❄️ BUC’S DAILY ICE REPORT
Saturday, December 6
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⭐ Bait Man’s Morning Brief
There are reports of anglers getting out on Otsego Lake with about three inches of ice and they did good on walleye, but conditions vary and extreme caution is required. A few people are also stepping onto Lake Mitchell in Small Cove and Big Cove. Houghton Lake has a few anglers testing East Bay but it is still very early and very sketchy.
Some reports say a few guys are getting out on Spider Lake near Traverse City, Arbutus Lake, and Manistee Lake by Kalkaska. Today I went by Bear Lake, which was frozen over with about two inches of ice. In town, Portage Lake was frozen and there was one guy out there, which was not a smart move.
We do not have fishable ice yet. Conditions are forming, but stability is not there. Be very careful today.
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⭐ Weather Snapshot
Saturday
Air will feel quite cold all day with temperatures mainly in the 20s.
A lot of clouds with morning flurries and only minor accumulation.
Sunday
Temperatures stay very cold, mainly in the 20s, with wind making it feel colder.
Periods of snow expected with one to two inches inland and higher totals in lake effect bands.
Monday
Very cold air continues with highs in the 20s and lows in the teens.
Mostly cloudy with some sun breaks and only a small chance of a flurry.
Fishing note
Sunday will be the toughest day due to active snow.
Saturday and Monday are cold but more manageable.
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⭐ Moon Phase
Waning Crescent moving toward the new moon.
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⭐ Peak Bite Windows
Major Bite 12:10 PM to 2:10 PM
Minor Bite 6:40 AM to 7:40 AM
Minor Bite 5:20 PM to 6:20 PM
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⭐ Top 25 Ice Lakes Today
(Two sentence format for each lake based on your morning intel.)
1. Otsego Lake
About three inches of ice forming.
Walleye bite was good last night on blues.
2. Lake Mitchell
Two to three inches in Small Cove and Big Cove.
No bite reports yet but early panfish likely soon.
3. Houghton Lake East Bay
A few anglers testing the ice but very sketchy conditions.
No bite reports yet.
4. Lake St Helen
Three inches near shore but thinning outward.
No fishing activity reported.
5. Lake Missaukee
Fully iced but not yet safe.
No bite reports.
6. Lake Cadillac
Icing steadily but not yet safe.
No activity reported.
7. Spider Lake
Some anglers stepping out on thin early ice.
No bite reports yet.
8. Arbutus Lake
Thin early ice across much of the system.
No winter activity yet.
9. Manistee Lake Kalkaska
Reports of anglers testing near the canals.
No bite reports yet.
10. Bear Lake (Benzie County)
Frozen with about two inches observed today.
No fishing activity reported.
11. Portage Lake
Frozen over in town with one angler out but unsafe.
No bite reports.
12. Budd Lake Harrison
Skim and thin ice in protected pockets.
No reports yet.
13. Lake Thirteen Harrison
Skim forming along the flats.
Perch expected early season once safe.
14. Shingle Lake
Shallow sections skimmed.
No bite reports yet.
15. Sutherland Lake
Shoreline ice forming.
No activity.
16. Arnold Lake
Early skim only.
No bite information.
17. Cranberry Lake Gladwin
Skim forming.
No fishing reports.
18. Wiggins Lake
Shoreline ice forming but thin.
No activity.
19. Pratt Lake
Thin ice forming with early testers.
No bite reports.
20. Five Lakes Roscommon
Skim ice forming in shallow bays.
No fishing reports yet.
21. Little Platte Lake
Shoreline skim developing.
No winter activity yet.
22. Lake Dubonnet
Marsh areas iced, main lake skim.
No bite reports.
23. Bear Lake Kalkaska
Thin shoreline ice.
No activity.
24. South Manistique Lake
Skim forming.
No bite reports yet.
25. Sunday Lake
Shoreline skim forming.
No activity reported.
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⭐ Live Bait Quick Note
For best results for keeping your wax worms alive keep them around 50° spike should be at 34°
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