spawning season in June. Anglers fishing bait under slip bobbers along weed edges in open spots in the vegetation catch hand-sized fish. Sunfish often run bigger than bluegills and Master Angler-sized ones are caught with surprising frequency.

Steve Knaisel, who owns Pilgrim Village provides regular fishing reports on what’s happening on area lakes as well as Lake Mitchell and Lake Cadillac. Check his site for current information - info@pilgrimvillagefishing.com. Jim Anderson over at Schafer’s Bait on M-55 near M-115 by Cadillac West also is a good source of information.

Mitchell and Cadillac receive DNR Walleye planting

In 2007 planting of walleye was suspended due to the fatal fish disease Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia or VHS. DNR Fisheries Biologist Mark Tonello, after ensuring that walleye fingerlings had tested negative for VHS was able to get permission for a planting in our lakes. This fall 81,000 walleyes, 3 ½ to 4 inches long, were planted. Mitchell received 53,000 while Cadillac received 28,000.

An evening survey in the spring on a DNR shock boat provided proof that walleye stocked in 2005 had survived and were growing toward maturity.

Bass Tournament Release Program works 9 tournaments

Lake Mitchell Association members were concerned that while the vast majority of bass taken by tournament anglers were caught in Lake Mitchell, almost all the fish were released in Lake Cadillac after the weigh-ins. It was believed at least some of these fish should be returned and redistributed in Lake Mitchell.

Last summer a volunteer group of Lake Mitchell Association members attended nine bass tournament weigh-ins in Lake Cadillac collected 268 bass and returned them to various points around Lake Mitchell. The Bass Tournament Release Program was formed in 2007 by the Lake Mitchell Action Committee, a sub-committee of the Lake Mitchell Improvement Board. Once a plan for releasing bass was devised, the committee members needed to procure and equip a release boat. Mark Pentecost, the owner of Cadillac Track and Trail, donated a pontoon boat and motor as well provided the boat registration. To equip the boat, Brent McCumber provided a livestock watering tank while Ron Moelker came up with a battery and a water pump. Craig Hewett offered docking at Four Winns Test Center. Encouraged by the success this year, the bass release program will continue in 2009.

Lake Mitchell Fishing Report 2007

Lake Mitchell continues to have a reputation as one of the best lakes in the region for producing pike, crappie, and largemouth bass. In addition Lake Mitchell also has the dubious distinction of being just about the best place to catch trophy-sized dogfish in the state.

In the winter, tip-ups and jigging spoons or Rapala type minnows are favored by pike anglers. Once the season resumes in late April, pike are taken with minnows under bobbers, spinner baits, and assorted crank baits fished in and around weed beds. As with all species, the catching is easiest in spring and early summer, but pike are available all season long if you are persistent.

Lakes Mitchell and Cadillac’s reputation as a productive bass fishery draws tournaments from all over the Midwest. These anglers routinely catch fish in the three and four pound range with the occasional five-pounder mixed in. Typically bass from Lake Mitchell make up about 70% of the tournament’s catch, but the majority of small mouth bass come from Lake Cadillac.

The walleye stocking that was done in 2005 and 2006 is starting to show results as undersized fish are once again being caught. Skilled anglers still take fish in the 22 to 27 inch range. Night crawler harnesses trolled during the day and crank baits cast at night have been the best options for walleye. Though still a far cry from the good old days, there is cautious optimism that a good walleye fishery will someday be available in our lakes.

Crappie are king among panfish, as thousands of these thin-lipped fish are pulled through the ice in winter and taken by open water fishermen. Minnows and small jigs are the most productive baits. Crappie suspend and may be caught anywhere between the surface and lake bottom. Because these fish travel and feed in schools, anglers should keep moving until they find fish.

Although bluegills are numerous, and eating-sized fish aren’t hard to catch, the big ones are elusive and not as common as they were a few years ago. If you catch one that is nine or ten inches long, it is likely to be a sunfish.

