Southeast Lower Peninsula
Lake Erie: Walleye are being caught off the Metro Park Marina in 8 to 10 feet when using a jig with a rubber worm and a live minnow.
Detroit River: Walleye anglers have done well down near the mouth and in the Trenton Channel. Most are using a jig with a rubber worm and a live minnow.
Lake St. Clair: Anglers are catching preseason smallmouth bass between Nine Mile Road and Masonic Boulevard in 6 to 8 feet with an artificial goby or tadpole. Perch and walleye action is very slow. Some perch were taken in front of the barracks at Selfridge in 8 feet. The fish were right on the bottom.
Lexington: The boat launch is under construction and will be closed until mid-July.
Port Sanilac: Boats trolling in 45 to 65 feet caught lake trout, coho and a couple steelhead. Most are using planer boards and downriggers with spoons and lead core. Pier fishing was very slow.
Harbor Beach: Boats trolling in 80 to 100 feet caught coho, lake trout, steelhea, and the occasional whitefish.
Port Austin: Boats heading a little west from the harbor and trolling crankbaits in 20 to 40 feet reported some good walleye catches depending on the wind.
Saginaw Bay: Northeast winds had the water stirred up and fishing was rough. A couple walleye were caught just east of Spoils Island in 20 feet when using crankbaits. Lake trout were found in 80 to 100 feet when using spoons. Off Quanicassee, walleye were caught in 10 to 12 feet. Water temperatures on the east side were 52-54 degrees which is still on the cool side. Walleye fishing is starting to improve but was still inconsistent with a few fish found at the bottom of the Slot and between Fish Point and Sebewaing in 14 to 17 feet. Most are using a crawler harness or body baits though crawlers were more productive over the last week.
Saginaw River: The yellow perch are starting to slow down however boat anglers were still catching small ones along with some crappie when using minnows near the Bay Aggregate Cut. A couple walleye were caught at the Stone Docks in Essexville when using blade baits and jigs with rubber minnows.
Tittabawassee River: The white bass run continues to pick up. Walleye were caught downstream of the Dow Dam and State Street Bridge. No big numbers but a few here and there. Most are jigging an artificial or live bait. White was a good color.
Southwest Lower Peninsula
Panfish are lurking around in shallow water but it is still too early for any spawning activity for bluegills. Black crappie were spotted in shallow water near the weed beds.
St. Joseph: Boats that were able to get out are catching a mixed bag of mostly kings and coho salmon with a few lake trout mixed in. Most were fishing in 50 feet or less as the fish seem to be concentrated around the pierheads. A good number of coho were caught very deep. Pier anglers had slow fishing for all species with only a couple coho taken. No perch to report.
South Haven: Boat anglers targeting salmon were catching mostly lake trout in 45 to 65 feet. Pier anglers are catching the occasional coho, but the overall action was slow. No perch to report.
Grand Haven: Boats have caught a few salmon with the occasional lake trout in 40 to 90 feet with blue and orange spoons. Yellow perch action was slow. Anglers could be found at the end of the pier however fishing was slow.
Grand River near Grand Rapids: A couple walleye were caught above the dam by those using crawlers or minnows.
Lake Ovid: Was producing a few small channel cats. Try using crawlers.
Muskrat Lake: Fair crappie action for those using minnows in Clinton County.
Muskegon: Salmon fishing has been slow with only a few caught in 40 to 80 feet with orange or green spoons.
Muskegon Lake: Anglers are getting some walleye down near the channel and the Coast Guard Station. No big numbers but most are getting a couple fish per trip when using blade baits.
Muskegon River: Walleye fishing was good in Hardy Pond and in the lower river.
Northeast Lower Peninsula
Rogers City: When boat anglers can get out, a few lake trout were caught near Forty Mile Point, Seagull Point, and south towards Swan Bay and Adams Point in 45 to 80 feet. The fish were suspended however the better fishing was in the top 45 feet with dodgers, spin glo’s and spoons.
Alpena: Those heading out were getting mostly lake trout straight out of the harbor and off North Point in 40 to 60 feet. Try dodgers with spin-glo’s or spoons.
Thunder Bay River: One of the gates at the dam was opened after the recent rain. This created high, fast and muddy water and it appears it may have flushed the steelhead out to the big lake. Suckers are still present, but the numbers are dwindling. Boats trolling or drifting further down the river are getting the occasional walleye.
Oscoda: Atlantic salmon, steelhead and walleye were caught at the head of the pier when casting body baits and spoons or when still-fishing with minnows.
