[DLB-in-GR]

The fish are biting well at Sessions Lake, I've gotten out a couple times in the past week and used cut creek chub which the larger catfish preferred to the Secret-7 dip bait I was offering as an alternative. All the nice fish came on the cut bait, 20 inches or larger, and some 15"-20" on stinkbait. I also caught a gigantic snapping turtle that got to keep my rig.

Tonight I went over there to battle the crowds, there were a fair amount of people there and boats out. I hiked to the "Old Beach" and caught a bunch of bedding bluegill with some nice size, with a 15" channel cat that bit on a worm in there to boot. That was fun on an ultralight rig, he bent my aberdeen hook, but I landed him.

This weekend looks like a great weekend for bluegills on beds there at Sessions, if you can find the beds, and a place to park your trailer.

Take the hike from the boat launch lot to the "Old Beach" with a bit of warning, I did find 3 ticks on my clothing and one biting me at the sock line. Ticks are extra heavy this year and I don't know what to do to avoid them other than staying inside, not an option when the catfish urge itches. Deet doesn't seem to protect you when you walk into their lair, some get through.

 

[DLB-in-GR]

A good place to locate information about what is biting in your area is the DNR Weekly fishing report. Google "MI DNR Fishing Report" and it will come up. No mention of catfish action at Sessions (they should have asked me), but it did turn me on to the 'gills, which I had been pretty much ignoring in favor of the catfish. It looks like rivers are producing good numbers of cats from that report but I haven't been out other than to good ole' clean Sessions Lake, and a local creek for bait catching.

 

[DLB-in-GR]

The lake was good fishing this morning from shore, cut creek chub the bait of choice, they tore it up. I brought home eight channels, five above 20 inches, but all around in that range.

Good luck out there on the water,
Doug

 

[DLB-in-GR]

Going out Thursday morning to try again with the cut creek chubs. Taking a buddy along with me this time, although he won't fish. I got out today between the rain showers here and got 2 dozen chubs of various sizes to cut up into at least twice as many baits. Wish me luck, I'm after a Master Angler fish from Sessions Lake but will keep anything between 12" and 25". The M.A. fish, or anything over 25 inches, should he hit, gets CPR.

 

[DLB-in-GR]

Thursday was a bit of a let-down, only two small fish. I intended to be up at 5am this morning but I messed up the alarm and didn't get lines out until 7:50 but I caught six, and equal amount hit cut bait as Secret-7 dip bait. Big fish of the day was 23 inches. Fresh caught catfish, fresh picked asparagus, and couscous is on the menu tonight!

 

[wabah58]

Looks like you're having a good summer of fishing this year. The Michigan section as been super slow here, oh well more cats for you.

 

[DLB-in-GR]

I know, in all the years I've fished this great lake (Sessions), one of the only lakes in the area with good catting, I've run into a catfishermen once. Must be everyone fishes in the Grand River which is so close by. Every so often I find forked sticks stuck in the bank (must not be very serious catmen if they don't know to use a real rod holder...) Most people at Sessions look at me strangely when I hold up a large stringer of nice cats, but envious. I guess I should be happy that there isn't much pressure on my fishing spots. I'm loving it. I can't get any referrals for this site though, even though I have tried with all my fishing family and friends. It's regional attitudes I think.

I have to thank this site and the great members here over the years for teaching me how to catch catfish successfully. When I was growing up nobody I knew fished for them, nobody taught me anything about them, and many of my extended family members didn't know there were catfish in Michigan. :Shocked: I have taught them about catfish and fed them gourmet dishes prepared with channel cats, but can't get them to come out fishing with me for catfish, which is pretty much all I fish for anymore (and of course bait...).

 

[DEERJOHN]

I know, in all the years I've fished this great lake (Sessions), one of the only lakes in the area with good catting, I've run into a catfishermen once. Must be everyone fishes in the Grand River which is so close by. Every so often I find forked sticks stuck in the bank (must not be very serious catmen if they don't know to use a real rod holder...) Most people at Sessions look at me strangely when I hold up a large stringer of nice cats, but envious. I guess I should be happy that there isn't much pressure on my fishing spots. I'm loving it. I can't get any referrals for this site though, even though I have tried with all my fishing family and friends. It's regional attitudes I think.

