Houghton Lake
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Houghton Lake Fishing Reports
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Reports from all past years within a 60-day time frame
Species
WalleyeSeason
Fall
Technique
Trolling 0-9'
Structure
Humps
Water Temperature
57°
Lake is going through fall turnover . Nothing was biting.
Species
Largemouth BassSeason
Spring (Pre-Spawn)
Technique
Hover/Mid-Strolling
Structure
Submerged Vegetation
Forage
Minnows
Water Temperature
49°
High winds, scattered rain and overcast with temps in the 40°s. The bass were holding the bottom roaming the drop offs. Hover strolling the guppy head near the bottom lead to almost all of my bites with a few on the jerk bait and swim bait.
Species
Smallmouth BassSeason
Spring (Spawn)
Technique
Drop Shot
Structure
Laydowns
Water Temperature
59°
Fish were spawning around shallow wood and cover on bottom. The water was off colored so using perspective mode and covering water was key. Locate flats with isolated cover and you could find the beds
Species
Smallmouth BassSeason
Spring (Spawn)
Technique
Crankbaits 0-6'
Structure
Submerged Vegetation
Water Temperature
59°
Crankbait in the sand and rock bottom around vegetation in 2 to 4 feet of water.
Species
Largemouth BassSeason
Spring (Spawn)
Technique
Bladed Jigs
Structure
Submerged Vegetation
Water Temperature
69°
The bass are feeding on top water early in the morning. After you stop seeing boils in mid morning, a bladed jig is still a great big bass finder, even in the warmer water. Look for tall vegetation that breaks the surface in 3 to 5 FOW.
Species
Largemouth BassSeason
Spring (Post-Spawn)
Technique
Swim Jigs
Structure
Docks
Forage
Bluegill
Houghton Lake in late May/Early June will have a mixture of spawning and post-spawn fish depending on moon phase and water temperatures. Typically when I'm fishing around fish in multiple stages of the spawn, I like to target the areas that fish will be moving towards. One of my favorite patterns post spawn on Houghton Lake is targeting docks with deeper water access or back in protected cuts/pockets. Docks offer a variety of benefits for fish: - Docks offer shade in the warmer weather - Staging areas where fish can setup after they've spawn - Ambush feeding spots - A place to spawn (if there are still late spawning fish) Docks also provide fish protection from some of the boat traffic on the lake which makes them ideal areas where fish can hang out. Fishing docks with a swim jig on Houghton Lake is an effective technique because you can hang a jig up in the water column and trick fish into biting even when they're in a neutral mood. It also is a great way to imitate bluegill and crawfish, both of which are main forage types on Houghton
Species
Smallmouth BassSeason
Spring (Post-Spawn)
Technique
Topwater Popping
Structure
Baitfish
Forage
Insects
Water Temperature
68°
Fishing topwater during the mayfly hatch. 8-10" of water. Area we fished had a ton of mayfly molts on the surface and they were keyed in. A few largemouth as well.
