Ice Fishing Updates 2025

**Lynn M** · 02-25-2025, 11:05 PM

Saginaw Bay report. We fished Thursday and Friday, Feb. 20 & 21. First day it was just the 3 of us and the guide. Fished from sun up to sun down and caught 2 fish. One was a decent size perch, maybe 13" and a small 17" walleye. Second day wasn't any better. There were 6 that went out plus the guide and got one 18" walleye on the right side of the ice. The guide mentioned that when the cold front came through about a week earlier that the bite shut off. So, I can't really blame the guide, the fish just weren't in the mood.
We fished 15 to 23 fow on the bottom using various jigs and minnows. Ice ranged from 9" to 15" thick.
For those considering going, we paid $250/person/day. I ended up giving my 2 fish away to the Grandpa and his grandsons that went out the second day since I still have fish in the freezer from last fall. So it was definitely a bust as far as the fishing went but I was glad for the experience.

**Redmack** · 02-26-2025, 11:11 AM

Thank you for the report, I've fished that area before but it's been 3-4 years ago. Always enjoyed it over there.

**stampman** · 03-03-2025, 08:23 AM

Question. Did the guide move you around or did you fish 1 spot. I quit using a guide cause the word "Guide" will move to find fish. I rarely have seen that from most guides anymore. 25 yrs. ago and for the next 20 yrs . I went with a guide that I would leave the camp with him and find fish if nobody was seeing fish. Then go back too camp and see if anyone wanted to bucket fish. Never left without a limit but once.

**Lynn M** · 03-03-2025, 05:03 PM

Originally Posted by stampman

Question. Did the guide move you around or did you fish 1 spot. I quit using a guide cause the word "Guide" will move to find fish. I rarely have seen that from most guides anymore. 25 yrs. ago and for the next 20 yrs . I went with a guide that I would leave the camp with him and find fish if nobody was seeing fish. Then go back too camp and see if anyone wanted to bucket fish. Never left without a limit but once.

The first day we moved 4 or 5 times because of how slow the bite was and the only place we caught was the first spot. Everyone else was saying the same thing. The fish were in the area but just had lockjaw. Second day we didn't move around because of how futile moving around was the day before. The people that fished the "good spots" only got a couple at best.