A reminder that all Type 1 and Type 2 inland trout streams will close to fishing on Oct. 1. Prespawn brook trout and brown trout will be looking to feed. The last few days of the season are a great time to get out and enjoy trout fishing. 

Be sure to check the 2022 Fishing Guide (available on the DNR Guides and Digests webpage) for regulations on these trout streams that are closing and for many others that remain open to trout fishing opportunities throughout the year. Also, don’t forget to check out the inland trout and salmon regulation maps for a visual representation of stream-type fishing regulations throughout the state.

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

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Southeast Lower Peninsula

Lake Erie

Anglers able to get out when the wind and weather permitted were catching some nice yellow perch near Turtle Island, located southeast of near Luna Pier. Anglers have caught yellow perch inside of Brest Bay, located just to the north of Sterling Park.  Anglers should try between 15 to 20 feet of water using minnows fished near the bottom. Largemouth bass fishing was good around La Plaisance Bay, just north of Bolles Harbor, by casting tubes or spin baits near rock walls or docks.

Lake St. Clair

High winds and precipitation has limited angling effort. Water clarity has also been variable. Try for yellow perch in 15 to 18 feet of water or even deeper. Find the baitfish using your electronics to increase your chances for catching yellow perch and walleye. Smallmouth bass fishing has been picking up with the cooler water temperatures.

Detroit River

Smallmouth bass fishing was good on the lower river. Many smallmouth bass were caught by anglers fishing between 13 to 20 feet of water. White was the hot color that anglers were using. Yellow perch and walleye were taken around Grosse Isle and near the mouth of Erie, but not in large numbers. Yellow perch were caught in 8 to 10 feet of water on minnow rigs. Some anglers reported catching walleye near the steel plant in Ecorse and in front of BASF in Wyandotte while using green and blue artificial lures.

Saginaw Bay

Some walleye were caught while jigging spoons at Buoy B. Anglers reported catches of walleye near Callahan Reef while trolling crankbaits in 10 to 12 feet of water. The yellow perch fishing was slow, but anglers putting the time in near the Sparkplug Blockhole in front of Linwood at depths between 18 to 20 feet of water were getting some fish. Anglers fishing 1 mile northeast of Spoils Island in 12 feet of water were catching yellow perch. Around the Sebewaing area, walleye and yellow perch fishing was slow. Fishing activities were slowed due to the winds and rain over the past week. Anglers who managed to get out reported catching a few largemouth bass while using artificial baits. 

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Southwest Lower Peninsula

Muskegon

The rough weather conditions have prevented boats from getting out. Anglers trolling for salmon in the channel were not catching many fish. Pier fishing was slow for anglers casting for salmon.

Grand Haven 

Recent weather has limited the fishing on Lake Michigan, and pier anglers reported an occasional salmon while casting glow spoons in low-light conditions.

St. Joseph 

Salmon anglers had some success when they were able to get out due to conditions. The more productive water was around 120 feet of water. Anglers were catching fish in the river while jigging and trolling. Yellow perch fishing was inconsistent, with anglers finding some fish between 35 and 90 feet of water. Anglers will have to keep moving to find pockets of schooling perch. Pier fishing was slow for all species. 

South Haven

Salmon anglers reported fishing in waters 120 feet deep and deeper being the most productive. Fish have also been caught in waters between 80 and 100 feet deep. Most of the catches were reported by anglers fishing with spoons. Pier fishing has been slow for all species, and effort has been low. Yellow perch fishing was slow, with fish staying deep in waters from 60 to 100 feet deep.

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Northeast Lower Peninsula

Tawas 

Anglers reported catching walleye and steelhead straight out past Buoy 2 and toward Alabaster in 40 to 50 feet of water while trolling spoons and body baits. Some walleye were caught near buoys 4 and 6 while trolling crawlers and body baits in 10 to 20 feet of water. At Gateway Park on the Tawas River, fishing was good for Chinook salmon, and a few steelhead were caught while drifting spawn and casting body baits and spoons.

Au Gres and Pine River

Some walleye were caught between Lookout and Au Gres points while trolling crawlers and body baits between 20 and 30 feet of water. At the Pine River access site, some yellow perch were caught straight out from the river mouth and south toward the Saganing and Pinconning bars while fishing with minnows between 6 and 20 feet of water. Walleye were caught in the same areas by those using perch rigs and trolling crawlers and flicker shad crankbaits. 

Oscoda

Chinook salmon were caught by anglers near the mouth of the Au Sable River while using spoons. Walleye and northern pike were also caught by anglers fishing the lower river using crankbaits. Yellow perch and walleye fishing was good in Van Etten Lake. Bluegill fishing was picking up on inland lakes by anglers using red worms.

Houghton Lake 

Anglers were doing well fishing for walleye before the recent storm front arrived. Bluegill fishing was also starting to pick up for anglers fishing with small leeches.

Rogers City

Chinook salmon fishing slowed while many of the fish moved up into the bay and river. Anglers fishing straight out of the harbor and up toward 40-mile Point caught Chinook, steelhead, coho salmon and lake trout. Anglers who located and fished near schools of baitfish caught fish. Fish were caught at various depths while using spoons. Good lure colors to try included white with UV, blues, greens, silvers mixed with other colors, and glow lures during early and late times.

