Warm stable weather would help improve fishing. Night temperatures in the mid 40’s and daytime temperatures in the low 70’s coupled with constant northwest winds is great weather for anglers, but it does not help fishing one bit at all. Catch rates are usually best on the day before storms are forecast.
Southeast Lower Peninsula
Lake Erie - Good walleye fishing with limit catches reported. Fish were found in waters 18 to 27 feet deep out of Bolles Harbor near the Ohio line, the Fermi Plant, and the mouth of the Detroit River. Anglers are trolling reef runners and crank baits or running dipsey divers with a crawler harness. Good colors were purple and chartreuse, gold, white and pink. Largemouth bass and catfish have been caught in the Hot Ponds near the Monroe Power Plant.
Huron River - Not much to report except for the occasional smallmouth bass, carp, catfish, or gar taken. Check out the backwaters for bluegills.
Detroit River - Walleye have been caught in the lower Trenton Channel when trolling spoons or crawler harnesses during the day or rapalas at night. Some are handlining. Target the waters around Celeron Island and Horse Island. Good colors were pink, gold and brass. Perch, largemouth bass and smallmouth bass have been caught in the weed beds out near the shipping channel.
Port Sanilac - Lake trout are being caught anywhere from 80 to 130 feet of water.
Harbor Beach - Walleye fishing is fair north of the harbor. Long lines worked best however some were also using a crawler harness or Hot-n-Tots in 20 to 60 feet of water. Good colors were copper, orange, green or yellow with small blades. Lake trout were caught in 75 to 160 feet of water straight out and north of the harbor. Salmon fishing was slow but some were mixed in with the lake trout. For perch, try 30 to 60 feet of water or south of the cemetery. Good bass action around the weeds.
Port Austin - Walleye were caught in 16 to 40 feet of water off the Lighthouse and the Flat Rock Reef west of town. They were also found in 30 to 40 feet of water along the tip of the Thumb. Lake trout were caught in 80 to 130 feet of water.
Saginaw Bay - Had excellent largemouth bass fishing off the mouth of the Pine River in shallow waters. Walleye are still hitting however the weather did mange to slow the bite. All the common spots continue to produce; the Black Hole, Buoys 1 & 2, the Spark Plug, and between Fish Point and the Slot. The Callahan Reef was producing but it seems the fish have moved out deeper. Slow fishing at Caseville but warmer weather should get the walleye moving off Oak Point.
Saginaw River - Some walleye were caught at the mouth near the Power Plants.
Southwest Lower Peninsula
St. Joe - Good numbers of perch have been caught in waters 20 to 30 feet deep and also off the piers. Steelhead were caught around the piers.
St. Joe River - Those fishing up near the Berrien Springs Dam have caught steelhead and catfish.
South Haven - A few salmon and some steelhead have been caught around the piers and in the mud lines.
Grand Haven - Anglers were catching salmon around the piers.
Grand River at Grand Rapids - Steelhead and brown trout can be found up near the Sixth Street Dam. Walleye and catfish can be caught up and down the river. Northern pike have been caught above and below the dam. Those trolling between Johnson Park and the dam have caught walleye on a crawler harness or rapalas.
Grand River at Lansing - Lots of channel cats were caught at Moore’s Park.
Red Cedar River - Has good smallmouth bass action and some nice fish caught.
Maple River - Had very good northern pike action near the town of Maple Rapids.
Lake Ovid - A few muskie and some large catfish have been caught. Look for bass in 12 to 15 feet of water.
Morrison Lake - A good number of bluegills have been caught along the drop-offs.
Reeds Lake - Anglers are catching perch in 30 to 40 feet of water.
Muskegon - Salmon were caught on blue and green spoons in 70 to 100 feet of water. No word on perch.
Whitehall - Salmon fishing has been sporadic with fish caught close to shore in 30 feet of water or way out deep in 130 feet. Red and orange seem to be the colors of choice. Pier anglers caught perch but catch rates depend on water temperature.
Northeast Lower Peninsula
Cheboygan River - Walleye anglers are trolling billed crank baits with the current.
Mullett Lake - Those braving the windy conditions have caught walleye in the north end around the red buoy and the south end from Red Pine Point to the mouth of the Indian River. Try deep diving rapalas 120 feet back in waters 12 to 25 feet deep. Good colors were silver, red or green. Anglers have also caught smallmouth bass, northern pike, and perch.
Rogers City - Offshore fishing is the best and some are looking for a scum line. Try straight out from the Forty Mile Point in waters 170 to 250 feet deep for a mixed bag of chinook, coho, steelhead, lake trout, atlantic salmon and pink salmon. Fish the top 40 feet with 3 to 7 colors of leadcore off planer boards or fish downriggers high. Orange has been a hot color. West and northwest winds have pushed in 60 degree water from top to bottom so fishing will be hit-or-miss until it cools back down.
