Hess Lake to Host Annual Winterfest Ice Fishing Contest

While Hess Lake is know for giant crappie, it's also well know for it's annual WINTERFEST on Hess Lake which feature snowmobile races, motorcycle races, fly in planes, helecopters amd popular polar plunge!

The ice fishing contest, sponsored by Parsley’s Sport Shop, will take place with weigh-in set for 2 p.m. on the deck of Smuggler’s Cove Restaurant located on Hess Lake. There will be an adult division and a children’s division. The contest is open to all lakes, and gift certificates will be presented to first, second, and third places.


“The contest has really, really grown,” said Ron Parsley, owner of Parsley’s Sport Shop. “It’s a big event that is a lot of fun. It stirs up a lot of business for local stores.”

An extreme plunge is set for 1 p.m. Other events taking place on the ice include a chili cook-off, family-friendly wet T-shirt contest, chicken bowling, snowshoe races, and slap-shot hockey.

A raffle drawing will take place at 3 p.m. at Smuggler’s Cove. The first-place winner will receive $1,000; second place will get $500; and third will be awarded $250. Tickets may be purchased for $5 each at various local businesses.

“It’s just a really fun day out on the ice with family and friends,” said Robbin Faulkner, chairperson of the Winterfest Committee.

Saturday’s events will wrap up with a dinner and dance at Sportsman’s Bar and Restaurant. Happy hour will be 6-7 p.m. with dinner at 7 p.m. Live music will be provided by Just Jake. Tickets are $25 in advance at the chamber or $30 at the door.

The Events are held behind Smugglers Cove on Hess Lake, parking will be across the street from Hess Lake and features a chili cook off tent, sloppy joes, hot dogs and hambergers along with snacks and drinks available.

All festivities will be visible from the deck at Smugglers Cove!

Muskegon Lake Ice Warning-Tug Barge Arrival

Ice fisherman have a few more days to move their shanties before a barge and tug cut through Muskegon Lake.




The barge's arrival was scheduled for Friday night, but has been pushed back to Wednesday. The time of its arrival is not yet available.



Muskegon Lake will be unsafe for ice fishing for at least a week after the barge breaks the ice, said Nathan Jandt, an employee at North Muskegon bait shop Adam's Angler Archer.



Ice fishing conditions already are marginal because an early January thaw melted the ice, and subsequent snows insulated the lake surface, making it slushy, Jandt said. He estimated that most parts of Muskegon Lake have 4 or 5 inches of ice, with some snow and slush on top.



Safety guidelines dictate ice fishermen should wait for about 8 inches of ice when it forms under snowy conditions, Jandt said, though 4 inches of ice is safe if it forms during drier weather.

Just for Fun Friday! Fish On!

Fishing Report for Today? Red Hot!

Muskegon Fishing Report (Fall Salmon) 9/24/2010

Boat and pier anglers are catching a few salmon and steelhead in and around the harbor.

Boat anglers have been trolling around the piers, in the channel and into Muskegon Lake. Few salmon have been caught as anglers were having a problem with weeds getting tangled around the line. Try plugs in chrome with a red head or anything that glows.


Muskegon River - Salmon and some brown trout have been caught.

First sighting of 5 salmon in the Pere Marquette south branch two days ago but nothing yesturday nor today .. heard they are in Hesperia at the damn but haven't seen any fishermen there to back up that statement - must be fish-on in Muskegon Good Luck!
If you have any Muskegon area fishing reports to share, please post a comment below!

Muskegon Fishing Report 03/06/2010

We caught 1 Walleye, 1 Steelhead (big one), and 2 Northern Pike. It was a nice morning. It was weird fishing in open water right next to ice and there was a half dozen ice fisherman on the ice.

We fished with Deep Diver Rapalla's & Bombers.....off of planer boards. The bombers caught 3 out of the 4 fish (green & orange)

Brent, we launched right at the causeway and trolled the Muskegon River mouth area. . Walleye season shuts down March 15.
 
by Phil Eppard

New Hunting Social Network, Let’s Get Hunting Launched

Your Travel Buddy, a Michigan based internet travel providers introduces, Let’s Get Hunting, a social network for hunters. It’s like Facebook for hunters. A community of Hunters that you can discuss and share stories on Hunting.



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However, the actual numbers of people becoming hunters is dropping each year. For every 100 hunters who no longer hunt due to encroaching age, health issues, or passing away, on average only about 69 new hunters join their ranks.


It’s my hope that by tapping into the popularity of social networking that we can increase the number of hunters nationally and make the sport what it once was.


As we grow our membership base, we hope to add member benefits such as travel discounts, featured big game hunts, and other discounts on everyday purchases, such as hunting gear. We want to add value to our members.


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Muskegon Ice Fishing Report 02/12/2010

They are now fishing 2nd street catching a few walleye and pike with some limits of perch also if you can get into them, the ice is from 3 to 6 inches with a few soft spots. Fishermans landing will be unsafe after friday because the barge company in going to be breaking up all the ice and moving a few peices of equipment. They are still getting perch by the clipper, papermill and cottage grove. Ice is around 8 inches. People are useing quads and snowmobiles all over the lake but you still need to use caution.

by Cliff Shaut, Muskegon's Fish Slayer!