# Did you fish new places this year ?



## Anita Dwink (Apr 14, 2004)

I wanted to try new lakes this year starting out this season. Nothing wrong with the usual milk run and did quite well when I did. So far I've hit 10 new bodies of water. 5 in the UP - all but one I would go back to. 5 in the LP - 1 decent, 2 exceptional , 1 I'll give another go at (weather was poor) and 1 that looked great but got a big 0 on. I don't expect to repeat but will adventure out of my comfort zone more often. 1 of the exceptional spots came from a pair of guys chatting about the lake while leaving the ice on another lake. Picqued my curiosity and made sure it got investigated. On a side note in the military they preach Comsec. (Communication Security) you never know who's listening in.


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## 101thwacK (Sep 7, 2017)

IMO there are few better ways to grow as an angler than to fish water you have not fished before. Also as social media, and interest in fishing grows it seems the only way to get away from people is to search out new spots. I have fished 9 new bodies of water so far this year and was skunked on 2 while steel head fishing in the UP. Several others I was fishless for hours, or as much as a day before finally developing a pattern that I was able to use on other bodies as well


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## shametamer (Jul 22, 2001)

been at it 65 years..slowing down these days...no guesses on how many bodies of water..but ontario, quebec, vermont,new york, maryland ,kentucky, tennessee,ohio, arkansas,colorado, north dakota south dakota,florida,wisconsin, illinois, minnesota,ohio ,pennsylvania,georgia, nevada and of course michigan have been places i have wetted a line..all public lakes in michigan over 500 acres and many under that..all 5 great lakes..still hoping to get to montana, idaho,alaska, british columbia, yukon territory , saskatchewan and alberta...any body got some FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH SERUM??? lol i'm gonna need it.... NEW is always fun and challenging.. this COVID CRAP better end soon..its cramping my plans...


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## MSUFW07 (Jan 22, 2009)

I hit a couple of new lakes last weekend. Both were small, 30-40 acre lakes in national forest. The first one was ok, few small gills and a decent crappie. Then some a family showed up and decided to have a screaming fight on the banks and I called it a day there. 

Second lake I jumped in the kayak and fished for a few hours. Had a bite or caught a fish on almost every cast. A lot of keepers that went back to swim another day. I was the only one on that lake for the 4 hours I was there. Saw a camper parked by the shore but never saw anyone. 

I really like to find the small, kind of out of the way lakes that don't get a lot of fishing pressure. More because they are smaller then you don't get the big boats, jet ski's etc. Plus its nice to be the only one out there and enjoy the peace and quiet from the crazy world we live in today.


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## Lund Explorer (Jan 23, 2011)

This year's goal was to revisit lakes that I have been to for years or in some cases, decades. Several of those lakes have given me a rude awakening as they are connected to Lake Michigan and these new record high water levels have really changed where the fish are located at. 

Throw in the fact that most of the people who want to go along are more into catching than fishing, so I've spent a lot of time on lakes where they can get on fish quickly.


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## Craves (Feb 16, 2010)

No new waters yet so far this year, but I have tried different techniques on the waters I do fish which has been fun.


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## bowhunter426 (Oct 20, 2010)

Not really "new" water, but not salmon fishing this year has left me a lot more time to explore the Grand River and Bayous. Fished a lot of new areas I normally wouldn't have this year.


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## Zib (Jan 7, 2008)

I fished 4 new lakes & 1 river in the U.P. I'll be going back to all of them in the future.


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## stickman1978 (Sep 15, 2011)

shametamer said:


> been at it 65 years..slowing down these days...no guesses on how many bodies of water..but ontario, quebec, vermont,new york, maryland ,kentucky, tennessee,ohio, arkansas,colorado, north dakota south dakota,florida,wisconsin, illinois, minnesota,ohio ,pennsylvania,georgia, nevada and of course michigan have been places i have wetted a line..all public lakes in michigan over 500 acres and many under that..all 5 great lakes..still hoping to get to montana, idaho,alaska, british columbia, yukon territory , saskatchewan and alberta...any body got some FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH SERUM??? lol i'm gonna need it.... NEW is always fun and challenging.. this COVID CRAP better end soon..its cramping my plans...


I vote Alaska.


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## stickman1978 (Sep 15, 2011)

Did some ditch fishing in Florida. Added one river in Michigan. 5 or 6 new lakes in the UP.


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## 101thwacK (Sep 7, 2017)

stickman1978 said:


> I vote Alaska.