The perch population, which was decimated by a virus a few years ago, still has not rebounded. Although some lucky anglers accumulate enough for a fish fry, a good catch of perch is the exception rather than the rule.

Steve Knaisel provides regular fishing reports on what’s happening on area lakes as well as Lake Mitchell and Lake Cadillac. Check his site for current information - info@pilgrimvillagefishing.com  

Bass tournament fish release program to continue

Last year the Lake Mitchell Action Committee instituted a program to redistribute bass caught during tournaments to the north, west, and south sides of Lake Mitchell. Concerns had been raised by lakeshore residents that the tournaments practice of releasing their catch at public docks on Lake Cadillac was reducing bass populations in Lake Mitchell. Research done by LMAC members found that in studies done on tagged bass throughout the United States yielded data indicating that most bass would remain within a mile of where they were released for at least several months. Some of the major bass tournaments in southern states routinely take tournament caught bass and redistribute them throughout the waters that had been fished.

During the 2007 fishing season, about a dozen tournaments were staged on our lakes. Most of these tournaments were contacted and asked to return 50% of their catch to one of five release points located along the south, west, and north side of Lake Mitchell. Members of the LMAC met with tournament anglers at the weigh-ins and helped insure that the release took place.

Improvements for 2008 bass release program

Whereas last year, the committee was relying on the tournament anglers to use their own boats to carry the fish back into Lake Mitchell, this year Mark Pentecost owner of Track and Trail Marine will supply a pontoon boat and motor that will be equipped with a tank and aerator so LMAC committee members can handle the release of the bass. With about a dozen tournaments to cover, the LMAC is looking for volunteers who will help release bass after tournament weigh-ins. It is hoped that the committee can be expanded to about a dozen members so each member might only have to help with one or two tournaments; to collect and release fish involves about two hours on a weekend afternoon. If you would like to help or learn more about the Lake Mitchell release program, contact Dave Foley at info@lakemitchell.org.  

VHS threat curtails walleye planting and effects bait sales

VHS is a deadly virus that has killed large numbers of fish in Lake St. Clair, Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. In April 2007 it made its first appearance in an inland lake, killing bluegills, crappie, and muskellunge in Clare County’s Budd Lake. To protect the state hatchery system from the deadly virus the DNR has taken a one-year moratorium on planting walleye, northern pike, and muskellunge. The planting of walleye in Lakes Mitchell and Cadillac scheduled for 2007 was cancelled.

Suspecting that the VHS virus entered Budd Lake through infected live bait, which may have introduced by fishermen on that lake, the DNR has put some restrictions on the sale and transportation of live bait. Anglers buying live bait are given a receipt saying that the bait is VHS-free. Purchasers of bait must carry that receipt with them. This is to discourage the transporting of bait from one lake to another. In other words minnows caught in Lake Mitchell must be used in that lake (or Lake Cadillac) and not transported for use in another body of water. Be sure and only use live bait that you were given a receipt by the bait dealer. Do not catch and bring in live bait from other waters.

Will tribal treaty affect Lake Mitchell fishing?

On September 26th the DNR, the United States and five Michigan Indian tribes signed an agreement on tribal inland hunting, fishing, and gathering rights covering the 1836 treaty area of Michigan. This agreement with Indian tribes could affect fishing in Lake Mitchell as Indians now have the right to harvest 855 walleyes from Lake Mitchell and 392 from Lake Cadillac each year. The fish must be used for subsistence only and cannot be sold. If Indians plan to spear walleye or fish out of season they must notify the DNR. Tribal fishing laws allow Indians to use four lines in open water and seven during the ice season. In addition they may use trap nets (no gill nets) and spears. They are limited to ten fish per person per day. According to the treaty, non-walleye species may also be taken by Indians with nets. Bag limits for these species are also greater than those allowed anglers who obey Michigan’s fishing laws.

This treaty covers the inland lakes in the northwest part of the state. The likelihood of Indians exercising their fishing rights in Lakes Mitchell or Cadillac is not known.

More information on the terms of the treaty can be found at www.michigan.gov/dnr under "Proposed 2007 Decree."

