December 2022 | Winter has officially begun here in Northern Michigan. For many here, you have either left the state for warmer weather or you have prepared for the colder months ahead! For those that do stay here, ice fishing is a favorite pastime to get through the winter months.
Here at Pure Angling, we offer ice fishing charters/guide service on various lakes between Traverse City, Cadillac, Kalkaska, Interlochen, and the Higgins Lake area. Typically we start the season by targeting Walleye, Perch, Pike, Bluegill, and Crappie on smaller inland lakes that are shallow and freeze first in the area. As we get further into winter, we can expect to get on bigger and deeper lakes chasing after Lake Trout, Burbot, and Whitefish towards the end of January (weather dependent).
No prior ice fishing experience is required as we provide all equipment and transportation to get you on and off the ice safely. All age groups are welcome to come fish with us, and enjoy a fun and safe day on the ice. Ice safety is our main concern before any fish are caught. Staying warm is the biggest obstacle when ice fishing and we recommend that you dress in layers such as wearing wool socks, long johns, sweatpants, a long sleeve shirt with a hoodie overtop, and then your usual coat, snow pants, and winter boots (muck boots are popular around here as they are warm and waterproof for days with slush). On most days, you will be able to shed your coat once inside our heated and insulated Eskimo shanties.
What to expect on your ice fishing trip?
Once we decide on what lake and fish that we will be targeting, we will meet at a park or boat launch where you will be picked up in a sled pulled behind our Tinger Dog machines. These machines are great for ice fishing as they are light on the ice and geared to pull around 1,200 pounds. Before we head out on the ice, your shanty will already be set up with the heat on, foam interlocking floors to keep your feet off the ice, a comfy director chair with a foldout table, your fish finder turned on, and a rod for you to grab and start fishing. Inside the shanty, we will teach you how to fish for the targeted species, and the correct jigging cadence needed to catch one. In Michigan, we are allowed to have 3 lines out per person. One line will be spoken for inside the shanty while the other two lines will be outside on tip-ups. We will use live bait on our tip-ups and a flag will show when there is a bite. One of the most exciting phrases that you will hear while ice fishing is, "Flag!". At the end of the fishing trip, you will be pulled in sleds back to the pick-up location with your catch after a fun-filled day of wonderful memories.
Captain,
Tyler Smith
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