By The Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Southeast Lower Peninsula
Lake Erie: Walleye fishing slowed down slightly with the wind making the water murky. However, anglers still caught limits just south out from the Sterling State Park beach using crawler harnesses on bottom bouncers in 18 feet of water. White bass and white perch were reported. Largemouth bass fishing was good in 10 to 15 feet of water all around on soft plastics.
Saginaw River: A few largemouth bass were caught and released by anglers casting various artificial baits in shallow shelf areas. Anglers jigging for walleye in downtown Saginaw caught mostly freshwater drum and channel catfish.
Eastern Saginaw Bay: Relentless winds kept walleye anglers off the bay. Some largemouth bass were caught and released near shore from Sebewaing to Bayport on artificial baits.
Tittabawassee River: Fishing pressure was light. A few smallmouth bass were caught and released by anglers fishing upstream of Caldwell Boat Launch to Dow Dam. Near Center Road, anglers jigging for walleye caught mostly freshwater drum.
Lake Huron: Very little fishing activity at any of the access sites from boats due to high winds. There were some attempts from pier and shore anglers but couldn’t keep their fishing lines controlled.
Southwest Lower Peninsula
South Haven: Boat anglers targeting salmon and trout had another week of decent fishing. The fish were moving between 60 to 80 feet of water and 80 to 100 feet of water. Most fish were caught on spoons. Pier anglers caught a few steelhead on shrimp. There were a decent number of freshwater drum caught. Perch fishing was on the slower side.
St. Joseph: Salmon fishing was good. The fish were scattered depending upon baitfish availability. The most consistent water was around 90 to 100 feet of water. Pier fishing was on the slow side. There were a few steelhead and a lot of freshwater drum caught.
St. Joseph River: Walleye fishing was good again this week. Drifting crawlers had the most success.
Muskegon: Boat anglers reported good numbers of Chinook salmon along with a few steelhead and lake trout. Successful depths were 40 to 120 feet down in 90 to 180 feet of water. A mix of spoons, meat rigs, and flasher/flies all worked well. No pier report
Grand Haven: Decent numbers of Chinook salmon were caught 40 to 120 feet down in 100 to 200 feet of water. Orange and green spoons worked well higher in the water column. Meat rigs and flasher-fly combinations did very well in deeper waters. Pier anglers targeting steelhead and chinook salmon found the action to be slow.
Northeast Lower Peninsula
Tawas/Au Gres: Weather kept fishing pressure low. Anglers did report a few smallmouth bass caught at Gateway Park.
Thunder Bay River: Anglers reported fair walleye fishing throughout the river while using crawlers and trolling body baits. Natural colors worked well early and late in the day. Atlantic salmon were caught in the river while casting spinners in blue/silver, gold, and green. Those targeting northern pike had success while casting spinner baits, and jigging plastic swim baits.
Alpena: Boat anglers had success targeting lake trout, Chinook salmon, and Atlantic salmon in depths of 45 to 70 feet of water near north point and Thunder Bay Island. Watermelon, orange, and greens worked well for salmon on leadcore lines as well as dipsy divers. Lake trout were taken on chartreuse, and white spoons as well as flashers and Spin-N-Glos. Walleye fishing was hit or miss while trolling body baits in 10 to 20 feet of water. Pier anglers caught smallmouth bass, northern pike, and the occasional walleye while using crawlers and casting crank baits.
Rockport: Lake trout fishing was good from Stone Port south to Middle Island with a few Atlantic salmon and coho salmon being caught. Spoons trolled with copper and leadcore lines worked well on planer boards as well as long lines in depths of 25 to 70 feet of water. Cold water had fish scattered, so covering different depths was most productive. A few Atlantic salmon were seen in the shallows near the pier and were caught on minnows under slip bobbers.
Cheboygan: The Cheboygan Lock and Dam Complex remains closed to the public. Due to weather, there were no reports from Lake Huron. In the Cheboygan River, anglers caught walleye, suckers, and the occasional smallmouth. Walleye shore anglers used jigging spoons and drifted jig and minnows. Boat anglers drifted night crawlers. They reported success between the State Street drawbridge and the pedestrian walkway bridge.
Oscoda/Au Sable: Anglers targeting lake trout did well trolling spoons in 40 to 60 feet of water. A few walleye were taken in the river by anglers drifting crawlers or jigging plastics. Steelhead were caught below Foote Dam by anglers drifting beads and flies.
Harrisville: Pike and smallmouth bass were caught in the harbor by anglers casting overhead spinners and Rapalas. Anglers trolling in 40 to 65 feet of water did well on lake trout.
