John Raffel, john.raffel@pioneergroup.com

EVART Paul Higgins is a diehard fisherman who was thinking in mid-March his fishing might be curtailed this spring since he was coaching the Evart JV baseball team.

But after a week of practice the season was done because of the Coronavirus.

When this whole virus thing took off, we were still steelhead fishing, Higgins, an Evart area resident, said. We were fishing the Manistee up at Tippy before they closed it down. We got in a good week of fishing there before they closed it down. We hit Croton Dam, that area, and we were able to fish that. We did fairly well there for steelhead.

We did go up in the Bear Creek area, up by Brethren to do some fishing there and did fairly well there. Once we were able to get our boats back out, we were able to hit some walleyes. I was fishing off shore at Cadillac and did real well for a week and a half to two weeks. Catching fish in the shallow, youre wading out and doing fairly well.

Higgins had success in the Frankfort area.

The weather is starting to stable out, Higgins said. Water temperatures are starting to climb and the fish are getting more active. Your catch rates are going up. For the most part, youre catching good numbers of fish. You still have those days where you dont do as well as you did the day before.

Were doing some trout fishing too, locally, a little bit. We havent got into it that much this year for some reason. Weve been catching quite a few walleye. I would rather eat walleye over trout any day of the week.

Higgins said warming weather means everything is in transition.

Evart's Paul Higgins continues to have major success fishing. (Courtesy photo)

Evart's Paul Higgins continues to have major success fishing. (Courtesy photo)

Evart's Paul Higgins continues to have major success fishing. (Courtesy photo)

Evart's Paul Higgins continues to have major success fishing. (Courtesy photo)

Evart angler has enjoyed amazing spring

I go by the Golden Rule, like for walleye, 68 degrees at the surface is usually pretty good and Ive had pretty good success for walleye, he said. Its right in the ball park right now in a couple of the lakes that were fishing. By Cadillac and Frankfort, its getting at that happy temperature. Up until your mayflies hatch, it should be pretty good fishing, I think. Theyre getting more active. Bluegills are starting to get on the beds some.

It should be some pretty good fishing for the next couple of weeks for sure, if not for the whole summer hopefully.

His favorite partner is his son, Cooper Higgins, and sometimes Josh Johnson.

Weve fished a lot this spring, Paul Higgins said. Its been good for me and my son. Hes experienced some pretty good fishing. You can get a lot of education just being in the outdoors.

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Evart angler has enjoyed amazing spring - The Pioneer