All anglers 17 years of age and older are required to have a fishing license.
All anglers 17 years of age and older are required to have a fishing license.
Northeast Lower Peninsula
Presque Isle: Anglers reported fair success around the new lighthouse through North Bay. Trout were found all throughout the water column in depths of 50 to 100 feet. Atlantic salon, Chinook salmon, and coho were caught in the top 30 feet on watermelon, green/silver, black/orange, and gold/green spoons. The Black Point and Thompson Harbor areas were giving up nice northern pike and bass. Anglers reported seeing a few walleye hanging around the shallows of Thompson Harbor. A good number of steelhead were taken over deep water near the old shipwreck. Orange, gold, and copper spoons had the best results in the top 20 feet of water.
Tawas: Anglers out of Tawas were catching walleye while trolling around Charity Island as well as around Whitestone Point. Bass anglers were catching good numbers of smallmouth and largemouth around structures in Tawas Bay. Lake trout and steelhead were starting to pop up. Anglers were trolling in 90 to 100 feet of water and catching them around 30 to 40 feet. Freshwater drum were caught by almost anybody fishing in the bay.
Rockport: From Middle Island to Stoneport, anglers reported catches of trout and all salmon species in waters 70 to 120 feet. Most fish were in the top 20 to 45 feet. Spoons in green, orange, silver/green, and gold/ orange were working well. Pike and bass were taken around the Rockport dock, off the launch and in Knights Bay. Anglers reported good numbers of Atlantic salmon cruising the shallows near Stoneport, with best results coming in low light conditions.
Alpena: The cool water temperatures slowed down the walleye bite. Anglers found some nice pike, bass, catfish and the occasional walleye from the pierhead south to Grass Island. Crankbaits and crawler harnesses in a wide variety of colors had on and off success rate. Anglers casting from the pier and shore with crankbaits and spoons were surprised with a few Atlantic salmon. Silver and gold-colored baits had the best success. Very few boats ventured to Thunder Island but those that did, had success with catches of lake trout, Atlantic salmon, Chinook, coho, and a few steelhead. Trout were found in the bottom half of 60 to 100 feet of water and the majority of silver fish were coming from the top 40 feet. While orange, gold and green colors were taking most of the salmon, watermelon, whites, and chartreuse colored baits were taking the majority of the trout.
Thunder Bay River: Leaches and crawlers were the most productive for walleye, smallmouth, catfish and freshwater drum. Mill Island Park to 9th Avenue had moderate catches of all species. The 2nd Street Bridge to the rivermouth had given up bullhead, bass and the occasional walleye. Some nice pike were taken recently using large spinners and spinnerbaits in white, red/white, and green.
Au Sable: The Brown Drakes and Hex were starting to show. The mayfly hatches have been consistent this year, so fish were looking up. It’s just a matter of time before they key into the big bugs.
Rogers City: Lake trout fishing was good with limit catches reported. The trout moved out to some deeper water. Anglers should try fishing from 65 to 80 feet of water. Anglers were running some lines near the bottom with dodgers and spin glos or cowbells with spin glos. The lake trout were suspended as well. The best fishing occurred at structured areas, Adams Point, 40 Mile Point, and at the hump straight out of the harbor. Anglers were having better success turning back and staying on the fish. The lake trout were scattered which made it hard to stay on them but once located be sure to turn back on them.
Northwest Lower Peninsula
Manistee: Salmon fishing was slow. Very few Chinook salmon were caught. In the mix were a couple steelhead and lake trout. Lake trout were reported from the bottom in 100 feet of water and Chinook/steelhead were 25 to 50 feet down in 100 to 120 feet of water. The perch action was hit or miss on the north pier, but some nice ones were caught on wigglers. Anglers looking for summer run steelhead and brown trout on the pier didn’t have any luck.
Ludington: Salmon fishing was slow. Anglers found very few at the point when fishing 70 to 140 feet of water and off the projects in 150 to 170 feet of water. Perch action on the pier was hit or miss and the brown trout bite in the harbor also slowed down. Some nice steelhead were caught while fishing the same areas for Chinook and even further out to deeper waters.
West Grand Traverse Bay: Anglers were seeing a lot more action further north now that Northport’s launch is back open. Anglers were catching anything from cisco, lake trout to smallmouth bass and some small perch. They were seeing good lake trout numbers when fishing deep down in 100 to 110 feet of water. Lake trout seemed to be hitting on a variety of setups, such as spin n glows and spin doctors.
