If you’re headed out fishing, please do your part to keep yourself and others safe by following COVID-19 public health and safety guidelines. Go fishing only if you're feeling well. Practice proper social distancing (at least 6 feet away from people who don’t live in your household) and keep a face covering handy for when social distancing cannot be maintained. Frequently wash your hands with soap and warm water, or use hand sanitizer.

Inconsistent late summer weather has made things difficult for anglers, especially on the big waters. The recent storms and strong winds will change fishing conditions. Fall fishing is beginning to take shape. 

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

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Southeast Lower Peninsula

Lake Erie: The perch action picked up some, but no limits were taken. Fish were in 24 feet or so in front of Fermi, near buoys 1 and 2, in front of the River Raisin and outside Bolles Harbor near the E buoy. Walleye anglers trolling a crawler harness at the same depth usually caught one or two fish.    

Detroit River: Had fair walleye fishing off the south end of Grosse Ile and in the Trenton Channel near the power plant. Anglers are using a crawler harness or a jig and worm. Perch numbers were few, but those able to find them caught some nice fish.   

Lake St. Clair: Panfish anglers have been doing well from shore, as well as boat anglers in close to shore. A few decent yellow perch reports have surfaced, but the fish were scattered and inconsistent at this point. Muskie fishing has been relatively slow in Michigan waters. Look for things to pick up as water temperatures cool down.

St. Clair River: Anglers had success targeting sturgeon and channel cats, especially in the North Channel using live bait. Walleye reports have also been picking up for those jigging and whip fishing.   

Harbor Beach: Walleye were caught trolling straight out in 80 feet, but the action was slow. A couple lake trout were taken straight out in 100 to 130 feet with baits 90 feet down. 

Grindstone City: A good number of lake trout were caught 107 feet down in 145 to 175 feet with blue and white spoons.

Port Austin: Smallmouth bass were caught when casting rattle traps or tube baits at the Flat Rock Reef.

Saginaw Bay: Yellow perch anglers are fishing off Gambill’s Landing in 17 feet, Sailboat Buoy E in 15 feet, a mile northeast of Spoils Island and along the old shipping channel in 16 feet. On the east side, windy conditions made fishing difficult. Perch anglers just offshore near Quanicassee and Geiger Road had limited results in 6 to 10 feet.

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Southwest Lower Peninsula

St. Joseph: Very few boats have made it out this week. Perch fishing was slow. Pier fishing was slow for all species. 

St. Joseph River: Anglers are beginning to troll for salmon. Very few fish were caught, but there are Chinook and coho in the fish ladder in Berrien Springs. 

South Haven: When boat anglers could get out, salmon and a few lake trout were caught in 80 feet. Perch fishing and pier fishing were both slow.   

Black River: Boat anglers are trolling for salmon.    

Holland: Pier anglers casting for salmon had no luck.    

Lake Macatawa: The DNR boat ramp remains closed due to high water. 

Grand Haven: The Harbor Island launch will most likely remain closed the rest of the season due to high water.    

Grand River near Grand Rapids: Boat and shore anglers have caught coho, along with a few Chinook and steelhead, with Cleo’s, thunder sticks, spawn, flies and yarn.  On Hardy Dam Pond, walleye, perch and smallmouth bass were caught along with the occasional pike. Bluegills were caught on Bruce’s Bayou and Sterns Bayou.     

Grand River near Lansing: Shore fishing remains quite difficult due to weed growth.  Boat anglers did better for smallmouth bass. 

Morrison Lake: Is producing crappie.    

Muskegon: Boats trolling near the end of the piers for salmon reported slow fishing.  When they can get out, those trolling in 160 to 300 feet found trout and salmon 35 to 90 feet down with orange and green spoons along with green flies. Pier anglers casting for salmon caught freshwater drum. Salmon are in the channel.   

Muskegon River: Had no word on salmon yet, but those targeting smallmouth bass have done well.

White Lake: Has salmon in the channel.

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Northeast Lower Peninsula

Cheboygan: Catch rates were hit or miss depending on the wind. Those trolling caught Chinook and pink salmon on spoons, meat rigs, J-plugs and flies. Fish were both suspended and on the bottom. 

Cheboygan River: Salmon are moving into the river, and there was a push of fish after the rain. There was no harvest during the south wind as the river was full of weeds.  Bass and a couple walleye were caught at the dam on worms and crankbaits.   

