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Southeast Lower Peninsula

Lake Erie: Vegetation in Lake Erie was growing. There were spots in deeper water and scattered about in shallow water where patches were still clear out from Fermi and the Bartnik launch out of Sterling. Many of the larger fish went deeper past the Michigan-Ohio line, but nice size eater fish were caught with larger fish still sparsely available. The brown “goby” colored crawler harnesses and yellow perch colored crawler harnesses were the best colors. Silver and green spoons were good lures for walleye. Yellow perch started to pick up hitting on minnow rigs in 14 to 15 feet of water in Brest Bay. Largemouth bass were caught in shallower waters on wacky worms and spinner baits.

Detroit River: Walleye fishing was slow and angler pressure was very low. Water near the steel mill in Ecorse and near Fighting Island on the US side was the best area to fish. Anglers were primarily trolling with bottom bouncers and crawlers. The 40-foot range was a good place to start in most locations. Some white bass were caught between Elizabeth Park and the mouth of Lake Erie. Successful anglers were using artificial bait.

Saginaw Bay: Fishing was really slow over the weekend. Some shore anglers at Smith Park were catching a lot of freshwater drum, channel catfish and smallmouth bass. The boat anglers were not having much success. The walleye were moving out to deeper water.

Caseville: Some walleye were caught off Sleeper State Park while trolling body baits in 25 to 30 feet of water. Anglers were fishing all day to catch a limit.

Bayport: Some walleye were caught outside the islands in the slot in 13 to 17 feet of water. Anglers were trolling all day for 4 to 5 fish an angler. Night crawler harnesses and body baits were both catching fish.

Geiger Road: A few bluegills were caught in Dynamite Cut in 3 to 4 feet of water.

Sebewaing: A few walleye were caught in the slot, but fishing was slow.

Harbor Beach: Lake trout, coho and steelhead were caught in 80 to 100 feet of water while using 5-10 color lead core with spoons.

Port Austin: A few walleye were caught to the west of the harbor in 15 to 20 feet of water while trolling with crankbaits. Some smallmouth bass and rock bass were caught from the break wall and along the bird creek while fishing from the platforms, casting small lures and still fishing with minnows.

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Southwest Lower Peninsula

St. Joseph: Pier anglers were catching a lot of freshwater drum and catfish. Most were caught on night crawlers. The water warmed up and steelhead fishing was slow. Perch fishing was also slow. The few perch that were caught were very deep. Boat anglers were catching a mixed bag of steelhead, coho and Chinook salmon. The best fishing was well beyond 100 feet of water. Spoons were catching most of these fish.  

South Haven: Pier fishing was slow for all species except for freshwater drum. The fish were caught by casting spoons. Perch fishing was very slow. Boat anglers targeting salmon were catching a few lake trout around 110 feet of water. There were some coho and Chinook caught well beyond 100 feet of water. Flies fished behind rotators was working best for the coho and Chinook.                       

Muskegon: The salmon action slowed down. Best action was 45-120 feet down in 120-200 feet of water. Standard size spoon in green and orange worked well. Freshwater drum were caught in the basin. Anglers were catching them either by casting spoons from the pier or while trolling body baits from boats.

Grand Haven: Boat anglers reported the salmon action to be slow. A few were caught 45-100 feet down in 100-180 feet of water. Larger salmon were caught on green or white flies. Spoons in green, orange and blue were good. Pier anglers found the steelhead action to be slow. Freshwater drum were caught while casting silver spoons in the channel.

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Northeast Lower Peninsula

Tawas: Some smallmouth bass and rock bass were caught off the pier while casting crawlers and body baits. At Gateway Park on the Taws River, there were some largemouth and smallmouth bass caught while casting plastics, spinners and crawlers. Some catfish, freshwater drum and bullheads were caught while still fishing crawlers on the bottom. Boat anglers caught Chinook salmon, steelhead and walleye out past buoy #2 in 60 to 80 feet while trolling spoons and crankbaits. Walleye were caught inside the bay near buoys 4 and 6 while trolling crawlers and crankbaits in 12 to 15 feet.

Alpena: Anglers catching lake trout limits were common. Anglers were heading out towards Thunder Bay Island, Nordmeer wreck and out towards the first set of humps.  Best depths were in 65 to 120 feet of water. Anglers were running a few lines near bottom and the rest scattered in the water column. On the deep lines, anglers were using attractors with spin glo flies or spin glos. On the higher lines, anglers were running mostly spoons, greens, chartreuse, blue and silver, green, orange and silver, yellow and mostly brighter colored spoons. The lines higher up were getting lake trout but also an occasional silver fish, Atlantic salmon, steelhead or Chinook salmon. Walleye fishing was slow and most were caught at night. Anglers should try fishing Northshore, North Point, Grass Island, Sulphur Island or Scarecrow Island for best results. Anglers were trolling crank baits, crawler harnesses and spoons. The best depths were in 15 to 30 feet of water. 

Thunder Bay River: Anglers were casting body baits, spoons and bass type lures.  Anglers were also using live bait, night crawlers and leeches. Anglers were catching smallmouth bass, walleye, pike, freshwater drum, bullheads and bowfin. 

