The weekly fishing report has resumed for ice fishing in select locations. Report information is collected by creel clerks; additional locations will be featured in beginning in March when more creel staff reports are available.

For more information on current fishing conditions, we recommend calling your local DNR fisheries management unit or customer service center, bait shop, sporting goods store or outfitter or checking their social media. Fishing reports for many popular waterbodies are shared on social media and in local and statewide fishing forums. 

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

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Southeast Lower Peninsula

Tittabawassee River: No fishing pressure due to poor ice conditions.

Eastern Saginaw Bay: Anglers targeted walleye off the east side of the bay. Most anglers reported slower fishing, catching one or two walleye, while a few anglers caught five or six. Anglers were scattered across the east side of the bay, and there were still reports of open pockets of water or thin areas that needed to be watched carefully. Nearshore fishing for yellow perch was very slow this week. Those targeting northern pike also reported slow fishing. Fishing off the pier in Caseville was slow as well.

Lower Saginaw Bay: East of the Saginaw Bay, walleye were caught in the slot with 10 to 12 inches of ice reported. Some anglers went a few miles past the slot and caught a few walleye. At Vanderbilt Park, a few yellow perch were caught in 6 feet of water, with 7 inches of ice. On the east side of Spoils Island, in 7 to 10 feet of water, a few walleye were caught. Ice thickness ranged from 8 to 10 inches.

Saginaw River: There were a lot of walleye anglers out over the weekend fishing from the mouth of the river upstream to the I-675 Bridge. Past I-675, the ice was piled up and conditions were poor. Walleye fishing was a little spotty. A few anglers did well, and a limit was occasionally seen, but many found smaller walleye. Anglers who did well stayed away from the crowds and were willing to try different tactics and methods. Good areas included Veterans Memorial Park in Bay City, across the channel on the far side in 18 feet of water, and downstream of the Edson in 27 feet of water. Productive baits included Kastmaster rattle spoons, jigging Rapalas in blue and silver, orange, and fire tiger. Buckshot spoons, all tipped with a minnow, found success as well.

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Southwest Lower Peninsula

No reports.

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Northeast Lower Peninsula

Tawas/Au Gres: Slow fishing was reported by those fishing the reef. Anglers reported better success toward Buoy 6. Catches consisted of a few walleye and mostly small yellow perch, with a few keepers mixed in. In Au Gres, there were mixed reports in 17 to 22 feet of water, where anglers reported marking fish but had difficulty getting them to bite. Off the point in shallower water, fishing was hit or miss; however, the fish that were caught were sizeable. In the Standish area, decent numbers of walleye were caught. However, there were many skimmed-over open pockets of water, so anglers needed to use extreme caution venturing out. Yellow perch fishing was slow, with a lot of throwbacks and only a few keepers.

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Northwest Lower Peninsula

No reports.

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Upper Peninsula

Little Bay de Noc: Anglers fishing the upper bay had limited success. Most anglers targeting walleye reported lethargic marks, making for a tough bite. Perch anglers reported similar results, struggling to convert marks into fish on the ice. Cold temperatures made using set lines outside of the shack difficult. Shiny lures tipped with minnows were the presentation of choice for most anglers. Minnows and wax worms were the preferred bait for perch this week. Anglers fishing farther south toward Escanaba also reported slow walleye fishing.

Les Cheneaux Islands: Anglers in Muskie Bay caught a lot of undersized northern pike when targeting perch. The perch were few and far between in Muskie Bay. In Hessel, anglers caught good numbers of perch, with the majority being throwbacks. Very few splake were caught, and the fish were tough to find. The wind and negative temperatures this past week were brutal. Spikes, wax worms, and minnows were the most popular baits.

Munising: The coho salmon bite was steady this week, with anglers having good success. In the bay, anglers did well on splake and whitefish, but many of the splake caught were undersized. Anglers targeting perch had little success this week, as the bite was slow. Anglers had success using wax worms, wigglers, and eggs for bait.

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Fishing tip: Fishing marking but no bite?

When fish are marking on electronics but won’t bite, downsize your presentation and slow your cadence. Lethargic winter fish often respond better to smaller spoons or jigs tipped with a minnow head or wax worm, especially during cold fronts and extreme low temperatures.

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This report is intended to give you an idea of fishing conditions around the state. Updates come from Fisheries staff and conservation officers. With nearly 11,000 inland lakes, the Great Lakes and thousands of miles of rivers and streams in Michigan, not all locations can be listed.