2006 Fishing Report

Pike, Bass, Crappie abundant, while Perch and Walleye remain elusive

Limit catches of pike, crappie, and largemouth bass were not uncommon this year. Ice anglers occasionally landed a few pike that were 30+ inches while good-sized crappie were jigged up by fishermen on the ice at dusk. Spring-time crappie anglers also did well. The first month after the Memorial Day Weekend opener produced many bass, although Saturdays and Sundays found local anglers often competing for fish with 60-100 bass tournament boats on the lakes. While large mouth bass are found all over Mitchell, the smallies favor the east side of Mitchell and all of Lake Cadillac.

Jumbo bluegills were not common, although most fishermen could catch tons of bite-sized gills; however, it is not unusual to land master-angler length sunfish. Perch, although more available than other years, still remain small. Occasionally a lucky or skilled angler found bigger ones. Although a few experts regularly take walleyes, most who fish for them have little success. The ones that are caught, though, are usually at least twenty inches long.

More walleye to be planted next two years.

The November survey of Lake Cadillac and Mitchell found no walleye from the plant in Cadillac while only a few were taken in Mitchell. As a result, this spring a million-and-a-half quarter inch fry will be put in our lake while Cadillac will receive a million. The following year, 100,000 inch- and-a-half fingerlings will be planted in Mitchell and a smaller number in Cadillac.

A recent study conducted by the Wisconsin DNR and the University of Wisconsin may help explain why walleye populations have plummeted in our area. The study, Interactions between Walleyes and Four Fish Species with Implications for Walleye Stocking, found that bass, not pike, are the primary consumers of young walleye. With bass numbers high in the lakes in recent years, young walleye may be losing out to the abundance of largemouth and smallmouth bass.

Changes in bass season coming this year.

Starting this spring, the catch-and-release bass season will begin on the same date, the last Saturday in April, as the pike and walleye openers. However, bass may not be kept until the Saturday of Memorial Day Weekend. It is important that anglers, especially when fish are in bedding areas, return the fish immediately to water. Studies show that if bass are kept for more than a couple minutes, they may abandon the nest and the likelihood that predator panfish may eat the eggs becomes great.

What about the red sores found on pike?

You may have caught pike with reddish sores on their fins or sides. These sores are a contact-transmitted virus spread from fish to fish during spawning. This disease is found on pike throughout the United States and Canada.

The disease is not known to be infectious to other animals or man; however infected fish should not be eaten. Legal size fish should be kept and disposed of, to keep the disease from spreading.

Fish with yellow grub and black spot.

Yellow grubs and black spots are found in fish in many area lakes, including Mitchell and Cadillac. Black spot looks like grains of pepper on the skin or fins. Yellow grub appears as a white or yellow worm, about one inch long in the flesh and does not have any external signs. These parasites are larval stages that infest birds, but spend their life cycle in snails and fish. The bird host for the black spot is the kingfisher while the Great blue heron is the bird host for the yellow grub.

The parasites do not impact growth and longevity; however young fish may experience mortalities.

The parasites are killed by proper cooking and the flavor of the fish is not impacted. Neither of the parasites is capable of infesting humans.

The incidence of these parasites is increasing and this can be attributed to the greater numbers of kingfishers and Great blue herons in our area. The presence of both of the birds is sign of a healthy environment.

2005 Fishing Report

Last summer the DNR planted 94,431 1 ½ to 2 inch walleyes in Lake Mitchell, while another 67,549 were introduced into Lake Cadillac. The cost was prohibitive for planting larger fish. A good return might have 10% of the planters reaching legal size within five years.

The absence of good walleye catches and the very few undersize fish found in net surveys indicated that the natural reproduction of walleye wasn’t happening. DNR fisheries biologist Tom Rozich theorized that overfishing and adverse weather conditions during the spawning season caused the reduction of fish.