Rogers City: Lake trout fishing improved. Some anglers limited out. The best depths were 40 to 60 feet of water. Anglers ran lines all over the water column. Spoons were the best choice with successful colors of greens, oranges, yellows, and blue. Anglers also used dodgers and Spin-n-Glos as well as cowbells with Spin-n-Glos near the bottom. There continued to be some Atlantic salmon in and around the marina. Anglers cast small spinner spoons and body baits for them.
Presque Isle: Lake trout were caught in good numbers with some reported limits. Best depths were 60 to 90 feet of water. Anglers ran spoons but some body baits as well. Good colors were greens, oranges, blue, yellows and silver. Flashers, attractors and cowbells were run close to the bottom with Spin-N-Glos attached to them. The occasional Atlantic salmon came off lines trolled high in the water column.
Northwest Lower Peninsula
Manistee: Boat anglers caught chinook salmon and lake trout along the shelf and south towards Big Sable Point in 120 to 200 feet of water while trolling green and glow spoons 40 to 85 feet down. Chinook salmon were caught outside the pier heads in 35 to 40 feet of water. Pier anglers caught Chinook salmon on alewife and spoons while casting or jigging.
Ludington: Chinook salmon were caught at Big Sable point in 100 to 200 feet of water while fishing 40 to 90 feet down and south in 50 to 60 feet of water. There were no reports from the piers.
Charlevoix: Anglers targeting cisco in the Pine River channel reported no luck.
Little Traverse Bay: Anglers fishing the Bear River reported little steelhead as the run winds down. Boat angling was held to minimum due to cold water temperatures.
West Grand Traverse Bay: Anglers fishing the breakwalls caught a few smallmouth bass in 15 to 30 feet of water. Not many fish were seen in shallow water yet due to the water temperature being around 43 degrees.
Leland: Steelhead were still present in the harbor, with minimal fishing pressure. Boat anglers found success targeting lake trout while trolling second bank in 100 to 150 feet of water, bait depth seemed to vary from 90 to 110 feet down with greens and orange being the best colors. Anglers reported large patches of bait fish while trolling.
Upper Peninsula
Little Bay de Noc: Anglers reported good walleye fishing. Those trolling used crank baits or crawler harnesses. Some anglers fished in or near the river mouths cast in the shallows. Some anglers ventured south of Escanaba and reported doing well on shallow flats in the mornings and evenings. Yellow perch fishing near the narrows was good. Perch were caught using perch rigs with minnows or worms.
Keweenaw Bay: Anglers reported fair to good numbers of coho salmon were caught when trolling stick baits, spoons, and flasher-fly combinations in the upper portion of the water column. Anglers caught the occasional rainbow trout while trolling as well. Anglers jigging for lake trout reported a fair bite.
Traverse Bay/Portage Entry: Anglers trolling nearshore and near structure reported fair numbers of lake trout and coho salmon using stick baits and spoons. Anglers also reported the occasional brown trout or steelhead. Anglers targeting lake trout reported a good bite while jigging natural and artificial baits.
Ontonagon River: Fishing efforts on the river were high as anglers hit the water over the holiday weekend. Walleye were reported in fair numbers. Boat anglers found the most success when trolling. Shore anglers reported catches of walleye and white suckers.
Ontonagon/Silver City/Union Bay: Angling effort from these ports was strong. Anglers reported catches of coho salmon, Chinook salmon, brown trout, and lake trout. Trolling in shallow waters continued to produce the best yields for boat anglers. Shore anglers fishing from these ports reported catches of coho salmon and brown trout in low numbers.
Black River Harbor: Angling efforts from the harbor increased over the weekend. Boat anglers reported mixed catches of coho salmon, brown trout, Chinook salmon, and lake trout in varying numbers. Shore anglers within the harbor and fishing from the break walls have reported catches of coho salmon and brown trout in low numbers.
St. Ignace: In the Carp and Pine Rivers, anglers targeting walleye from shore floated jigs and leeches, while boat anglers trolled night crawler harnesses.
Manistique: Steelhead fishing was slow. Some anglers used fly rods with beads or nymphs, while others drifted beads under a float. Walleye anglers reported slow fishing.
Marquette: Brown trout continued to be consistent with both boat anglers and river anglers in the Chocolay River. In the lower harbor, the coho salmon bite remained hit or miss, but there were a good number of Chinook salmon caught all over Marquette and out towards Shot Point.
Au Train: Coho salmon and brown trout fishing was slow in Au Train Bay, but there were several Chinook salmon caught again in Au Train by Scott Falls and up towards the tip of 5 Mile Point this week in around 40 feet of water. Anglers targeted lake trout by jigging, with moderate success.
