Cool weather is once again hampering fishing conditions around the state. May 15th marks the opening day for walleye, northern pike and muskellunge fishing on the Upper Peninsula inland waters not otherwise closed to fishing, the waters of the Great Lakes and the St. Mary’s River.
Southeast Lower Peninsula
Lake Erie - Catch rates have started to improve with walleye taken in 8 to 22 feet of water off Stony Point. Most anglers were drifting bottom bouncers or trolling reef runners. A few walleye were caught in 18 feet of water straight out from the launch at Bolles Harbor and in 15 feet of water out from the grey shack on the Banana Dike. Good numbers of white bass and white perch were also caught. Pike were caught on the south side of the Cross Dike.
Huron River - Some drop-back steelhead and walleye are still being caught near the Telegraph Bridge and the DNR Launch. Lots of white bass are being caught.
Detroit River - Walleye were caught on the east side of Grosse Isle and up near Wyandotte when using a jig with a minnow or crawler. Plastic worms and grubs also caught fish. Good colors were chartreuse, green or purple. A few walleye and lots of white bass are in the Lower Trenton Channel.
Lexington - Lots of lake trout along with a few chinook and coho salmon have been caught by those trolling spoons. Walleye were caught at night.
Port Sanilac - Boat anglers are catching trout and salmon while the shore anglers are taking walleye at night when fishing outside the breakwall.
Harbor Beach - Chinook and coho have been caught on spoons or body baits in 25 to 40 feet of water. Good colors are glow green and chartreuse or green camo. Try two or three color lead lines when fishing the top 20 to 30 feet of water. Steelhead were taken on orange and chartreuse spoons or body baits. Try long lines 50 to 100 feet back. Lake trout were 5 to 10 feet off the bottom in 30 to 50 feet of water. Try small spoons and dodgers with green and orange spin glows. Some are night fishing for walleye.
Port Austin - Lots of lake trout have been caught by those trolling spoons off downriggers or long lines. A few chinook and some coho were also caught in 20 to 40 feet of water. Pier anglers casting outside the breakwall have caught good numbers of walleye in the evening.
Saginaw Bay - Walleye are hitting on crawler harnesses in 14 to 22 feet of water at the Spark Plug (Buoys 11 & 12), in 4 feet of water off Finn Road, off the beach at Linwood and the mouth of the Saginaw River. Excellent walleye action was noted straight off the mouth of the Quanicassee River in 10 to 14 feet of water. A few pike were also caught. Good channel cat action off the mouth of the Sebewaing River while walleye were taken in the Slot. Those fishing Sunset Bay Marina and Fish Point caught walleye in 11 feet of water. Up at Bay Port, walleye fishing was very good off the tip of Sand Point and out in the Slot. Some are jigging around the weed beds while others are trolling planer boards with crawler harnesses.
Tittabawassee River - Still has good walleye fishing especially in the lower river near the Center Street Launch in Saginaw Township. Walleye can be found from the mouth up to the Dow Dam. The white bass runs are just getting started and smallmouth bass are being caught and released.
Southwest Lower Peninsula
St. Joe - Boat anglers are catching good numbers of chinook, coho and lake trout.
St. Joe River - Only the occasional steelhead have been caught. Bass are hitting on crawlers, tube baits or plugs. Look for bluegill and crappie in the backwaters.
Grand Haven - Boat anglers are still catching chinook salmon when trolling straight out or south of the piers. Spoons and body baits are producing fish.
Grand River at Grand Rapids - Both flathead and channel cats have been caught off the east side near the dam. Off Fulton Street, channel cats were caught on cut bait. Good numbers of pike are hitting on large sucker minnows, spinners or body baits. Look for bluegills and crappie in the backwaters.
Grand River at Lansing - Panfish action has been slow. A few walleye are still being caught near the dams. Catfish are becoming more active with fish caught on crawlers and stink baits above the Moore’s Park Dam. Carp fishing has been good as the fish are on a feeding frenzy before the spawn. Most fish were caught close to shore when using corn.
Reeds Lake - Crappie are in the shallows and the big bluegills are 10 to 15 feet down in waters 25 to 30 feet deep. Those trolling sucker minnows along the edge of the weeds have caught pike.
Cranberry Lake - Near Rockford is producing some nice bluegills. Try leaf worms about halfway down in waters 20 to 30 feet deep.
Muskegon - Boats are trolling north and south of the piers for salmon. Fish were found 30 to 80 feet down in waters 80 to 120 feet deep. Set dipsey divers 125 to 150 feet back. Blue, green and carmel spoons were taking fish.
