Another windy week has kept boat anglers off the Great Lakes. Some of the smaller rivers are running low and clear which will slow the steelhead runs. Perch were starting to bite on the inland lakes.

Southeast Lower Peninsula

Lake Erie: The perch bite picked back up especially in the evening, with most boats getting 20-50 fish southeast of Stony Point in 23 to 24 feet, east of Stony Point in Ohio waters in 26 feet, near Buoys 1 & 2 in 23 feet and near the E-Buoy. Emerald shiners on perch rigs with green, purple and chartreuse spinners and/or beads still worked best. Walleye anglers were getting one to four fish in the morning east of Sterling State Park beach in 16 to 18 feet and a couple limit catches were taken off Stony Point in 24 feet. A couple musky were caught by walleye anglers trolling pink, purple and red walleye bandits and flicker minnows 50-55 feet back in 16 to 18 feet in Brest Bay. Largemouth bass were caught along the Sterling seawall and canals or in the Bolles Harbor and Toledo Beach Marina backwaters. A few smallmouth were caught by those casting crank baits, tube baits and a green pumpkin worm or biffle bug in the early morning.

Detroit River: Yellow perch fishing continues to get a little bit better as water temperatures drop. Anglers are using minnows around Sugar Island. A few walleye were caught off the Ford Yacht Club at the south end of Grosse Ile. Most were drifting a crawler harness, but some are switching over to a jig and minnow. Bluegills were hitting on wax worms in the marinas.

Lake St. Clair: Bluegill and crappie fishing was very good in and around the canals between Harley Ensign and Selfridge. Slip bobbers with a small jig and artificial worm, grub, or minnow were all attracting fish. Anglers had a hard time trying to catch other species with only a smallmouth bass, walleye or perch taken here or there.

St. Clair River: Both the North and the Middle Channels were holding a few walleye however the fish are scattered.

Lexington to Port Sanilac: Anglers were getting a few pike, steelhead and one or two Atlantic salmon off the break-wall each day. More Atlantics are staging just outside the harbor and should come in soon. The bite will improve when they are done spawning. At Port Sanilac, anglers are getting the occasional steelhead or pike off the breakwall.

Harbor Beach: The odd walleye was taken at night off the break-wall at the north gap.

Port Austin: A few walleye were caught off the break-wall at night with spoons and body baits. A couple seven to nine-inch perch were caught inside the harbor during the day.

Saginaw Bay: Has had very little fishing pressure for perch. The wind has kept boat anglers on shore and the perch have not come into the cuts and river mouths yet. Colder and calmer weather might improve the perch fishing as the water cools down. Some perch were caught in six to eight feet off Quanicassee. A couple pike were taken on spoons or body baits in the Sebewaing Marina.

Saginaw River: Those fishing the lower river for walleye or perch had little success.

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Southwest Lower Peninsula

St. Joseph: Once again the weather has hampered fishing as no boats had made it out for salmon. Pier fishing was slow for steelhead with only a couple caught on spawn. The whitefish action is also slow.

South Haven: No trout and salmon anglers had been out as windy conditions kept boats off the big lake. Pier fishing was slow for all species.

Black River: Boat and shore anglers reported slow steelhead fishing.

Kalamazoo River: Some steelhead were caught up near the Allegan Dam. Look for more fish to move in with rain in the forecast. Those using live and cut bait have caught some catfish in the early morning.

Grand Haven: Weather conditions have made it difficult for anglers to get out. When they do, lake trout were caught on the bottom in 90 to 150 feet with a yellow flasher and spin-glo combo. Pier anglers reported slow steelhead action however a couple small coho were caught on spawn.

Grand River at Grand Rapids: Any leftover salmon are in rough shape. Anglers are getting some steelhead up near the dam but no big numbers yet.

Grand River at Lansing: The coho action is pretty much done for this year. A few scattered steelhead have been caught in the area however there are no big numbers by any means. A few bass and panfish were caught on occasion.

Murray Lake: In Kent County was producing some nice bluegills in 24 feet.

Muskegon: No boat report due to weather conditions. Pier anglers reported slow steelhead fishing.

Muskegon River: Is producing the occasional steelhead however some rain by the weekend should help bring more fish into the system. A small number of salmon can still be found. Hardy Dam Pond was producing a few walleye for those using minnows.

Whitehall: Had no boat anglers. Pier anglers still-fishing with spawn bags caught coho and steelhead. Those casting jigs and blade baits caught walleye in the evenings.