I was supposed to be getting back from three weeks in Alaska today . Had to push the trip to next year because the villages we would have been going to were not allowing outsiders


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## stickman1978 (Sep 15, 2011)

101thwacK said:


> I was supposed to be getting back from three weeks in Alaska today . Had to push the trip to next year because the villages we would have been going to were not allowing outsiders


That stinks. Went three years ago. Mine was more of a vacation than fishing trip. Did get out on a charter and do some halibut fishing though. Amazing place.


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## Baybum (Jan 9, 2008)

My sons old enough this year to go out with just me and him. Definitely been trying some smaller local water. Pretty much just bluegill fishing and just looking for steady action found it all the new places. Cass Lake is nice and hit that a few times but it gets pretty busy. Pontiac lake was a pleasant surprise seemed very laid back compared to cass lake. At least the couple times ive been out more families and tooners then speedboats like cass. Portage lake and the huron river up from that launch to strawberry lake was very nice. No eating fish from there but the river stretches were loaded with gills and small bass. Definitely want to go back to that chain with the bass and pike gear.

Sent from my SM-N920V using Michigan Sportsman mobile app


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## shametamer (Jul 22, 2001)

stickman1978 said:


> Did some ditch fishing in Florida. Added one river in Michigan. 5 or 6 new lakes in the UP.


 ditch around okechobee? we used to catch bass and small alligators there..lol


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## stickman1978 (Sep 15, 2011)

shametamer said:


> ditch around okechobee? we used to catch bass and small alligators there..lol


Little farther south. The Everglades between I75 and the Tamiami. I think that is hwy41. Oscar and Chiclids. The ones people dumped out of their aquariums.


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## Lightfoot (Feb 18, 2018)

I fished a new smallmouth spot and found nirvana. I fished a new largemouth spot and it turned into a quick little honey hole. I fished another new spot for both bass and pike with some success. I fished a new spot of hard water and feel pretty good about perch. I fished 2 new skinny waters for brook trout without much luck but I'll be back. I've got another brook spot to try if I can leave the bass and chrome alone. 

None of it counts, I'm a transplant here and just about everything is new.


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## Whales (Sep 17, 2018)

I discovered alot of new places on rivers I always fish, some upstream, some down stream. I fish alot of Smallmouth, some years they're in different spots. Hot spots go cool, so I keep on trying either up or down steam...I eventually find them. An old bass lake turned out to be an excellent pike lake I found out this year after catching a dozen one evening, none under 32 inches long...that was a surprise. There are so many people out now it's hard to get away from them. In the lower part of the state, combined with the people who take the big fish for dinner, you have to search where no one fishes, it's getting harder and harder.


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## stickman1978 (Sep 15, 2011)

Lightfoot said:


> I fished a new smallmouth spot and found nirvana. I fished a new largemouth spot and it turned into a quick little honey hole. I fished another new spot for both bass and pike with some success. I fished a new spot of hard water and feel pretty good about perch. I fished 2 new skinny waters for brook trout without much luck but I'll be back. I've got another brook spot to try if I can leave the bass and chrome alone.
> 
> None of it counts, I'm a transplant here and just about everything is new.


If you don't mind what are you using to catch the smallmouth. Been casting a jig and soft bait m y self. Wondering what else might be good. Thanks.


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## Whales (Sep 17, 2018)

stickman1978 said:


> If you don't mind what are you using to catch the smallmouth. Been casting a jig and soft bait m y self. Wondering what else might be good. Thanks.


A whole nightcrawler on a hook with a split shot is always good. In summer any topwater lures, Rapala,Whopper Plopper, poppers, small crank baits, minnow/shad or Perch color, Mepps spinners. Smallmouth are pretty aggressive most of the time and not to picky in warm water I've found, I target them most of the summer.


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## stickman1978 (Sep 15, 2011)

Whales said:


> A whole nightcrawler on a hook with a split shot is always good. In summer any topwater lures, Rapala,Whopper Plopper, poppers, small crank baits, minnow/shad or Perch color, Mepps spinners. Smallmouth are pretty aggressive most of the time and not to picky in warm water I've found, I target them most of the summer.


Ok thanks. I did catch a 20 inch smallie on Fathers day one year with a floating rapala. Giving it the death twitch in an eddy about 35 years ago. Also used a purple worm. Years ago also. Been mostly a lake fisherman. Kind of refound the river thing this year.


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