Weekly Fishing Report: June 4, 2015

Find out where the fish are biting this week! 
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Weekly Fishing Report

June 4, 2015

 


 

Weekly Fishing Tip: Catching a flathead catfish in Michigan
Angler holding a flathead catfishFishing for catfish in Michigan can be quite a fun experience! There are two common types of catfish in Michigan – channel and fla
thead. There’s one main difference with fishing for the flathead than other catfish species – anglers often use live baitfish when pursuing them, unlike the various earthworms, shrimp or various stink-bait concoctions many catfish anglers use.

Flatheads tend to live in slow-flowing rivers where they typically inhabit deep holes. Veteran flathead anglers often pursue them at night, fishing on the bottom in the leading edge of the hole or on the flats upstream. Large minnows, small sunfish or cut suckers are preferred baits.

Summer is the most popular season to fish for flatheads – what better time to get out and try your luck!

For more information on fishing for catfish, check out their page on the DNR’s Michigan Fish and How to Catch Them website

 


 


Weekly Fishing Report map

 

 

Great Lakes Temperature Map

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



Last weekend was a bust!  Few anglers got out and fishing slowed with the cold front.  Muskellunge season opens Saturday, June 6 on Lake St. Clair, the St. Clair River and the Detroit River.  

SOUTHEAST LOWER PENINSULA

Lake Erie: Some walleye were caught in 22 to 25 feet off Monroe.  Anglers are trolling or drifting crawler harnesses.  

Lenawee County: Bluegill fishing was great on both Hudson and Devils Lake for those using worms or insects.  Bass fishing was good on Devils Lake for those casting soft plastic worms and imitation baits such as crayfish.  Lake Hudson had fair to good bass fishing.  Hudson is getting plenty of effort by muskie anglers but most had limited success.     

Detroit River: Heavy rains resulted in very muddy water and stronger currents.  Anglers reported the Canadian side of the river was too muddy to fish.  Walleye anglers continue fishing the northern half of the Canadian side but those fishing the southern end near the mouth reported slow fishing. Those fishing the Michigan side after the rain reported some luck between the Renaissance Center and the Ambassador Bridge and the east side of Grosse Ile.  Anglers are taking one to three walleye when bottom bouncing with crawler harnesses or hand-lining with spoons and stick baits. Boats are split 50/50 between targeting white bass or walleye.  There are still a lot of white bass throughout the river.  Smallmouth bass, muskie, suckers, freshwater drum and white perch were also caught.  

Lake St. Clair: The Selfridge Boat Access Site remains closed for improvements but the launch at Brandenburg Park has re-opened.  Bass fishing reports have been very good from the Mile Roads and also from the Selfridge area. Muskie season opens on Saturday. Anglers are reminded that recent flooding has pushed a lot of wood and other debris out into the lake, so caution is advised.

St. Clair River: Runoff from the all the rain has stained the water a bit. Higher water moved a lot of debris out of the tributaries, so anglers should be cautious and keep watch for drifting wood and other debris. Walleye fishing has been spotty during the day, but some good reports have come from night anglers.   

Lexington to Port Sanilac: Lake trout, steelhead and the occasional Chinook were still hitting in 60 to 80 feet.  Lake trout are just off the bottom and the steelhead and salmon were 20 to 30 feet down.   

Harbor Beach: Shore anglers fishing behind the Edison Plant caught some steelhead when casting small rapalas.    

Saginaw Bay: Walleye were caught northeast of the Spark Plug in 24 to 26 feet.  Off Linwood, those using orange and silver or orange and gold spinners on harnesses caught fish in 20 feet.  Walleye were still in shallow waters four to six feet off Finn Road in the early morning but were moving north and east of the Spark Plug when the sun comes up.  Walleye were caught in the Slot between Oakhurst and Fish Point when using purple and chartreuse spinners on harnesses.  Those bow fishing are taking carp and longnose gar.  

Tittabawassee River: They were still getting a few walleye along with a good number of white bass in the lower river between the Center Street launch and M-46 however the river turned high and muddy after all the rain.  

Sanford Lake: In Midland County is producing some good size pike, large and smallmouth bass for those casting.  The crappie are pretty much down spawning and the bluegills were starting to come into the shallows.


