Fishing Michigan

If you have, or just want to find out more about these you can look at the DNR website.  They have several kinds of markers and tags that are used for studying various types of fish species.  Much like the waterfowl that are banded, you can send the information in when you find a tag/marker, and will get mail in return with the history of that fish.  When it was tagged, approximate age, and an idea of how far it has traveled.

Michigan Tagging/Markers

 

Southeast Lower PeninsulaLake Erie - Fishing has been slow with most anglers bringing in one or two walleye per trip. They are using bottom bouncers with crawlers in 23 to 25 feet of water near the Fermi Power Plant however anglers were catching more fish in Ohio waters. A few largemouth bass were caught near Bolles Harbor and the yellow perch action picked up with 20 fish per trip when fishing near Stony Point in 20 feet of water.

Huron River - Is still producing smallmouth bass, catfish, carp, freshwater drum and panfish. No word on steelhead for the past week.

Detroit River - Walleye were hitting with the warmer weather but may slow by the weekend. Bass fishing continues and some big carp have also been caught.

Lexington - For perch, drift in 18 to 25 feet of water to locate active schools of fish, then anchor. Inside the harbor, pier and shore anglers have caught northern pike, rock bass and bluegill.

Port Sanilac - Perch are still being caught by those drifting perch rigs with minnows or still-fishing with minnows.

Harbor Beach - Some perch were caught around the lighthouse and along the inside of the breakwall. Lake trout, steelhead and salmon have been caught in 80 to 100 feet of water.

Grindstone City - The experienced anglers are catching a lot of walleye and some smallmouth in 30 feet of water.

Port Austin - Anglers are taking walleye in 25 to 40 feet of water. Lake trout can be found in 80 to 100 feet of water north and northeast of the lighthouse. Pier anglers and those in small boats have caught a few perch inside the harbor.

Saginaw Bay - The walleye bite slowed however fish are still being caught. Limits are still being reported, it just takes a little longer to catch that many fish. It appears the fish have moved out to waters about 14 feet deep. There has been a lot of activity around the Spark Plug. Good fishing in the Slot when using bottom bouncers and crawler harnesses. Those using crank baits reported difficulty because of the weeds. Caseville reported fair walleye action off Oak Point in 35 feet of water.

Southwest Lower Peninsula

St. Joe - Boat anglers were catching steelhead in 60 to 70 feet of water both north and south of the harbor. Pier anglers have managed to catch a few perch along with a couple steelhead.

St. Joe River - Summer run steelhead are hitting on flies near the mouth of the feeder creeks. Walleye and smallmouth bass have been caught when bouncing crawlers along the rocks or using Hot-n-Tots.

Grand Haven - Boat anglers have been catching fish 40 to 65 feet down in waters 85 to 120 feet deep. Blue and green spinnies and flies or glow plugs worked best. Perch are being caught off the pier but will move out with the warm waters.

Grand River at Grand Rapids - Walleye have been caught when drifting small jigs with crawlers between the Sixth Street Dam and Johnson Park. Both pike and flathead catfish are hitting good.

Grand River at Lansing – No walleye to speak of but some nice channel cats have been caught below the North Lansing Dam and the Moore’s Park Dam. Crawlers and minnows were both good baits.

Morrison Lake - Fair to good action for crappie and bluegills but the fish were small.

Thornapple Lake - Crappie are hitting on minnows but the fish are scattered. A few muskie have been caught when trolling with top water baits.

Reeds Lake - Look for the big bluegills in 20 to 30 feet of water.

Muskegon - Salmon and trout are still being caught about halfway down in waters 50 to 100 feet deep. No perch to report.

Northeast Lower Peninsula

Rogers City - Fishing has been good. Bait fish are holding in the area so anglers are catching salmon, lake trout and steelhead. A few walleye and atlantic salmon were also taken.

Rockport - Anglers are still catching salmon and trout around Middle Island and False Presque Isle in 100 to 150 feet of water.

Alpena - Fishing has been slow in Thunder Bay. Salmon and trout have been caught about 100 to 150 feet down in waters 200 to 250 feet deep but results are limited.

Thunder Bay River - There have been walleye and catfish taken all week off the Ninth Street Bridge. This is primarily night fishing with worms or body baits.

Harrisville - When boats can get out, anglers are taking a variety of fish but most have been lake trout caught 80 to 90 feet down in waters 120 to 140 feet deep. Salmon were hitting on yellow tails in 75 to 85 feet of water and steelhead were caught in 55 to 65 feet of water straight out or south of the harbor. Planer boards and dipsey divers seem to be producing the best. Silver and orange were good colors.

Oscoda - Salmon and lake trout fishing seems to be picking up. The salmon are in 75 to 85 feet of water and seem to prefer yellow tails or orange wobble glows with spinners. Some have also done well with spinners. Lake trout can be found in 100 to 130 feet of water and are hitting the same baits.

Au Sable River - A few walleye were caught when bouncing crawlers along the bottom. Fair to good action continues for smallmouth bass, catfish, crappie, and pike.

Au Gres - Walleye anglers are still fishing around the Charity Islands and the Gravelly Shoals. Cooler weather by the weekend could slow the bite.

Higgins Lake - Good numbers of lake trout have been caught near the bottom in waters 80 to 100 feet or deeper. Try cowbells, body baits or live bait. Excellent rock bass action continues and a few smallmouth bass were caught. Perch have been caught but the fish are scattered so anglers will have to put in their time if they want to catch them.

