Northeast Lower Peninsula

Trout fishing has been decent on the inland lakes.  

Mullett Lake:  Had fair yellow perch fishing.    

Rogers City:  Big water anglers have just about given up.  Strong winds and rough seas have kept anglers at bay.  

Alpena:  Bad weather including strong winds have not allowed boat anglers to get out.  When conditions improve, anglers might find some steelhead, Atlantic salmon and walleye.  Try body baits for walleye and spoons for Atlantics and steelhead.    

Thunder Bay River:  A few salmon were caught but the fish are not in very good shape.  Those drifting spawn caught fish up at the Ninth Street Dam.  A stray steelhead has also been caught.  As the water continues to cool, steelhead should become more common.  A few walleye were caught off the stones at the mouth.  Try casting deep divers or rattle traps.  

Black River:  Had reports of coho coming into the river.  Anglers were casting body baits and spoons between the mouth and the bridge.  

Harrisville:  Anglers are still targeting Chinook salmon and walleye with limited success.  Salmon anglers are mainly casting body baits and spoons or floating spawn.  Anything that glows is working well early morning or late at night.  Those floating spawn during the day had some success.  Rough seas were keeping most within the walls of the harbor.  

Oscoda:  Pier fishing is very slow and angler pressure has dropped off except for a few fishing late in the evening.  

Au Sable River:  There have been reports of a few salmon caught up river and at the dam when floating spawn or casting spoons and spinners.  As the weather cools and rain increases the flow, anglers should start to see steelhead.  

Tawas:  Pier anglers caught a few small perch and mostly sublegal pike inside the pier.  A few walleye were caught by those casting rapalas in the evening on the outside.    

Tawas River:  The salmon run is done.  No fish were seen.  

Au Gres:  Had perch up to one half mile straight out in 20 to 30 feet.  Catch rates were fair.  Bass anglers caught fish.  Those trolling near Whitestone Point caught a few walleye.  

Northwest Lower Peninsula

Petoskey:  The marina has pulled the dock out at the boat launch.  A couple anglers were still fishing off the end of the piers and the docks in the early morning and late evening.  A few lake trout were caught near the mouth of the river however lake trout season in Lake Michigan is closed but the river is still open. 

Bear River:  Had salmon up near the dam however the number of fish in the river has declined yet again. A few Chinook were caught but overall the action was slow.  

Charlevoix:  Angler effort continues to be low.  This is the time of year boats start heading out and looking for perch between North and South Points.  Pier fishing was slow with only a couple anglers targeting smallmouth bass.  It seems anglers have given up on salmon fishing near the cement plant. The fish cleaning station is now closed for the season.  

Boyne River:  Had rumors of lake trout caught near the mouth.  

Elk River:  Fishing has improved with the cooler water temperatures.  Brown trout, lake trout, steelhead, and the occasional salmon have been caught below the dam.  Try fresh spawn or casting spinners.

Traverse City:  The East Bay had excellent cisco fishing for the few boats that were out.  Most fish were caught 90 to 100 feet down when trolling small spoons or jigging.  Very few boats were out on the West Bay.  A couple perch were caught but most of the fish were small.  

Boardman River:  Fishing improved.  Chinook and coho were caught on spawn below the weir.  Spinners and flies also caught a few fish.  Chinook were on the gravel behind Fustini’s and the Captains Quarters. Those fishing upstream of the boat launch caught a few fish on skein.  Lake trout were caught at the US-31 Bridge.  Steelhead and coho were also present.   

Frankfort:  Steelhead and young coho were caught off both piers when using spawn.  The numbers were still low.  The steelhead are not even close to spawning.  

Betsie River:  Salmon have stopped moving into the river.  

Portage Lake:  Had no fishing activity but the duck hunters are doing well.  

Lakes Cadillac & Mitchell:  Walleye fishing should be starting to heat up as lake water temperatures drop. Boat anglers were out casting in the evening.  

Manistee:  There have been a few coho and steelhead taken off the pier but strong winds have really hampered fishing for boat and pier anglers.  

Manistee River:  The number of Chinook salmon in the river is on the downslide.  There is still a fair number of coho and Skamania being caught at Tippy Dam.  Low water levels are delaying the fall steelhead run.  We need significant rainfall before the run will start.  

Pere Marquette River:  Had better numbers of Chinook salmon last week.  The fall steelhead run will not happen if we don’t get significant rainfall.   

Pentwater:  Strong winds are keeping boat anglers at bay.  Those that did go out were fishing the channel for trout and salmon.  Pier anglers have caught the occasional steelhead or brown trout but most anglers had none.     

