# Cadillac/Mitchell



## cc2010 (Dec 10, 2011)

Does anyone know the ice reports for Cadillac or Mitchell lake? I am thinking about heading up there tommorow, if there is ice what would be the best bet to get into some crappies and walleyes?


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## bbutler (Sep 3, 2008)

We caught a limit of perch on Mitchell yesterday.... Too bad they were all 4 inches long.

The ice was 6-8 inches everywhere I drilled. I was out maybe 300-400 yards behind pilgrims village.


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## cc2010 (Dec 10, 2011)

alright, well i will be heading up tommorow morning then, any word for a new person on which of the two lakes would be better for a chance at crappies and walleyes?? and also where can public park and go out onto the ice?


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## steelhead-hunter (Apr 15, 2007)

i think you can park near pilgrims village for free. both lakes have been good i understand, but have heard most stories from mitchell behind pilgrim village or on big cove on mitchell. for a full report you can go to thier website www.pilgrimvillagefishing.com . hope this helps


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## cc2010 (Dec 10, 2011)

alright sounds good! what depth should I look for to try for a variety?


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## Lerxst (Feb 2, 2008)

cc2010 said:


> alright sounds good! what depth should I look for to try for a variety?


 
Just stop in the bait shop and buy some bait then ask the loaded question like most fisherman do. They'll help you out. Read the report it says most fish have been caught in less than 10 fow.


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## redneckman (Dec 7, 2005)

I think the whole state of Michigan was up fishing today. Even some guys from Ohio were up. Pilgrim's was swamped at open. Never have saw it that busy before. For people that don't know there is another bait shop just off M-115 on 55. 

Fishing was slow this morning. Caught around 30 panfish with only 6 keepers. There was only 3 flags out of at least 20-25 tipups. 

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## livintobefishin (Dec 1, 2009)

I was one of the out-of-area guys that made the trek the the Cadillac area. First time up fishing either lakes, fished Mitchell's east side and had about the same luck as redneckman. Saw a couple of what I thought were real nice walleyes taken along with some pike pushing 30. 

Perhaps I underestimated the size of the eyes in the lake, but the two I saw were what I thought big eyes given the size of the lake. Definitely a few nice size pods of guys on the lake. Was nice to get out on the hard water finally.


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## cc2010 (Dec 10, 2011)

what depth were you fishing in where you saw the walleyes caught? I was up the other day and fished right off of the mitchell state park and didn't catch anything.. marked a few fish and was in mostly 15 ft of water.. I am thinking about going back up tommorrow or the next day and wondering which lake would i have better luck on and what depths? thanks!


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## NockThemDown (Dec 6, 2011)

was up there this weekend and it looked like genos on st clair never seen it like that in 2 years of fishing up there and have never seen it so slow i cant wait for ice to form down here so it will quiet down up there


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## catfishhunter (Jan 6, 2010)

i drove past on my way to a lake less then 10 miles away that had 6 in of ice all the way across it to get a limit of crappies..lol there was only 3 of us, hahahah. on the whole lake! i thought maybe they were having a fishing tourney or something?


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## Tyler B (Jun 30, 2008)

i fished Saturday night...managed 15 keeper specks...one 25inpike....and a 22in walleye...worked all day for that fish....lost 2 while jigging at dark...moved around alot... had a great time solid 6-8in of ice everywhere


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## bauerj8 (Jan 20, 2010)

Those lakes don't get any deeper than 20 ft. Or am I wrong? Fished some bass tournaments up there this summer and it seemed like you could see the sand wherever we were driving around.


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## azwizard (Sep 11, 2011)

Started on Cadillac this morning on the east side near the public access city park in 8 to 12 feet of water and got one crappie first thing. We drilled at least 30 holes as we moved around looking for fish. Really windy and hard to keep the shanty upright . Then nothing till we gave up at 12:30. 

Moved over to Mitchell just out from the canal and pilgrims village and drilled over 40 holes till the wind picked up real bad then set up the shanty and waited it out till dark. The shanty anchors I got off the web sight worked great to hold the hub shanty in place and made things more comfortable and we limited out on Perch minnows (LOL).. We got some 2.5 to 3.5 inchers, marked some larger fish but nothing bigger. 

We were using Minnows, wigglers, spikes and wax worms.

Would really like to get into some Gills or Perch for an eatable mess anyway. The day wasn't a total loss the anchors worked beautifully and I figured out (kind a) how to use the new fish finder. 

And a bad day out on the water is better than a good day at work.


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## Carlson (Jan 10, 2012)

New to the forums but have been fishing for awhile. What type of jigs have been a big hit on Mitchell or Cadillac for perch and gills? Thinking about headig up there this weekend. Goodluck to everyone this season. Hopefully it's not any shorter than it already is


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## gillcommander (Oct 19, 2011)

I live on Lake Mitchell...one block away from the School Camp at the mouth of the Big Cove and it was crazy packed on Saturday! I fish there quite a bit since it is close and convenient but there was no way I was going out there...it looked like a "mosh pit" for ice fishing. I went to another spot on the lake and picked up 4 walleye right at dark with jigging rapalas (Firetiger Glow) tipped with waxies. A few guys set up next to me that had been over near the Big Cove and they said it was slow. They ended up with 3 pike on tip-ups the short time they were there!

My advise....STAY AWAY FROM THE CROWDS!!


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## FireUpChips (Jan 24, 2009)

Gillcommander, 

That was my uncle and cousin and I that were fishing by you on Saturday night. It was cool that you were able to catch some walleye, we had a couple big marks come in and check out our jigging raps but nothing would commit. As far as fishing big cove, it was a lot better fishing Thursday last week than Saturday and I agree, it is usually better to get away from the crowds. I think once the rest of the state gets some ice the fishing will get better as the crowds shrink. 

As far as jigs for lake Mitchell, I like to use a variety of hali jigs and swedish pimples. I use a white swedish pimple with the red fin and I like to put a hali chain on the lure and use a minnow for crappie. For bluegill I like to use a firetiger hali with a waxworm or two. I have never had much luck finding bigger perch, you can catch plenty of smaller ones with either of the jigs that I mentioned but big perch are hard to come by on that lake and those who know where to find them are not going to post it on here.

There was a good amount of ice on saturday, anywhere from 5-8 inches where we fished, bring some creepers if you have them, I fell on my ass twice Saturday.


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## NockThemDown (Dec 6, 2011)

anything works tip with a wax or minnow, the fish dont want to bite and now with the low pressure front comming through thurs-friday and up to 12in of snow by sat its a crap shoot, i have caught 12in crappie 22in eye and a pike that i could not bring through the 8in hole on a green and yellow mudbug tipped with a wax worm but then this was last year no luck so far this year and never seen a perch caught over 8in up there good luck and safe driving hope to see some better post this weekend


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## kkirkens (Jan 6, 2003)

I'm heading up there to a friends cabin this weekend. What depth do you guys target for eye's? I've tried a few times here and there for eyes, but so far i'm 0 for 0 on eye's in 5 years of hitting inland lakes that have them..lol


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## Carlson (Jan 10, 2012)

The thought of getting on the hard water for some gills, crappies and pike have kept me up the past couple of night! thankfully Im coming up Friday after work. Let me know if anyone will be there and I'll keep everyone informed.


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