Some rivers in the Lower Peninsula are running high and fast. Catch rates will improve once the waters clear up. Warmer weather has improved fishing conditions so more anglers are out.
Southeast Lower Peninsula
Lake Erie - Has fair walleye fishing. Even though recent storms have left the lake muddy once again, the walleyes are coming in closer to shore because the Mayfly hatch is in full swing. Anglers have caught fish in 18 to 20 feet of water when using crawlers and spoons. Perch fishing remains fair with most fish caught just off the River Raisin or Stoney Point. Good numbers of white perch were caught. Catfish were caught off Pte. Mouillee. Crawlers and shrimp were the best bait.
Huron River - Water levels are up but the river was fishable. Anglers are catching fair to good numbers of largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and pike.
Detroit River - Perch have been caught around Celeron Island and Sugar Island when using minnows along the weed beds. A few walleye were caught in the lower river near the mouth.
Lexington - Lake trout, coho, chinook and a few walleye were caught when trolling in 30 to 80 feet of water. Pier anglers did well catching a mix of bluegills, rock bass, bluegills, crappie, smallmouth bass and small perch.
Harbor Beach - Steelhead action is good in waters up to 110 feet deep. Try trolling bright colored spoons about 100 feet behind the offshore boards. Some nice lake trout were caught in 80 to 110 feet of water using spoons or Dodgers with spin and glows fishing close to the bottom. Try gold, green camo, and orange. Salmon fishing is slow but some were caught. For walleye, try casting spoons and body baits or trolling Hot-n-Tots or crawler harnesses in 20 to 50 feet of water. Bass fishing is the best it has been in a long time with good numbers caught around the weed beds inside the harbor. For perch, try closer to shore with minnows.
Port Austin - Boat anglers out trolling for walleye have caught whitefish on a crawler harness. Perch anglers are just getting started but they are not catching a lot of fish. Most are drifting in 20 feet of water until they find fish, then drop anchor.
Saginaw Bay - Walleye were caught in 5 to 7 feet of water on the Callahan Reef, 4 feet off Linwood, 10 feet off the Kawkawlin River and 7 to 17 feet in the Slot off Sebewaing and Bay Port. Try the weed beds south of the tower on Sand Point. Good catches of channel cats in 3 to 4 feet of water off Sebewaing. Caseville anglers are taking their boats to Sebewaing or Bay Port.
Saginaw River - Shore anglers are taking walleye in the lower river between Smith Park and Essexville. Smallmouth bass and rock bass were caught.
Southwest Lower Peninsula
Small trout streams are fishable. The medium to large warmwater streams are not wadable but boat anglers might be able to fish. Anglers should check local conditions before traveling. Inland lakes are good for panfish and pike.
St. Joe - Pier anglers fishing on the river side were taking good numbers of freshwater drum when using live bait.
Kalamazoo River - Water levels were up but fish were caught, especially carp and smallmouth bass.
Grand Haven - Boat anglers have caught some trout and salmon about 40 to 70 feet down in waters 120 to 150 feet deep. Blue has been a good color. Pier anglers were catching freshwater drum and catfish.
Grand River at Grand Rapids - Water levels are high and muddy. Fish near the dam for catfish. Fish the weeds in shallow waters for bass and pike.
Grand River at Lansing - Is high and muddy but good numbers of carp and catfish have been caught below the Moore’s Park Dam and the North Lansing Dam.
Looking Glass River - Has high water levels.
Lake Ovid - Continues to produce some good catfish action.
Morrison Lake - Has been good for crappie and bluegills.
Muskegon - Boat anglers are fishing in the top half of waters 120 to 150 feet deep. Few fish were caught and many were small.
Northeast Lower Peninsula
Mullett Lake - The weather and the fishing have improved. Anglers trolling for walleye have been using a crawler harness with leeches or crawlers, crank baits or Hot-n-Tots. Anglers are taking good catches of perch, pike, bass and even some rainbow trout.
Rogers City - Lake trout action slowed however fish can still be found in 35 to 70 feet of water off Adams Point, Seagull Point, and the State Park. Chinook, steelhead and atlantic salmon were caught between Seagull Point and Forty Mile Point when fishing the top half of waters 45 to 90 feet deep.
Presque Isle - Lots of small lake trout caught off Big Lighthouse Point.
Rockport - Catch rates were slow except for a few lake trout taken around the Middle Island. Chinook and coho were taken around the wreck on daredevils. The wreck is about ten miles south of the Rockport launch.
Alpena - Walleye have been caught on the reefs and along the north shore near the Cement Plant. Blue and orange were hot colors. Pike and walleye were caught by shore anglers behind the Yacht Club when using spinner baits.
Thunder Bay River - The bite has been slow due to the fly hatch. A few pike were caught down near the mouth. Those trolling for walleye caught smallmouth bass.
