Southeast Lower Peninsula
Lake Erie: Walleye fishing continued to be slow with warm water temperatures and wind mixing up vegetation in the water. Some anglers did have success in shallower water, 15 to 18 feet, in Brest Bay, bottom bouncing crawlers. Largemouth bass were also reported this week on artificial lures in shallower water.
Sebewaing: Straight out in the slot in 16 feet of water, night crawler harnesses produced catches of walleye.
Lower Saginaw Bay: Walleye anglers continued trolling one mile east of Spoils Island in 8 to 10 feet of water using crawlers and catching walleye up to 24 inches. Anglers trolling 3 miles northeast of the sparkplug in 23 feet of water found success using black and gold Hot-N-Tots. Shore anglers fishing at Smith Park in Essexville continued to catch freshwater drum and channel catfish while still fishing with worms.
Quanicassee: Coreyon Reef and the shipping channel in 15 to 25 feet of water continued to produce good numbers of walleye.
Lake Huron/Sunset Marina: Straight out in the slot in 16 feet of water produced good catches of walleye on night crawler harnesses.
Caseville: There was a lot of angling effort and boat traffic, with reports of good fishing around the Charity Islands.
Southwest Lower Peninsula
Muskegon: Good numbers of Chinook salmon were caught from the pier heads in 100 feet of water. Green and blue glow spoons worked best fished 20 to 80 feet down.
Grand Haven: Water temperatures cooled over the past week but started to slowly warm back up. Good numbers of Chinook salmon were caught 20 to 70 feet down in 40 to 90 feet of water. Glow spoons worked very well in low-light conditions, while white flashers and green flies were highly productive. Pier anglers caught a few steelhead using shrimp or casting orange spoons. Freshwater drum were also caught in the channel while casting spoons.
Northeast Lower Peninsula
Tawas/Au Gres: Anglers reported catching walleye in fair numbers in 60 feet of water using both crawler harnesses and crankbaits. Lake trout and freshwater drum were also caught. Anglers who made the run to Charity Island had success catching walleye, with the best results coming on bottom bouncers fished in 14 feet of water.
Anglers fishing the shipping channel reported that walleye fishing was hit or miss. Many undersized walleye were caught, along with freshwater drum, channel catfish, and white bass. In the Standish area, anglers reported catching good numbers of walleye at the catfish hole.
Alpena: Anglers reported success targeting walleye throughout the day while using crawlers and crankbaits. Sulphur Island to Scarecrow Island held good numbers of fish, as did the north shore. Pink, purple, and yellow were all productive colors. Anglers targeting lake trout had good results in 70 to 120 feet of water off North Point. Dodgers and Spin-N-Glos fished near the bottom were productive, as were spoons fished in the lower half of the water column. A few steelhead were also caught while fishing bright-colored spoons in the top 20 feet of water.
Thunder Bay River: Anglers reported good numbers of walleye remaining in the river from the mouth upstream to the 9th Street Dam. Drifting nightcrawlers and leeches produced fish throughout the day. Boat anglers trolling nightcrawlers and crankbaits also reported success. A good number of catfish were caught near Lamar Park and below the 2nd Avenue Bridge.
Rockport: Decent numbers of steelhead were found from Stoneport to Middle Island in 60 to 100 feet of water. The best results came from bright-colored spoons trolled near the surface. A few Chinook salmon and coho salmon were also caught in the same areas while trolling in the middle of the water column. Green, blue, and chartreuse spoons were the most productive.
Lake trout fishing was reported as excellent, with most anglers reaching their limits. Large dodgers and Spin-N-Glos fished in the bottom 20 feet of the water column produced the best results, with chartreuse and orange being the most effective colors. Near False Presque Isle, anglers reported incidental catches of walleye while trolling for trout and salmon in 70 to 90 feet of water using standard-sized spoons.
Cheboygan: Lake trout anglers reached their limits at Reynolds Reef while trolling spoons in 20 to 40 feet of water.
Walleye, smallmouth bass, rock bass, catfish, and freshwater drum were reported between the Cheboygan Dam spillway and the State Street drawbridge. Walleye anglers caught up to two fish per trip, along with many freshwater drum. Boat anglers targeting walleye used drifted hook-and-worm rigs, while shore anglers utilized drop-shot rigs and drifted jigs with worms. Undersized northern pike were caught in Duncan Bay using crankbaits and swimbaits. Freshwater drum were caught throughout the lower Cheboygan River while drifting jigs with worms, drifting nightcrawler harnesses, and bottom fishing with drop-shot rigs.
