Thread: Help a Brother Out

My brother and I are going up around Wellston (Tippey Dam area above the dam) for our annual Michigan fishing trip soon. We will arrive June 12 thru the following week.

Any info on how the weather has been, are the crappie and small-mouth in to spawn, etc would be appreciated.

If you are from around the area and want to have a beverage at one of the local watering holes would be glad to meet you (we'll buy).


Thanks

sorry no help here, i don't fish that area but hope the bite is good

were are you coming from

I have a ton of information for you about this lake and other streams and lakes around the area. I grew up less than 15 minutes from these waters and spent the better part of 20 years sharpening my skills in and around the Wellston area.
The time frame you are going should put you right on the mark with the spawning of the crappie/blue gills in the backwaters of Tippy dam. Usually they are about 10 to 14 days behind us in the lower part of Michigan and with all of the river rain run off and two different streams flowing in to the backwaters that water tends to remain a little bit cooler than most. Try fishing the mouths of the Pine river and the upper Manistee as these should be hot spots for Crappie. This backwaters is full of stumps and dead heads and are always worth a look with a good fish finder. The bass may be off their beds at this time which should put you in prime shape for fishing as you know how aggressive they get after the spawn.
If you are looking to catch some other fish try the upper part of the Manistee (below Hodenpyle Dam) for large brown trout and rainbows. Use panther martin #4 with a yellow body and a silver blade, an all silver body and blade, a black body and gold blade, or a gold body with gold blade. If they are not hitting on silver, they will hit on gold. Crappie and blue gill love them as well. Use the same program below tippy dam only with a #6.
For Walleye, try floating Rapalas (7's and 5's) in silver and black, gold and black, or orange and black. A good hole is right below the cougher at Tippy dam either on the Wellston side or the Brethren side. Try right before dark until well after dark. On the Brethren side fish from the cougher all the way past the boat launch. On the Welston side fish from the cougher down to the fish traps. The Manistee below Tippy dam holds some monster Walleye. I have seen several fish in the 14 lbs catagory come out of those water. The State record Walleye was actually caught out of the backwaters of Tippy.
If you want any other information let me know. I should be in the area on friday the 19th. I'm taking my grandfather and my father out on Hamlin lake for fathers day.

Thanks for the info. We have gone up there for about the past 10 years but have always gone earlier and usually seem to get there too soon. Once again...thanks!

We are coming from Ft Wayne IN.

Originally Posted by crappiewisdom

We are coming from Ft Wayne IN.

have fun

We just got back from the backwaters of Tippy Dam. Everything seemed to be a little behind this year. The first couple of days (last Thursday and Friday) the fishing was REAL SLOW. Water temps were around 64 degrees.
As the weekend went by, temps increased and we started to get some crappie and small mouths and by Monday the crappie were turning on. Most were females and full of eggs. We were finding them suspended off structure near the shore and also away from shore in 20 feet of water fishing about 2 feet deep during the late afternoon and early evening. Got a few pike too. We got enough to make it worthwhile. Unfortunately, the only camera I had was a disposable thing and it got wet. I'll see if the pics turned out.

Nice to see that you were able to find the fish. This year has been very odd in Michigan (as you can judge by reading some of the threads). Some lakes the spawning was good, others it seemed as though it never happened at all. Lots of guys are saying they are catching females with eggs still in them. Northern michigan is different than the south in that they are usually two weeks behind. Our water was so screwed up this spring due to all the rain and then it warmed up too fast. I would not be surprised to see the females spawn in deeper water this year. The bass even seemed to stay on their beds a little later this year. I'm heading to Hamlin lake this weekend and judging from the reports I have on that lake they are still in the beginning to middle of the Blue gill/Crappie spawn.