Houghton Lake
![Picture](/uploads/4/6/7/9/46798501/3317690.gif?250)
The ice fishing season usually starts the end of December beginning of January on Houghton Lake. First ice is usually the best time for walleye & pike fishing. Jigging with spoons and vertical jigging Rapala's tipped with a minnow are your best choice. Walleye and pike fishing works best with tip-ups baited with big minnows (grays). The most popular spots to fish are the East Bay and by the Middle Grounds. The fishing stays good usually until the end of February then the bluegill fishing starts to pick up in the shallow water using tear drops baited with wax worms. You will need some sort of transportation to get out on the ice, and a good power auger to drill through the ice (ice depths can reach 2-3 feet thick). Bring a lunch and some beverages of choice and enjoy a great day of fishing on Michigan's largest inland lake.