Oscoda/Au Sable: Anglers fishing offshore continued to do well targeting lake trout in 70 to 100 feet of water while trolling spoons and Spin-N-Glos close to the bottom. High lines with orange and green spoons produced steelhead in 70 to 90 feet of water, along with occasional catches of Atlantic salmon, coho salmon, and walleye.
Anglers targeting walleye in the lower river and mouth found a few fish but had to sort through undersized fish. Drifting crawlers and trolling flicker shads produced walleye. Anglers fishing crawlers on the bottom from the pier head and catwalk caught freshwater drum and channel catfish.
Harrisville: Anglers targeting lake trout continued to find success in 70 to 90 feet of water while trolling Spin-N-Glos in orange and green, as well as spoons close to the bottom. Anglers venturing into deeper water, 150 to 200 feet, also reported good trout fishing and found some larger fish. Anglers running high lines of leadcore and copper 15 to 40 down caught some nice steelhead in 70 to 90 feet of water. Anglers casting in the harbor caught northern pike, smallmouth bass, and the occasional walleye.
Northwest Lower Peninsula
Manistee: Anglers trolling the shelf for Chinook salmon reported catching fish straight out and south in 70 to 200 feet of water while fishing 50 to 70 feet down. Lake trout were caught north of town in 100 to 150 feet of water while fishing near the bottom. Spoons, flasher and fly combinations, and meat rigs all produced fish. A few steelhead were also caught. Rock bass were reported from the pier while using nightcrawlers.
Ludington: Chinook salmon were caught offshore from Pentwater, south of the area in 80 feet of water, straight out from the pier heads in 60 to 100 feet of water, and around Big Sable Point. Fish were caught 25 to 60 feet down in the water column. Spoons produced the best results, though fish were also caught on flasher and fly combinations and meat rigs. A few steelhead and lake trout were also caught. Pier fishing was generally slow.
Charlevoix: Boat anglers trolling for salmon and trout reported slow catch rates while using spoons and meat rigs. Trolling near the temperature break produced occasional Chinook salmon. Anglers fishing from the piers reported catching several smallmouth bass and a few yellow perch.
Little Traverse Bay: Boat anglers targeting lake trout reported marking fish in 60 to 80 feet of water but experienced few bites. Anglers targeting silver fish reported catching the occasional adult fish along with a few shakers. Those fishing the mouth of the Bear River reported catching rock bass, some small yellow perch, and catfish.
West Grand Traverse Bay: Lake trout were caught by anglers jigging around the red 6 buoy in 80 to 100 feet of water. Anglers trolling the west bank just north of Elmwood Marina also caught a few lake trout. Water temperatures ranged from 69 to 73 degrees.
East Grand Traverse Bay: Anglers fishing off Elk Rapids caught lake trout while jigging in 70 to 100 feet of water. Gold and white jigging spoons produced good results. Lake trout were also caught by anglers jigging around Deepwater Point in 60 to 90 feet of water. Anglers trolling around Old Mission reported catching good numbers of lake trout in 70 to 130 feet of water. Smallmouth bass were caught along the breaks in 10 to 20 feet of water. Water temperatures throughout the bay ranged from 69 to 75 degrees.
Leland: Weather was extremely variable keeping many anglers off the water. Anglers who made it to the North Manitou Islands reported the best fishing.
Frankfort/Lake Michigan: Warm weather and winds caused the lake to mix, shifting the location of the temperature break. Anglers reported catching good numbers of Chinook salmon during the early mornings on spoons around the herring hole. Anglers were targeting 160 to 240 feet of water and running lures within the top 100 feet of the water column. Lake trout numbers and sizes increased over the past week both offshore and in the Platte Bay area.
Onekama/Lake Michigan: Anglers targeted slightly deeper waters to catch Chinook salmon, with some anglers heading south to Bar Lake and trolling north. The Barrel was also active, with anglers catching lake trout near the bottom using Spin-N-Glos.
Northport/Suttons Bay: Fishing effort increased as more boat anglers reported fair harvest rates for lake trout. Anglers targeted lake trout while jigging near Stoney Point, Omena Bay, and surrounding areas near Northport. Jigging with small white and gold spoons produced the best results. Trolling anglers did not report catching salmon but were marking large groups of fish suspended throughout the water column.
Upper Peninsula
Little Bay de Noc: Yellow perch anglers reported catching some fish near the Escanaba River and the reefs in the upper bay, though overall fishing was slow. Walleye anglers were able to find some fish near the weed beds. Some anglers headed south out of Escanaba in search of salmon. Chinook salmon anglers reported good fishing in Green Bay in water depths exceeding 100 feet. Spoons and trolling flies produced the best results.
