Most people associate spring season with cleaning and de-cluttering. For fishing enthusiasts in Michigan, however, spring is also the time to ready their rods and visit Lake Michigan fishing charters to kick off the fishing season. Tri-County Times writer Sally Rummel reports that this year, fishing devotees can expect a fishing season that’s cooler than normal.
“I’d be surprised if we have any prolonged stretch of hot weather into early summer,” said J.R. Kirtek, chief meteorologist for the ABC Channel 12 Weather Center in Flint.
He just finished an interview on Tuesday with representatives from the Great Lakes Environmental Research Lab, regarding ice coverage on the Great Lakes. “The amount of ice coverage for this part of April is unheard of,” said Kirtek. “Lake Huron is still 20 percent covered and Lake Michigan is still 50 percent covered. The water temperatures for Lake Huron, Lake Superior and Lake Michigan are cooler than they ever have been this late in April.”
How does water temperature affect our air temperature? It has a huge effect, according to Kirtek. “In the winter, it keeps us warmer than we’d otherwise be, and in the summer, it keeps us cooler,” he said.
Spring weather that’s cooler than normal also equals minimal evaporation, which means Michigan locals can expect high water levels too. Some fishing fanatics think that high water levels indicate they should stay away from any kind of fishing. However, the opposite is actually the case; fishing buffs stand a good chance catching bass and trout as long as they know what to do and where to look.
With Michigan surrounded by Great Lakes, it’s not surprising why it’s among the most popular bass-fishing U.S. states. Bass-fishing is likely to be more productive than usual during high water levels because this is when fish tend to stay in shallow portions of lakes (where they are easily visible). All locals have to do is steer their boats toward the banks, where the water’s edge meets the surrounding land.
Trout-fishing works in a similar way, as trout also have a tendency to head along banks with trees or bushes. Such wood elements break the current, providing trout a refuge. When on a mission to catch Michigan steelhead with fishing charter boats, in particular, going for a two-handed rod with at least 12 feet in length is a good move.
Some fishing lovers think that high water levels are a challenge to their activities. However, there are ways to use these circumstances to your advantage. For one, these fishing enthusiasts can benefit from the direction and guidance of skilled captains like Capt. Russ Clark of Sea Hawk Charter.
(Source: Cool spring, early summer in the forecast, tctimes.com, May 3, 2014)