SOUTHWEST LOWER PENINSULA
St. Joseph:
Boat anglers targeting salmon had good success.  Most fish were caught on spoons in 100 feet or deeper.  Pier anglers caught some freshwater drum and catfish with crawlers on the bottom.  Perch fishing was slow.     

South Haven:
Boat anglers targeting salmon reported slow catch rates.  Most are catching a fish or two but few are catching more than that.  They are targeting waters 100 feet and deeper.  

Grand Haven:
Salmon anglers are fishing in 80 to 150 feet.  Dipsey divers are back 100 to 150 feet with orange and blue meat rigs.  Coppers are between 100 and 225 feet with orange spoons.  Pier anglers trying to catch alewife with cast nets have only taken a few.  The fish are large, spawning size.  Very few salmon have been caught off the piers.  No perch to report.   

Grand River at Grand Rapids:
Those wading have caught steelhead when drifting yarn and flies.  Walleye were caught near the dam in the predawn hours when drifting yarn and flies. Those fishing off the wall caught walleye on minnows.  Smallmouth bass and redhorse suckers are being caught in large numbers and a few catfish are showing up.  Carp were hitting on bread and shredded wheat.   

Grand River at Lansing:
Is producing carp and catfish.  A few bass have been caught by those fishing around structure.   

Muskegon:
Salmon anglers are fishing 80 to 150 feet but the better catches were reported at 40 feet down in 90 feet.  Anglers are using blue and orange meat rigs and orange spoons.  

Muskegon River:
Brown trout are hitting on streamers.  Water levels were a bit high after the rain.

Whitehall:
Had no pier action.  Anglers caught the occasional Chinook or lake trout in 60 to 90 feet but most came back with no fish as they appear to be scattered.      

White Lake:
Some are still catching the occasional bass however most of the fish have moved off the beds.


NORTHEAST LOWER PENINSULA
Rogers City:
Lake trout fishing is great. Anglers may have to spend time finding the fish but once they do its good fishing. Try 10 feet off the bottom in 25 to 60 feet with cowbells or dodgers and spin-glos.  Look for Chinook and Atlantic salmon as the water warms up.  Walleye were caught at night off the breakwall by those casting body baits.  

East & West Twin Lakes:
Fishing was slow as both lakes will need to rebound after the cold temperatures, rain and strong winds.  One angler did catch a 26-inch pike and a 16-inch walleye in West Twin.  

Alpena:
Lake trout have been center stage.  Hot spots were Northshore and Thunder Bay Island when the weather permits.  Fish were caught on cowbells, dodgers and hoochie mammas with spin-glos, squid or plain spoons.  Good colors were green, blue and orange up high for a stray steelhead or Chinook.  Walleye are finally starting to hit.  Not consistent but getting better.  Northshore was the hot spot when trolling green, purple and orange body baits in 10 to 20 feet.    

Thunder Bay River:
The steelhead are pretty much done except for the occasional fish caught by those drifting spawn bags or putting artificial eggs on the bottom.  Smallmouth bass have been caught when casting body baits or tube baits or spinners up at the dam and around structure.  

Harrisville:
Dredging is still on-going.  The pumping hose is in the channel leading out of the harbor but is clearly marked with orange buoys.  Anglers need to cautious.  It seems the sediment being churned up is bringing baitfish into the harbor and the large fish are following.  Walleye are in the area in good numbers.  The cold front slowed the bite however it should be back on by the end of the week.  Crawler harnesses, body baits and stick baits have caught fish.  Chinook, lake trout and steelhead were caught in 80 to 120 feet.  The fish are scattered from top to bottom so spread your baits out.  Most fish are coming on spoons but cut bait, squid and flies were also working.  

Oscoda:
Walleye are still trickling in and the fish are decent size.  Pier anglers are drifting crawlers with slip bobbers, casting body baits or jigging.  Trout and salmon were caught in 80 to 100 feet.  Lake trout seem to be the most abundant but a few Chinook were also caught.  Steelhead were running near the top of the water column and hitting on spoons, cut bait, body baits and wobble glows.  

Houghton Lake: 
Shore anglers are catching a few walleye and bass in the canals.   Boat anglers are taking walleye in eight to nine feet around the Middle Grounds with leeches and crank baits.  Walleye chasing minnows at night were caught by shore anglers.  For bluegills, boat anglers caught some nice fish one to four feet down in six feet of water.  Bass fishing has been good.  Carp were taken by those bow fishing.    
 
