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Southeast Lower Peninsula

Lake Erie: Anglers were catching walleye out from Fermi Power Plant in deep water and by the dumping grounds. Yellow perch anglers were having success out in front of Luna Pier while using minnows. Bass anglers did well with catching largemouth bass in Brest Bay along the shore and out from River Raisin with the occasional smallmouth bass. Anglers were catching walleye with crawler harnesses and bandits. Channel catfish were caught in Brest Bay and out in front of Bolles with live bait.

Lake St. Clair: Perch were found near the Lake St. Clair Light, Huron Point and Muscamoot Bay in 16 to 18 feet of water. Most anglers were using crawlers. Walleye anglers were most successful at the mouth of the South Channel and up the rivers. Anglers were using artificial lures and crawler harnesses. Bass fishing was good in Anchor Bay (near the Sny) and near the Gross Point Yacht Club. Musky fishing was slow.

Harbor Beach: Anglers were catching a mix of lake trout, steelhead, pink salmon and a few walleye and occasional Atlantic salmon in two different depths 80 to 90 feet and 120 to 130 feet of water using downriggers and dipsy divers. Some smallmouth bass were caught inside the harbor casting artificial lures from boats.

Saginaw Bay: In lower Saginaw Bay, yellow perch anglers were catching fish at sail boat bouy E, the old shipping channel, and out by the sparkplug. Some walleye were also caught just west of the sparkplug in 24 feet of water on crawlers.

In Sebewaing, some largemouth bass were caught while casting various artificial baits. At Geiger Road, some perch were caught offshore in the weeds in 6 feet of water. Anglers had to do a lot of sorting to keep 10-15 fish and anglers had to move often. At Quanicassee, a couple of walleye were caught trolling night crawler harnesses in 14 to 15 feet of water in the slot, but overall walleye fishing was very slow.

Port Sanilac: A mix of lake trout, cohos, steelhead, pink salmon and a couple of walleye were caught in 90 to 120 feet of water using leadcore with small spoons and downriggers with silver streaks. Catfish were caught at night with nightcrawlers in about 10 feet of water.

Grindstone: Lake trout and the occasional steelhead were caught about 6 miles out and to the north while trolling with downriggers and spoons and leadcore.

Port Austin: Some walleye were caught around the lighthouse while casting body baits. To the west of the harbor, walleye were caught while trolling with crankbaits but the walleye were scattered in different depths.

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Southwest Lower Peninsula

St Joseph: Perch anglers were fishing mostly around 45 feet of water. Perch were caught at both north and south of the piers. Pier anglers had slow fishing for all species.   Fishing pressure was low. Boat anglers targeting salmon were catching a few fish in 120 feet of water and deeper. The fish caught were a mixed bag of trout, coho and Chinooks. Spin Doctors and flies were catching most of the fish.

South Haven: Boat anglers were mostly fishing south of the piers in 35 feet of water.  Salmon anglers were catching a few salmon and trout. The best water seemed to be well past 120 feet of water.

Grand Haven: The best action was 75 to 140 down in 100 to 180 feet of water. Glow spoons and plugs were producing salmon along with mirage flies. A few lake trout were caught on the bottom with yellow spin-and-glows. Pier anglers were catching a few smallmouth bass and freshwater drum on deep diving body baits. The early morning and late evening bites performed the best.

Muskegon: Salmon were caught 70 to 150 down in 100 to 250 feet of water. A mix of J-Plugs, glow spoons and flies were all producing. The early morning and late evening bites performed the best.

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Northeast Lower Peninsula

Cheboygan: Anglers saw a slowdown in the amount of Chinook salmon caught out of the river mouth, although some Chinook were still being caught. Anglers were able to catch Chinook near the Cheboygan River mouth with good results trolling at around 45 to 60 feet, primarily using a mix of spoons or flashers with cut bait. Fishing along the Cheboygan River below the dam remained slow with the occasional rock or smallmouth bass being caught. Spoons and flashers with cut bait were the primary means of catching Chinook in Lake Huron near the Cheboygan River mouth.