Harrisville - Fishing is steady with lake trout the main catch along with a few salmon or walleye. Lake trout are moving out deeper to waters 70 to 90 feet deep and the walleye are in 20 to 30 feet of water.
Higgins Lake - Perch have been caught in 40 feet of water and rock bass can be found in 25 to 40 feet of water.
Houghton Lake - Bluegills are finally on the beds. Anglers are catching walleye, pike and bass in 4 to 8 feet of water near the weed beds and along the drop-offs.
Oscoda - Catch rates for trout and salmon have slowed however boats are still venturing out and fishing 60 to 80 feet down in waters up to 100 feet deep. Silver and green are productive for both the salmon and lake trout.
Au Sable River - Walleye were slow but still caught on crawlers and body baits.
Tawas - Most boat anglers are still towing their rigs down to Au Gres where walleye fishing was red-hot. Pier anglers caught walleye, smallmouth bass and rock bass.
Tawas River - Shore anglers have caught the occasional walleye, smallmouth bass, rock bass or channel cat.
Au Gres - Walleye fishing here continues to be spectacular with all boats bringing in some fish and some boats bringing in limit catches. Trollers are going straight off the river and fishing in 35 to 40 feet of water. Most of the fish are hitting on crawler harnesses but a few were taken on spoons or crank baits.
Northwest Lower Peninsula
Petoskey - Lake trout have been caught in 80 feet of water. The fish have been suspended and can be found in the lower 20 feet.
Bear River - Dock and shore anglers are catching a variety of fish.
Charlevoix - Lake trout and a few chinook salmon have been caught. Smallmouth bass were on the beds in Little Traverse Bay.
Lake Charlevoix - Perch have been showing up in shallow waters. Walleye anglers did well on cloudy days or at night when trolling minnow baits.
Lake Bellaire - Walleye pressure remains steady with anglers catching fish ranging from 14 to 18 inches. Early morning and evening were best when trolling near the Grass River, drop-offs on the north end of the lake or between the Narrows and Eckertly Road. Try a crawler harness, jig and leech, or rapalas in 10 to 50 feet of water. For bass, try casting spinners, tube baits, stick baits or crawlers in 3 to 31 feet of water along the west side of the lake. Perch were caught in 4 to 15 feet of water in the northwest arm and near the Intermediate River. Rock bass are hitting on crawlers in 3 to 5 feet of water.
Traverse City - In the East Bay, smallmouth can be found in the shallows and are hitting on plastic baits. The southern portions of the bay have received a good deal of angler pressure so the fish are easily spooked. In the West Bay, smallmouth are starting to show up on the beds.
Elk River - Smallmouth bass and freshwater drum are hitting on crawlers or leeches.
Boardman River - Bass fishing is starting to heat up with good action in the morning near the mouth and steady action throughout the day just below the Union Street Dam when using leeches, crawlers or plastic baits.
Lake Leelanau - Bluegills are finally on their beds and bass fishing has picked up. Look for pike along the weed beds in shallow waters. Anglers are catching walleye and this is a good time of year to catch rock bass.
Leland - Afternoons were slow but the early mornings are producing some good catches of chinook in 90 to 100 feet of water on the north and northwest sides of South Manitou Island. Lake trout seem to be scattered now that the warm weather is finally here. A few fish were picked up in 50 to 70 feet of water. A couple steelhead have also been caught. The boat launch is open but parking is limited.
Glen Arbor - Fishing has picked up with some nice chinook over ten pounds caught in the early morning. Locations vary from Canners Point to the southwest side of South Manitou Island.
Platte Bay - Salmon fishing was slow in both bays but those fishing near the mouth of the Platte River were catching some nice smallmouth bass, carp and suckers.
Frankfort - Chinook and lake trout were caught 40 to 90 feet down in 100 to 310 feet of water along the Shelf. Fishing was slow down near the Herring Hole but a few fish were caught by those trolling around the piers. Good lures have been spoons such as the Angry Gnome, Monkey Puke, the Blue Dolphin or chrome plugs.
Arcadia - A few chinook were caught 40 to 140 feet down in waters 100 to 400 feet deep as the fish are scattered. Green spoons were the ticket.
Onekama - Reported decent catches of chinook caught 35 to 60 feet down in 80 to 180 feet of water up near the Barrel. Most are trolling orange, green, yellow or red spoons. Early mornings produced the most fish.
Portage Lake - Has good bass fishing near the sailboats and the channel. Those trolling are picking up a mix of small walleye and pike. Lots of small perch, rock bass and some crappie have been caught in 15 to 22 feet of water. The panfish bite is still slow, but the Mayfly hatch is done so look for catch rates to improve.
Lake Cadillac - Anglers were catching good numbers of crappie and a few pike.
Manistee - Salmon and trout are being caught along the Shelf in the early morning. Try 40 to 80 feet down with green or blue spoons. Those venturing out to deeper waters have caught smaller chinook and some steelhead on the temperature breaks.
Manistee River - The Hex hatch should be going this week on the upper river.