Tawas:
Pier fishing was slow with only a few catfish, pike and smallmouth bass caught in the bay.  Night anglers might be getting a few walleye.  Those trolling spoons in 35 to 50 feet did find some lake trout.

Au Gres:
Some  walleyes were caught right off the river mouth in 25 to 35 feet but most boats were running south of Pointe Au Gres to fish around Buoys 1 & 2 and along the “Humps” northeast of the buoys.  

Au Gres River:
Was slow except for a few catfish, carp and freshwater drum caught on crawlers or cut bait.  On the East Branch, a few anglers were surfcasting for walleye at night. 


NORTHWEST LOWER PENINSULA
The panfish are very close to hitting the beds, and probably will by the weekend.  Chinook, brown trout, and lake trout continue to be caught by trollers on the big lake.  Conditions vary from day to day.  Some days, the fish are still in the harbors chasing the alewives that are in to spawn.  On those days, pier anglers have done well when using alewife for bait.  Fly anglers are anticipating a good hex hatch, which may start soon if the nice weather holds.  The rivers are dropping after last week’s rain.

Petoskey:
Boat anglers trolling in 80 to 100 feet caught lake trout near the bottom.  Spoons and spin-glo’s worked best.  Smallmouth bass are being caught off the D Pier when using crawlers and soft plastics with jigs.  Carp have been seen around the beach area.   

Charlevoix:
Is still producing lake trout for boat anglers.  Pier anglers were still catching lake trout and walleye when casting spoons or crank baits.  Smallmouth bass are starting to show up in the channel.  Try crawlers or leeches.  

Elk River:
Smallmouth bass fishing has been fair.  Leeches or plastic baits worked well.  Steelhead fishing is winding down.

Traverse City:
Cisco were caught in good numbers in the East Bay.  Most were taken in 40 to 80 feet.  Lake trout were hitting in shallow waters 25 to 45 feet and out deeper in 90 to 110 feet.  Smallmouth bass fishing was slow with the cooler weather.  In the West Bay, lake trout were caught by those trolling spoons and body baits in 15 to 40 feet.  Those jigging caught cisco in 30 to 80 feet.  

Boardman River:
Has plenty of carp up near the Union Street Dam.  Anglers were using shredded wheat.  Smallmouth bass and rock bass were caught on live bait.

Frankfort:
Brown trout are hitting in between the piers.  There are reports of a good number of alewife around the piers and out in deeper water.  Chinook are hitting spoons in 60 to 80 feet in the Herring Hole.  Surface water is still on the cool side.  

Portage Lake:
Cooler water temperatures are keeping the bass off the beds.  Those working the drop-off have caught some largemouth.   

Manistee:
Pier anglers are getting a few brown trout on alewife and when casting spoons.  Orange and green were good colors.  Boat anglers reported slow catch rates.  The fish were scattered throughout the water column in 40 to 250 feet.  A few were caught near the surface or 75 to 150 feet down when using meat rigs.

Manistee River:
Is producing brown trout and a few left over steelhead.  Anglers are using streamers, small rapalas and spinners.  The Little Manistee was a bit high and discolored but anglers were still catching some trout.  

Ludington:
Pier fishing was slow.  The fish here are also scattered throughout the water column in 40 to 120 feet.  A few were caught on orange and green spoons.

Pere Marquette River:
Is producing some nice brown trout.  Fly hatches are underway but stalled a bit during the cold spell.  Conditions should be good by the end of the week.  

Pentwater:
Is producing the occasional Chinook or lake trout but most anglers were coming back with zero fish.  

Pentwater Lake:
Anglers are bass fishing.  A few fish were still on the beds however most have moved off. 


UPPER PENINSULA
Keweenaw Bay:
Is producing a mix of trout and salmon from the head of the bay up to Sand Point for those trolling 20 to 45 feet down in 30 to 60 feet.  Spoons and body baits worked best.  Those jigging for lake trout found a few fish off the Whirl-I-Gig and Jentoff’s Dock.  Try jigging cut bait in waters between 20 and 260 feet deep.  The bite was hit-or-miss for the South Portage Entry.  Those trolling caught a few Chinook, coho and brown trout near the lighthouse and from the breakwall south along the shoreline.  Try 15 to 40 feet down in 20 to 50 feet with spoons and body baits.  Trolling speeds were between 2.0 and 2.5 mph.   