Rockport - Had fair lake trout action in 70 to 120 feet of water out near the Nordmeer Wreck. Green, white or chartreuse lures were the ticket. A few anglers targeting salmon were trolling in 90 feet of water out near Middle Island.
Alpena - Lake trout fishing was good out past the Nine Mile Can. Some were out 15 to 20 miles and trolling spoons. Those using long lines caught steelhead. Closer to shore, walleye anglers had limited success when trolling a crawler harness or stick baits in 8 to 15 feet of water.
Thunder Bay River - Has produced a few nice walleye in the 4 to 6 pound range. River anglers were targeting channel catfish, walleye, and bass with little success.
Harrisville - Lake trout is the common catch with the occasional salmon and steelhead. Lake trout were hitting on a variety of colors in 100 to 150 feet of water while the salmon were 60 feet down in waters 80 to 100 feet deep. Steelhead were caught on dipsey divers and leadcore in 40 to 60 feet of water.
Higgins Lake - When boats can get out, perch are still being caught along the north end of Treasure Island in 20 to 40 feet of water. Those jigging for lake trout and whitefish are using Swedish Pimples. Those trolling for lake trout are using body baits or rapalas.
Oscoda - Fishing slowed but lake trout action was steady in 100 to 150 feet of water. Steelhead were caught closer to shore. Try silver spoons.
Au Sable River - Walleye action was slow however fish have been caught in the early morning and at dusk. Crawler harnesses and bottom bouncers work best.
Tawas - Strong winds have kept many off the lake. A couple walleye were caught down near Alabaster. Pier anglers caught panfish.
Au Gres - Fishing was still good when boats can get out. The best walleye action was about 6 to 8 miles south of the port in 30 to 35 feet of water.
Au Gres River - Small boats trolling have caught a mix of walleye and northern pike.
Northwest Lower Peninsula
Petoskey - Lake trout are hitting on cowbells. Many of those fish are coming at depths around 80 to 120 feet deep with some suspended as high as 35 feet. Salmon reports are few and far between but some were caught.
Lake Charlevoix - The Mayfly hatch is in full swing. Walleye are biting at night on trolled minnow type plugs and bass can be found deeper along the drop-offs. Some perch were caught in the weedy areas close to shore.
Lake Bellaire - Walleye anglers are out in full force. Early morning and late evening were best when trolling near the Fisherman’s Paradise Public Access, the South Bay and along the narrows in the Northwest Arm. Most are trolling crawler harnesses, spoons and rapalas while others are jigging spoons or a jig with leeches or crawlers. Bass anglers are casting spinners or crank baits in 4 to 20 feet of water. Fish ranging from 10 to 20 inches were caught. For pike, try casting crank baits in 3 to 5 feet of water near the mouth of the Intermediate River. Small perch were caught when still-fishing in the Northwest Arm or near the Intermediate River.
Traverse City - In the East Bay, lake trout have been taken when trolling spoons near the bottom in 100 feet of water. In the West Bay, lake trout can be found south of Lee Point along the break. Smallmouth bass are on the move so anglers will need to cover some water to find fish.
Elk River - The action has slowed with only a few smallmouth bass caught.
Boardman River - Had slow fishing except for some rock bass, carp and smallmouth bass found just below the Union Street Dam.
Leland - Chinook salmon have been caught in the early morning or evening. The better catches were taken off the north side of South Manitou Island and off the First Shelf. Depths vary depending on the temperature. Lots of lake trout are still being caught on flies in 40 to 50 feet of water.
Glen Arbor - Salmon anglers have done well off Pyramid Point in the evening or when using glow spoons off Canners Point in the early morning. The first coho was caught which means the fish are moving north. Salmon were caught in 40 to 125 feet of water and lake trout in 40 to 60 feet of water.
Frankfort - The better fishing has been up near Pt. Betsie when trolling 40 to 80 feet down in waters 90 to 250 feet deep. Pier anglers caught chinook when using alewife.
Onekama - Fishing around the Barrel was slow however those trolling in front of the piers and out on the Shelf in 80 to 210 feet of water were taking decent catches of chinook along with some coho and lake trout mixed in. Try orange flies with a yellow or white flasher or green and purple flies with a white flasher. Green and blue spoons or glow plugs were also taking fish.
Portage Lake - Bluegill fishing picked up but now the Mayfly hatch has started. Some bluegills were in the shallows on the north end of the lake but most were in 17 to 22 feet of water in the middle. Lots of largemouth bass have been caught but many were sub-legal. Walleye and pike anglers are struggling with only a few pike caught by those casting on the east end of the lake up near the docks.