Burt and Mullett Lake: Perch fishing is starting to pick up. 

Rogers City: The unstable weather pattern, especially the wind, has taken a toll on fishing, including the adult Chinook fishery at Swan Bay. Anglers were marking lots of fish, including baitfish; however, the bite was shut down. There was a small window of activity either before sunrise or well after dark. Most were using spoons, meat rigs, bombers or J-plugs throughout the water column in 70 feet. Look for structure and baitfish. 

Presque Isle: Anglers continue to catch salmon and trout, including the occasional Atlantic, coho and walleye in 40 to 130 feet with spoons, meat rigs, J-plugs and body baits. Hot colors were green, orange, blue and silver, black and white, or glow early and late. 

Alpena: A few lake trout, steelhead and walleye were caught by those trolling spoons or spin-glo’s in 70 to 140 feet. Smallmouth bass were caught in front of the harbor when casting jigs and crankbaits. 

Thunder Bay River: The numbers were still low, but a couple Chinook salmon and steelhead were caught when casting spoons and crankbaits. Those using crawlers caught smallmouth bass, channel cats and rock bass. 

Oscoda: The lake is cooling down, and the fish have been scattered. Lake trout, steelhead, walleye and the odd Chinook were caught in 80 to 160 feet. Pier anglers caught bass and channel cats on crawlers. 

Au Sable River: Had slow fishing. A few smallmouth bass, rock bass, channel cats and undersized walleye were caught on crawlers. 

Higgins Lake: The lake has been rough, and few anglers have been out. Those targeting lake trout reported few catches as the fish were scattered. Anglers are still getting smallmouth bass, a few perch and some rock bass.   

Houghton Lake: Walleye fishing was slow, but catch rates were starting to pick up a bit with the cooler temperatures. Largemouth bass were found off the middle grounds.

Tawas: Good numbers of walleye were caught out near buoys 4 and 6 when trolling a crawler harness in 15 to 20 feet. Those trolling out past the point caught several steelhead, some walleye and the occasional Chinook salmon with spoons in 50 to 70 feet. Rock bass, catfish, bowfin and small perch were caught off the pier when using minnows and crawlers. 

Tawas River: Those using crawlers, spinners and body baits caught both large and smallmouth bass and some rock bass at Gateway Park. 

Au Gres: Walleye fishing was slow; however, some fair catches of yellow perch were taken down by the Rifle Bar with minnows in 15 to 20 feet. A few limit catches were taken near the entrance of Eagle Bay and near the Saganing and Pinconning bars in 7 to 15 feet when using minnows. 

Au Gres River: Catfish and bluegills were caught on crawlers.

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Northwest Lower Peninsula

Yellow perch fishing is getting underway on the large inland lakes in Benzie, Grand Traverse and Leelanau counties. The action is not full speed yet, but anglers are finding fish on their fall feeding grounds. 

Harbor Springs: Anglers continue to fish around Harbor Point and east, where lake trout, Chinook and coho were caught. Lake trout and cisco were caught near the bottom north of Harbor Point in 100 to 110 feet. 

Petoskey: Though salmon fishing was very slow, boats were still trolling from the breakwall to Bay Harbor. The few fish taken were found deep at 100 feet down. A few salmon were seen jumping inside the breakwall. Pier anglers targeting salmon reported low catch rates. Those fishing along the beach caught a couple fish when floating spawn or casting crankbaits.   

Charlevoix: Boats targeting salmon reported slow action, with only a couple caught 100 feet down in 120 feet. Salmon were seen inside the breakwall and near the slip at the cement plant, and a couple were hooked in shallower water when trolling or casting. A few lake trout were caught near the Red Can at South Point in 120 feet and out near Nine Mile Point in 170 feet. Some are starting to shore fish near the cement plant freighter slip, but the water level is so high this year that it is very difficult to get to areas where anglers normally would fish in waders. Smallmouth fishing in the channel was a bit tough, but the bigger fish typically stay in the channel area through October. Try crawlers or leeches on the bottom.

Boyne River: Salmon are moving in and are being found at the dam and at the mouth.  Multiple kings were checked at the mouth of the river along with a few coho. 

Boardman River: Had reports of coho and chinook being caught. 