I have to thank this site and the great members here over the years for teaching me how to catch catfish successfully. When I was growing up nobody I knew fished for them, nobody taught me anything about them, and many of my extended family members didn't know there were catfish in Michigan. :Shocked: I have taught them about catfish and fed them gourmet dishes prepared with channel cats, but can't get them to come out fishing with me for catfish, which is pretty much all I fish for anymore (and of course bait...).

I hear you Doug!! None of my family is much interested in fishing for Cats! I took it up seriously this spring, after being away from it for 60 years! I was always to busy with salmon, Perch and Bluegills. I was born, raised and spent 70 years just 1 or 2 miles from the mouth of the Grand River. Until this year, I never knew how loaded the Grand was with Cats!! As a kid, we caught many small 2-3lb Channels, and we must have figured that was as big as theygot. I've now caught over 40 Cats since getting started a few weeks ago. I'm having a ball bank fishing even though I own a beautifull 16' open boat with a 40hp.

 

[DLB-in-GR]

Sessions had good fishing again today as usual. My best fish was 24 inches which is mighty fun on the tackle I use. I also caught two more large snapping turtles and had to cut my line, and there was this funny looking thing floating on the other side of the bay. A boater went and checked it out and it was a big dead snapping turtle with a hook and line in it. I don't want to kill them, but I also can't safely remove the hook from a huge snapping turtle, and they like my cut bait too. It's disappointing to get a light bite and pull in something that feels like a log, I know immediately that it isn't a fish but another turtle and I will have to redo my rig.

 

[K.C.]

Just wanted to stop by and thank you for the fishing info. We went over and fished it last night for gills, specs and eyes. We weren't doing very good so on a whim we decided to rig up and try for some cats after reading your fishing report. We used nightcrawlers on a big snell hook with a bell sinker attached 12 to 18" down from the hook. I used to fish for bullheads a lot when I was a kid and that's what I expected from cats. Holy cow was I wrong! What a riot they were to catch. We boated 10 and missed several more. All of them were 15 - 16" fish. We didn't keep them because it was 4:00am when we got off the lake and nobody felt like cleaning them. Next time we will be better prepared and make a nice dinner out of them. Thanks again!

 

[DLB-in-GR]

Glad you had a good trip, my goal is to help people out like I have been helped over the years here. Those fish are great eating, come from clean waters, and really fun to catch. Next time bring big sucker minnows or cut creek chubs and your catches will be mostly larger, 20 inches or bigger. I love that place and a full stringer of Sessions Lake catfish. Bass and pan fish fishermen see my stringers and are impressed.

Hey, welcome to the board too.

 

[K.C.]

Yes we are going to try the creek chubs next time. What time of the day do you ussually fish?

 

[DLB-in-GR]

This year I've fished mostly in the mornings, from around 5 or 6 am until as late as 11 am, weather dependent. I'm more of a morning person and like to clean the fish when it's light out before it gets too hot. I've gotten them at about all hours of the daytime before there though, if you find where they are the channels aren't as nocturnal as flatheads, although I always do better around dawn or at dusk when the fish cruise the shallows for bait fish because I fish from shore.

 

[K.C.]

Maybe we will run into each other out there. If we do I will make sure to say hello! Thanks again for all the tips.

 

[DLB-in-GR]

Sessions produced again! Nine fish, smallest was 16", big boy was 25 inches, caught on cut creek chubs that I got yesterday. I had my lines out at 6 am and was done at 9 am, when the bite slowed down (except for the turtles, which were eating all my bait instead of catfish).

Now I've got to clean them, the chore. I'll turn them into "Catfish with Tomato Basil Cream" (see member library for the recipe) with some sweet corn on the side that I found at a farm stand on the way back from the lake.