Menominee River:
Is producing a fair share of muskie with fish over 50 inches caught.  The hot spot was Boom Island to the 41-Bridge.  Walleye anglers are catching fish in the evening when trolling stick baits and jigging from Stephenson Island to the mouth.  

Little Bay De Noc:
Walleye anglers had mixed results.  Those fishing the head of the bay reported lots of undersize fish and several legal size fish caught when trolling or drifting crawler harnesses in 18 feet.  Fish were caught by those trolling stick baits or crawlers in 30 to 35 feet off the Center and the Second Reefs.  Some did well in this area while others struggled. Fair to good catches were taken between Breezy Point and the Ford River in 12 to 18 feet and also at the mouth of the Escanaba River when trolling or drifting crawlers in 18 to 24 feet.  Smallmouth bass fishing was fair to good for those casting crank baits, plastics or spinners in the shallows near the mouth of the Ford River, around Garth Point, Strawberry Island and along the head of the bay.  

Big Bay De Noc:
The dock in Snail Shell Harbor at Fayette State Park has been closed for repairs because of damage over the winter.  A few walleye catches were reported in an area called the “Boot” which is straight east off Valentine Point in 18 to 21 feet of water with crawlers on harnesses.  Most anglers pursued smallmouth bass near Ogontz.  They caught fish in three to 12 feet when casting crank baits, plastics, spinners or crawlers along the weed lines.  Good catches were reported in Puffy Bay in three to six feet as well as near Porcupine Point and the Fish Dam Rivers in three to 10 feet.  

Marquette:
Boat anglers in the Lower and Upper Harbor had varying degrees of success when targeting Chinook and coho.  Best areas for salmon were trolling outside the Lower Harbor and near Shot Point in 60 feet or less.  Surface water temperatures were still in the low 40’s.  Lake trout were caught but many were lost at the boat.  Those fishing the mouth of the Carp River had few bites.  The water levels were high after all the rain.    

Munising:
Catch rates were low for coho and Chinook.  Most anglers were fishing waters between 60 and 200 feet near Sand Point and Trout Bay.  Catch rates were slow off the dock of the Anna River for those using spawn.  Water temperatures were in the mid 40’s.  

Grand Marais:
Anglers are fishing off the end of the pier or trolling around West Bay. A couple boats did well for lake trout about 5 miles out.  Not much on steelhead and the coho and whitefish action was slow.  Some were trolling spoons and rapalas in the West Bay and near the mouth of the Sucker River.  Atlantic salmon were caught off the pier and by those trolling.   

South Manistique Lake:
Walleye catches were up with most caught in 10 feet of water when jigging leeches and crawlers.  Largemouth bass have steadily increased as they move to the shallows to spawn. The bluegill and yellow perch bite were down slightly.  The hot spots were along the south end of the lake.  

DeTour:
Water temperature along the DeTour Reef was still cool at 48 degrees.  Anglers caught Atlantic salmon, lake trout or the occasional 10 to 15 pound Chinook. They are using orange and chrome colored spoons 18 to 25 feet down in waters over 60 feet deep off the southwest side of Drummond.  Target the rocky ledges below the red can.      

Drummond Island: 
Walleye measuring 18 to 20 inches have been caught in Scott Bay when trolling a small two inch black and chrome crank bait between Paw Point and Rutland Island.  Those fishing on the east side of Rutland Island caught 26 to 30 inch pike in six feet along the rocky ledge.  Smallmouth bass fishing was excellent along the north shore between Bruce Point and Paw Point when casting brown tube jigs and small crayfish baits.  

Cedarville and Hessel:
Pike fishing has slowed but those putting in the time did catch some fish.  Pier anglers at Hessel had fair to good results for pike.  The Hessel marina still has a lot of perch and some splake.


The Weekly Fishing Report is intended to give anglers an ”idea” of what is going on around the state. Updates for the report come from our DNR Fisheries Creel Clerks (seasonal staff) and field staff as well as DNR Conservation Officers working in in the field. General information when available can be found in the first paragraph for each section of the report. For those looking for specific information on a certain body of water or port, it is safe to say if a certain species is being caught in some waters in the area, more than likely they are being caught in all waters in that section of the state that have that species.  


While we would love to include all waters and ports of the state that simply is not possible, especially with more than 11,000 inland lakes, the Great Lakes and thousands of miles of rivers and streams. 


 

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