South West Lower Peninsula Area Fishing Report

February 18th, 2025

2-17-25 SW Michigan
When it comes to chasing Panfish through the ice, I can't get enough! I know my area of SW Michigan, Barry Co. isn't a prime destination to chase big pie plates, and wall counters. But when it comes to finding big numbers of quality fish for the plate and freezer you can't beat it! I have been focusing on fishing some weed flats. But not all weeds or just anywhere in the beds hold fish this time of year. Finding good weeds that are still standing and still have some green to them, not covered in alge and decay. I also tend to work the edges of the break lines as well. If you have a weed bed that is 8ft deep, I tend to find where that 8ft starts to break off into deeper water. This was the case for me on this particular flat, it was 8ft deep but I was fishing the drop in 10-11ft. I think this does a few things, the fish that are up on the flat can see your bait and feel your bait when
they're buried down in there. But the fish that are hanging out on the drop are more comfortable coming up because they have access to quick cover if a predator is lurking. My bait choices can change on a daily basis but it's typically a white or red plastic bug body and a 5mm tungsten jig in a pink or wonderbread color. Thanks to Lee Gould for the great tips