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All anglers 17 years of age and older are required to have a fishing license.
Northeast Lower Peninsula
Presque Isle: Anglers reported catches of all salmon and trout species. The waters off the old light house were giving up good numbers of trout in 100 to 150 feet of water. Flasher and spin glow combos were taking the majority of trout in the bottom portions of the water column. White, green, and chartreuse were having the best results. Spoons ran higher in the water column were taking good numbers of silver fish. Chinook salmon and coho were taken running black/green, black/orange, and green/white spoons. Steelhead, Atlantic salmon and pink salmon were taken on lead cores ranging from 2-7 colors with orange, orange/silver, green/copper, and watermelon-colored spoons. From the new lighthouse to Thompson Harbor, the fish were found in the upper and mid portions of the water column. Some nice Chinook salmon were taken on meat rigs and flasher/fly combos 50 to 60 feet down over 80 to 120 feet of water. Walleye were reported to be in the area of Thompson Harbor and Black Point as well as north Albany Point. Crankbaits in 25 to 50 feet of water were giving the best results early and late in the day.
Cheboygan River/Lake Huron: Fishing pressure was low. Most anglers were catching smallmouth bass, rock bass or freshwater drum. Walleye were caught and targeted at night.
Rockport: Anglers targeting depths of 100 to 200 feet had good catches of lake trout, Chinook salmon, steelhead, pink salmon and Atlantic salmon. The fish were scattered in the middle of the water column to the bottom. Dodger/peanut combos worked well for trout at slower speeds while fast trolling spoons in the upper 60 feet worked best for steelhead and Atlantic salmon. The waters around Middle Island to false Presque Harbor were reported to have a few walleye in the 30 to 40 feet range. Trolling crankbaits in low light conditions had some success while casting plastic swim baits worked best during the day. Smallmouth bass were caught around the dock on tube jigs, small spinners and minnows.
Alpena: Walleye were tricky to find with the high winds and warm water going in and out. Scarecrow, Sulphur and Grass islands were giving up decent numbers while casting jigs during the day as well as crawler harnesses. Gild, green and copper colors worked best in depths of 16 to 25 feet of water. North Point and the channel in front of the cement plant were holding fish on and off. Anglers reported trolling crankbaits after dark was the most productive from 12 to 16 feet of water. Northern pike, smallmouth bass and freshwater drum were found in good numbers along the pier and pier head.
Thunder Bay River: A good number of walleye recently moved in the river from the mouth to Mill Island Park. Trolling bottom bouncers and crawler harnesses worked for some while others had luck on deep diving crankbaits. Pike and bass were taken from the mouth to the 9th Avenue Bridge. Crawlers and small spinners were taking a good number of these fish. Catfish were caught throughout the river on crawlers and leaches as well as carp, freshwater drum, bullhead and panfish.
Tawas: Most walleye anglers were heading south towards Au Gres, but the ones sticking around were having good luck out in 45 to 55 feet of water. There were a couple anglers that came in with some steelhead and an Atlantic salmon caught in 45 to 55 feet of water. Crawler harnesses were the preferred method, but there were limits caught with stick baits as well as spoons.
Oscoda/Au Sable: Smallmouth bass were caught with an occasional walleye here and there. In Oscoda, steelhead, coho, and pink salmon were the main catch in 100 to 150 feet of water. Occasionally, Chinook salmon and Atlantic salmon were caught.
Rogers City: Anglers were fishing straight out of the harbor up the lake towards 40 Mile Point and south towards Adams Point. Fishing was good with a great mixed bag. Anglers were catching lake trout, Atlantic salmon, steelhead, Chinook salmon, coho, pink salmon and walleye. This area is in the middle of a mayfly hatch along with lots of other bugs to. The steelhead, Atlantic salmon and coho were caught fairly high in the water column with regular to smaller sized spoons. Good colors were silvers, orange and silver, orange, green and silver or bright colors. Anglers were deploying planer boards with 2, 3, 5, 7 segments of lead core for best results. Anglers were also using sliders off downriggers too. Chinook salmon were caught on a regular basis as well. Spoons as well as flasher fly combos and some meat rigs were also working. Good colors were greens, blues, white, black and white. The Chinook salmon fishing was better very early before sunrise or after sunset. Some anglers staying out late have done descent. The best water depths were from 70 to 120 feet of water. Anglers should make sure to run lines all through the water column. The fish seemed to be everywhere right now. Sometimes they were above the thermocline and sometimes they were in the cold water below the thermocline. A lot of the Chinook salmon were feeding heavily on smelt so blue and silver might be a great color to use.
