It looks like spring fishing has finally begun, at least in the Lower Peninsula. Some waters around the state are muddy due to recent rains and strong winds. Warm weather by the end of the week should make for some good fishing.
Southeast Lower Peninsula
Lake Erie - Has been rough and muddy. Few anglers had been out.
Huron River - Steelhead anglers are catching fish on spawn, wax worms, flies, small jigs or small spoons.
Detroit River - East winds have muddied up the waters but anglers are still walleye fishing. Most are jigging minnows with stinger hooks. Boats are launching from Metro Park or Elizabeth Park.
St. Clair River - Boat and shore anglers up near Port Huron continue to catch steelhead, coho, walleye and even some suckers.
Lexington - A few anglers have been out catching the occasional steelhead.
Port Austin - Some coho and a couple of big brown trout were taken by shore anglers in the lower end of Bird Creek.
Saginaw Bay - Lots of small perch means lots of sorting in both the lower Pine and the cut at the end of Palmer Road. Bigger fish have been caught on the right days. When boat anglers can get out, they found some bigger fish out near the commercial nets. Perch have been caught from the docks at Linwood Marina, inside Eagle’s Landing, and at the end of Sagatoo Road. Good catches of walleye were taken near Channel Island and off the mouth of the Kawkawlin River when vertical jigging or trolling planer boards with body baits. At Caseville, the occasional walleye has been caught by those fishing lake ward off the pier.
Saginaw River - Some decent size perch were caught in the lower river from the Bay Aggregate cut.
Quanicassee River - Has been slow with only a few perch caught.
Sebewaing River - Has lots of small perch however the river and the marina are full of emerald shiners. That much forage in one place will make it hard to catch a fish.
Pigeon River - Has lots of small perch in the river and the marina basins. Be ready to sort out the small ones.
Southwest Lower Peninsula
St. Joe - Fishing is good with boats catching coho when trolling off the bottom along the mud lines. Pier anglers caught good numbers of coho and whitefish on spawn.
St. Joe River - Steelhead are still passing through the ladder at Berrien Springs. A few brown trout have been caught.
South Haven - Pier anglers are taking a fair number of coho when still-fishing.
Grand Haven - Anglers were targeting steelhead and brown trout but catch rates were spotty. Pier anglers have caught a few menominee. Boats were trolling along the shoreline in shallow waters for brown trout. Stick baits in a “tiger pattern” have produced fish. Some lake trout have also been caught but the fish need to be released immediately because the season does not open until May 1st.
Grand River at Grand Rapids - Has started to clear up. Anglers are still catching steelhead with the better fishing between the dam and Wealthy Street. There is still a good number of chrome fish in the river and they seem to be hitting on spawn or yarn. Carp and suckers are also being caught. Bruce Bayou is producing some nice bluegill and crappie. Try wax worms, leaf worms or minnows.
Grand River at Lansing - Steelhead are still being passed through the ladder at Webber Dam. Those fishing over at Moore’s Park are catching them when floating crawlers under a bobber. The rain should push more fish up into the Lansing area.
Reeds Lake - Perch fishing has been good. The channels are producing fair to good numbers of crappie and bluegills.
Muskegon - Pier anglers are catching steelhead and brown trout. Boat anglers have been trolling just outside the piers.
Muskegon Lake - Anglers are still catching yellow perch. The better fishing has been along the west side of the lake between the channel and the Yacht Club in 42 to 49 feet of water.
Muskegon River - Fair to good steelhead action from the mouth to Bridgeton.
Whitehall - The brown trout and steelhead action continues to be slow. The occasional brown trout was caught by boats trolling in 8 to 10 feet of water between the sandbars.
White Lake - There are still a lot of perch being caught in front of the old Post Office, where the lake meets the channel, and off the northwest point nearest the channel.
White River - Steelhead action continues up near Hesperia.
Northeast Lower Peninsula
Rockport - Anglers are steelhead fishing off the pier. Most are casting spawn but some were bobber fishing in 5 feet of water. The docks are not in yet; therefore, not much boat activity.
Alpena - A limited number of walleye have been caught near the mouth when trolling body baits.
Thunder Bay River - Those fishing for steelhead are casting or still-fishing with spawn or flies. There have been reports of brown trout caught behind LaFarge when trolling body baits.
Harrisville - Boat anglers able to get out have caught steelhead, brown trout and even some walleye in 15 to 20 feet of water in front of the harbor. They are trolling with planer boards or long lining with body baits. Good colors were silver or fire-tiger. Some walleye were caught off the north wall on body baits.