In October a DNR boat equipped with electroshocking equipment toured the shorelines of the lakes. No young of the year walleye were found in Lake Mitchell and only a handful were seen in Lake Cadillac. Although this was not a hopeful sign, Rozich noted that the warm weather in the fall may have kept the fish from moving into the shallows into the evening. Another electronic shocking survey is planned for this fall.

So how was the fishing in 2004?

Lake Mitchell’s large pike population provided consistently good fishing for anglers, especially for ice anglers and those who got out on the lake in during May and June. While some fish over thirty inches were taken, most northerns hooked were 20 to 25 inches in length.

The lake continued to be a Mecca for bass anglers. Whether the anglers were residents, tourists, or tournament fishers, it wasn’t hard to catch bass until mid-July when the fishing slowed. Lake Cadillac and Mitchell’s east side were the best bets for smallmouths, while the largemouth favored the weedy waters along Mitchell’s west side.

Crappie, sunfish, and bluegills are bountiful in both lakes providing good fishing to those who were willing to keep moving until they found the fish.

The lake’s jumbo perch population seems to be missing, although there are multitudes of fish under eight inches in length. Walleyes, that seem to be mostly caught by savvy local anglers, rarely are smaller than twenty inches and frequently are 24 to 27 inches in length.

For those seeking to collect a DNR Master Angler patch, bait your hook for the bowfin (dogfish) and bullhead.

What about the red sores found on pike?

You may have caught pike with reddish sores on their fins or sides. These sores are a contact-transmitted virus spread from fish to fish during spawning. This disease is found on pike throughout the United States and Canada.

The disease is not known to be infectious to other animals or man, however infected fish should not be eaten. Legal size fish should be kept and disposed of, to keep the disease from spreading.

Fish with yellow grub and black spot.

Yellow grubs and black spots are found in fish in many area lakes, including Mitchell and Cadillac. Black spot looks like grains of pepper on the skin or fins. Yellow grub appears as a white or yellow worm, about one inch long in the flesh and does not have any external signs. These parasites are larval stages that infest birds, but spend their life cycle in snails and fish. The bird host for the black spot is the kingfisher while the Great blue heron is the bird host for the yellow grub.

The parasites do not impact growth and longevity; however young fish may experience mortalities.

The parasites are killed by proper cooking and the flavor of the fish is not impacted. Neither of the parasites is capable of infesting humans.

The incidence of these parasites is increasing and this can be attributed to the greater numbers of kingfishers and Great blue herons in our area. The presence of both of the birds is sign of a healthy environment.

Concerns about bass tournaments on the lakes

Each year Lakes Mitchell and Cadillac are the site of a couple dozen bass tournaments. Bass clubs launch as many eighty boats on the lake for a day or weekend of catch and release fishing. It is a vital boost to the tourist industry here, bringing needed dollars to this community. However it has raised some concerns among lakeshore residents who are worried about the effect of tournaments on the bass population. With about two-thirds of the tournaments releasing captured bass in Lake Cadillac, the effect is the illegal (Michigan fish may not be transplanted from one lake to another without a permit from MDNR) transplanting of many Lake Mitchell bass into Lake Cadillac resulting in a net loss of Mitchell fish. In addition bass are often in the spawning phase during the first two or three weeks of the bass season; this is also among the most popular dates for tournaments. If a bass is removed from a bed and not immediately released, the bed will be destroyed as fish will prey on the eggs.

As it stands, bass tournament fishing, with the illegal transplanting of Lake Mitchell fish to Lake Cadillac and delayed catch and release, could have a negative impact on our lake’s bass population.

Currently the DNR is looking at revising the bass season statewide so only immediate catch and release would be allowed during the spawning season; this could do much to rectify the problem. As for the transplanting of Lake Mitchell bass to Lake Cadillac, we can only hope more tournaments weigh-ins would be done on Lake Mitchell. Bass tournaments should be for either Lake Cadillac or Lake Mitchell, but not both.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is currently in the process of reviewing the existing bass regulations. See here for more info: http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10364-92248--,00.html. If you have questions or would like to comment about the proposed new bass regs, feel free to contact Todd Grishke at (517)373-1280.