Be prepared to get your feet wet when launching boats in several areas along the Great Lakes. Because of extremely high water levels, many of the ramps have water up into the parking lots (see below for an example). Most rivers are still running high as well.

All anglers 17 years of age and older are required to have a fishing license.

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Many parts of Michigan are experiencing high water levels. This pic is the Elberta boat launch off M-22.

Southeast Lower Peninsula

Lake Erie: Walleye were caught in 24 to 28 feet from Stony Point all the way down to Toledo Beach. Yellow perch, white bass and freshwater drum were also caught. Anglers were trolling bandits, spoons and bottom bouncers or drifting a crawler harness. Largemouth bass were caught off Bolles Harbor on lake side of the rock wall. The boat launches at Sterling State Park and Bolles Harbor had very highwater levels so you may want to bring boots or waders.

Detroit River: Fishing was slow. White bass were taken in the lower river. Hand-liners caught a few walleye.

Lake St. Clair: Significant rainfall has made the water turbid. Angler pressure is way down for this time of year. A few walleye were caught but no limit catches. Most fish were caught near the Metro Park with body baits. Smallmouth bass action was best along the Mile Roads. Anglers also caught both legal and sublegal pike and muskie.

St. Clair River: Walleye fishing was steady for those slow trolling or drifting a crawler harness. Fish were also picked up by those hand-lining or boat anglers whipping at night. Panfish were found in the shallows near the cattails.

Lexington and Port Sanilac: A couple lake trout were caught by those trolling spoons in 50 to 60 feet off Lexington. One Atlantic salmon was caught from the pier when using a fly. Lake trout were found off Sanilac when trolling in 45 to 60 feet with spoons.

Harbor Beach: Lake trout were caught straight out and north of the harbor in 60 to 90 feet. Try dodgers with spin-glo’s near the bottom or spoons off downriggers. Steelhead and salmon were taken on spoons in the same areas. Green, orange and silver were good colors. Walleye and bass were still in close to shore and hitting small spoons or body baits.

Saginaw Bay: Walleye were still being caught at the Pinconning Bar and in 17 to 23 feet in the Black Hole, the Spark Plug, and Sailboat Buoys A-B. A few fish were caught in 10 feet off Quanicassee and along the Callahan Reef. Those fishing the Slot between Sebewaing and Sunset Marina found fish in 16 to 19 feet with a crawler harness, spoon or body baits. The fish were scattered and found shallower or deeper as well. Fishing off Caseville was slow.

Flint River: Walleye were caught in the Holloway Reservoir. A decent number of crappie and some smallmouth bass were also caught.

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Southwest Lower Peninsula

St. Joseph: Salmon were caught on orange spoons 30 to 70 feet down in 70 to 100 feet. Pier anglers caught a couple steelhead on shrimp. Freshwater drum were taken on crawlers and alewife.

South Haven: Light numbers of salmon were caught by boat anglers. Pier anglers were taking the occasional steelhead or freshwater drum on alewife or shrimp. Alewife were still in the channel.

Holland: The DNR launch was closed due to high water levels. It had since reopened but staying open depends on dry weather conditions. Any significant rain in the watershed will most likely result in the launch being closed again.

Grand Haven: Chinook salmon were caught 35 to 75 feet down in 80 to 130 feet with orange and green spoons. Pier anglers caught a couple steelhead with orange spoons or shrimp. Freshwater drum were taken on alewife. Water levels at the Harbor Island launch are still high but the docks were accessible.

Grand River at Grand Rapids: Continues to have highwater levels making it almost impossible to fish. There has been very little fishing activity.

Grand River at Lansing: Highwater levels continue to hamper fishing effort as the river is unfishable in most areas.

Muskegon: Salmon and trout were caught 40 to 90 feet down in 75 to 130 feet with orange, green and blue spoons as well as green and white flies. Pier anglers casting spoons caught freshwater drum.

Muskegon Lake: In the channel, a couple walleye were caught along the end of the pier as you’re heading east into the lake. Bass and panfish were hitting on crawlers and leeches. Pike were hitting spinners and crank baits.

Muskegon River: Bass fishing picked up as some good size fish were caught from Hardy Dam Pond.

Whitehall: Large bluegills and some nice bass were caught at the end of the pier.

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Northeast Lower Peninsula

Overall: Bass and bluegills were moving to the beds on many smaller lakes. Elevated river levels have made trout fishing difficult the last several weeks.

Cheboygan River: Water levels were extremely high with a fast current. Angler activity slowed but a few were drifting for walleye. Boat anglers have done better than shore anglers. Most were drifting a crawler harness with worms between the paper mill and the DNR Office. Fish were 14 to 22 inches.