Houghton Lake - Is ice free and those fishing the canals have started to catch bluegill and crappie.
Oscoda - Walleye fishing had started to pick up and then slowed again. Look for the action to pick back up once the temperatures warm up.
Au Sable River - Steelhead are in the river. Both shore anglers and drift boats are catching fish on spawn or body baits.
Tawas - Lots of small perch have been caught in the harbor. The average is 5 to 7 inches but some keepers in the 8 to 9 inch range were also caught. Those fishing on the lake side of the pier have caught a few walleye, steelhead, brown trout and the occasional salmon. Boats are trolling for walleye with planer boards and rapalas in front of the river and down toward Alabaster.
Au Gres - Boats trolling off the mouth of the river with planer boards and body baits were catching walleye.
Au Gres River - Over near the Singing Bridge, steelhead anglers were doing well when using spawn in the lower Whitney Drain. Surfcasting also produced fish.
Rifle River - It looks like the sucker runs have peaked near Omer, but anglers fishing further up near Sterling were still catching good numbers of fish.
Northwest Lower Peninsula
Traverse City - Both bays are open. Boat anglers are searching for steelhead, brown trout, lake trout, whitefish and perch but catch rates have been slow.
Elk River - Fishing has been slow with the colder weather. A few fish were caught when using spawn or wax worms.
Boardman River - Catch rates have been hit-or-miss with the better success while surf casting off the mouth and off the Maritime Dock when using spawn or wigglers. Warmer weather should kick the fishing in high gear.
Frankfort - Pier fishing was slow. Boats trolling for brown trout reported fair catch rates when they can get out.
Betsie River - Steelhead anglers are taking fish. Some days are better than others.
Manistee - Pier fishing was spotty. Boat anglers are catching brown trout when trolling in the harbor and out around the piers. Clown, fire-tiger and chartreuse patterns were catching fish. Strong winds have hampered spring trolling.
Manistee River - There were some good catches up near Tippy Dam but overall, the run is a little slow due to cold temperatures and lack of rain. The bright side is that steelhead fishing will extend throughout the month of April.
Ludington - Steelhead and brown trout fishing off the piers remains slow. Boat anglers have caught brown trout when trolling along the shoreline with body baits. Green and orange were good colors. Strong winds have hampered fishing.
Pentwater - Pier fishing has been slow. A few brown trout were caught by those trolling in 10 feet of water between the sandbars.
UPPER PENINSULA
Keweenaw Bay - Several coho and a couple rainbow trout were taken through the ice near L’Anse but the ice has since deteriorated to the point of dangerous. No luck on the piers yet. Boats are trolling but few fish were caught. Look for catch rates to improve with spring rains and warmer temperatures.
Fall’s River - Slow catch rates for those targeting rainbow trout.
Marquette - Steelhead have been caught out from the mouth of the rivers when trolling spoons and body baits. Coho were caught in both the upper and lower harbor when using jigs with twister tails and cut bait. Pink has been a good color. Rain is needed to bring steelhead into the rivers.
Menominee River - Anglers are starting to pick up some nice walleye when trolling in shallow waters and near the mouth of the river. Those wading and casting from shore had limited success. Evenings were best for walleye. Those trolling or casting were using a #9 blue and white rapala. Suckers are starting to show up in the river. Steelhead and brown trout action was slow.
Cedar River - The docks are in at the public access site and at Stony Point. The water levels are low so there has not been much fishing activity. Boats are starting to troll the shoreline near the mouth and also the shallows for splake and brown trout. A few fish were caught on different colored plugs.
Au Train - Some nice catches of coho are coming from the mouth of the Rock River on spawn bags and crawlers.
Munising - Fishing was slow, warmer weather is needed. The ice is deteriorating and the shoreline has slush as the pressure cracks start to open up. Further out, there is ice however much of the surface is covered with honeycomb ice. Anglers need to use extreme caution.
Munuscong - A limited number of anglers are targeting perch off Grassy Island or in Fowlers Bay.
De Tour - Anglers are targeting steelhead in Albany Creek when still-fishing with spawn bags.
Cedarville and Hessel - Anglers are catching perch along the west end of Musky Bay. They are taking boats across Snows Channel to get to the ice and fishing minnows in 6 to 8 feet of water. Little Joe Island is also producing fair numbers of perch for those using wax worms in 3 to 4 feet of water.
Carp River - Anglers are steelhead fishing at the mouth or at the first bridge off Mackinaw Trail. Most are using spawn bags.
