Southeast Lower Peninsula
Lake Erie: Anglers were catching walleye while trolling Bandits. The fish were pretty spread out, but the best catches were coming from deeper waters, 25 to 27 feet of water out of Sterling State Park and 24 to 25 feet of water out of Bolles Harbor.
Lake St. Clair: Anglers were catching smallmouth bass. The walleye bite was slow, but the perch were moving into the bays from St. Clair Shores to Selfridge Access.
Saginaw Bay: Anglers trolling near the end of the old shipping channel near Buoy A had success catching walleye. In addition, out near the Spark Plug in 20 to 22 feet of water has been productive. Dark colored Bandits and Husky Jerks were working on overcast days. Try brighter colors like blue and chrome on sunny days.
Caseville: Lake trout were caught from the breakwall. Some ice had formed but the high winds and warm temperatures opened the area back up. Casting ¾ oz. Little Cleo spoons has been the most productive. Minnows on perch rigs has also worked well.
Saginaw River: Walleye reports have been spotty, but some fish were caught near the Zilwaukee Bridge and near the mouth by anglers jigging with minnows.
Southwest Lower Peninsula
Kalamazoo River: Anglers were having success with pike fishing on stretches of the Kalamazoo River near the Calhoun County line.
Grand River near Grand Rapids: Anglers were fishing up by 6th St. Dam with beads and/or drifting the holes downstream from the dam. Spawn and trolling plugs were also having some success.
Northeast Lower Peninsula
Au Sable River below Foote Dam: Some late season Atlantic salmon were found in the lower river from Foote Dam to the mouth of Lake Huron, while fall run steelhead were continuing to show up in this same river reach for over-winter staging. Anglers should try small presentations with minnows or egg patterns in deeper holes behind shallow gravel stretches.
Northwest Lower Peninsula
Manistee: Some steelhead were entering the streams. Pier anglers in Manistee were having some success catching steelhead when the wind cooperated.
Upper Peninsula
Little Bay de Noc: Ice was forming in Little Bay de Noc north of Gladstone. Ice conditions were hazardous due to thin ice.
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.
