Saginaw Bay Scene
Hello, Ed Clements here from beautiful Bay City on the shores of Saginaw Bay. This is my first article in a monthly series of fishing topics related to the Saginaw Bay Area. Along the way hopefully I can help you put some more fish in the boat. If you have any questions or topics you would like to discuss please feel free to drop me an email, my address will be at the bottom of each article. I look forward to hearing from you, and keeping this segment geared to what people want.
A little bit about me… I am a 33 year old school teacher and a walleye fishing fanatic. I currently teach business and technology classes at a large high school in Bay City. I have been fishing walleye tournaments for the past seven years and currently fish the Michigan Walleye Tour, Masters Walleye Circuit, and FLW Walleye League. I grew up on the shores of Saginaw Bay and fishing was a top priority. Some of my earliest memories are fishing around the Charity Islands with a spinning rod in my hand, a Storm Hot N’ Tot tied on, trolling with the 70 horsepower Johnson on the back of my uncle Bob’s 16 foot Starcraft. That was in the early 1980s before the zebra mussels cleared the water, back then we would troll in 6 to 8 foot of water, 12 to 15 feet was considered “deep”. In those years you could not see your toes standing in knee deep water. Those were the days, and wow have things changed. Today I still troll quite a bit around the Charity Islands, but usually in 25 feet of water or more; and never do I hold a rod in my hand while trolling; and running the big motor? NO WAY! A stealth approach is imperative using an engine mounted or bow mount electric trolling motor. One thing has remained constant though, fishing out of a Starcraft from Augres Marine. I am now running a 20 foot Starcraft STX 2050, with a 225 horsepower Mercury Optimax. Over 100 years of heritage, expertise, and experience make Starcrafts the finest fishing platform. I would love to give you a demo ride, or stop by Augres Marine to check out all the latest models.
Then… 1976 fiberglass Starcraft; 70 horsepower Johnson
Now…2008 Starcraft STX 2050; 225 Mercury Optimax Pro XS; 9.9 Pro Kicker
Saginaw Bay Early Season Eyes!
The ice is gone, the weather is warming, and spring rain is here. All of this means one-thing; walleyes are hungry on Saginaw Bay! During the last week of April the walleye fishing on Saginaw Bay really heats up. This fishing takes place close to shore and small boats have a great shot at these fish. The early mornings and late afternoons are great time to target these fish, in overcast skies the fish will bite all day. Night fishing is also deadly, and a huge night fishery is emerging on Saginaw Bay. The mouth of the Saginaw River and as far north as Tawas will light up with boats in late April and early May. A whole new market of night fishing equipment has also been spawned. Glow in the dark crankbaits, lighted planer boards, huge spotlights, and safety equipment are just a few things that the hardy night angler will need.
Crankbaits are the bread and butter bait at this time of year. This fishing is relatively simple and will be some of the most fun you will have all season. Minnow imitating stickbaits are the best; Reef Runners, Rapalas, Smithwick Rogues, Fish Stalkers, Bombers, and Rebel minnows are all good choices. Minnow-like colors are a good choice to start with, but if the water is dirty or off-colored try experimenting with some of the wild colors.
Once you get to where you are going to start fishing and get the lures on the rods start setting out baits behind the boat using in-line planer boards or long line them straight behind the boat. Baits should be set so they are a foot or two off of bottom but also one run a little higher in the water column for those really aggressive fish. Another thing I noticed fishing during late April and early May is that not all of your rods need to be ran with in-line planer boards. I will often run two rods on planer boards and two rods as scraper rods straight behind the boat. Another trick is to stop and start the boat to stall the baits, or hold one rod in your hand and pump it to give the bait some action. Hold on to that rod tight as strikes can be savage, and some days you might miss quite a few strikes, as those walleyes can be pretty finicky. The best depths are from 10-15 feet of water. I run my baits between 50-100 feet behind an inline planer board. Each time out you will have to do some experimenting to find the correct depth where the fish are. Troll at speeds between 1.2 and 2.0 mph and make S turns to entice strikes.
Fishing should be good from the end of April until about mid to late May. Once the water warms and summer approaches the fish will move a bit deeper, but the action should stay hot. The Saginaw Bay shoreline from the mouth of the Saginaw River up to Pinconning is a producer. Augres is also a fine area to fish as the walleyes move in to feed on the smelt. From the mouth of the Augres River north to Point Lookout is a fine spot to fish. Access is good on the Saginaw River at the Bay County launch just above the Independence Bridge. Access is also good in Augres at the DNR launch on the Augres River. Northport Marina just north of Augres, located next to Augres Marine, also has a nice boat ramp and dredged channel.
Good luck, and remember to be safe if you decide to go out during this early season. Remember to use extra caution if you are going to fish at night; always tell someone where you are going, where you are launching from, and when you expect to return. It is also a good idea to take someone with you; this would be a great time to take a kid fishing!
Feel free to contact me at clementse@maxsportfish.com or check out my website www.maxsportfish.com