Leland: Anglers targeting lake trout were very successful trolling 1-2 miles out, using spoons and spinners. Most anglers were catching their limits within 1-2 hours of being out. Chinook slowed down for the most part. Anglers found a few Chinook out past the Manitou Islands in deep water. Pier anglers were at docks in Leland for smallmouth bass and the occasional perch.
Charlevoix: Cisco anglers reported slower numbers of catches over the past week off the piers. Catching cisco in the early to late morning proved to be the best time of day while using shiny spoons while casting and jigging near the bottom of the channel. Anglers targeting cisco towards the evening hours had more success catching the occasional lake trout.
Petoskey/Harbor Springs: Anglers targeting bass in Little Traverse Bay reported slower rates of smallmouth bass. Casting soft plastics and crawlers were the most successful method. Anglers near the mouth of the Bear River reported bullhead and channel catfish, rock bass and smallmouth bass. Anglers targeting lake trout in boats had slow success trolling between 60 to 150 feet while fishing northwest of Harbor Springs and southwest of Petoskey.
Upper Peninsula
Little Bay de Noc: Walleye anglers reported slow fishing. Anglers that were successful had to work for them. Methods included trolling crankbaits or casting jigs. Anglers reported the smallmouth and northern pike fishing was good.
Big Bay de Noc: Smallmouth anglers reported good fishing near shore, as well as offshore around islands. Anglers were targeting rocky areas that had gobies. Salmon anglers fishing Fairport reported good fishing.
Manistique: Salmon anglers were catching Chinook salmon and steelhead. Some lake trout were also caught.
Keweenaw Bay/Huron Bay: Anglers were able to catch not only coho, and Chinook salmon from the bays but some reports included lake trout and lake whitefish. Anglers fishing for Salmon were almost exclusively trolling with the odd salmon being caught during jigging events as well. The lake trout catch was divided evenly between trolling and jigging but the most successful trips ended before noon. Anglers used a variety of artificial baits to pull in all species of fish mentioned.
Big Traverse Bay/South Portage Canal: Anglers were reporting great catches of coho and lake trout in waters near 180 feet. Fish were caught on trolling and jigging setups with most of the fish caught while trolling. Anglers reported fish throughout the entirety of the water column but only biting on days when the water was warmer. If trolling, try keeping lures above 50 feet.
Les Cheneaux/Detour: Anglers in the Hessel area were catching very few perch off the marina using minnows, leaches and worms. There were also a few pike caught off the end of the pier in the early morning hours. The pike anglers were primarily using small perch and/or gobies. The fish in the marina area were being picky and very spookish. In Cedarville, anglers were catching a few perch, pike and bass, however the bite was very slow there as well. There were a few commercial anglers picking up a few herring in the Cedarville area. The mayfly hatch slowly started with a few being spotted around the marina area in the mornings and evening. In Detour, anglers are picking up lake trout around the flats, along with a few nice size Chinook salmon. There were also a few Atlantic salmon picked up, but the fishing slowed down in that area at the moment as well due to changing weather and water temperatures.
Munising Bay: Boat anglers continued to report fair to good catches of coho. The action slowed somewhat compared to previous weeks but is still present. Lake trout anglers reported good catches near Wood Island and near Grand Portal. Pier anglers at the Anna reported some catches for splake/coho with very few fish being caught.
Ontonagon River: Weather and fishing were good over the past week. Anglers had no issues finding walleye and the occasional rock bass while trolling and jigging on the river. While it seemed early mornings were the best time to catch walleye, fish were caught at all hours of the day. At the mouth of the river some anglers had success in jigging for whitefish, however the bite was reportedly slowing down.
Ontonagon/Silver City/Union Bay: The fishing was good with anglers consistently finding good numbers of fish on a daily basis. Boats trolling artificial lures in the shallow waters had success in getting good mixed bags of lake trout, Chinook salmon, coho salmon, steelhead and brown trout. Successful trips occurred consistently at all times throughout the day.
Black River Harbor: Fishing out of the harbor was somewhat slow over the past week and few anglers made their way out on the lake. Anglers who got on the water found some success in catching lake trout and coho salmon. The key to these catches seemed to be long days spent trolling artificial lures in shallow waters.