Houghton Lake - Walleye are hitting on crawler harnesses. Bass can still be found along the weeds when casting crawlers, spinners or tube baits. The bigger bluegills can be found in deeper waters.

 

Northwest Lower Peninsula

Elk Lake - Walleye anglers are trolling in the south end of the lake near the Narrows in 20 to 25 feet of water with crawler harnesses. Smallmouth action has been good from Kewadin to Spencer Bay. Others are targeting 10 to 25 feet of water around the east and west shoreline. Try tube baits, rapalas, crank baits or Hot-n-Tots. Effort for lake trout and rainbow trout has been steady with anglers trolling from the Narrows to Rex Terrace and Spencer Bay to the Whitewater Park. Try spoons in 85 to 160 feet of water. A few perch were caught but nothing significant. Rock bass were caught in 7 to 9 feet of water.

Skegemog Lake - Angler effort for bass is still quite high and the fish are biting in the flats between the Torch River and the access site at Baggs Road. Try tube baits, crank baits, jigs or spinners. Catch rates for rock bass did slow for those using jigs, spinners or crawlers. Bluegills were caught in front of the Skegemog access site and the mouth of the Torch River when still-fishing with crawlers or red worms in 10 to 20 feet of water.

Glen Lakes - Everyone is perch fishing in both Big Glen and Little Glen Lakes. In Little Glen, anglers are catching the smaller fish in 20 to 25 feet of water along the west side with minnows, wigglers, worms or shrimp. In Big Glen, try fishing the slopes in 25 to 30 feet of water with the same baits.

Fisher Lake - Trout fishing slowed with the warm weather. A few fish were caught on green and black glow spoons.

Frankfort - After the water cooled, salmon were caught in the top 40 feet of water while using spoons or J-plugs.

Onekama - Fishing the Barrel, the Shelf and south towards Manistee continues to be good. Fish have been caught in the top 40 to 60 feet in 80 to 150 feet of water. Most are chinook followed by coho and steelhead. Best time to go out is in the morning before sun up and in the evening until about an hour after sunset. Spoons and flies have caught the most fish. Good colors were teal and white or purple and white fly flasher combinations.

Portage Lake - The dredging in the channel is near completion. Night anglers are still catching walleye and pike in and near the channel. Panfish action was slow but a few bigger bluegills can be found in deeper waters when using crawlers or wax worms. Bass fishing has been good and with all the windy days many smallmouth have been caught on the backside of the drop offs while the largemouth seem to be concentrating in the weeds.

Manistee - Some boats have reported limit catches on chinook salmon. In the early morning, boats were trolling in front of the piers using glow plugs while others are trolling in 60 to 120 feet of water using spinnies with green or blue flies.

Hamlin Lake - Fishing has slowed to a few fish per trip. Warm water and bug hatches have moved the better fishing to the drop-offs or while suspended fishing in deep water. On both the upper and lower lakes a few were still finding panfish in 5 to 12 feet of water when using pieces of crawler up in the Bayou’s and around the Narrows.

Ludington - Has decent action for chinook salmon in 50 to 120 feet of water between the Bath House and the Point. The best baits have been spinnies with green flies or glow plugs in the early morning.

Upper Peninsula

Ontonagon - Fishing has been good this past week with some nice lake trout taken 80 to 90 feet down in 100 feet of water. Green spoons have been the ticket.

Lake Gogebic - Has very good fishing for walleye and smallmouth bass. Fishing slip bobbers over deep structure has been very effective for walleye. Smallmouth bass have moved to deeper waters and are hitting on crank baits and plastics.

Keweenaw Bay - A few anglers have caught chinook, coho and lake trout between Sand Point and Carla’s Café on U.S. 41. Fish have been caught deep at 100 to 130 feet down in 150 feet of water when using spoons such as the Cyclops.

Menominee - Those trolling in the Bay near Green Island and Chambers Island are getting good numbers of chinook and some brown trout. They are trolling 50 to 75 feet down in waters 110 to 130 feet deep.

Menominee River - Is producing good numbers of walleye when working the deeper holes with crawlers, artificial worms or twister tails. There are still plenty of smallmouth bass, rock bass, sheephead and channel cats being caught in the river from the Hattie Street Bridge to the mouth.

Cedar River - Smallmouth action slowed but those putting in the effort are catching fish when using crawlers or crank baits. Lots of freshwater drum have been caught.

Green Bay - Those trolling out by Whalesback are getting fair to good catches of chinook when using different colored spoons or flies about 55 to 75 feet down in waters 110 to 130 feet deep.

Marquette - Lake trout action dropped off but anglers were starting to catch a few coho and some small chinook.

Au Train - Lake trout action here picked up with fish caught around Au Train Island and Wood Island. The fish are averaging five pounds.

Munising - Catch rates were slow except for the few lake trout caught out near the Big Reef. The fish were not real big, but good eaters. Splake were caught off the Anna River dock and some small whitefish off the dock at Munising.

Cedarville and Hessel - At Hessel, anglers have caught salmon and lake trout out towards Goose Island and St. Martins Shoal. Try fishing 25 feet down in waters up to 70 feet deep. Pier anglers are taking pike and a few perch. The pike are hitting throughout the islands when trolling or casting. Perch have been caught in the Moscoe Channel, Government Bay and Cedarville Bay. The herring season is pretty much done.