Muskegon Lake - A few walleye were caught when fishing along the ledge in the middle of the lake near the black buoy. Bluegills were starting to show up in the bays and coves however the fish are not on the beds yet. Those fishing the southeast corner of the lake were picking up some big bluegills.
Whitehall - Chinook salmon were caught in waters 45 to 130 feet deep. A good number of lake trout were also caught when trolling close to shore with crank baits.
White Lake - Perch fishing was slow but the bluegill action was excellent. Some crappie were caught in front of Armstrong’s.
Northeast Lower Peninsula
Cheboygan River - Is producing some nice walleye.
Mullett Lake - Walleye, smallmouth bass and perch were caught on the north end of the lake.
Rogers City - Shore anglers caught a few brown trout, atlantic salmon and walleye when casting spoons or body baits in the early morning or late afternoon. Good colors were silver with chartreuse, blue or green and fire-tiger. Boat anglers are catching mostly lake trout in the shallows of Calcite Harbor and Swan Bay. Those going deeper than 30 feet of water are using downriggers 5 to 10 feet off the bottom. For brown trout and atlantic salmon, fish along the shoreline in waters 8 to 25 feet deep with planer boards and long lines. Try spoons or body baits.
Presque Isle - Boats are going out but catch rates were spotty. A few limits of lake trout were taken out in deeper waters however the fish should be moving in closer to shore. Try 5 to 10 feet off the bottom in waters up to 70 feet deep.
Rockport - Lake trout were caught in 25 to 40 feet of water out near Middle Island.
Alpena - Is providing some great walleye fishing especially for those fishing on or near the rock reefs and around Grass Island. Most are trolling in 15 to 25 feet of water with body baits that resemble perch or smelt. The water is very clear so the better fishing is at night.
Thunder Bay River - Has produced some nice walleye and the occasional pike.
Harrisville - Walleye action has picked up. Early morning and late afternoon were best when using body baits and crawler rigs. Hot colors were red and silver, blue and silver or fire-tiger. Lake trout can be found north and south of the harbor in waters 45 to 65 feet deep.
Houghton Lake - Walleye were caught on leeches in 4 to 6 feet of water around the weed beds. A few crappie were taken on leaf worms.
Oscoda - The walleye are in and the mornings seem to be producing some limit catches. Boat and shore anglers are drifting crawlers or body baits.
Au Sable River - Has very good walleye fishing in the lower river. The water is very clear so the best fishing is at night.
Tawas - Boat anglers have caught walleye near the mouth of the river, Buoy #2, and out near the artificial reef in 15 to 35 feet of water. Planer boards and crawler harnesses were the ticket. Pier anglers caught a mixed bag of coho and atlantic salmon, walleye, pike, channel cats, smallmouth bass and rock bass.
Au Gres - Those trolling are taking limit catches of walleye in 35 feet of water when using planer boards and crawler harnesses. Fish off the hotel, Point Lookout, Whitestone Point or the Gravelly Shoals.
Au Gres River - The spring steelhead fishing is done for this year. Surf anglers casting rapalas at night are still taking some walleye.
Northwest Lower Peninsula
Petoskey - Anglers are targeting other species as the steelhead fishing winds down.
Lake Charlevoix - Perch fishing has been tough as the fish are scattered. Some were caught in 50 to 85 feet of water along the northwest shore however anglers will need to sort out the small ones. Try jigs with minnows or wigglers.
Lake Bellaire - Anglers were trolling between the rivers and along the east side of the lake but no walleye were caught. Pike have been caught near the Intermediate River when using rapalas or sucker minnows. Anglers are targeting bass with spinners, tube baits, stick baits, and grubs in waters 2 to 15 feet deep.
Traverse City - The East Bay has cold water temperatures and no boats have been out. The West Bay has been good lake trout action between the mouth of the Boardman and Marion Island. Boats are trolling in 70 to 150 feet of water with spoons, peanuts, spin glows, flashers and flies. When trolling, run high lines for steelhead and salmon.
Elk River - Steelhead are still present and fish were caught on spawn, wax worms or wigglers. Remember, the fish are easily spooked when the water is clear.
Boardman River - The bite has been slow however anglers can find a variety of fish in the river such as pike, walleye, suckers, carp, and the occasional steelhead.
Leland - Fishing was slow with only lake trout caught in 60 to 80 feet of water.
Frankfort - Boats trolling in the shallow waters up to Pt. Betsie have caught lake trout and brown trout. Those trolling inside the harbor also caught some brown trout on small spoons or body baits. Hot colors were orange, black, gold and silver. Pier fishing was slow except for a couple brown trout taken on spawn.
