INFORMATION IN THIS SECTION WAS OBTAINED FROM VARIOUS RESOURCES ONLINE AND FROM THE LIBRARY AS WELL AS SOME OF OUR PLA BOARD MEMBERS WHO ARE AVID FISHERMEN!

WE HOPE YOU CAN USE THIS PAGE WHEN FISHING WITH YOUR CHILDREN, GRANDCHILDREN OR ANY CHILD IN YOUR LIFE. THOSE WHO FISH TOGETHER CREATE LIFELONG BONDS.

BE SURE TO ENTER ANY YOUTH 16 AND UNDER IN THE ANNUAL YOUTH FISHING TOURNAMENT SPONSORED BY THE PLA. SEE INFORMATION AND PHOTOS IN THOSE SECTIONS ABOVE.

SUMMER

Below are the most commonly caught fish in Pentwater Lake in the SUMMER months.

1. black bullhead: “ameiurus melas” features: Large head; 4 pair whiskers; heavy body not mottles; back olive to black; sides yellow-green; belly yellow; pale bar on base of tail fin. habitat: slow-flowing streams, oxbows, backwaters w/ mud bottom length: to 18”. weight: to 3 lbs. bait: worms, chicken liver, minnows, jigs

2. yellow bullhead: “ameiurus natalis” features: rounded head; 4 pair of whiskers; white chin whiskers; heavy body not mottles; back olive or brown; sides yellow-brown; pectoral fin spines serrated. habitat: slow-flowing streams, backwaters, vegetated ponds, lakes. length: to 18”. weight: to 3 lbs. bait: worms, chicken liver, minnows, jigs

3. channel catfish: “Ictalurus PUNCTATUS” Features: Flat, wide head; upper jaw juts past lower jaw; bluish-gray back; belly white; sides silvery w/ black or olive spots that lessen w/ age; anal fin rounded w/ 25-30 rays. habitat: ponds, lakes, moderate-flowing rivers & creeks w/ sandy or gravel bottom. Length: to 48”. weight: to 60 lbs. bait: worms, chicken liver, live minnows, jigs.

4. flathead catfish: “Pylodictis olivaris” features: very large flat head; wide mouth; lower jaw juts past upper jaw; mottled body; slight forked tail fin dark brown or black w/ upper lobe whitish. habitat: large rivers & creeks w/ flow near logs, roots, rocks & debris. length: to 60”. weight: to 90 lbs. bait: worms, chicken liver, live minnows, jigs.

5. bowfin (AKA: DOgfish): “amia calva” features: grin-like mouth; large head; long body; olive-green back; creamy yellow belly; long dorsal fin; spot at base of round tail. habitat: sloughs, sluggish rivers, bayous, oxbows w/ vegetation. length: to 30”. weight: to 20 lbs. bait: live minnows, worms, crayfish, crankbaits, jigs.

6. Freshwater drum (sheepshead): “aplodinotus grunniens” features: deep, oblong body; silvery-blue sides near top, whitish toward bottom; doral fins deeply notched w/ scaled casing at base; 2 anal spines. habitat: medium to large rivers, lakes, reservoirs w/ deep water. length: to 36”. weight: to 55 lbs. bait: minnows, worms, spinners, crankbaits.

7. common carp: “Cyprinus carpio”, features: fleshy lips; 2 pair of whiskers on upper lip; robust body; olive-yellow back, yellow sides; large scales; long dorsal fin with one spine. habitat: lakes, reservoirs, ponds, ditches, rivers, creeks. length: to 30”. wt: to 60 lbs. bait: worms, minnows, crayfish, spinners, flies, jigs.

8. largemouth bass: “micropterus salmoides” features: jaw past eye; back olive to dark green; green-sides yellow; dark horizontal band; dorsal fin w/ deep notch; 12 soft dorsal rays. habitat: slow-moving streams, farm ponds, lakes, reservoirs w/ abundant vegetation. length: to 36”. weight: to 22 lbs. bait: minnows, crayfish, lures, flies.

9. smallmouth bass: “micropterus dolomieu” features: jaw to mid-eye; red iris; bronze or brownish-green w/ vertical stripes or blotches; dorsal fin w/ shallow notch; 15 soft dorsal rays. habitat: cool, clear, rocky streams w/ moderate flow, deep reservoirs. length: to 24”. weight: to 12 lbs. bait: minnows, crayfish, lures, flies.

10. rock bass: “ambloplites rupestris” features: large mouth; red iris, scaled cheek; mottled body; brassy to bronze splotches lighter in color toward bottom rows of dots; 6-7 anal spines. habitat: cool clear streams w/ moderate flow, around logs, roots of live trees. length: to 13”. weight: to 4 lbs. bait: live minnows, worms, spinners, jigs, small crankbaits.

