Northeast Lower Peninsula
Tawas: Some rock bass, largemouth bass and catfish were caught off the pier while casting spinners and body baits or still fishing with crawlers. There were some Chinook salmon, coho salmon, brown trout, steelhead and walleye caught out past buoy 2 in 50 to 60 feet of water while trolling spoons and body baits. Fishing was slow on the Tawas River at Gateway Park. There were a few largemouth bass and bluegill caught while casting spinners and plastics or still fishing with crawlers.
Oscoda: Anglers were catching rock bass and smallmouth bass in the river while using crawlers. In the late evening hours, catfish were also caught on crawlers with the occasional walleye caught as well. In Lake Huron, anglers were catching lake trout, steelhead, pink salmon and Chinook salmon in 90 to 160 feet of water.
Alpena: Lake trout fishing continued to be consistent. Anglers were fishing the humps, Nordmeer Wreck or Thunder Bay Island. The best depths were in 85 to 120 feet of water and fishing within the bottom 10 feet. Anglers were using attractors with Spin-N-Glos or Spin-N-Glo flies. Anglers were also running a few lines higher in the water column getting an occasional pink salmon, coho or steelhead. Walleye fishing was slow in the bay. Good places to try were Thunder Bay Island, North Shore, North Point, Sulphur Island and Scarecrow Island. The main basin seemed to be a little better than inside of the bay. Anglers were trolling body baits or using night crawler harnesses. Anglers were seeing more success while night fishing.
Thunder Bay River: Anglers were using live bait or casting with an assortment of lures catching small panfish of several varieties. There were catches of rock bass and under size bass and freshwater drum.
Au Gres: There were some good numbers of walleye caught out near the Charity Islands, as well as out in front of the river, near the bell buoy, and shipwreck in 15 to 30 feet while trolling flicker shads or crawlers. Down further to the south, there were some walleye caught near the Saganing and Pinconning bars while trolling flicker shads and crawlers in 12 to 20 feet of water.
Rogers City: A few Chinook salmon were starting to show up in angler catches, not a lot of fish but high-quality fish were caught with many reaching 15 pounds or more. When cooler water was present the fish were biting much better than when the warm water was stacked in this area. The best depth of water was 50 to 90 feet. Anglers were running lines throughout the water column. The best baits were spoons, J-Plugs, Dodgers with flies or squids and meat rigs. Meat rigs worked better in warmer water. Good colors were black and white, greens, blue, white or pearl, and glow stuff early and late. The salmon were hitting very early or late.
Northwest Lower Peninsula
Frankfort: Chinook catches were picking up straight out on the bank in 160 to 200 feet of water and trolling 60 to 80 down. The best action occurred at first light and at dusk on green spoons and flies. Platte Bay anglers reported good numbers of lake trout while trolling and jigging near the bottom.
Onekama: Anglers trolling the barrel and off the golf course were reporting Chinook in 130 to 150 feet of water and working the top 100 feet. Anglers reported that the fish were a bit deeper as water temperatures were rising. Lake trout were also reported by anglers bouncing the bottom.
Portage Lake: Water temperatures were on the warm side so bass anglers were working drops. Panfish and perch anglers were seeing action in 18 to 22 feet of water on the west end of the lake.
Manistee: Chinook and a few lake trout were caught straight out along the shelf in 120 to 175 feet of water when fishing 80 to 100 feet down. Spoons and flies worked along with some meat rigs. Pier fishing was slow.
Ludington: Salmon were caught straight out and south off the projects in 170 to 220 feet of water when fishing 60 to 90 feet down and in 140 to150 fishing 70 to 90 down. Spoons, flies and plugs worked well. Pier fishing was slow.
Upper Peninsula
Little Bay de Noc: Walleye fishing was slow. Anglers were having good success when perch fishing, although sorting through small fish was particularly challenging. Anglers were using minnows and worms. Areas around the Kipling boat launch produced fish.
Manistique: Salmon anglers reported mixed results. Anglers were catching mainly smaller Chinook salmon, but some adults remained. Areas that were productive include waters around the “red can” and Pointe Aux Barques. Anglers were using a combination of flasher flies and spoons.
Les Cheneaux/Detour: Anglers were catching walleye up towards Drummond Island and some perch were caught from shore. In the Les Cheneaux area, anglers were catching a few nice perch at the marina while using minnows. There were a few pike and splake around the area as well. The Chinook salmon fishing in the Hessel area was very productive. The smallmouth bass and pike fishing around the Hessel area was also great.
Marquette: Fishing activity was down this week. Anglers reported catching only lake trout in the Marquette area. Most reports came from around White Rocks, and some reports of lake trout came from Shot Point. When fishing near White Rocks, try to find deep water (around 130 to 160 feet) and try using bright colored spoons while trolling just under 2 mph. For Shot Point, try trolling in 40 to 60 feet of water while using spoons or flickers.
Munising: Fishing was slow, however there were catches of splake reported. Lake trout fishing was fair to good in the west channel towards White Rocks and Wood Island Reef. Common depths were around 150 feet. Water temperatures remained cool for this time of year with surface temps in the mid to upper 60s, however offshore temps remained in the low 60s on surface.
Grand Marais: Fishing pressure increased with mainly lake trout anglers. Fish were averaging around 3 to 4 pounds. Some of the common areas producing were towards AuSable Point and near the fishing channel near Five Mile Reef with common depths fished around 200+ feet. Surface water temps remained in mid to upper 60s to some areas near 70 degrees within the harbor.