Burt Lake: Had good walleye fishing along the east shoreline.

Mullett Lake: Had good walleye fishing on the north end.

Rogers City: Lake trout fishing was very good with limit catches taken in waters out to 70 feet deep. Fish were hitting on spoons but those targeting them were using dodgers or flashers with spin-glo’s. Once anglers find them, they are circling the area and taking their limits quickly. The salmon action was a bit slower. Anglers were targeting Atlantics in the top 20 feet or Chinook in the top half of 70 feet. Good colors were orange and silver, green and silver, blue, chartreuse or glow early and late.

Presque Isle: Limits of lake trout were taken in 20 to 80 feet with dodgers or flashers with spin-glo’s. Anglers caught a mix of Chinook and Atlantic salmon in the top 40 feet with spoons, lead core and copper. Good colors were orange and silver, orange and gold, chartreuse, black and white or blue.

Long Lake: Near Alpena had some good perch fishing.

East Twin Lake: In Montmorency County was producing walleye in the early morning or evening.

Alpena: Lake trout were caught in 50 to 80 feet off Thunder Bay Island when trolling spoons or spin-glo’s with attractors. Fish were on the bottom as well as suspended. Those trolling body baits inside 20 feet caught walleye and the odd brown trout in front of the harbor and off Sulphur Island morning or evening.

Thunder Bay River: Those still-fishing, drifting crawlers and leeches or casting body baits and jigs in the morning or evening caught a couple walleye. Smallmouth bass and pike were taken on jigs and body baits while the carp, channel cats and rock bass were taken on the crawlers and leeches.

Fletchers Pond: Anglers were catching bluegills on the pond, and near the dam.

Hubbard Lake: A couple walleye and some very nice smallmouth bass were caught on crank baits.

Oscoda: Those trolling spoons, spin-glo’s, dodgers and cowbells caught lake trout in 50 to 80 feet. Most fish were taken near the bottom, but a few were suspended and taken on lead core or dipsey divers. The odd Atlantic salmon was caught on spoons. Pier anglers still-fishing, drifting crawlers and leeches or casting body baits caught walleye early or late. Channel cats, white suckers, rock bass and freshwater drum were taken on crawlers or leeches.

Au Sable River: Fly hatches are later than usual this year. Anglers were doing well with Light Hennies, Blackstone, March Browns, and Sulphur’s. Flow rates continue to be high and water temperatures were in the mid 60’s. Walleye were caught by those still-fishing, drifting or floating crawlers down near the mouth. Smallmouth bass, rock bass and carp were also caught. Good size perch were found in six feet.

Higgins Lake: Lake trout were still being caught just off the bottom in 80 to 100 feet when trolling spoons and rapalas or jigging sand kickers in the early morning. Perch were still being caught but most were small. Smallmouth bass were active along the drop-offs. For the kids, lots of rock bass have been caught.

Houghton Lake: The walleye and pike fishing slowed a bit with the mayfly hatch. A couple walleye were taken by those floating a leech. The pike action was fair for those trolling. Bluegills and sunfish were caught when drifting crawlers along the weed edges.

Tawas: Very few boats had been out. A couple walleye were caught south of the port down near the Singing Bridge. Pier anglers casting body baits caught smallmouth bass, pike and the odd walleye.

Tawas River: Those casting body baits, tube baits and a jig head or those still-fishing with crawlers caught smallmouth bass, rock bass and channel cats.

Au Gres: Those trolling took some limits of walleye in 35 to 45 feet straight out from the river, north of the Charity Islands and well south of Point Au Gres with crawlers, body baits and flicker shad. Good walleye catches from north of the Rifle River down to the Pinconning Bar in eight to 15 feet. Some good size perch were also caught.

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Northwest Lower Peninsula

Wilderness State Park: Cold water slowed fishing however a couple smallmouth bass were taken with leeches, tube baits or a leech imitation.

Carp Lake River: Water levels are high. Baitfish were heavily feeding on a recent fly hatch.

Harbor Springs: A couple lake trout were caught about 20 feet off the bottom in 90 to 120 feet around Harbor Point. Some were near the bottom and some were suspended. Smallmouth bass fishing was hit-or-miss as the water is still cold.

Petoskey: Had no boat reports. The area near the mouth of the river and the breakwall had few anglers and no fish were caught. The Bear River was running high and water temperatures may have cooled after the cold rain.

Charlevoix: Had few boats out. A lake trout was caught 60 feet down in 85 feet off North Point. One boat tried for steelhead, but none were caught. A small number of cisco were caught towards the cement plant. Catch rates for cisco in the channel were still very good in the early morning when casting or jigging anything flashy. A couple lake trout were also caught in the channel. Smallmouth bass were spotted but none were caught.

