Houghton Lake Fishing Report-Reedsburg Dam Pt 2

Dead Stream by Reedsburg Dam

Hi Again
It was a beautiful day here in Houghton Lake, with temperatures close to 60 degrees. So I took advantage and went fishing. I jumped into the Ford Explorer and headed west along M-55. My first stop was Lymans on the Lake bait shop to get some live shiners. Now what I call shiners are called "blues" by the folks at Lymans. Their a bit larger than minnows. I was after Northern Pike today. As I mentioned in my previous post the Pike are biting at Reedsburg Dam (on the riverside west bank). I arrived at my destination around 11:00. Once I made it down the hill and had my folding chair setup, and after several tries to get a blue on my hook, I was ready to fish.

With my brand new orange, weighted styrofoam bobber made for using in foam covered waters, I cast my line to where I thought the big ones would be waiting. I expertly dropped the bait just this side of the fast moving current. The bobber no more than hit the water and it disappeared under the foam. Like any good angler I  gave the pole the required jerk back and up over my head. After all I was after the big one and I needed to be sure the hook was set. But there was no tension in the line. Still my boober was gone. I heaved back again expecting the pull and jerk of the hooked fish. Nothing. Then I realized I had forgot to reset the bail on reel after I had made my cast. The strike had been so quick I forgot to give the reel a crank. So instead of setting the hook I had paid out an extra twenty feet of line.

I figured the fish was long gone or had swallowed the bait, hook, line and sinker (maybe even my brand new orange weighted styrofoam bobber made for using in foam covered water). And was happily sitting under some rock and laughing at me (if it is possible for a fish to laugh). I began reeling in line until I had taken up the slack and gave the pole an easy flick. Bam! The pole came alive as the Pike on the other end decided to make a fight of it.

Now I don't usually go for Northern Pike. I go after Walleye, Perch, Sunfish, Bluegill and Bass. Just whatever happens to be biting where I wet my line. But this is the first time catching Pike in a river. Not only do you have to work the fish to the shore but also guide it around the rocks. All told I caught 5 Northern Pike, 3 were of legal size (24"), the other two were only about 20" long. There was a sixth one but I only had him for about 5 seconds and my line broke, setting my brand new orange, weighted styrofoam bobber made for using in foam covered water, free to float around the currents. It did eventually make it's way to shore so I was able to retrieve it. Hey, it's not the money (approximately .70 cents) it's the principal of the thing.


Until next time, stay safe, stay dry and hang on to your bobber.

Ken