Manistee - Boat anglers are catching a couple salmon in the early morning when fishing in front of the piers and off the Shelf. Those venturing out further have caught steelhead and lake trout when targeting the top 30 feet of water with orange spoons.
Ludington - Salmon have been caught in the early morning when trolling in front of the piers with spoons or plugs. Those fishing between the Bathhouse and Sable Point found fish in waters 80 to 160 feet deep. Hot spoons were Mixed Veggies, Double Orange Crush or blue and green Dolphins.
Pentwater - Had excellent fishing in the near shore waters less than 30 feet deep. Anglers caught a mixed bag of trout and salmon when using anything orange or red. Fish can also be found in waters up to 150 feet deep. Pier anglers caught perch.
UPPER PENINSULA
Copper Harbor - A few splake were still being caught on jigs with cut bait. Off Eagle Harbor, anglers trolling spoons caught lake trout in waters 100 to 150 feet deep.Those jigging in 100 feet of water have also caught some nice lake trout.
Lac La Bell - Catch rates were slow as the Mayfly hatch winds down.
Marquette - Had fair to good lake trout action with some limit catches reported. Anglers are fishing in waters 100 to 150 feet deep. Some 10 to 25 pound fish were caught around Stannard Rock. Salmon action was slow.
Menominee - Those fishing the waters in Green Bay caught chinook around Green Island and Chambers Island. Try different colored spoons about 70 to 100 feet down. The chinook can be found near the Whaleback Shoal about 50 to 80 feet down. Early mornings were best when using flies, flashers, dipsey divers or spoons.
Menominee River - Reported slow fishing between the mouth and the first dam. Those trolling a crawler harness did catch fish but many were undersize. Those jigging crawlers were picking up smallmouth bass, rock bass and freshwater drum.
Cedar River - Is producing smallmouth bass between the mouth and the first dam. Most are trolling different colored rapalas or jigging crawlers.
Little Bay De Noc - Most walleye anglers are still trolling crawlers or crank baits in 20 to 30 feet of water between the “Fingers” and Portage Point. Good northern pike action out from the Power Plant in Kipling when trolling spoons in 10 to 20 feet of water. Bass anglers did well when casting tube baits or crank baits in 10 to 15 feet of water around Hunters Point and Butler Island. Shore anglers at the Ford River also doing well casting crank baits or crawlers along the banks. A few perch were taken in waters up to 25 feet deep off Butler Island. Rumor has it a couple nice salmon were caught 60 feet down in 80 to 90 feet of water out near the Ford River Buoy.
Big Bay De Noc - No walleye reports this week but the smallmouth bass fishing was good off Ogontz and Valentine Creek. Most are casting tube baits or crank baits in 10 to 15 feet of water. Lots of sunfish were caught along the weeds. At Fairport, water temperatures are still on the cold side. Salmon fishing has been fair to good 65 to 80 feet down in waters 100 feet deep. Red and silver were hot colors. The fish are bigger with many in the 20 pound range.
Au Train - Surface water temperatures were in the 50’s. Lake trout action was fair to moderate.
Grand Marais - It seems the whitefish season has come to an end however catch rates for lake trout were still good. Try waters 70 to 290 feet deep for limit catches of lake trout along with the occasional salmon or steelhead.
De Tour - Is producing lake trout, steelhead, chinook salmon and atlantic salmon. Most are fishing off Drummond Island and heading towards the Green Can. They are fishing down 20 to 45 feet with green, blue or watermelon spoons. Good catch rates for lake herring around Drummond Island especially near Red Rock, Burnt Island, Maple Island, Cherry Island and Pigeon Cove. Use teardrops with wax worms in 18 to 20 feet of water. Burnt Island is also producing lake whitefish in 12 to 15 feet of water. Try wax worms or live Mayflies.
Cedarville and Hessel - Had very good lake herring fishing with limits taken in McKay Bay and the east end of the Moscoe Channel when using red teardrops with wax worms. Perch have been caught in 8 to 10 feet of water. In Cedarville Bay and Musky Bay, catch rates for perch were improving in 10 to 15 feet of water. Pike were caught by those casting off the Hessel Pier. Those targeting salmon were catching lake trout. Bass are hitting on spinner baits in Snows Channel.
Pine River - Anglers are fishing the mouth for suckers. Water temperatures were still to cold for catfish to come in.
St. Ignace - Boats are trolling between the old fuel tanks and the Coast Guard Station. They are catching chinook and lake trout 30 to 45 feet down in waters up to 70 feet deep. Try green and white or green and gold spoons.