Lake Charlevoix: Was producing walleye in the South Arm.

Traverse City: Smallmouth bass anglers should try the shallows in the East Bay from the M-37 launch to Acme, Yuba to Elk Rapids and north of the M-37 launch to Old Mission. A couple smallmouth bass were caught in the Elk River. In the West Bay, a good number of cisco were caught around the tip of Old Mission Peninsula when casting or jigging in 15 to 60 feet. Bass were found in the shallows south of the Bowers Harbor launch to Bryant Park and the river mouth. On the Boardman River, lots of smallmouth bass were reported at the mouth. Rock bass, suckers, carp and a couple walleye were also caught by those using crawlers, leeches or plastics.

Lake Leelanau: Had reports of walleye caught in the Narrows however catch rates vary day-to-day.

Frankfort: Cooler water has moved into the area. Chinook salmon are hitting but the fish were scattered. Most were trolling the top 60 feet of waters 100 to 180 feet deep. Lake trout were hitting on spoons. Pier anglers caught Chinook salmon off the north pier in the early morning. Most were using alewife.

Portage Lake: Water temperatures were increasing so the fish were moving to deeper water. Bass anglers reported a good number of fish when working the drop-offs.

Manistee: Surface water temperatures were 50 degrees. The Chinook salmon bite has slowed. Anglers are still picking up a few along with lake trout and steelhead in 140 to 250 feet with spoons and flies. Pier fishing slowed as most of the baitfish have moved out of the harbor.

Manistee Lake: Anglers caught crappie and bass.

Manistee River: Walleye were caught north of the Hodenpyl Dam with crawlers and rapalas.

Ludington: Surface water temperatures were 52 degrees. Chinook salmon fishing has slowed as the fish were scattered. Those out trolling did manage to catch a couple Chinook along with steelhead and lake trout in 140 to 250 feet with spoons, flies and meat rigs. Pier fishing was slow.

Pentwater: Those out trolling caught trout and salmon in 150 to 200 feet.

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Upper Peninsula

Keweenaw Bay: Anglers were starting to find more fish when trolling spoons and crank baits. Depths vary but anglers caught Chinook, coho, steelhead, brown trout and quite a few lake trout.

Escanaba River: Was producing some limit catches of walleye.

Big Bay De Noc: Was producing some pike.

Whitefish Point: Anglers have caught some large walleye.

St. Marys River: Had good fishing for walleye, pike and smallmouth bass. Those targeting Atlantic salmon did well trolling behind the federal power plant.

Detour: Salmon fishing improved with good catches of Atlantic along with a couple Chinook taken by those trolling from the Detour Lighthouse to the red buoy on the Drummond Island side of the river. Fish were hitting smaller spoons 18 to 25 feet down in 80 to 90 feet. Hot colors were orange and chartreuse. The fish were attracted to faster moving bait. Fish were also caught in the 90 foot flat located two miles south of the Detour Lighthouse when skipping cannon balls off the flat bottom.

Cedarville and Hessel: The public boat launch off Meridian Road in Cedarville is closed due to construction. It is expected to reopen sometime in late August. Pike were caught throughout Musky Bay and around Little La Salle Island. Try creek chubs or large minnows in 12 o 20 feet. Off Hessel, some were trying for yellow perch off the finger docks, but no fish were caught. Splake have moved away from the Hessel Marina and fishing pier. Try trolling in and around Cube Pointe at the west end of Marquette Island. Try crank baits eight feet down in 14 to 18 feet. Good colors were fire-tiger, blue and chrome. Good bass fishing one mile east of the Hessel Marina when casting spinners or tube jigs off Echo Island and Lone Susan Island in four feet.

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Fishing Tip: Fly season is quickly approaching

We bring you this oldie, but goodie fishing tip from 2014. Courtesy of Neal Godby, a DNR fisheries biologist out of Gaylord.

Although much of what a trout feeds on throughout the year is under the water’s surface, June is prime time for dry-fly fishing for stream trout.

Many aquatic insects, like mayflies, stoneflies, and caddisflies found in trout streams emerge during June making it an exciting time to fish with “dry” flies (those that float on the surface of the water). Check with your local tackle shop or fly shop to see what might be hatching in your area.

Many of the mayfly hatches occur after sunset, so be sure to be familiar with the river you are fishing, make sure your headlamp/flashlight is working, and have fun!

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This report is intended to give you an idea of what is going on around the state. Updates come from Fisheries staff and Conservation Officers. With more than 11,000 inland lakes, the Great Lakes and thousands of miles of rivers and streams, not all locations can be listed. However, it is safe to say if a species is being caught in some waters in the area, they are likely being caught in all waters in that section of the state that have that species