Hammond Bay: Fishing at the Ocqueoc River mouth picked up a bit with several smallmouth bass being caught using a crawler harness and natural bait. Small amounts of walleye exceeding 20 inches continued to be caught in Hammond Bay higher up within the water column. Natural bait was the best bait to use when fishing for smallmouth bass and walleye.

Rogers City: Anglers were catching Chinook on a regular basis. The very early morning hours, such as 5 a.m., performed well and late after sundown. The best depths were anywhere from 55 to 120 feet of water south of the harbor. Anglers were running lines throughout the water column focusing higher earlier and later and then fishing near the thermocline depending upon where it is located in the water column after the prime bite. Anglers were deploying downriggers, dipseys and leadcores along with copper. Anglers were using an assortment of lure spoons, J-Plugs, attractors with flies, squids or cut bait.  Colors that performed well were greens, black, black and white, white, blue, purple and some oranges. Anglers should use glow stuff early and late. Anglers were also catching an occasional steelhead, lake trout, coho and pink salmon. Lake trout were caught near the bottom or just below the thermocline. Dodgers with spin and glows as well as on spoons performed well. 

Rockport: Anglers were catching a mix of lake trout with an occasional steelhead, pink salmon, coho, and Chinook around Stoneport and at the Nordameer Wreck. Anglers should run lines throughout the water column for best results.  Lake trout were found near the bottom. Spoons along with flashers using squids, flies and cut bait were being used. Some J-Plugs were also used. Colors that performed well were greens, black, black and white, white, blue, purple and some oranges. Anglers should use glow stuff early and late. Walleye were caught in 15 to 60 feet of water using body baits and crawler harnesses. Most of the walleye were caught around the edges of middle island, inside and outside along the drop offs. 

Alpena: Anglers were seeing success with mixed bag limits mostly consisting of lake trout and a few steelhead and various species of salmon. Walleye harvest had slightly picked up with a few anglers catching bag limits. Trolling spoons and spin and glows in various depths up to 200 feet of water, but most commonly around 100 to 140 feet of water was the popular method when targeting salmon and trout. Anglers targeting walleye were trolling body baits or crawlers in the bay.

Houghton Lake: Walleye, bass and bluegill were caught in 12 to 15 feet of water on crawlers and leeches. Colors that performed well were gold, green, purple and pink. Anglers should check different depths with presentations.

Thunder Bay River: Anglers were catching bass, pike, catfish and the occasional walleye. Common methods used by anglers were casting stick baits, body baits, and spinners or drifting leeches and night crawlers.

Oscoda: Anglers were mostly catching lake trout, steelhead and pink salmon. Pier anglers were catching mostly bass with the occasional walleye and catfish. Trolling spoons of various colors around 80 to 140 feet of water was the popular method when targeting salmon and trout. Off the pier, common methods for targeting bass, walleye, and catfish were floating leeches and nightcrawlers.

Au Sable River: Anglers were seeing success with bass, pike, panfish and some catfish. Various methods performed well. Most commonly was the use of casting or trolling body baits. Catfish and panfish were caught with the use of drop-shot rigs with night crawlers around dusk.

Tawas: Boat anglers were catching some walleye just off the weed beds near buoys 4 and 6 off body baits and crawlers. Some steelhead, lake trout, coho salmon and walleye were caught near buoy 2 and east out to 50 to 80+ feet of water off spoons, body baits and crawlers. It was slow for the dock and shore anglers at Gateway Park on the Tawas River. A few bluegill and small perch were caught off crawlers as well as a few largemouth bass were caught off spinners, body baits and tub jigs.

Au Gres: Boat anglers caught some walleye out in 50 to 60 feet of water near the bell buoy and Point Lookout off crawlers and body baits. There were some smaller perch caught in 40 to 50 feet near Pt. Au Gres and Pt. Lookout off minnows. There were some reports of perch being caught down off the Saganing and Pinconning bars in 10 to 20 feet off minnows. Some walleye were caught near Rifle, Saganing and Pinconning bars in 13 to 16 feet off crawlers and body baits. Dock and shore anglers at Pine River access caught a few small bluegill and perch.

