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Send your fishing questions and comments to "The White Lake Fisherman"
at fishing@wlcl.org
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May Report
The 2nd Annual WLCL Fishing Tournament is Saturday, June 8th. All of the rules are available below. Good luck!
White Lake Fishing Tournament
Saturday, June 8, 2013
Rules and Regulations
- Tournament is open to all species of fish
- All fish caught must be caught in White Lake, Oakland County, Michigan
- All fish catching methods are acceptable
- All fishermen must abide by MDNR regulations for licenses*, fish size, and boating safety
- Only fish caught between the time of 7:00 am - 1:00 pm Saturday June 8, 2013 are eligible for prize entry
- Fish must be live for measurement if possible
- There is no limit to the number of fishermen per boat, however the boat owner must be a resident on White Lake
- Combined weight of 3 largest fish per boat only for prizes regardless of the number of fish caught
- Tournament starts at 7:00 am (with air horn sound)
- Tournament ends at 1:00 pm at the docks of the White Lake Inn (with air horn sound)
- Tournament registration will be from 6:00-6:55 am at the White Lake Inn
- Registration tournament entry cost is $25.00 per boat (cash only)
- Each registered boat will receive a YELLOW WLCL FLAG that MUST be displayed to help identify the boats in the tournament
- The tournament director reserves the right to inspect any boat for fish prior to tournament
- Prizes will be awarded for the following catagories: Largest one fish, largest combined weight of 3 fish or less per boat (1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th place prizes)
- Special prize: Largest walleye
- Tie breaker is overall length of largest fish
- The YELLOW WLCL FLAG must be returned upon fish weigh in
- $5.00 of each registration is for tournament expenses
- Tournament Director: The White Lake Fisherman
*NOTE: June 8th is is part of a Michigan Free Fishing Weekend, so a Michigan fishing license is NOT required to fish in the tournament!
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The White Lake Fisherman
5/8/13
April Report
The ice is finally gone on White Lake. March provided quite a challenge for anyone who ventured onto our lake, since the ice was questionable at best, and most catch reports were not too exciting. But spring is finally here, and the lake is open and ready for a new season. April is not open for game fishing except for perch and pan fish, so be aware if you venture out. Also, you will need a Michigan fishing license as of April 1st.
I have a major announcement: there will be a 2nd Annual White Lake Citizens League Fishing Tournament again this year. The date is Saturday June 8th. We will be meeting at the White Lake Inn starting at 6:00 am for registration of all boats that will be participating in the event. Each boat will get a yellow WLCL flag for the event, to identify that they are in the tournament. The tournament will start promptly at 7:00 am. The final weigh in time is 1:00 pm back at the White Lake Inn.
Cash prizes and trophies will be awarded for the biggest fish, best catch of three fish, and the biggest walleye or northern pike caught. A flyer will be posted at some of the businesses around White Lake, and details will be on the website. There must be at least one resident of White Lake on each boat to participate (White Lake or Highland Township). June 8th is is part of a Michigan Free Fishing Weekend, so a Michigan fishing license is NOT required to fish in the tournament! More information is forthcoming in my next newsletter.
Good Fishing.
The White Lake Fisherman
4/4/13
February Report
Targeting panfish when there's lots of ice: Fishing for panfish can become quite difficult at certain points during the winter, particularly when ice and snow are at their thickest. Thick ice and snow hinder fish habitat as a result of decaying vegetation and low oxygen levels, which result in changes to the food cycle.
There are a few things you can do to overcome these obstacles:
1. Look for areas on your chosen water body that have new ice, allowing for more light to penetrate.
2. Search for areas where the wind has blown the snow off, as opposed to heavily snowed areas.
3. Consider finding a new water body to fish, particularly one that is larger and deeper, and likely to have frozen later than other lakes.
Just focusing on the location you chose to fish can help your panfish outing be that much better!
What you need to know to catch walleyes this winter: Many anglers love to target walleyes during open water fishing, but they're leery to target them once ice arrives. But fishing for walleyes in the winter can be just as fun, if you follow some of the tips below!
- Where to fish: When ice is new plant yourself on top of shallow shelves that have sharp drop-off points. Then, as the ice thickens, head to deeper water but still stick close to those drop-off locations. You might also want to find places with structure that appeal to schools of bait fish.
When to fish: Since walleyes are fairly photosensitive, the best time to target them is during periods of low-light. That means cloudy days will probably be perfect for an all-day trip, or sunrise and sunset work great as well.
How to fish: Consider jigging for this species very close to the bottom with a good lure or a nice minnow or two.
I was ice fishing yesterday on the northern end of the south part of White Lake. I fished 12' to 21' of water. We marked a number of fish, but 4 hours of fishing did not result in one bite or strike. The cold water and lack of oxygen make the fish very slow. Result: another bust of success. Better luck tomorrow.
The White Lake Fisherman
2/6/13
Archive of Fishing Reports from 2010
Archive of Fishing Reports from 2011
Archive of Fishing Reports from 2012
Fishing Advisories
The Michigan Department of Community Health, which issues fish advisories for all water bodies in Michigan, indicates that the levels of contaminants in White Lake are relatively good in comparison to other inland lakes, and especially good in comparison to rivers and the Great Lakes. The current statewide advisory more than adequately provides safeguards for consumption of fish from White Lake. Information regarding advisories and consumption of fish is available at www.michigan.gov/fishandgameadvisory
Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Information
Fishing Website
Angler Information
Licenses, Seasons, and Permits
Michigan Fish and How to Catch Them
Send your comments and questions to fishing@wlcl.org
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