new to saginaw bay

[pitchnflip]

I finally got a big enough boat to make some good runs on the big water. I have been wanting to fish Saginaw Bay, not to mention I have one tourny out there the opening day of 05 season.

I know it's early but I really am tring to get my homework done. Any suggestions or advise would greatly be appreciated.

thanks

[MBell]

You won't need much help with Saginaw Bay on opening day. Most fish are on beds, or pre-spawn. It's easy fishing, the tournaments that time of year up there are more like boat races, first one there wins.

[PoorBoy]

welcome to the board!

i havent fished the bay yet. the trail i fish will be up there in 05 so i am looking foward to that.

what i do know about saginaw bay is that it can be very dangerous. i would suggest going out with someone who has expereince a few times. and when you get out there by yourself be careful.

im sure someone else will chime in with more info soon.

PooBoy himself

[djkimmel]

You definitely don't want to run just anywhere out there. Lots of boat-breaking rock bars, piles and boulder along with manmade junk too (wrecks, etc).

Don't run anywhere in the bay that you haven't previously checked out thoroughly for safe navigation. Some bad spots are miles from any shore and might seem safe all the way around them.

Strong winds push a lot of water too from one part of the bay to another so you can see a two foot rise or drop (or more) in depths temporarily on opposite sides of the bay.

Don't run between the islands unless you know exactly where to, and take the above into consideration. Get good charts (call MUCC to order nautical) and know they don't show everything accurately - just a good starting point. Depths have to be adjusted for present water levels.

Lots of good bass, just play it safe. Welcome to the boards.

[pitchnflip]

Thanks guys, all the info will help.

I have made the run to the Charities 5+ years ago walleye fishing, we left out of Tawas bay. I know the north side of the big island has a couple of shallow reefs a good distance out, but I have never really been around the little island. How is a south to north approach to the islands? I have heard the run out of the Linwood area is about 23 miles or so. Is that fairly accurate? And do the islands get hit hard with fishing pressure or not to bad?

Are there other areas that are worth looking into beside the islands that are not that far?

[MBell]

From linwood you are roughly 25 miles. In my opinion the north is the safest way to come into charity. The south and east are very shallow espesially between the islands. When the wind blows right, there is a reef that turns into an island the the south east of the island, there are a few more just below the surface. The whole area from sand point to charity is shallow an rocky and dangerous to run. I usually come from caseville and run the east side of the island at least 2 miles out. I go to until I'm lined up with the light house and turn in to the west, that gets you around those reefs/ islands I mentioned. I would scout anywhere before you run it around the charitys. Most areas have fish shallow in the spring but the run off from the farm fields dirtys the water, but doesn't effect the charitys. It will be helpful to get yourseld the lakemaster cd with saginaw bay on it. It has the bay in 3' contours the best one out there, and well worth the $80.

[djkimmel]

Some dangerous reefs around the little Charity. You can come in between the islands no more than half way up from the west and get in fairly safe, but that's coming in from the W-SW definitely not too much from the North.

Big reefs way out along the W and SW of Big Charity very treacherous. The E to SE side of Big Charity to almost half way to Little Charity is very treacherous too. If the water comes up a foot or two, the reefs will be just under in many places.

Inside these reefs between the islands is where a lot of the good fishing goes on. If the bite is on, that's where most boats will be, but it's a pretty large area.

Same advice as before, don't run in fast any closer than a couple miles from the islands until you know right where it's safe. The sides and south of Big Charity - very challenging to run in. Same around Little Charity. It's kind of like those bars North of Big Charity, but the bars on the sides and just South are much bigger and more fingers in multiple directions.

23 miles sounds about right for Linwood. The Charities gets hit hard only when there's a bass tournament and the wind isn't blowing above 40. Even then, it's a huge area with lots of dead to slow water in between the good spots. There's probably still things to learn yet out there about bass I think.

There are smallies now around Linwood, but spotty and seem to disappear fast. Some around Pinconning and Saganing too. Lots of smallies from Rifle Bar to Tawas, but can be spotty and some of the spots they really come and go from. If a really strong west wind makes the islands run hard though, it's a definite option.