Munising: Anglers who fished near the Anna River mouth reported catching a few splake, but the bite was slow overall. Boat anglers continued to do well for lake trout while trolling and jigging around Grand Island. Salmon fishing remained slow, though boat anglers caught a few Chinook salmon and coho salmon over the past week.
Keweenaw Bay/Huron Bay: Anglers reported fair numbers of coho salmon and lake trout caught while trolling spoons and flasher and fly combinations in the top 40 to 80 feet of the water column. A few Chinook salmon and rainbow trout were also caught while trolling. Anglers reported slow action while jigging for whitefish and lake trout, with most fish being caught on natural presentations in waters around 180 feet.
Traverse Bay/Portage Entry: Anglers trolling near structure in 40 to 80 feet of water reported good numbers of lake trout and a few smaller Chinook salmon while using spoons and flasher and fly combinations. Anglers also reported catching small numbers of coho salmon. Anglers jigging for lake trout reported poor success with both natural and artificial baits, with a few fish being caught in 140 to 180 feet of water.
Ontonagon River: The river saw a good amount of angling effort over the past week. Walleye were caught in fair numbers. Boat anglers continued to have success using both trolling and jigging techniques. Anglers fishing from shore reported catching walleye and rock bass in low to fair numbers.
Ontonagon/Silver City/Union Bay: Over the past week, angling effort from Ontonagon was fair. Effort from the Silver City and Union Bay access sites was much lower in comparison. Recent reports from anglers included catches of lake trout in fair numbers, along with less frequent catches of coho salmon and Chinook salmon. Trolling continued to produce the best results for boat anglers. Anglers reported catching fish across a variety of depths.
Black River Harbor: The harbor experienced low to fair levels of angling effort over the past week. Recent reports from anglers included catches of lake trout and coho salmon in low to fair numbers. Trolling continued to be the best method for picking up these fish. Some anglers shifted their focus to deeper waters, while others reported still having success in shallower depths.
St. Ignace: Lake trout anglers reported that fish were difficult to locate while trolling spoons and flashers with Spin-N-Glos. Anglers were able to catch a few fish on each bait in 80 to 90 feet of water off the north side of Mackinac Island.
At the Pine River, anglers reported catching walleye, yellow perch, northern pike, and bullheads. Anglers harvested up to three walleye per trip, with many undersized fish being released.
Anglers fishing from shore near the M-134 overpass bridge drifted jigs with leeches or worms. Boat anglers targeting walleye trolled nightcrawler harnesses, while those targeting pike used trolled body baits.
Grand Marais: Boat anglers did well targeting lake trout when trolling and jigging for them. Boat anglers also reported catching a few coho salmon trolling. Fishing pressure was low off the breakwall.
Les Cheneaux Islands/DeTour: Anglers in Hessel caught a few yellow perch off the marina docks using minnows and worms. Northern pike were also caught early in the morning along the outside wall using chubs. Anglers between Hessel and Cedarville reported catching northern pike, smallmouth bass, and a few yellow perch. In Detour, anglers caught lake trout on the flats. Good numbers of walleye and smallmouth bass were also caught around Drummond Island. Anglers still had some success catching cisco around the islands, though activity had slowed compared to the previous week.
Manistique: Chinook salmon anglers fishing locally and not far from the launch reported an overall slow bite. Lake trout fishing was good in nearshore areas. However, Chinook salmon catches remained relatively low near South Point Aux Barques and points to the east. Anglers who traveled farther south toward Fairport reported marking more bait and fish. Rainbow trout were also caught.
Marquette: Fishing conditions remained similar to the previous week, though fish appeared to be more difficult to locate. Lake trout anglers had to venture into deeper water to find fish, with many trolling north of White Rocks toward north of Granite Rock in depths ranging from 140 to over 300 feet of water. Anglers who found success were targeting deeper water this week compared to the previous week when fish were being caught closer to the surface. Three coho salmon were reportedly caught around 140 feet of water while trolling for lake trout.
Au Train: Anglers reported fishing in deeper waters 3 to 5 miles north to northwest of Au Train Island in 140 to 220 feet of water. They reached their limits of quality lake trout two days in a row but had to put in considerable effort, fishing around seven hours each day before locating fish. Once they found the fish, they experienced quick success. All lake trout held near the bottom this week, unlike the previous week when fish were suspended in the water column while feeding on insects.