Cheboygan River 

Anglers reported catching some salmon, though success has been variable. Anglers were fishing from the pier and below the dam at the spillway. Fishing the spillway was more productive recently. Successful anglers were drifting large chunks of skein or casting minnow-profile crankbaits.

Alpena 

Anglers reported good catches of steelhead, Atlantic salmon and coho salmon from Thunder Bay fishing between 40 and 60 feet of water. Successful anglers increased their odds by using their fish finders to fish near baitfish. Green, blue and silver spoons were catching the most fish.

Thunder Bay River 

Atlantic and coho salmon were caught in the river by anglers casting spoons or body baits or drifting with fresh spawn.

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Northwest Lower Peninsula

Grand Traverse Bay 

A few coho and Chinook salmon were caught in East Bay. The fish appeared to be scattered. The thermocline was 80 to 90 feet down, with surface temperatures around 64 degrees. Cisco were schooled up near the thermocline; however, they were not actively biting. Cisco located in deeper water, ranging from 140 to 180 feet, were biting better. Lake trout fishing from 100 to 140 feet of water was good. Bass fishing was good, with actively biting bass in 30 to 35 feet of water. In West Bay, a few Chinook and coho salmon were caught in the hole in front of the Boardman River mouth by anglers trolling and jigging.

Manistee 

Fishing was slow as the bad weather kept anglers off the water. A few young Chinook salmon were caught along the shelf while fishing 70 to 90 feet down in 140 to 170 feet of water. Anglers who fished the harbor and outside of the pierheads did not have much to report.

Portage Lake 

The weather held anglers inside Portage Lake, where the bite was slow, but anglers were marking good numbers of fish.

Frankfort

Chinook anglers were looking at the tail end of the run, with salmon mainly in the rivers and few being reported from in the bay. A few coho salmon were reported in the catch.

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Upper Peninsula

Carp River and Nunns Creek 

Salmon fishing was in high gear as coho, pink and Chinook salmon were found concentrating in the mouth of Nunns Creek. Fishing was not as heavy on the Carp River upstream from the mouth. Anglers wearing waders were more successful because they could access a wider area to find active fish.

Little Bay de Noc 

Fishing was slow as the wind was keeping anglers off the water.

Manistique 

Anglers caught Chinook salmon while floating skein. Pink salmon fishing was good when drifting beads and casting artificial baits. Some brown trout were also being caught.

Marquette

Fishing activity increased, while lake trout were the most common species caught. A few anglers also reported catching salmon. Most lake trout were caught on spoons by anglers fishing from the white rocks in 60 to 90 feet of water. Lake trout were caught near Granite Island in water 150 feet deep or deeper using spoons and flickers.  Anglers also reported salmon catches while trolling near the mouth of the Chocolay River to Shot Point. Try running high lines using rainbow/gold spoons for salmon.  Anglers fishing the Chocolay River reported catching fish while fishing with spinners or floating spawn.

Munising Bay 

Fishing effort was low due to the weather. Several anglers fishing the pier reported catching a few small splake.

Grand Marais 

Very few anglers have been out due to conditions. One boat trolling within the harbor marked fish; however, only one coho was caught. 

Keweenaw Bay/Huron Bay

Fishing for lake trout was good when the weather allowed anglers to get out. Anglers also reported catching some salmon, but the bite was slow. Anglers were primarily using spoons and flasher flies. Coho and steelhead were caught in nearshore waters while fishing near river mouths. Try trolling in the early morning while salmon and trout are beginning to stage for their spawning migrations.

Big Traverse Bay/South Portage Entry 

Anglers fishing just outside the mouth of the canal were not having much luck. However, reports of lake trout caught while trolling were increasing. Recent weather conditions have made fishing tough and kept activities low. Try fishing the early bite when salmon and trout begin to stage in the river mouths.

Au Train

Fishing activity remained low over the past week. Au Train Island was the only place where anglers reported catching lake trout. Anglers reported catches of lake trout in the flats around the island as well as in deep water. Anglers fishing the flats were doing best by trolling spoons or flickers in 40 to 60 feet of water. Anglers fishing 80 to 150 feet of water were picking up fish while trolling spoons or by jigging cut bait.

Lake George

The fishing in Lake George has been productive, with northern pike, smallmouth bass and yellow perch being caught. An occasional walleye has been part of the catch as well, which was an increase from previous weeks. The weather has been challenging for anglers and has influenced what the fish are interested in from day to day.

Lake Nicolet

Fishing in Lake Nicolet improved recently, primarily due to changes in weather and water temperatures. Anglers have been trolling for walleye, casting for northern pike and bass, jigging for yellow perch, and using a variety of gear and techniques for salmon. Anglers who have been able to find schooling baitfish were able to catch more fish. More salmon have been seen in the river, and numbers are expected to increase into the fall.

Upper St. Marys

The recent weather has limited angling activities where a few yellow perch were being reported. Crawlers and minnows were the bait of choice while fishing off the bottom of the river. Anglers also reported catches of northern pike, walleye and smallmouth bass near the locks and in the Tahquamenon River.

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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.