Northwest Lower Peninsula
Manistee: Anglers found Chinook salmon straight out and south along the bank in 80 to 220 feet of water when fishing 40 to 80 feet down. Chinook salmon were also caught at Big Sable Point and just north of it. Spoons, meat rigs and flasher fly combos worked. In the mix came a few steelhead and coho salmon. Pier anglers reported freshwater drum and smallmouth bass while fishing with spoons and jigs.
Ludington: Salmon fishing was hit or miss but some anglers found Chinook salmon. Anglers that found them fished northwest of the port and at Big Sable Point in anywhere from 60 to 180 feet of water when fishing 30 to 80 feet down. A few steelhead and coho came in as well. Spoons, meat rigs and flasher fly combos all worked. Pier anglers reported slow fishing although a few smallmouth bass were caught.
West Grand Traverse Bay: There were reports of lake trout and a few salmon caught out of the bay. A few anglers reported that they had best luck jigging in 70 to 100 feet of water while using jigging spoons.
Leland: Lake trout fishing was still up, seeing high numbers of 20+ pound fish coming in. The Chinook salmon bite was starting to pick up out in deeper waters. Green and silver spoons seemed to be the hot color. A few of the charters were coming back with a cisco or two.
Charlevoix: Boat anglers had some success targeting salmon southwest of Charlevoix between Fisherman’s Island and Medusa. A few Chinook were landed fishing between 30 and 70 feet down in roughly 100 feet of water. Some lake trout were also reported. Anglers fishing the piers reported decent numbers of small (less than 14 inches) bass, with the occasional keeper size amongst the many. Tube jig setups and/or drop shot methods proved to be the most effective.
Petoskey/Harbor Springs: Anglers targeting salmon and trout near Harbor Springs reported increased numbers of Chinook salmon and some steelhead. Most Chinook reported were between 6 and 15 pounds. Lake trout fishing northwest of Harbor Springs has held steady with a few over 20 pounds. Anglers targeting bass in Little Traverse Bay reported some success on the north side, however, the overall bite was slow.
Frankfort: Anglers were reporting good numbers of Chinook salmon in the early morning and evenings. Trolling in 100 to 160 feet of water and setting lines 40 to 80 feet down was working best with spoons and flies. Lake trout were hitting in the same areas with better numbers being reported from six-mile hole.
Upper Peninsula
Little Bay de Noc: Walleye anglers reported fair fishing at black bottom. Anglers were trolling crawler harnesses and jigging. Yellow perch anglers had success near Kipling and the Escanaba River.
Big Bay de Noc: Anglers reported fair smallmouth fishing but experienced a tougher bite due to the mayfly hatch.
Fairport: Salmon and steelhead were caught, with some large fish in the area. Divers and down rigger rods with flashers and flies, and long lines with spoons were reported to have bites. Anglers with an understanding of how the currents affect their lures action had more bites.
Marquette/Au Train: Anglers were having success near Granite Rock and between Presque Isle pier and the islands in front of Presque Isle. Anglers trolling around 45 to 60 feet of water were harvesting the most fish in these areas. Gold colored spoons and silver crankbaits with either bright green or reddish accents seemed to be popular for lake trout. Also, green spinners with a 3-inch shiner attached had great action in Au Train.
Keweenaw Bay/Huron Bay: Anglers were catching lake trout and salmon. Many fish seemed to be biting on flasher flies and spoons while trolling. Fish were caught at a range of depths during most of the day.
Big Traverse Bay/South Portage Canal: Anglers were mostly catching lake trout and coho. Some anglers caught Chinook salmon while trolling. Trolling events were scattered through the day and fish were hitting on spoons and flies.
Les Cheneaux/Detour: Anglers in the Detour area were still catching herring around the islands. They were catching a few lake trout and Chinook salmon around the lighthouse and in the flats. In the Les Cheneaux area, anglers were catching a good number of perch, but anglers really had to look for them. There were also a lot of small pike being caught in Hessel on live gobies. There were a few splake caught by anglers trolling in Wilderness Bay.