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Northwest Lower Peninsula

Harbor Springs: Some Chinook and lake trout were caught around 5 Mile and 7 Mile. Lake trout were also caught at Harbor Point and north of 7 Mile. Fish were caught 130 to 160 feet down, both on bottom and suspended a bit off bottom. Smallmouth bass anglers were having some success.

Frankfort: Good numbers and sizes of Chinook were being reported while trolling in 150 to 250 feet of water and working 100 to 140 down. Numbers of coho were picking up in Platte Bay area.

Petoskey: Catch rates picked up a bit with some lake trout caught in 140 to 160 feet down from the breakwall to Bay Harbor. Catches occurred on the bottom, and some suspended in 20 to 30 feet. At Bear River, some smallmouth and rock bass were caught off of the breakwall.

East Grand Traverse Bay: Salmon were caught in the hole in front of the Boardman River. Flashers, flies, J-Plugs and meat rigs all performed well. A few lake trout were caught as well.

West Grand Traverse Bay: Salmon were caught from the Center Road launch all the way to the south bank, along deep-water point, and out of Elk Rapids. Spoons, flashers, flies, and J-Plugs all performed well. A few lake trout were caught by salmon anglers. A few bass were caught in 15 to 30 feet of water.

Manistee: Chinook and coho were caught along the shelf, north out from Onekama, and south towards Big Sable Point in deep water. J-Plugs, flies, meat rigs and spoons worked well. A few steelhead and a couple lake trout were caught as well. Pier angling was slow. The morning bites performed the best.

Ludington: Chinook and coho were caught out from the projects, straight out from the harbor and at Big Sable Point in deep water. Salmon were usually below 90 to 100 feet. Fishing was hit or miss at times. Spoons, J-Plugs, flies and meat rigs worked well. In the mix came a few steelhead and a couple lake trout. A few small smallmouth bass and rock bass were caught on the stub pier.

Onekama: Anglers heading straight out to 180 feet of water and trolling north were producing some impressive numbers. Meat rigs were catching 25+ pound Chinook. After the morning bite, anglers were picking up lake trout in the barrel.

Arcadia: Chinook were putting up some good fights as anglers moved offshore in 140 to 180 feet of water and setting lines 75-100 down.

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Upper Peninsula

Ontonagon: There were some limits of lake trout with other trout and salmon peppered in the bags.

Keweenaw Bay: Anglers were catching lake trout, coho, cisco, and Chinook while trolling. Trout were mostly caught in water below 80 feet while the salmon were caught higher in the water column. Try trolling with spoons for salmon in water less than 80 feet.

Union Bay: Anglers were fishing in 150 feet and primarily caught lake trout with a brown trout and coho mixed in. The majority of lake trout coming in were in the three to four pound range with a few 10+ pound fish being reported.

Big Traverse Bay/ South Portage Entry: Anglers were catching Chinook and some lake trout. Fish were caught while trolling as well as jigging. Fish caught jigging were in deeper water while fish caught trolling were in a bit shallower water. Try fishing very early morning or later at night.

Marquette: Decent limits of lake trout were brought in. A few coho were also caught.

Au Train: Limits of lake trout were coming in. Anglers were catching fish in 100 to 160 feet of water. A few coho were also caught.

Little Bay de Noc: Walleye anglers were reporting fair catch rates, with many trolling around the marker off Peninsula Point. Trolling crawler harnesses or crank baits were producing well.

Big Bay de Noc: Smallmouth anglers had success around the islands and at the drop offs. Fair numbers persist of steelhead and Chinook.

St. Ignace/Les Cheneaux:  Anglers out of the St. Ignace area were catching a few small walleye at the Carp River. In Hessel, the perch were still biting at the marina. A few pike were also caught off the pier in Hessel.

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Fishing Tip: Glow lures can be popular with Great Lakes salmon

One tactic that can be particularly useful when targeting Chinook is fishing with glow lures. This species often can be caught near the surface in low-light conditions, and glow lures make that opportunity even more appealing.

In particular, glow lures work well in the early morning hours before the sun comes up or at night. Many believe this type of lure attracts salmon because it can be seen in the dark from longer distances and encourages them to strike.

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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.