Hougton Lake Federation Classic Series Event

[Dan]

Fished Houghton Lake for the first time in the MI Fed Classic Series. Pre fishing went horrible until the wind and rain started Friday. Caught two nice smallies and a good largemouth in the wind on a spinnerbait bite. Tournament Sat. started great on the Middle Grounds. Caught a couple nice bass and two nice walleye in a flurry and then it shut right down and we couldn't buy a bite. Did get a keeper out of a sand sucker hole. Was able to get a nice satelite map after the tournament that shows all the sucker holes. Should be interesting to try and scout them out on another day. Docks ended up being a productive source of fish and we didn't really check them as hard as we should have. Lots of canals etc. figured that it would be too hot back in them with the weather we have been having but I guess the fish didn't know that. Can't remember what won it Sat. I think around 13 and 11 something won on Sunday. By the way Doug Phillips who runs the Classic Series unfortunately is stepping down, so they are going to be looking for someone to run these tournaments. Going to be taking applications I hear or bids or whatever. Contact the MI Federation I guess. All in all there were a handful of limits and a number of goose eggs.

[emeryj]

Well... you beet me to it. I was going to post just about the same thing that you just did. I had been up there since last Wednesday. I never got a chance to fish the middle grounds. I spent a lot of time picking apart the east bay and spent some time in the North bay. I may or may not know you personally... but I bet I would reconize you. Did you make into the classic?
My partnet and I have been on the bubble all year. I'm not 100% sure, but I think all we had to do was come in with a keeper on Sunday. We were only 4 points from 13th place after Saturday. I never fished so hard for 8 hours in my life, unfortunately, we blanked on Sunday. My partner and I decided before the tornament that we were going to stay on the main lake and that we were not going to fish docks. You are correct about the 13 and 11 pounds respectively on the weights for this weekend. On a side note.... I will be up to Cadillac / Mitchell this weekend for a my club tournament, do you have any sugjestions?

[Dan]

Boy, so close yet so far away. We ended up that way last year just missing the classic because of 1 fish on the last day. We fish with some buddies and they missed the Classic by .5 points. A half a point. They were really bummed. As it turned out, if we wouldn't have weighed our fish they would have made it. We almost didn't because we knew it wasn't going to make any difference for us. Decided at the last minute to go ahead and weigh in. Afterwards as they commisurated over the half point deficit, they did some math and came up with the that fact. They also said, in there defense, that they wouldn't have wanted to win that weigh and would have made us weigh. However, in the last tournament guys often haven't weighed their fish and here is an example of why everyone should. Can make a big difference. In terms of Cadillac and Mitchell I fished it the weekend of the opener and haven't benn back since. I missed several of our club tournaments due to boat problems and an extended vacation out West. It took about 18 pounts (7 fish limit) to win. There were a lot of limits. What I have heard is that Cadillac is really weed choked, more than usual. Wacky senkos on the weed lines not a bad idea. Flukes were hot fished slow through the weeds was hot early in the season. I would spend more time in Mitchell. I would also hit docks. Mitchell again has better dock fishing than Cadillac. East end of Cadillac has some good docks on the east and west sides. Check out our teardropbass.com website. There are several articles there from past events there. Also I answer all the emails at that web page so email me and if I get any other late breaking news I'll pass it along.

[emeryj]

Thanks for sharing some of your experiences and the info.... I will definately check out your website and and drop you an e-mail.

[Dan]

I have to amend the note above. Sounds like I'd been drinking when I wrote it. Should reread what I write. The docks on Cadillac are at the East end just around the point on the north shore. The docks that can be good on the south shore are almost directly acrossed. Also make sure you try out in front of the swim area next to the ramp at the west end of Cadillac and down that shore (east) till you get to a store on the shore that rents boats. The flat beyond that little store, has some heavy weeds at the break that were good earlier in the year. Haven't fished them lately.

[emeryj]

Thanks, I'll let you know how things turn out. I checked out your website.... very well put together. I was trying to get a chance to read some of the articles that you had posted, but work kept getting in the way! Just by the way Houghton fished... I'm really going to give the docks a good look, that might also save a couple of hard biats from the hammer handles. I'm getting pretty excited about getting out of here and fishing for another four days. To give you a little background on me.... this is only my fourth season tournament fishing, I have yet to accomplish anything great and have yet to win my first tournament. Currently, I am sitting in sixth place over all in my club, the top 10 go to the Classic, which is gauranteed money. I've never finished any better that 13th over all. Sooo, for me, I've been on a bit of a roll this year. I'm sure that the information that you've given me will help, if anything.... it will be a great place to start. I'll fill you in on the details Monday.

[Dan]

Make sure you stop in at Pilgrims Village. For the size of the shop it has more bass fishing stuff that any place for miles around. Give the weed edge off the flat on the south side of Mitchell a look. There is also a cut on the flat that will be on your right as you come through the channel into Mitchell. The cut is way up toward shore. It will run a couple fo feet and then boom your in 10 ft. It is a trough that runs north and south. Make sure you swing well left as you run out into Mitchell. Go way out around that flat on your right. Some lower unit getters straight out of the channel. Fished on Duck Lake today in Interlochen and found two smallmouth beds with fish on them. Also saw two smallmouth dancing together like they do in the Spring. This full moon does some funny stuff. Give me an email at the teardropbass.com and maybe we can talk when you get out on the water. Great Chinese at the House of Hunan on Main St. right next door to Maggies. Gas is usually cheaper at the Admiral at the South end of town on the main drag. By the state park it's always higher. The pasties and pie right next to the Clark station by the state park are great if you like pasties. I know who doesn't