Frankfort: The weather has restricted access, but those trolling the pier heads and jigging in the bay have caught fish. Coho were reported in Platte Bay. 

Betsie River: Chinook salmon are moving into the river at a steady pace. 

Portage Lake: Had no angler activity due to the weather. 

Manistee: Fishing was slow. Anglers marked fish in close and around the piers. The action shifted to jigging in Manistee Lake. Those trolling the channel had little luck but marked some salmon. 

Manistee River: Salmon fishing was decent, with fresh fish moving up into the river.   

Ludington: Chinook salmon were caught near the pier heads and at Big Sable Point by those using spoons and J-plugs. A couple coho and steelhead were caught in 180 to 280 feet when boats could get out. 

Pere Marquette Lake: Boat anglers trolling and jigging caught a few Chinook salmon.

Pere Marquette River: Also had decent salmon fishing, especially in the lower stretches. A couple nice steelhead have also been caught.

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Upper Peninsula

Keweenaw Bay: Strong winds have hampered fishing. When anglers could get out, fish were marked, but the action was spotty, with the majority getting a few lake trout. A few Chinook, coho and steelhead were also caught. 

Little Bay de Noc: Most walleye anglers were fishing the Minneapolis Shoals and Round Island area. Night anglers reported the best catches using a crawler harness or stick baits in 12 to 25 feet. A few anglers reported catches when trolling the same around the Center Reef in 18 to 24 feet. Fair perch catches at best in the Gladstone beach area in 20 feet or along the First Reef in 10 to 25 feet with crawlers. Pike were active near Escanaba when trolling spinners in 14 to 16 feet near the lighthouse. 

Manistique River: Boat and shore anglers are targeting salmon. They are seeing fish, but the numbers are lower than previous years. Shore anglers did best up near the dam when casting J-plugs and crankbaits. Those using spawn caught the occasional brown trout. Several pink salmon were reported as well. The occasional walleye continues to be caught by boat anglers casting a jig and crawlers up at the rapids. 

Munising: Gusty winds made fishing difficult. Boat anglers trolling for coho in the west channel, Munising Bay, Trout Bay and off Christmas had no luck. Shore anglers targeting splake had very few catches. 

St. Marys River: Fishing was good for pink salmon. Walleye fishing slowed, but some were still caught in the shipping channel. 

Detour: Lake trout and pink salmon remain steady at the Detour Reef and lighthouse.  Pink salmon are scattered throughout the water column. Try 25 to 35 feet down while the salmon are along the 90-foot flat and hitting orange and white spin-glo’s behind flashers.   

Cedarville and Hessel: Anglers reported a few catches of yellow perch at Island #8 when using worms and shiners. Try fishing near the bridge that connects Hill Island Road to the island. Fair catches reported in Musky Bay in 8 to 12 feet at Connors Point. Northern pike fishing was fair at the Middle Entrance to the Les Cheneaux Islands when using creek chubs and large minnows in 18 to 20 feet. A couple walleye were caught at Les Cheneaux Point. Try a jig with a white or chartreuse twister tail or a minnow under a slip bobber in 6 to 12 feet in the early morning or late evening. Largemouth bass were hitting spinners under the docks throughout the islands. At Hessel, yellow perch fishing was fair at the finger docks in the marina, but anglers were sorting out the small ones. A few splake were also caught on natural spawn bags or small orange and gold spoons.  Wilderness Bay was producing a few splake and rainbow trout when trolling orange and chrome spoons off Coates Point in 22 to 28 feet. 

Carp River: Anglers were drifting spawn or casting crankbaits and spoons for Chinook.  A few fish up to 8 pounds were caught. Walleye and perch anglers were still drifting worms, but catch rates are starting to slow as the salmon move in. A few pike were caught at the mouth. 

Nunn’s Creek: Had no fishing updates; however, anglers can wade at the mouth and try casting a blue and silver or green and silver Cleo for salmon. 

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Fishing Tip: Get your fall fish on!

Summer may be drawing to a close, but great fishing is far from over. Many anglers agree that fall is a wonderful time to cast a line as fish prepare for the colder months by ramping up their feeding efforts. Most target – and see much success pursuing – salmon, walleye, perch, panfish and bass.

Get ready to reel in some of these beauties at fall fishing hot spots across the state.

Find more tips on targeting various species at Michigan.gov/Fishing.

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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.