Au Sable River: Those trolling or drifting body baits and crawlers caught a few walleye.
Higgins Lake: Was still slow however a few boats are going out for trout and perch.
Houghton Lake: The water is still cold. Crappie have been caught in the canals. A couple walleye were found at night when casting crank baits in the shallows.
Lake St. Helen: Anglers were getting some crappie in the shallows when using minnows.
Tawas: Walleye were caught near the artificial reef when casting or jigging with minnows. Those trolling caught Atlantic salmon, Chinook and coho along with a couple walleye on spoons, body baits, or a jig tipped with plastics or minnows in 15 to 30 feet near Buoy #2 and south towards Whitestone Point.
Tawas River: Fishing continues to be slow at Gateway Park with only a few perch taken on minnows.
Au Gres: A couple walleye were caught but catch rates were still slow. Those fishing in 27 feet seemed to do a little better. Down near the Pine River, a couple walleye and a good number of pike were caught when trolling body baits straight out in 9 feet.
Northwest Lower Peninsula
Water temperatures dropped with the cold weather. Water levels in the lakes and rivers are up due to last week’s rain but fishing activity remains low due to the cold.
Charlevoix: No boats have been out and not many anglers were fishing the channel during the day. A couple lake trout and walleye were caught in the channel after dark.
Petoskey: Angler pressure was very light at the mouth of the river and on the piers. Those using soft plastics and crankbaits caught a couple pike, smallmouth bass and a sucker off the breakwall when fishing the river side.
Bear River: Was a bit lower and was at a good level. Angler pressure is way down but local anglers still caught a couple steelhead. There are still a few suckers and planter brown trout but those too seem to be slowing down.
Harbor Springs: Had a light number of boat anglers going out. Most trips they have done well catching mostly lake trout northwest of Harbor Point. The fish were caught near the bottom in 110 to 120 feet with spoons, flies and spin-glo’s.
Traverse City: The water is still very cold. In the East Bay, a few Cisco were caught in 30 to 60 feet when casting or jigging blade baits or casting spoons. The occasional lake trout was found in 120 feet. Bass are starting to hit but no big numbers yet and most are still in deeper water. In the West Bay, perch were caught in Northport in 80 to 85 feet with wigglers and crawlers.
Manistee: Catch rates were hit-or-miss but a few lake trout were caught along with a couple kings. Fish were anywhere from 30 to 120 feet along the shoreline and straight out from the harbor. Pier anglers had little luck.
Ludington: Good numbers of lake trout were caught straight out, south towards the projects and north to Big Sable Point. Most were in 45 to 80 feet however 55 to 65 feet was the hot spot. A couple steelhead were also caught. Pier fishing was slow.
Pere Marquette River: Was producing some small trout.
Upper Peninsula
Ontonagon: Lake trout are becoming a little more active. Primarily coho and lake trout are being caught with a few browns and the occasional steelhead or Chinook. A few anglers are finding fish consistently while most are getting a fish or two per trip. Suckers are in the rivers but there have been no reports of any smelt.
Marquette: Though the water is cold, and the fishing has been slow, anglers are picking up a few lake trout, Chinook and steelhead. Brown trout are still around and were found in shallow water.
Au Train: The ramp has been in for a week now. Coho are in shallow water and were hitting on jigs and stick baits with a slower presentation. A few brown trout have also been caught. Chinook salmon were starting to be caught on spoons in the early morning. Steelhead are spawning in the rivers and were hitting on spawn bags.
Grand Marais: Pier anglers targeting whitefish continue to do well however catch rates are slightly lower and the fish were running a bit smaller. Winds from the north have been favorable however it was taking some anglers longer to catch their limit. Very few boat anglers were out and those that did make it out caught a few lake trout.
Fishing Tip
Taking great catch-and-release photos
Are you an avid catch-and-release angler? Do you like to take photos of the fish you catch, prior to returning them to the water? Do you know the safest way to take these photos so you ensure the fish can live to be caught another day?
- Wet your hands before you handle the fish – that way you won’t remove any of the protective mucus (aka slime) the fish has coating their body.
- Remember a fish can not breathe out of water, so they will become uncomfortable rather quickly. Keep the fish in the water until your camera is ready to take the shot.
- Take the photo with the fish close to the water, that way if it squirms out of your hands it will land in the water – not on a hard surface.
- While holding a fish do not pinch or squeeze it and do not stick your fingers in its gills.
- Be mindful of the different kinds of fish that have teeth and/or spines that could stick you.
