Weekly Fishing Report - March 28, 2013
Michigan Department of Natural Resources sent this bulletin at 03/28/2013 08:00 AM EDT
Weekly Fishing Report
March 28, 2013
Weekly Fishing Tip: Buy your 2013 fishing license!
For many of you it may be time to buy your 2013 fishing license so you can enjoy the numerous angling opportunities available in Michigan each year. This year’s license is valid until March 31, 2014.
Are you aware of the three simple ways you can buy a Michigan fishing license?
1. Visit your local license retailer and make a purchase in person!
2. Use the E-License system to buy a license online 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Just visit www.mdnr-elicense.com to get started!
3. Visit the Mobile Fish website on your smartphone (www.mi.gov/fish) to buy a 24-hour all-species fishing license. All you need is your driver’s license number and a credit or debit card!
For additional information on fishing licenses in Michigan – including license requirements – visit www.michigan.gov/fishing.
Click on the links below to jump to the report section that interests you most:
Southeast Lower Peninsula
Southwest Lower Peninsula
Northeast Lower Peninsula
Northwest Lower Peninsula
Upper Peninsula
On Monday, April 1 all anglers 17 years of age and older will be required to have a 2013 fishing license. Be sure to pick up a copy of the 2013 Michigan Fishing Guide when you purchase your license. Even though the calendar says spring, ice fishing is going strong in the northern half of the Lower Peninsula and the Upper Peninsula. While spring is slow to arrive this year, a long, slow warm-up is better for fish production.
Steelhead runs appear to be underway in area streams but the suckers didn’t get the memo about dip-net season opening on March 20 because no fish were in the Rifle River yet.
Huron River: Is producing some steelhead and the occasional sucker.
Detroit River: Walleye anglers are fishing the lower river including the Trenton Channel. Catch rates were slow as water temperatures are still quite cold. Perch were caught in the canals around Grosse Ile and Gibraltar.
Lake St. Clair: The slow start to spring has really stalled fishing. Most of the ramps are open however the Parks and Recreation Division have not yet installed the skid piers at the DNR sites. Windy conditions will have the lake stirred up for a few days. Look for catch rates to improve by the weekend.
Harbor Beach: The ice is not safe. The Edison Channel is all open water.
Saginaw Bay: Ice conditions are quickly deteriorating, but anglers staying close to shore are getting some perch. Ice fishing continued off Palmer Road however catch rates were hit-or-miss for six to eight inch perch. Small bluegills, crappie and perch were caught in the basin of the Eagle Harbor Marina. Last-ice perch anglers caught fish in five feet of water off Newman and Newburg Roads. Average was 10 to 25 fish for those using minnows and beads.
A few perch were caught off the State Park however the honeycomb ice is not encouraging. Be extremely careful. Not much going on east of Bay City as the ice is bad with lots of holes, thin spots or ice that has piled up. A few boat anglers looking for perch were going out of Quanicassee but success was spotty. Those fishing the marinas at Sebewaing, Bay Port and Caseville did manage to catch a few perch.
St. Joseph River: Water levels were getting back to normal. Water temperatures dropped back down to 37 degrees. Very few steelhead moved through the Berrien Springs ladder during the cold spell. Fish movement is expected to increase over the weekend with the arrival of rain and warmer weather.
Kalamazoo River: Steelhead fishing slowed but there are still fish to be caught.
Gull Lake: Still had some ice on the south end but those fishing said the bite was really slow with only a few bluegill and perch biting during the day and a few smelt at night. Extreme caution needs to be used this time of year.
Grand River at Grand Rapids: As water levels come down, water clarity improves. Rain and warmer temperatures by the weekend should help to move fresh fish into the river.
Grand River at Lansing: Steelhead are now being caught near Ionia in Prairie Creek, so they are moving this way. Those looking for bluegill or crappie might want to check out the backwaters.
Muskegon River: Water levels are back to normal and the clarity is nice and clear. The steelhead bite slowed with the cold weather. Look for good fishing once spring gets here and stays.
Oscoda: Pier anglers caught steelhead on spawn, spoons, spinners or body baits.
Au Sable River: Is producing some steelhead and a few suckers. Most of the steelhead seem to be fresh from the lake. Anglers are using wax worms, spinners, or Hot-n-Tots and some are fly fishing. The access sites are open but most still have ice in the parking lots and on the ramps.
Higgins Lake: Still has good ice. Lake trout are hitting on grays just off the bottom in 80 to 100 feet of water. A good number of rainbow trout were caught on wigglers near the Conference Center. Some nice perch were caught in 20 to 25 feet of water around the Sunken Island. Smelt have been caught off Big Creek. Some near limit catches were taken by those fishing in 20 to 30 feet of water at night.
Houghton Lake: The bluegill bite was slow with the cold front but anglers should still find some nice fish by the weekend. Try the Middle Grounds.
Tawas: Ice anglers caught small perch near Jerry’s Marina in Tawas Bay. Those fishing inside the state harbor are getting brown trout and lake trout on tip-ups and short rods and the bigger live minnows.
Tawas River: Is producing some steelhead. A few fishing at the mouth were casting lakeward for walleye but the bite was slow.