Grand Marais: Pier anglers reported good catches of coho this past week while fishing for whitefish using single eggs. Most pier anglers were fishing more in the evening hours. The morning bite was virtually nonexistent for whitefish but a few coho were also caught in the early morning hours. Lake trout anglers were doing great with limits of lake trout either jigging or trolling near Five Mile Reef.
Southeast Lower Peninsula
Lake Erie: Yellow perch reports were starting to come in, with a few boats getting 15 to 20 fish, however many of the perch caught were still fairly small. They were caught in 18 to 22 feet of water out from Bolles Harbor on minnow rigs. Walleye were caught out from the Raisin River, which was the most successful area. Anglers were catching them on crawler harnesses. However, the bite was sort of hit or miss lately with around only about half of the boats reporting limits and the other half getting around four to 10 for a boat with two anglers. This is possibly due to the amount of aquatic vegetation out in the lake currently.
Lake St. Clair: Smallmouth bass anglers were having success while drifting tubes near Blossom Heath Boat Launch and near the Grosse Pointe Yacht Club in 12 to 15 feet of water. Other smallmouth anglers were casting dropshots and crankbaits near weeded areas along the Nine Mile Boat Launch around the same depth, 8 to 12 feet. Walleye anglers were having success trolling crawler harnesses near the shipping channel and at the mouth of the Detroit River. Anglers were trolling 1 to 2mph towards the St. Clair Lake lighthouse in 20 to 25 feet of water.
Saginaw Bay: Fishing in the slot was starting to slow down with very clear water. Anglers were doing better fishing around weed beds, finding dirty water, or moving out deeper. Anglers were targeting 25 to 30 feet of water east and northeast of the shipping channel. Anglers using body baits were catching better sized walleye, while crawlers were catching more fish with lots of undersized walleye mixed in. Bass anglers were catching and releasing a mix of smallmouth and largemouth bass around Wildfowl Bay on artificial baits. Walleye were caught three miles northeast of the Sparkplug while trolling in 22 feet of water and four miles southeast of the Sparkplug while trolling in 22 feet of water. Buoys 1 and 2 were also producing walleye in 24 feet of water.
Harbor Beach: Anglers trolling for salmon and trout were fishing in 70 to 80 feet of water using downriggers with spoons and catching Atlantic salmon, Chinook and some steelhead 15 to 25 feet down. Bright orange colored silver streaks and mini streaks worked best.
Port Sanilac: Anglers caught a nice mixed bag of steelhead, coho, and lake trout while trolling straight out in 120-130 feet of water while running baits at all levels.
Southwest Lower Peninsula
Grand Haven: The salmon action was fair for boat anglers. Salmon were caught 35 to 90 down in 65 to 160 feet of water. Orange spoons worked well along with green or yellow meat rigs. Pier anglers were catching a few steelhead on shrimp under a bobber. Anglers casting spoons were catching freshwater drum.
South Haven: Boat anglers were catching a few salmon but mostly lake trout. The fish were spread out from 65 feet of water to well beyond 120 feet. Pier anglers had slow fishing for steelhead. There were a few freshwater drum caught on shrimp. Perch fishing was very slow.
Thornapple Lake: Black crappie were biting in 10 to15 feet of water. Minnows and jigs were working best. Bluegills and largemouth bass were found in shallower water. A few musky anglers had follows and hook ups using large minnow and sucker presentations.
St. Joseph: Boat anglers targeting salmon had good fishing this week. There were good numbers of fish caught from 80 to 120 feet of water. There were still a few steelhead and coho caught in shallow waters also. There was also a decent bite in very deep water. The catch was a mixed bag of steelhead, lake trout, a few Chinook salmon but mostly coho. Perch fishing was slow. Pier fishing was steady but not great. The fishing pressure was very high, and most fish were caught on shrimp.
St. Joseph River: Anglers were catching walleye in the lower river. Anglers were also catching a few steelhead at the Berrien Springs Dam.
This report is intended to give you an idea of what is going on around the state. Updates come from Fisheries staff and conservation officers. With more than 11,000 inland lakes, the Great Lakes and thousands of miles of rivers and streams, not all locations can be listed. However, it is safe to say if a species is being caught in some waters in the area, they are likely being caught in all waters in that section of the state that have that species.
