High winds, rain and overall inclement weather this week has stirred up the waters in many areas. A bright spot for anglers, the weekend will warm up and fishing opportunities should improve. Before heading to your fishing destination, visit www.AAATraffic.com for the latest traffic, construction, weather and road conditions that may affect your route.
Upper Peninsula:
Lake Gogebic still has good ice however temperatures are on the rise in the area. Anglers are doing well for perch on wigglers. Some of the inland lakes around Bergland are giving up crappie and blue gill.
Marquette anglers are finding that the river systems off of Lake Superior are not really producing any fish just yet due to the cold water, still a chilly 36 degrees. However, anglers trolling in 25-feet of water on Lake Superior are pulling in some decent Coho with hard baits.
Angling is slow overall in the Escanaba area. No action on the Bay yet and there is open water south of Gladstone. The Big Cedar River is giving up some brown trout and splake. Anglers are doing well trolling with Rapalas and Storms in 8-15 feet of water along the shore.
Indian Lake has one large chunk of ice still floating but that isn’t stopping anglers in small boats from going out to it and fishing for perch.
The Manistique River has all the gates open and fishable. Anglers are drifting with spawn for steelhead action. Smelt dipping is starting to pick up and 3 a.m. seems to be the best timeframe at this point.
Off of Sault Ste. Marie the Bay’s still have ice on them and perch action is hit or miss. A few anglers are attempting to put boats in, but overall angling seems to be in a transition period.
Anglers are still ice fishing in the Munuscong area. Good perch action on Munuscong Lake using minnows and teardrops. So far no smelt dipping taking place in the area.
Around Drummond Island, Whitney Bay still has ice fishing taking place and anglers are reeling in some perch. The ice is starting to show signs of deterioration.
Off of Cedarville perch are hitting on teardrops with a wiggler.
Around St. Ignace the ice is deteriorating particularly around the shoreline, out in the middle the ice is good but getting to it can be rough. Overall, activity is very limited at this point.
Information Providers: Bayview Bait & Tackle-Escanaba; Gogebic Grocery-Marenisco; Top O’Lake Sport-Manistique; Gander Mountain-Marquette; Hank’s Sporting-Sault Ste. Marie; Johnson’s Sports-Drummond Island; Wilderness Treasurers-Munuscong Bay and ACE Hardware-St. Ignace.
Northwest:
Alanson anglers are finding fair to good action for steelhead off the break wall in Petoskey. The Pigeon River is good for sucker fishing with night crawlers. Crooked and Pickerel lakes both have open water and Burt Lake is partially open.
Around the Traverse City area, Suttons Bay is giving up perch and cisco off of the deep water points. Overall the bite is fair to good with wigglers. The Betsie River is giving up nice counts of steelhead, while the Boardman is currently slow. Crystal and Big Glen lakes are producing a few perch.
Action is picking up around Frankfort where steelhead are starting to really move. Anglers are Finesse fishing and yarn balls, spawn and night crawlers are also working well. The Platte River is slow with a few steelhead on the move and suckers are hitting on anything.
Around Kalkaska, Skegemog Lake has some fair to good activity for perch on wigglers and minnows. Steelhead activity is rated fair to good for Elk Rapids Dam and the Boardman River when using jigs with wax worms.
Gaylord anglers finding decent action for steelhead using spawn on the Boyne, Jordan and Sturgeon rivers. Plenty of catch and release fishing is taking place on the Black, Au Sable and Manistee rivers.
In the Cadillac area, fair to good crappie fishing is taking place off of the causeway and city docks using minnows.
Information providers: Alphorn-Gaylord; Backcast Fly Shop-Frankfort; Jack’s Sports-Kalkaska; Pilgrim’s Village-Cadillac; Young’s Bait Shop-Alanson and Gander Mountain-Traverse City
West:
Off of the Ludington pier and the Pere Marquette River the steelhead and brown trout are on the move and anglers are getting good results with spawn. Suckers are also active on worms. Pan fish are moving into the shallow waters of Hamlin Lake and activity is picking up. Perch are hitting on wigglers and minnows on the Pere Marquette Lake, Pentwater Lake and White Lake.
