The 63rd Annual Bluegill Festival 2012 is coming to St Helen July 12-15.
Bluegill by Reedsburg Dam
Summer kicks off with the festival celebrating one of the areas favorite indigenous species, the bluegill. Known primarily as a tasty treat, bluegill are also a whole lot of fun to catch. Their fan like body can give them a lot of kick when caught on a hook. I have often thought I had a good sized bass on the line only to discover it was a small bluegill.
These sometimes sizable fish are a member of the sunfish family and are so alike in appearance (especially during spawning), bluegill are often mistaken for sunfish. Either way they fight like heck and eat the same.
In celebration of these feisty fish St Helen will have a Grand parade, a kids parade, a talent show, a medallion hunt, arts and crafts, horseshoe contest, softball contest,bingo and a fishing contest. And much more.
So if your in Houghton Lake area the weekend of July 12-15. Stop by the Bluegill festival for some rides, contests, fishing and parades. Beverage tent and live entertainment.
Fishing conditions have been less than optimal (to say the least) over the past few weeks. High winds have made the waters murky as well as making it difficult to stay in one spot even when using two anchors. The temperatures have been very high lately causing the fishing to be erratic especially during the day.
In these conditions I have one word "trolling". Trolling is simply moving your bait through the water behind a boat at a slow speed, using a specialized electric or small gas motor. This works two fold in that the fish tend to be agitated by the moving bait, much the same as casting and retrieving, and you can cover a large area increasing your chances of success.
Largemouth trolling at Reedsburg Dam
If you have never tried it or tried it unsuccessfully I would give it a try. I do not recommend using a regular boat engine, at least not for an extended period of time. The engine uses a shaft driven water pump and at very slow speeds may not pump enough water to keep the engine cool and could cause engine damage. Possibly even seize the engine. Nothing can ruin a day on the lake like hoping for someone to give you a tow back to the boat launch or dock. I know this from personal experience.
Rock Bass at Backus lake
Best fishing: late evening (an hour before sunset) or, in the early morning after the water has had a chance to cool. If your set on fishing during the day try the deeper water off the south DNR boat launch (site of the Tip Up Town USA). The south weed bed runs along this area and usually produces walleye, perch, bluegill and northern pike.
Best bait: anything that works. I've caught bluegill, bass, crappie and perch on nightcrawlers and on plastics. I had a fellow next me on the Cut river catch a 16" largemouth using a chub (think very large minnow). Some swear by leeches for walleye especially trolling in the summer.
There's a new bait shop in town, Angelo's on old 27 (formerly Dead Stream Party Store). Actually they're a party store with bait. They have snacks and hope to have a beer license soon. Just a short ride from the Reedsburg Dam campground and boat launch. If you need some bait or some goodies you don't have to drive into town.
Love it or hate it Bud Bash in Houghton Lake, Michigan is on it's way.
Bud Bash is a summer time legend in Michigan, surrounding states and parts of Canada. When sun worshipers and boaters of all ages converge on our little town (on the shores of the biggest inland lake in Michigan) for a weekend of unrivaled fun on the water. OK the Jobbie Nooner could be a close second. Both involve boats and sunbathers and lakes. Both are Pure Michigan (tongue in cheek).
The Jobbie Nooner is held on an island in Lake St Clair, in the late springtime and during the week. Bud Bash is held at the Limberlost Bar & Grill on the south shore of Houghton Lake, the first Saturday of August. Jobbie Nooner is often cool and rainy. Bud Bash is hot, hot,HOT!
Sponsored by Budweiser, there is plenty of refreshments,freshly prepared food, and my favorite, live music. Limberlost has a spacious deck with a beautiful view of Houghton Lake and a dock for those that wish to arrive by boat. Many boaters just tie off to each other and enjoy the sun and fun from their boats.
The actual Bud Bash is on Saturday but many revelers begin on Friday and continue on through Sunday. Especially when the weather is nice.
This has been a booming summer for Houghton Lake so far. Whether due to gas prices dropping in time for summer or just word getting around about what a great place Houghton Lake is to vacation it's a welcome sight for local merchants. There are plenty of other festivals and activities in and around Houghton Lake for non Bashers.
Plan early if you'll need a motel room for the night. We have campgrounds near town, several state campgrounds and parks.
Tips for a good time:
Drink plenty of water
Drink responsibly. Alcohol dehydrates (each year someone goes to the hospital for dehydration)
Monitor your time in the sun and use sunscreen or sunblock
Please be responsible and respect other peoples property (the biggest single complaint is property damage to homes near the Limberlost)
We want you to have good time but drink responsibly