Ontonagon River: Weather conditions over the past week slightly limited fishing efforts on the river. Heavy rains kept anglers off the water at times and caused high turbidity and low visibility in the water. Anglers who got out on the nicer days were able to find some walleye and rock bass by using a combination of trolling and jigging. Mornings seemed to yield the most successful trips, but fish were caught at all times of day.
Ontonagon/Silver City/Union Bay: Despite days of poor weather conditions for fishing, some anglers were able to get on the water to find good numbers of lake trout and a few coho salmon. Fish were caught by trolling artificial lures at a variety of depths over long time spans. Catches occurred at all times of day.
Black River Harbor: Fishing efforts out of the harbor were low over the past week, possibly due to a few days of inclement weather. On good-weather days, the mornings seemed to be the most popular time to fish. Anglers reported catching some lake trout and the occasional coho salmon when trolling artificial lures at various depths of water.
Pine River: Walleye catches were hit and miss. Poor fishing one day then limits the next. Some perch were also caught.
Carp River: Some anglers reported catches of an occasional walleye.
Southeast Lower Peninsula
Lake Erie: Anglers were seeing the best walleye fishing success out in the dumping grounds in deeper water while using spoons of any color. Yellow perch were abundant in this area and were caught on minnows. White perch were also out.
Saginaw Bay: With wind, storms and rainy days, activity was lighter this past week on the east side of the bay. Fishing was inconsistent than previous weeks. Walleye were caught in shallower water of 8 to 12 feet of water around the weeds. The slot was producing a few fish in 15 to 17 feet of water, and anglers fishing east of the shipping channel caught walleye in 25 to 28 feet of water. Anglers fishing out of Caseville were around the tip of Sand Point and working from Caseville to Oak Point in 30 to 40 feet of water. Anglers were putting in long days to get numbers.
Port Sanilac: Good catches of perch occurred in 15 to 20 feet of water in various weed beds to the north and south of the harbor. Salmon and trout were caught in 100 to 130 feet of water a little to the northeast of the harbor while trolling with lead core and also using downriggers. Some coho, steelhead, lake trout and an occasional Chinook salmon and walleye were also caught.
Port Austin: Good catches of walleye were caught from a few miles west of the harbor and in front of the harbor to around the lighthouse. Anglers were trolling in about 30 feet of water while using crawler harnesses, but some anglers were using crankbaits. However, crawlers worked best.
Lexington: Anglers reported good catches of perch scattered in weed beds to the north of the harbor in 15 to 20 feet of water. Anglers should make sure to get minnows wherever they can before coming to Lexington and Port Sanilac as the bait shops had limited supply of emerald shiners.
Grindstone: Walleye were showing up in front of the harbor and to the south in 30 feet of water while trolling with crawler harnesses. The early morning was the best.
Harbor Beach: Walleye were caught from east of the harbor and to the north towards Port Hope. Anglers were using crawler harnesses in about 30 feet of water, and it seemed to be the same routine all around the thumb area. Salmon and trout were caught in 100 to 130 feet of water while trolling with lead core and spoons. A mix of lake trout, steelhead and coho were caught.
Southwest Lower Peninsula
South Haven: Boat anglers continued to have decent fishing. Boat anglers fishing just beyond 100 feet of water were doing well. The fish were mostly lake trout with some coho and steelhead mixed in. Pier fishing was slow for all species. A few perch were caught. They were spread out and scattered from 35 to 45 feet of water.
St. Joseph: Boat anglers targeting salmon were catching a few fish in 100 feet of water. The fishing was slowing down, but decent numbers of fish were still being caught. Pier fishing was slow for all species. Perch fishing was slow, but a few fish were caught. The fish were very scattered. Fish were caught in 40 to 70 feet of water.
Muskegon: Boat anglers were finding the salmon action to be hit or miss. The best action was 60 to 100 feet down in 110 to 200 feet of water. The pier action was slow for freshwater drum. Glow spoons worked well along with green or yellow meat rigs.
Grand Haven: Boat anglers were catching a mix of salmon and trout 65 to 120 feet down in 130 to 220 feet of water. Yellow and green meat rigs were working well along with green flies. Glow spoons in low light conditions produced Chinook salmon. Pier anglers were catching a few freshwater drum while casting spoons.