Anglers are finding good action in and near the Baldwin area, much improved over last week. The Manistee River up to the Tippy Dam has very good steelhead activity. Small stone flies, Hex and Nuke egg patterns are working well. The Pere Marquette River is low and crystal clear and giving up steelhead in the early morning hours and before dark. Day fishing isn’t so great the fish seemed to be spooked due to the low water. Browns are found in the deeper holes behind the steelhead and spawn type patterns seem to be working well. Wolf Lake has a few bass to be had. Big Bass Lake is giving up a few perch on wigglers and wax worms.
Anglers in Muskegon are anxious to see the cold, wet and windy conditions leave the area. Lake Michigan is producing plenty of steelhead for some great fishing off the break wall using spawn bags. An occasional brown trout is mixed in. The west end of Muskegon Lake is the best spot for some perch action. Anglers are getting up to two dozen fish per boat, but sorting is also necessary. A variety of baits seem to be working that include; spikes, mousies, wigglers, minnows, cut bait and eyeballs. Fishing in 42-29 feet of water in the front channel to the yacht club is a good location.
Chippewa Lake anglers again this week are doing very well for specks throughout the channels. Minnows are working well. Bigger fish are starting to move in.
All around the Grand Rapids area the inland lakes are picking up for crappie and blue gill. The Grand River near the Sixth Street Dam has great steelhead action as well as the smaller rivers in the area. Near Ionia, Morrison Lake is producing decent perch and near Whitehall, White Lake is also giving up decent perch opportunities. Off of Lake Michigan anglers are doing well fishing from piers for walleye using Rapala Husky Jerks and Countdown Rapalas.
Information providers: P.M. Sports-Ludington; King Sports-Baldwin; East Bay Store-Chippewa Lake; Shoreline Bait & Tackle-Muskegon; Gander Mountain-Grand Rapids and Wolf Lake Motel & Resort-Baldwin.
Southwest:
Excellent fishing available in Benton Harbor where Coho are biting on orange jointed Rapalas and Brad’s Thin Fish south of the Harbor in 15-25 feet of water. A few Kings are hitting on dodgers and flies. Off of the pier Coho are taking spawn and spoons.
Off of the New Buffalo pier in 20-feet of water the Coho action is good with fish in close. A few Kings are being caught by anglers in boats fishing in 25-40 feet of water.
Good fishing around the Kalamazoo area. The steelhead and walleye activity has picked up on the Kalamazoo River near the Allegan Dam. Spawn and minnows are the baits of choice. Sugarloaf and Portage lakes are rated fair to good for blue gill on live bait. Off of the St. Joe pier body baits and Rapalas are doing the trick on Coho, brown trout and whitefish. Anglers fishing the pier in South Haven are pulling in some whitefish and Coho.
Information providers: Tackle Haven-Benton Harbor; D. & R. Sports-Kalamazoo and Captain Cook’s-New Buffalo.
Northeast:
Alpena angling is fair to good for steelhead near the Ninth Street Dam and Thunder Bay River. Fair action for walleye during the evening hours is taking place off of the break wall using Rapalas.
Around Oscoda more fish are moving into the Foote Dam Pond since all the ice is gone. The Au Sable River is fair to good for steelhead activity with spawn, wax worms, wigglers and flies working well.
Lake Margrethe near Grayling is overall slow for perch activity using minnows, but the pan fish are starting to come into the shallows. Most rivers and streams are starting to pick up for steelhead action on spawn and flies.
Houghton Lake is back in action with some decent crappie and blue gill fishing. The canals are the best locations and using minnows and wax worms.
Still no angling activity for Higgins Lake, the ice is still floating around.
Action is good around Au Gres for walleye off the break wall and near the mouth of the Au Gres. Boating activity is picking up as well. Good results taking place with Rapala Deep Downs, Rapala Floaters in size 13 and 18, Rapala Husky Jerks in size 12 and 14 and bombers. Steelhead action is good at the Singing Bridge and East Branch of the Au Gres River. Spawn, small Cleo’s and small Rapalas in size 7 and 9 seem to work fairly well. The Rifle River has some good sucker fishing with crawlers, yarn and sponge doing the job.
Information providers: Clem’s-Alpena; Skips-Grayling; Lyman’s-Houghton Lake; Sports Barn-Higgins Lake; Wright’s Sport Shop-Au Gres and The Dam Store-Oscoda.