Ludington - Boats fishing between the Bathhouse and Sable Point have found trout and salmon in 100 to 180 feet of water. Try green or blue spoons with green flies. A few fish were still hanging around the harbor.
Pere Marquette River - Those looking to go fly fishing will want to check out the river because the Hex hatch should be going on here as well.
UPPER PENINSULA
Copper Harbor - Splake fishing has slowed but fish were still caught around the docks in the harbor with live bait or stick baits.
Eagle Harbor - Is producing a mixed bag of lake trout, steelhead and splake when trolling in 75 to 120 feet of water.
Lac La Belle - In Keweenaw County has good smallmouth bass action for those casting artificial crawlers. The walleye and crappie bite was slow.
Keweenaw Bay - Anglers trolling for salmon caught some limits between Sand Point and Carla’s Restaurant. Try spoons just off the bottom in 30 to 80 feet of water. Good lake trout action in Traverse Bay when trolling spoons in 130 to 150 feet of water. Good colors were green and brass. Some are jigging in 220 to 240 feet of water near Big Louie’s.
Marquette - Surface water temperatures are ranging from 48 to 51 degrees. Lake trout action has been fair to good off the White Rocks and Shot Point in 140 to 180 feet of water. A few coho were caught but no reports of any chinook. Catch rates were moderate around Stannard Rock when jigging cut bait in the morning.
Menominee - Walleye here are out deeper in waters 25 to 30 feet deep. Anglers are trolling both in the Michigan and Wisconsin waters. Strong winds have stopped anglers from fishing near Green Island. Up near the Cedar River, walleye fishing slowed from where it was but a few were still caught when trolling in 7 to 10 feet of water both north and south of the river. The fish caught had alewife in their bellies. Boats trolling for chinook have marked fish however none were caught.
Menominee River - Those fishing from the mouth upstream to the first dam have caught good numbers of catfish and freshwater drum. A lot of small walleye are in the river but a few bigger ones were caught when trolling a crawler harness or jigging with crawlers. Smallmouth and rock bass were also caught. A couple muskie were caught by those trolling the deeper holes with large spoons.
Cedar River - Those fishing from the mouth to the first rapids were mainly catching smallmouth bass and most were sub-legal. A few channel cats were caught.
Little Bay De Noc - Walleye catches were still down in the upper parts of the Bay but getting better south of the Ford River. Those trolling at night near the Second Reef caught fish, but the better fishing was the area around the “Fingers” when trolling crank baits and crawler harnesses in 14 to 38 feet of water. Smallmouth bass were caught near the Ford River, Garth Point and the Terrace Inn. Most were casting crank baits or tube baits in 4 to 8 feet of water.
Big Bay De Noc - Fish are starting to become more active and walleye anglers are catching them from the “Boot” south to Ansell’s Point. They are trolling or drifting crawlers in 14 to 30 feet of water. Good smallmouth action around the Bay when casting crank baits and jigs along the weeds. At Fairport, the better fishing has been in the evening when trolling artificial cut bait about 85 feet down in waters 125 feet deep. They have caught chinook and steelhead.
Au Train - Has fair lake trout fishing in 70 to 300 feet of water, as the fish seem to be scattered. A few lucky anglers did manage to catch their limit.
Munising - Limits of lake trout have been caught but it appears the salmon have headed out to deeper waters.
Grand Marais - Catch rates for whitefish were sporadic with a few caught in the early morning and at night. Lake trout action was good with limit catches reported.
St. Mary’s River - Those fishing upstream have caught walleye at the Bell Buoy when trolling. Good walleye fishing in the lower river on the north side of Lime Island and near Round Island. Most are trolling bottom bouncers with a 28 inch crawler harness in 8 to 12 feet of water.
Munuscong Bay - Walleye are in the Bay, upstream in the channel and south of the launch in Raber Bay. Try crawler harnesses in black, purple, silver and orange.
De Tour - Water temperatures are improving and so are catch rates. Lake trout and the occasional chinook or atlantic salmon have been caught just off the bottom.
Drummond Island - Slow walleye action in Scott Bay and Maxton Bay but a few walleye were caught on the northwest side of Peck Island when trolling bottom bouncers with crawler harnesses in 8 to 14 feet of water. Northern pike are hitting blue and chrome crank baits in and around James Island.
Cedarville and Hessel - Has excellent pike fishing. The water has begun to warm and the pike are hitting on stick baits in 5 to 12 feet of water. Perch and smallmouth bass are hitting in limited numbers. The fish are scattered throughout Cedarville Bay, Moscoe Channel and the east end of Hessel Bay. Herring are in McKay Bay in 10 to 15 feet of water. Anglers are using flies or wax worms.
St. Ignace - Anglers are trolling between the old fuel tanks and the Coast Guard Station for chinook or the backside of Bois Blanc Island for lake trout. When fishing around the island, use caution and watch for nets.