11. white bass: “morone chrysops” features: protruding lower jaw; one tooth patch on back of tongue; deep compressed body; light olive back; silvery sides w/ 6-9 stripes on lower sides, some stripes interrupted; yellow belly. habitat: large streams w/ moderate flow, sandy or rocky botton, reservoirs. length: to 18”. weight: to 5 lbs. bait: live minnows, vertical jigs, spinners, streamers.

12. bluegill: “lepomis macrochrus” features: small mouth; long, broad “ear” flap; deep, compressed body; olive-green back; yellowish sides w/ 5-7 dusky bars; soft dorsal w/ black blotch. habitat: pools in warm, clear streams w/ moderate flow, ditches, ponds, lakes. length: to 12”. weight: to 5 lbs. bait: minnows, worms, spinners, poppers, streamers.

13. black crappie: “pomoxis nigromaculatus” features: body compressed, round outline; gill cover spiny; back green; sides silvery; belly white; mottled black w/o bars; dorsal fin w/ 7-8 spines. habitat: lake, reservoirs, large ponds, clear streams w/ cover. length: to 16”. weight: to 5 lbs. bait: live minnows, worms, spinners, jigs, flies.

14. longnose gar (gar pike) “Lepisosteus osseus” features: very long snout w/ one row of teeth; long, cylindrical body; brown on top, lighter on sides; white belly; tail, doral & anal fins w/ large spots; thick scales. habitat: bayous, backwaters, oxbows, large creeks, rivers, lakes. length: to 72”. weight: to 50 lbs. bait: live minnows, worms, crayfish, crankbaits, jigs.

15. northern pike: “esox lucius” features: duck-billed snout; cheek entirely scaled to top half of gill cover; pole-like body; olive back, sides w/ yellow oval spots. habitat: lakes, reservoirs, rivers, streams w/ vegetation. length: to 48”. weight to 45 lbs. bait: minnows, crayfish, spoons, stickbaits.

16. pumpkinseed (sunfish): “lepomis gibbosus” features: compressed body; red or orange spots on body; light spot on edge of black “ear” flap; wavy lines on soft top fin; wavy blue lines on cheek; pointed pectoral fins. habitat: weedy lakes & ponds, quiet pools of small streams. length: to 16”. weight: to 2 lbs. bait: minnows, worms, spinners, poppers.

17. longnose sucker: “catostomus catostomus” features: long snout; deep notch in lower lip; brassy sheen on olive or gray body; blotched on top, sides, bottom cream to white; Breeding males: All black. habitat: cold, deep, clear lakes & feeder streams. length: to 25”. weight: to 3 lbs. bait: worms, salmon eggs, jigs.

18. redhorse sucker: (River redhorse) “moxostoma carinatum” features: fleshy lips w/ slight “V” shape; long, slightly compressed body; back olive-bronze; sides silver or gold; scales w/ dark crescent edge; fins sometimes orange. habitat: small streams, rivers w/ moderate current over gravel bottom. length: to 30”. weight: to 6 lbs. bait: worms, minnows, crayfish.

19. white sucker: “catostomus commersonii” features: Deep-notched lower lip, twice thickness of upper lip; long body; black or olive top; scales dark-edged; fins clear; long narrow tail area; male: crimson stripe. habitat: rocky pools of small cool streams or big rivers, lakes. length: to 24”. weight: to 8 lbs. bait: worms, dough bait, liver, jigs.

20. walleye: “SANDER VITREUS” FEATURES: CANINE TEETH; LONG, SOMEWHAT COMPRESSED BODY; BRASSY GREEN-YELLOW W/ DARK MOTTLING; BELLY WHITE; BLOTCH ON END OF SPINY DORSAL; YELLOW PELVIC FINS; WHITE TIP ON LOWER TAIL. HABITAT: DEEP WATER OF LARGE STREAMS, LAKES, RESERVOIRS W/ SANDY OR ROCKY BOTTOM. LENGTH: TO 40”. WEIGHT: TO 25 LBS. BAIT: MONNOWS, CRAYFISH, WORMS, SPINNERS, JIGS.

21. yellow perch: “perca flavescens” features: small teeth, no canines; long, yellow to brassy-green body; 5-8 vertical bars saddled over back nearly to white belly; dorsal fins separate; dorsal and tail fins olive. habitat: deep water of lakes, reservoirs, open water of large streams. length: to 16”. weight: to 4 lbs. bait: minnows, worms, jigs, spinners.