East:
Bay City anglers are headed to the Kawkawlin River for walleye action. Perch are hit or miss in the cuts around Bay City on minnows. Angling activity is starting to pick up around Bay Port after plenty of wind and cold weather. Some perch are being caught near the public access in the evening hours and around the marinas activity is slower. Sebewaing fishing is fair to good for perch, but fish are small in size with crawlers and minnows working ok.
Weather has created slow action for Standish anglers on Eagle Bay. A few small perch are hitting in the cuts. Some walleye are biting near the mouth of the river jigging with minnows. Warmer weather expected Thursday should improve action by the weekend.
Port Huron and Sanilac fishing has been limited this week due to high winds and dirty water. Some Kings, Coho and steelhead are biting during the day. Smelt dipping is good close to shore. Coho are being caught in Lexington Harbor right from the dock on Cleo’s and crawlers. The Black River is giving up good size Coho and steelhead. And as soon as the water clears up the walleye action will be great.
Information providers: 1st & Main-Bay Port; Anderson’s Pro Bait-Port Huron; Michigan Sportsman-Bay City and Eagle Bay Marina-Standish.
Central:
Lansing fishing is still on the slow side but coming to life each day that it warms up. Steelhead activity is picking up on the Grand River and sucker fishing is great near Omer while the pan fish are just becoming active. A few anglers are catching and releasing bass. Downriver from Lansing the Grand River is good for steelhead action.
Near Brooklyn the crappie are coming back in to feed after the cool weather earlier this week. Inland lakes in and around the area will be great for crappie and blue gill fishing this weekend. Expect the fish to be active in the shallow and warm waters during the afternoon while the sun is blazing. Wax worms, spikes and spiders will do the job.
Information providers: Knutson’s Live Bait-Brooklyn and Grand River Bait and Tackle-Lansing.
Southeast:
Fair Haven anglers are doing well for blue gill around Harsen’s Island using pieces of crawler, wax worms or bobber fishing. The St. Clair River is producing some Coho and a few walleye. Some anglers are catching and releasing a few bass out of Anchor Bay.
Near Harrison Township the walleye action is pretty good in the north channel of the St. Clair River, in the deep waters around Algonac and in the Detroit River in 20-30 feet of water either vertical jigging and deep trolling. The St. Clair River is also good for whip fishing and using pencil plugs. Lake St. Clair is not so hot for walleye due to the spawning process right now. The Clinton River is giving up nice steelhead catches at the dam and spillway. Perch and sucker action is good around Metro Beach the mouth of the spillway.
Now that the wind and cold weather is moving out the walleye action is picking up again on the Detroit River from Ecorse to Wyandotte but fish are not hitting in great numbers. Anglers are jigging in 15 feet of water or less, or 35 feet and deeper before 10 or 11 in the morning for best results. The Great Lakes Steel Mill is a good location and on the Canadian side around Fighting Island. Plastic baits in bubblegum and chartreuse seem to work well.
From Trenton to Gibraltar the Detroit River is good for walleye catches as well as near the mouth of the Detroit River, the east side of Grosse Ile and near Dunbar Sullivan. A variety of baits are working for anglers that include; big walleye minnows, four-inch Finesse Tails and Wyandotte Worms and stinger hooks are essential. The average walleye is weighing in around six pounds, but a few have been caught in the 11-12 pound range. Get in the action the “Michigan Walleye Tournament” takes place Saturday and Sunday on the Detroit River, launching out of Lake Erie Metro Park, call 734-379-9762 for details.
Rain and windy conditions limited angling in the Monroe area earlier this week stirring up the Lake and making it look like chocolate it could take three to four days for the water clarity to return. Off of the Edison piers the Hot Hole is giving up white bass and catfish on shrimp and minnows. Anglers are casting off of the Luna Pier in the evening hours with bombers and getting good results.
Ford and Belleville lakes both have some good fishing for blue gill and crappie on just about anything. Best locations are near the boat launch and near the bridges.
In Ohio the warm waters are creating for excellent walleye action near the Toledo Light, on the Maumee River, around Turtle Island and in the shipping channels. For information on how to obtain an Ohio fishing license in Michigan, call 734-457-0006.
Information providers: Bottom Line Bait & Tackle-Rock Wood; Pro-Fishing & Archery-Harrison Township; Erie Party Shop-Monroe; South Street Tackle-Belleville; Gander Mountain-Taylor and Andy’s Tackle Box-Melvindale.
http://www.autoclubgroup.com/michigan/fishing.asp