Onekama - Anglers trolling in 15 to 30 feet of water south of the port are catching lake trout and brown trout on spoons or body baits. Good colors are orange, silver or blue. Walleye were caught off the piers at night when casting body baits.
Portage Lake - Perch fishing was slow but those trolling for walleye and pike were taking fair numbers of fish. Those trolling or casting were catching pike and those trolling at night found walleye. A few bass were caught on the west side.
Manistee - Brown trout can be found when trolling along the shoreline with body baits in fire-tiger and clown patterns. Perch fishing was slow.
Ludington - The docks are back in at Loomis Street and the fish cleaning station is open. Boats are starting to catch chinook and lake trout in 40 to 80 feet of water when using orange and green spoons. Those trolling along the shoreline with body baits have caught some brown trout. Pier fishing was slow.
UPPER PENINSULA
Copper Harbor - Fishing was slow with only the occasional large splake caught on smelt and cut bait fished on the bottom or when jigging cut bait over the rocks. In Eagle Harbor, splake are present but catch rates were slow due to the fly hatches. A few whitefish were hooked when still-fishing with crawlers or spawn.
Keweenaw Bay - Anglers picked up a couple coho and steelhead off the pier located next to the L’Anse Marina. Those fishing the South Portage Entry caught a few chinook, coho, lake trout and steelhead when trolling near the lighthouse.
Fall’s River - The bite was slow however a couple steelhead were caught on yarn or spawn. Those trolling caught only light numbers of fish.
Marquette - Fishing has picked up with most boats getting a mixed bag of chinook, coho and lake trout. The Upper Harbor was good for salmon when trolling around the bubblers. The Lower Harbor has coho, steelhead and lake trout.
Menominee - Those trolling in Green Bay have caught a few walleye in 15 feet of water when using crawler harnesses or different colored rapalas.
Menominee River - Only a few walleye were caught on the Wisconsin side near the Hattie Street Bridge. They were caught at night on minnows or crawlers. Boats fishing the deeper holes have caught some walleye however they are putting in a lot of time to take a few fish. Steelhead action was slow with only one fish caught when drifting yarn near the rocks on the Michigan side. Not many suckers are being caught however freshwater drum are now in the river.
Cedar River - A few shore anglers were out but not much was caught, most likely due to the Mayfly hatch.
Little Bay De Noc - Had lots of anglers out looking for perch however catch rates were slow. Those fishing the Narrows did best catching jumbo perch when jigging minnows or crawlers in 25 to 33 feet of water. Smaller fish were caught in and around Butler Island. The walleye opener this Friday looks good. Hot spots should be the “Narrows”, the Second and Third Reefs, and the mouth of the Escanaba River as anglers have marked good numbers of fish in these areas. All the boat launches are open but the buoys have not been installed in the Escanaba River. Water temperatures vary from the low 40’s to near 50.
Big Bay De Noc - A couple perch anglers were catching smallmouth bass off Garden Bluff however the catch and immediate release season does not open until May 15th. The walleye opener looks good especially at the head of the Bay. Work the shallows 6 to 10 feet deep between the launch at Fish Dam and Kates Bay. At Fairport, the salmon fishery generally starts in June and peaks mid-summer.
Au Train - Some nice fish were caught near the mouth of the rivers because of smelt showing up.
Munising - When conditions allow, boat anglers were still picking up a mixed bag of fish along the shoreline of Pictured Rocks. Munising Bay remains slow due to cold water temperatures.
Grand Marais - Catch rates for whitefish were a little more consistent pier. Boat anglers reported better fishing from the Sucker River east to Lonesome Point.
Drummond Island - Yellow perch are still being caught however catch rates have slowed at the Bayside Dock. Most are using minnow spreaders. If it is windy, try attaching a quarter ounce or heavier sinker to help keep your minnows in the strike zone. Even though water levels are up anglers are reminded to be very careful of the rocks and reefs around the islands and in Raber Bay.
De Tour - A few boats are beginning to head out from the city launch. They were marking fish but catch rates were slow. A couple steelhead can still be found in Albany Creek.
Cedarville and Hessel - Anglers fishing from the Hessel Marina pier are casting minnows, smelt, stick baits and Cleo’s for splake. The pike and walleye opener on May 15th looks to be good.
Pine River - Anglers are fishing for white suckers.
Carp River - Steelhead are hitting on red and black spinners or chartreuse yarn with a single egg.