White Lake: Perch fishing was slow but some were caught in 40 feet with perch minnows or wax worms.

White River: Water levels are low and clear. A few salmon are still being caught however we need some rain to get the steelhead moving.

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Northeast Lower Peninsula

Cheboygan River: Water flow had been high and fast, and the dam had four chutes open. Chinook salmon fishing slowed however a couple were still being caught at the dam. Most were using real and artificial spawn or crank baits. Some steelhead have been caught on spawn bags and trout beads.

Ocqueoc River: Had very few anglers. Those floating artificial spawn bags and trout beads had no hits.

Rogers City: Had no reports as it has been too windy and rough. Most anglers have put their boats away for the season and are now into hunting and other fall activities.

Alpena: Trying to get out on the bay has been almost impossible as it continues to be windy and rough. If anglers could get out, there should be some walleye and maybe even some steelhead and Atlantic salmon out Thunder Bay. The fish cleaning station closed on Monday, October 22.

Thunder Bay River: Chinook salmon in this area are just about done for this year however more Atlantic salmon are starting to show up each day. Lots of angler activity but not many were caught. Anglers are casting spoons, body baits, rattle traps and small flies or drifting beads, spawn and small flies under a bobber. Reminder: Atlantic salmon with a missing adipose fin have a coded wire tag in their snout. Anglers catching such a fish can turn the heads into the Creel Clerk on duty, the Alpena Fisheries Research Station or Clem’s Bait and Tackle.

Black River: Had a few anglers targeting trout and salmon while casting body baits and spoons or still-fishing with spawn but no fish were caught.

Harrisville: A couple anglers were casting body baits for walleye but fishing was slow.

Oscoda: Anglers trolling spoons and spin glo’s around the pier heads and off Three Mile Park for trout and salmon had little luck. Those trolling body baits or jigging for walleye also had little luck. Fish were marked near the river however they did not want to bite. Pier anglers casting jigs and body baits caught a couple walleye and pike but the numbers were low. A small Atlantic salmon was caught when casting spoons off the pier. Those still-fishing with crawlers caught channel cats.

Au Sable River: Atlantic salmon are preparing to spawn so many were unwilling to bite. Anglers caught a few by coaxing reactionary strikes with streamer flies, spoons, spinners, and small jigs or by targeting pre-spawn fish with spawn bags and beads. A few remaining Chinook were caught but the fish are very dark. A couple steelhead were caught on spoons, spawn and beads. The water temperature dropped to the low 50’s.

Ogemaw County: Some large panfish were caught in the canals on Sage Lake.

Houghton Lake: The only boats out on the lake were duck hunters. Shore anglers were getting a few walleye on shallow diving crank baits both day and night. Shore anglers are fishing under the bridges and off the boat launches.

Tawas: Some limit catches of walleye were taken at the mouth of the Tawas River and behind the State Police Post when casting body baits or jigs in the middle of the night. Pier anglers caught pike on live minnows or when casting various lures.

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Northwest Lower Peninsula

Petoskey: Had no boat anglers but a few were surfcasting off the beach or pier fishing.

Bear River: Water levels were back to normal. Angler pressure continues to be low at the dam and down at the mouth. Catch rates were slow with only one coho and one Chinook caught. Anglers are drifting spawn and flies at the dam. Most are waiting for the steelhead to show up. Down near the mouth, a Chinook, coho and one lake trout were taken on spawn, spinners, spoons or crank baits.

Traverse City: Had few anglers because of windy conditions. There was one boat looking for perch in the East Bay, but none were caught. A few lake trout and a couple small steelhead were taken up near the dam in the Elk River. Spawn in the morning worked best. In the West Bay, perch fishing was slow south of Elmwood Marina and the reports from Bowers Harbor were hit-or-miss. Steelhead fishing was slow in the Boardman River.

Frankfort: Steelhead had been hitting off the piers and the shorelines in Frankfort and between the piers and stub piers in Elberta. Windy conditions made angling a challenge however those sticking it out did catch some fish.

Portage Lake: When anglers could get out, some very nice perch were caught on minnows, wigglers and wax worms in 12 to 16 feet. Most were working the west shoreline to avoid the wind.

Lake Missaukee: Was producing bluegill and crappie.

Manistee: Surface water temperatures were holding in the low 50’s. Few anglers were out. Steelhead were caught off the pier. Spawn worked best.

Manistee River: Boat anglers in the lower river are catching steelhead but there has been no word on fish up near Tippy Dam. The Little Manistee River is low and clear which makes steelhead fishing more difficult.