Au Gres: Some are walleye fishing in the big water off the mouth of the river however catch rates were slow.
Au Gres River: Steelhead were reported in good numbers in the East Branch both upstream and at the mouth near the Singing Bridge.
Rifle River: Dip-netting for suckers is open at Omer but the suckers were not running yet. They should start moving in soon.
Pine River: Has opened up but there was no fishing activity.
Green Lake: The smelt bite slowed but should pick back up with warmer weather.
Crystal Lake: Continues to give up smelt. No big numbers yet but catch rates should improve soon.
Manistee River: Steelhead fishing is in a bit of a holding pattern right now. Plenty of fish around, but water temperatures are cold and water levels are back down to normal. The next thaw should really get it fired up!
Lake Missaukee: Still has ice fishing.
Lake Cadillac: Ice fishing could last for another two weeks at this rate. Panfish are being caught but the bite has slowed. A few crappie were caught along the east end.
Lake Mitchell: Ice fishing is going strong with no end in sight, at least not right now. The bite was slow but panfish were caught in the coves.
Pere Marquette River: Has steelhead but catch rates were slow due to the cold water. The next warm-up should provide some excellent trout fishing.
Keweenaw Bay: Catch rates for lake trout were spotty. Those fishing on the reefs are using lead head jigs cut bait such as smelt or suckers in 120 to 180 feet of water. Those fishing out from Whirl-I-Gig Road and Pequaming were in 240 to 275 feet of water but catch rates for coho, lake herring and whitefish were hit-or-miss. A nice lake trout measuring just over 37 inches was caught off Big Reef. Anglers say they can see clouds of smelt on the fish finders however it seems they are not feeding because catch rates were slow.
Falls River: Was producing a few rainbow trout.
Marquette: Changing wind directions have been shifting the ice so much that it is no longer safe to venture out. The Lower Harbor and breakwall were still iced in at the launch. The Upper Harbor has one launch open for boat access. Anglers did manage to catch some coho, lake herring and splake near the “Bubblers.” They were using small jigs and spinners tipped with crawlers or cut bait.
Carp River: Those casting from shore had no luck for coho and steelhead.
Chicagon Lake: Whitefish are active in 45 to 65 feet of water most mornings. Perch fishing was spotty.
Iron Lake: The morning bite was good for perch and bluegill. Use minnows or wax worms in 14 to 17 feet of water. Slush is making travel difficult.
Groveland Mine Ponds: Few anglers were out because of deep snow on the lakes. The road getting to the lakes is in poor condition because of the deep snow. Those that could make it out did catch some nice bluegills in 25 feet of water near the boat launch on South Lake. They were jigging wax worms at different depths.
Lake Antoine: In Dickinson County also has a good amount of ice but deep snow continues to make travel difficult. The few anglers that were out did catch a few small perch on wax worms near the middle of the lake.
Little Bay De Noc: Ice was holding across the Bay however large ships have been moving in and out near Escanaba. Angler participation has been low with many removing their ice shanties. All shanties must be off the water by midnight March 31. Perch fishing was fair between the “Narrows” and the Second Reef. Some jumbo perch were caught on minnows and wigglers in 8 to 30 feet of water. Good catches of small perch were reported around Butler Island in five to 10 feet of water. Whitefish anglers off Sand Point were lucky to catch a couple fish in 75 to 85 feet of water when using minnows or spawn.
Au Train: The bay is still iced in. The Brownstone Launch still has about three feet of snow and wayside near the river is not plowed. The Rock River remains frozen with no flow at the spillway.
Au Train River: Is open near the mouth. Anglers jigging for coho had poor results.
Munising: Few anglers were out and few fish were caught. There continues to be about six to 12 inches of slushy snow on the ice and some soft spots as well. Catch rates for trout and salmon were not good and the whitefish action has slowed as well. Splake were scattered. The fish caught ranged from sub-legal to about 20 inches. Perch anglers were getting mostly seven to eight inch fish near Sand Point and in Murray Bay. Those jigging halfway down near Sand Point did catch a few smelt. Those trying to spear herring had poor results. Trout Bay had fishable ice. Anglers did well for coho, some herring and even a few smelt. Use caution in this area as conditions can change quickly.
Munuscong Bay: Catch rates were slow however those targeting perch are fishing the north end by Moon Islands in eight to 10 feet of water. Raber Bay may also produce some fish in 10 to 15 feet of water.
Cedarville and Hessel: Hessel Bay is producing some nice yellow perch in 10 to 12 feet of water for those using minnows. Musky Bay, off Rice Point is producing fewer fish but those caught were good size. In Government Bay, try minnows in 20 to 27 feet of water for bigger perch.
Revenue from fishing and hunting license sales supports DNR activities to enhance Michigan’s natural resources. These license sales also increase federal revenue to the State of Michigan for the management of these resources. Please help support Michigan’s abundant natural resources by purchasing a fishing and hunting license each year. You can purchase fishing licenses online 24-hours a day!
Enjoy your catch! Eat safe fish! Learn about eating safe, local and healthful fish from our Great Lakes State at www.michigan.gov/eatsafefish.