Upper Peninsula

Keweenaw Bay:  Salmon fishing was slow.  Those trolling did pick up a few coho, brown trout and splake. Pier anglers in L’Anse and at the head of the bay near the cement bridge did catch a mix of coho and splake.  The South Portage Entry had few anglers but some lake trout were caught by those trolling in 60 to 150 feet off Newton’s Reef and Farmers Reef as well as along the south end of Big Reef near the lighthouse.  Traverse Bay was producing a few lake trout and the odd steelhead for those trolling near the Gay Stacks and straight out from the Big Traverse Bay Pier.  Most were trolling in 30 to 150 feet.  

Menominee River:  Anglers are targeting trout and salmon but mostly brown trout.  Try flies, spoons or spawn between the Interstate Bridge and the dam.  A few salmon were caught behind the Library near Stephenson Island.  Walleye and panfish were caught by shore anglers fishing near the Mystery Ship Landing.   

Little Bay De Noc:  Had lower than normal angler participation.  Walleye reports were better at the head of the Bay where day anglers were trolling or drifting crawler harnesses and stick baits in 14 to 28 feet while the night anglers used mainly stick baits when trolling in 6 to 20 feet.  Perch anglers reported fair catches in ten to 25 feet near Gladstone or 12 to 28 feet near the Day’s River.  Most were using minnows. Shore anglers caught a few salmon up by the 1st Dam on the Escanaba River.  They were casting spoons, crank baits or flies.   Surface water temperatures are dropping.    

Big Bay De Noc:  Had all smallmouth bass anglers and the break out near Snake Island was the best area to fish as the action was at its peak.  Many could not get out there because of the strong winds. Several limit catches were reported by those using minnows while drifting 30 to 40 feet down along the break.  

Marquette:  Coho are running in the rivers.  Many are using a size 2 or 3 spinner bait with crawlers.  The Dead River has coho and fish were caught on spawn or spinners at the dam.   In the Carp River, the fish are sitting in pockets near the bridge.  Anglers are using spawn bags, crawlers, and spinners to catch coho and steelhead in the holes.  No kings to report.  Coho and brown trout were caught in the Chocolay River off M-28.  

Au Train Lake:  Had no reports.  Construction on the ramp and dock starts this week and should wrap up the first week of November.  

Munising:  Few boat anglers were out.  Most anglers were shore fishing off the dock at the Anna River. Try spawn bags or casting spoons and stick baits.  Catch rates were poor in general with only a couple coho or small splake taken.  The first measurable snowfall had 3 inches on the ground but has since melted.  Surface waters temperatures were in the low 50’s.  

Grand Marais:  Had very light activity.  A few boats trolling Cleo’s and crank baits in the harbor had no luck.  Shore anglers did manage to catch a few Chinook near the mouth of the Sucker River.  A small steelhead was caught on a spoon.  

DeTour:  Sunshine and beautiful fall colors have brought anglers to the area however strong northwest winds have kept the walleye and yellow perch anglers off the St. Mary’s River.

Drummond Island:  Schools of yellow perch are still in Maxton Bay.  On days when the wind is from the north and northwest, anglers can still fish on the south side of Rutland Island in 12 to 14 feet.  Most are using spreaders with worms or shiners.  Drift fishing from Bay Island to the Sportsman Club in Maxton Bay has produced a few walleye and perch for those using both minnows and crawlers.  A few pike were caught by those trolling black buck tail spinners with yellow spotted blades in six to eight feet just off the weed beds on the south east side of Grape Island. 

Cedarville & Hessel: Except for the undersized fish, pike fishing has slowed.  Smallmouth bass fishing is still a good bet along the reefs and shoals.  There are plenty of perch, but very few anglers have been going out because of the bad weather.  Viking Channel, Musky Bay and Snows Channel are still the areas of choice for perch.

Carp River:  The salmon run is over but the Carp is still a good place to try for steelhead.    

Fishing Tip:  Lake whitefish, not just for commercial anglers!

Although extremely important to Great Lakes commercial fishers, lake whitefish are becoming more and more popular with recreational anglers throughout Michigan. But you really have to know how to catch this delicious species!

The lake whitefish has a small, exceedingly delicate mouth and is confined to dining on insects, freshwater shrimp, small fish and fish eggs, and bottom organisms. Most feeding takes place on or near lake-bottoms. Keep that in mind when selecting your bait.

If you’re interested in staying inland and looking for lake whitefish, stick with deep, clear-water lakes. If you’re interested in heading to the Great Lakes they can most often be found in deep water, either on or near the bottom.