Same with the Heisterman/North Island area and Wildfowl Bay on the East side. I've found those islands really spotty and come-and-go, but Wildfowl Bay has some really good numbers spots early and late in the season. Then there's a bunch of largemouths in cuts and around weed beds when the smallies disappear or the wind howls.

Just don't run anywhere near any shore until you know right where you are going from visual experience. The inner bay is full of unmarked bars going up to two miles into the bay in places. You can run over some bars, but most have scattered lower unit-eating boulders here and there. Some of the dredged channels through the flats leading into canals are bad because they pile the spoils to the sides of the canals sometimes.

The east side outside of the Fish Pt to Wildfowl Bay islands is tricky to run since bars come out from the islands and then back up in the middle of the bay on the other side of the trough. There's a couple spots where nets and isolated bars really narrow that down.

It's a fun place to fish if you respect the weather and water, and learn your way around safely. The inner bay is just more treacherous than many other parts of the Great Lakes. As many small things as I've broken over there, I wouldn't keep going back if the fishing wasn't so good.

[blakstr1]

Be careful approaching the charities, the north side can really kick up too. Lots of big boulders and with the lake levels being all out of wack the past few years you can't be too safe. This is my suggestion: buy the hot spots map (pretty good info on this) and check out some of the spots close to shore or in any of the cuts. These are great places to fish and tournament winners if the weather is too bad to go to the charities. Tons of good size smallies around the charities take your pick, but some really good largemouth around shore. Awesome body of water, I live in Saginaw and there is really no other place I would rather fish in the state. Don't get me wrong there are spots comparable but I believe none better. It is good all season long too, mid-July you can go out and catch 30 or 40 in a short period of time. UNMATCHED!

[pitchnflip]

Being that I have not fishing the bay before for bass, and after doing a little homework, I am suspecting that I will probably be fishing prespawn and spawning fishing this weekend.

What do you guys think?

Pat

[MBell]

Depends where you go on the bay, most fish will be on beds. Last weekend there were tons of fish on beds and there was a full moon on monday, so the spawn will be in full swing like it is every year at this time.

[MBell]

Be careful, you will see guys running fast on opening day in some areas but they either know the area or just stupid driving. The lake isn't any higher this year (I think even a little lower) so you have to be careful. Theres nothing I hate more than to cut a day a fishing short to tow a guy in. Just take your time and you will be all right.

[savage912]

I'm going out tomorrow for my first shot at the Bay, so I'll try to post the results. This is my first trip LIFETIME, not just this year. I have about 6 different tubes rigged up, along with a spinnerbait, jerkbait, and a jig-n-pig in case we see any good LM water. Also rigged up is my super secret bedding lure, which shall remain nameless! Plan is to run out NEAR the Charities and feel our way around a bit. Weather is calling for 1-3 footers, so that's not bad. Probably try the area between Lookout and Au Gres points, too. Got a club tourney out there this year, so time to do some homework.

-B

[MBell]

It was rough today, at least 4 footers didn't even bother going out. I still hear them so it hasn't calmed much. I may be at charity tomorrow if the wind is too much on the big lake. With the rains water clarity near any feeder creek or river is poor, the water looks like coffee smells like manure. Charity should have clear water.
Good Luck, Matt

[savage912]

Well, went out on the Bay today for first time as advertised, launched out of Au Gres. Proceded to get my guts pounded out trying to run to the Charity Islands in 4-5 foot swells, only to have a power problem once I arrived on the scene. Did not want to risk the area without electronics, so did a 180 and pounded my guts out for another 20 minutes coming back. I was able to correct the power issue (once I found some calm water) and fished close to shore for a few hours. As Matt wrote above, all the feeder creeks are muddy as heck. Did manage to pick up a few bass in the muddy stuff with some fat tubes I have been using lately. They fall really slow and move a ton of water doing it. It worked out well, as I needed to find some spots that are not 10 miles out in case we get big winds for our tournament. Hooked into a 20 pound carp that pulled me around for quite a while before coming to the net, so it provided a little excitement. ;D

Looking forward to getting back out to the Charity's it looked like a good area. I did GPS a safe spot to run to before I lost electronics, for reference next time.

Next up is Elk, Torch, Skeg, Clam, & Bellaire this weekend. I'll let you know how it went in the "Fishing reports" board.

Later.