Au Gres: Walleye fishing was good on the days when the boats could get out. There were some reports of limits caught over on the eastside of the Charity Islands toward the slot in 20 to 25 feet while trolling crawlers and crank baits. There were some limits of walleye caught from the Charity Islands all the way south to the Saganing and Pinconning bars in 10 to 25 feet while trolling crawlers and crankbaits. Largemouth bass anglers caught fish closer to shore near the weeds of the mouth of the Au Gres River and inside Wigwam Bay and in the Pine River while casting spinners, plastics and body baits. Some rock bass, perch, catfish, freshwater drum, bullheads, pike and largemouth bass were caught while still fishing crawlers and casting spinners off the dock at Pine River access.

Rogers City: Anglers reported that lake trout limits were common. The fish were moving around a lot with the wind and water temperature changes. Once located, anglers should keep circling back on them. The best depths were in 40 to 70 feet of water and running lines throughout the water column and fishing flashers and spin glos near the bottom but not right on the bottom. Spoons were used up higher. Silver fish were hitting the higher lines using bright spoons, oranges, greens, silvers and chartreuse. 

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Northwest Lower Peninsula

Ludington: A few Chinook salmon were caught at Big Sable Point and straight out in 80 to 190 feet of water when fishing 30 to 85 feet down. Spoons and flies worked well. The piers remained slow.

Manistee: A few Chinook salmon and a couple lake trout were caught straight out along the shelf and south of town towards Big Sable Point. Depths ranged from 100 to 250 feet of water while fishing 30 to 80 feet down. Spoons and flies worked well, and pier fishing remained slow.

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Upper Peninsula

Little Bay de Noc: Smallmouth bass fishing was good. Walleye anglers were having some success when trolling around the reefs. Anglers that launched out of the Ford River were able to find some active fish.

Manistique: Windy conditions resulted in limited fishing on the lake. Salmon anglers did not have much success but reported a good amount of bait fish moving in. Some lake trout were caught out by the green buoy marker. Walleye anglers were having mixed success in the river and around the mouth.

Keweenaw Bay/Huron Bay: Anglers were catching lake trout and some salmon with the focus on lake trout. Anglers reported catching lake trout while trolling and were in varied depths from 70 to 150 feet of water. Some salmon were caught in waters around 50 feet however the catch was much slower than that of lake trout. Try trolling spoons and flasher flies for lake trout when the water is cold on the surface.

Les Cheneaux/Detour: Anglers were catching a few perch and pike off the pier in Hessel, however the recent fly hatch slowed the fishing down. Detour was producing a few Atlantic salmon and lake trout, however it slowed down as well.

Traverse Bays/ South Portage Canal Entry: Anglers reported catches of lake trout. Some salmon were caught in the early morning light however most of the catches were of lake trout. Successful fishing for lake trout was done mostly while trolling and in waters around 100 feet. Anglers reported that the water column was full of smelt and the water was 45 degrees down to roughly 50 feet deep. Anglers had luck fishing live bait for pike off piers and docks.

Munising: Anglers were primarily fishing in the morning for coho and Chinook salmon.  Anglers reported large schools of baitfish scattered throughout the bay. Anglers were catching a mix bag including Chinook, coho, splake and lake trout. Fish were located in shallower waters, mainly less than 80 feet. A few boats did well near White Rocks, at the west channel area and at Wood Island for lake trout.

Grand Marais: Lake trout fishing was excellent with limits reported by anglers fishing mainly towards Five Mile Reef and near the shipping channels. Very few anglers were fishing the pier with slow results.

Marquette: Anglers had success catching lake trout and salmon in the lower/upper harbor areas. Anglers fishing offshore near the Carp and Chocolay rivers had success catching mostly lake trout. There were some reports of salmon catches in the area as well. For lake trout, try trolling the bottom in 40 to 50 feet of water. For salmon, try running high lines using bright, tri-color spoons. Some anglers had success catching lake trout in about 150 feet of water near white rocks. Fishing pressure in the Carp, Chocolay and Dead rivers was slow. For best chances in the Carp River, try casting spawn or crawlers out from the mouth. In the Chocolay and Dead rivers, try floating spawn or worms. 

Au Train: Fishing activity was minimal in the Rock and Au Train rivers, as well as at the Brownstone boat launch. There were a couple reports of lake trout being caught in 40 to 50 feet of water to the east of the launch. There were fewer reports to the west of the launch, but in previous weeks, anglers had success catching lake trout near Au Train Island in around 150+ feet of water. For anglers fishing to the east of the launch, try trolling in 40 to 50 feet of water using spoons or bright colored flickers. For anglers fishing to the west of the launch, try jigging cut-baits in around 150 feet of water.

Upper St. Mary's: There were limited catches of whitefish reported near the Soo Locks and the occasional rainbow trout was caught. Jigging 3 to 5 feet above the bottom of the river with wax worms produced the best results. With water temperatures slightly warming up, some anglers were targeting northern pike and bass with limited success. Angler’s near Brimley were fishing for walleye in Waishkey Bay while trolling with crawler harnesses. The bite was slow.

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Fishing Tip: Avoid these mistakes to experience great fishing

Did you know simple mistakes can make or break your fishing adventures? Check out these basic things to avoid if you want to have better success on the water:

• Make sure your reel is filled with line – don’t wait until it gets to half-empty and risk losing a great catch due to an inadequate amount of line.
• Check your knots – monitor their strength and durability after each fish. If the strength gets compromised, cut the line down a few feet and start again.
• Set the hook – don’t forget to do this each time you even think you’ve got a bite. Why waste a great catch just because you forgot to set the hook?

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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.