Keweenaw Bay/ Huron Bay: Anglers in Keweenaw and Huron bays were fishing mostly for lake trout in the last week. Anglers were mostly trolling for lake trout and success was spotty unless weather was favorable. The most used lures/baits continued to be spoons and flasher flies with no natural bait on them. These baits seemed to be the best option for trolling in and around Keweenaw and Huron bays. Most successful fishing was in the early morning hours while temperatures were low, and the fish were most active.
Traverse Bays/ South Portage Entry Canal: Most anglers were trolling for lake trout however they were strongly anticipating coho moving into the near shore waters soon. Shore anglers were catching northern pike, yellow perch and bullheads. Shore anglers were casting a variety of baits including worms and top water baits. Anglers trolling reported a few coho in near shore waters. Anglers were trolling while using spoons and flasher flies in mid depth waters for salmon and deeper water for the lake trout. Try fishing as early or late in the day as you can since the water temps will be lower during those times and the fish should be in shallower waters.
Au Train: Au Train Island was the most popular location for anglers to catch lake trout. Anglers reported catching lake trout in deep pockets of water that were in about 60 to 80 feet. While fishing around Au Train Island, try trolling or jigging in about 130 to 150 feet of water. Try trolling around 2 mph while using spoons or try jigging cut-baits.
Upper St. Mary’s/Whitefish Bay: Fishing pressure was low over the weekend near the Soo Locks. Anglers were targeting whitefish and perch with limited success. Near Waishkey Bay, anglers were targeting Chinook, coho and lake trout. Anglers were successful in 120 feet of water fishing at a depth of around 60 feet while using spoons. Anglers were successful catching bullheads and some perch in the bay.
Southeast Lower Peninsula
Lake Erie: Fishing was slow with the weather and algae bloom in full effect. Anglers were catching yellow perch on minnow rigs in 15 to 20 feet of water. Some walleye were still hanging on out around Fermi in 23 feet of water. Anglers who were catching walleye were using crawler harness rigs. Bass fishing slowed down with the murky water. Catfish catches were still showing success out from the hot ponds.
Detroit River: Anglers were catching walleye while trolling with crawlers and jigging with jig heads tipped with crawlers. The main action was in the mouth of the river at Lake Erie and in the Trenton channel. Most fish were caught in 15 to 20 feet of water. Anglers were beginning to catch perch in the mouth of the river and in front of the Lake Erie Metropark Marina. Anglers were anchored and still fished with minnows.
Lake St. Clair: Anglers reported catching catfish near the Spillway. Smallmouth were caught in 10 to 12 feet, especially in the north end of the lake.
St. Clair River: Anglers were catching sturgeon in the evening. Walleye were caught near the channel, mostly small but there were some good-sized fish caught.
Saginaw Bay: Anglers found walleye scattered throughout the east side from waters around 10 feet and out to 30+ feet deep, but catches were inconsistent. More consistent fishing was over the bar in 22 to 24 feet and east of the shipping channel in 25 to 30 feet of water. Body baits, spoons and crawlers all produced walleye at times. Walleye were also caught near buoy 1 and buoy 2 while trolling in 25 feet of water with crankbaits and crawlers. Just north of Spoils Island, walleye were caught while trolling in 15 feet of water on crawlers. Near the old shipping channel and near buoy’s A, H and F, yellow perch were caught on crawlers and minnows.
Harbor Beach: A few walleye were caught in different depths, anywhere from 18 to 40 feet of water while using both artificial lures and crawler harnesses. A couple boat anglers were trolling for salmon and trout and caught lake trout in 100 to 120 feet while using downriggers with spoons and Dodgers and squid.
Grindstone: Walleye were caught straight out from the harbor in 30 to 40 feet while using both artificial lures and crawler harnesses. Some lake trout were caught way out towards Yankee Reef in 120 to 130 feet of running downriggers and spoons.
Port Austin: Walleye were scattered at all different depths, mostly caught with crawler harnesses. A couple boats trolling for steelhead in 90 to 110 feet of water also caught walleye along with Atlantic salmon and steelhead while using spoons fishing the top 30 feet. A couple boats went west to Charity Island and caught their limit of walleye using crawler harnesses.
Southwest Lower Peninsula
Muskegon: Boats anglers were catching Chinook salmon 55 to 130 feet down in 120 to 240 feet of water. Glow spoons, green meat rigs and flies all produced good numbers of salmon. The best salmon bite occurred in low light conditions. Pier anglers were finding the freshwater drum action to be slow.
Grand Haven: Chinook salmon were caught 55 to 140 feet down in 130 to 220 feet of water. Green flies and meat rigs worked well along with glow spoons. Pier anglers were catching a few largemouth and smallmouth bass while using plastics or casting body baits. Freshwater drum action continued to be slow.
St. Joseph: Boat anglers targeting salmon had a good week. There were three bands of active fish. Anglers fishing 80 to 100 feet of water were catching lake trout and a few salmon. The deeper anglers caught more salmon and less lake trout. Spin Doctors, flies and meat rigs were working best. Perch anglers were doing decent. The perch were in 35 feet of water but as the week progressed the fish moved deeper. The best water seemed to be around 45 feet of water. Pier anglers had slow fishing for all species.
South Haven: Perch anglers were catching a few fish in 48 feet of water. The fish were moving a lot. The few boat anglers that made it out were catching a mixed bag of lake trout and salmon. Most boat anglers were forced to stay inside of 100 feet of water due to lake conditions. Spoons were working best for salmon. Pier fishing was very slow for all species. The piers were closed to fishing due to red flag lake conditions for several days.
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.