Ludington: Had surface waters in the low 50’s. Few were out but when they could pier anglers caught steelhead on spawn.

Pere Marquette River: Water levels are low and clear. We need some rain to get the steelhead moving.

Pentwater: Has had no boat anglers. Those still-fishing with spawn bags caught the occasional steelhead in the early morning.

Pentwater Lake: Pike were caught when casting body baits in 10 to 20 feet. Boats still-fishing with dropper-rigs and perch minnows caught good numbers of yellow perch in 30 to 40 feet.

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Upper Peninsula

Lac Vieux Desert: Is producing muskie for those using large sucker minnows six to 10 feet down just off the weed beds. Anglers chasing walleye found good numbers in the deep holes when jigging minnows near the bottom however most were sub-legal. Panfish and bass anglers reported little to no activity.

Marquette: Had another slow week. Very few boats are going out. Rumor has it those fishing off the end of the breakwall in the Lower Harbor caught lake trout and the odd steelhead. Some boat anglers were going upstream in the Chocolay River. Higher water levels made fishing more difficult however coho and brown trout were still being caught. Water levels in the Carp River dropped but fishing was slow with only a few coho and small rainbows caught. A fair number of Chinook were caught in the Dead River, but the majority were dark and were no longer desirable. A couple coho and steelhead were also caught but the action was hit-or-miss. Most were using spinners or floating spawn bags.

Little Bay De Noc: The best walleye catches were for night anglers trolling stick baits or crawlers along the reefs in Kipling in 18 to 22 feet. Smallmouth bass anglers had a hard time finding them but did manage to catch some nice ones. Spotty catches were reported from the Second Reef south to the southern end of the Black Bottom with minnows or plastics in 18 to 25 feet. A few good perch catches were reported by the green buoy near the Day’s River and off Gladstone Beach with minnows in 16 to 28 feet.

Big Bay De Noc: Had a few smallmouth anglers fishing around Snake Island and over by Snail Shell Harbor. Best catches were in 15 to 35 feet with a minnow and slip bobber along the break. Some nice perch were caught in the mouth of Garden Bay, but the bite slowed.

Au Train: Had no fishing pressure. The dock has been removed by the forest service for winter maintenance which makes launching almost impossible for medium to large boats. Rough weather this fall has also pushed quite a few rocks up onto the concrete pad making it that much harder to launch, even for small boats.

Munising: Had few anglers. Fishing was slow with only a couple coho caught. To date, no major salmon runs have occurred in this area.

Raber Bay: Had a few nice catches of yellow perch off the end of Lime Island Road. Try off the weed beds in six to eight feet with shiners or worms. Reports of muskie have come from the north side of Raber Bay. Try trolling spinners and crank baits or drift fishing with large creek chubs in six to 10 feet.

Drummond Island: There were more reports of yellow perch caught off Ashman Island and on the north end of James Island. Good smallmouth catches on the north side of Burnt Island when jigging with a speckled orange and black tube jig in six to 12 feet or on the north end of Scott Bay around Bruce Point with a tube bait along the rocky points.

Cedarville and Hessel: A few yellow perch were caught off Cedarville when still-fishing off Conner Point in 12 to 14 feet with shiners and worms. At Hessel, good pike fishing was reported by those trolling black and silver crank baits on the west side of Marquette Island and between Cube Point and Long Island. Try just off the weed beds in eight to 12 feet. A few walleye were caught between Saint Ledger Island and Les Cheneuax Club Point when trolling for pike. For walleye, try a slip-bobber with shiners or worms 10 to 12 feet down. Largemouth bass, rock bass and sunfish were caught throughout Mackinac Bay on a double-bladed gold spinner. Anglers were still-fishing or casting around Lone Star Island, Echo Island and Saint Ledger Island. No perch were caught from the finger docks.

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Fishing Tip: Why is fall fishing so great?

Many anglers will tell you that as fall rolls in the fishing gets better and better. But why is this?

There isn’t much formal research to answer that question, but several factors could be contributing to this influx of angling opportunities: forage availability, dropping water temperatures, fish movement, or oxygen availability.

Some say it could just be related to less fishing pressure and/or better angling techniques.

The bottom line is, if you don’t consider fall to be an ideal time to go fishing you may want to rethink that sentiment. Some of the biggest crappie, muskellunge, walleye and smallmouth bass can be found in the fall – don’t you want to experience that?

For more information on fishing in Michigan, visit Michigan.gov/fishing.

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Note: 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.