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May 29 is the large and smallmouth bass opener on the Great Lakes and inland waters. The large and smallmouth bass season opener on Lake St. Clair, the St. Clair River and the Detroit River is June 19. Muskie season opens on June 5. 

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

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Southeast Lower Peninsula

Lake Erie: Walleye were caught when drifting a crawler harness or trolling crankbaits between Stony Point and Luna Pier. Smallmouth bass, white bass, freshwater drum and a few channel cats have been caught.   

Detroit River: Anglers are catching walleye and white bass. Walleye anglers are trolling body baits or a crawler harness. With the clear water, those night fishing might do better. The DNR is currently collecting musky eggs at night. Staff will be using a boat equipped with electro-fishing gear up in the shallows. Due to safety concerns, the public is asked to stay clear of the boat and the electric field around it.     

Lake St. Clair: Anglers are beginning to catch walleye and perch in the shipping channel and near Gull Island when using a crawler harness. Walleye were also caught near the Salt River in 6 to 8 feet on a crawler harness. Preseason smallmouth action was best between Selfridge and New Baltimore as well as between Eleven Mile Road and Gross Pointe when fishing along the shoreline. Panfish action ramped up in Fairhaven with limit catches of bluegill taken near the launch and in Fisher Bay while anchored or drifting with crawlers. Perch and bluegills were caught in Ford Cove near the Nine Mile ramp in 5 to 10 feet. Bass anglers also caught some pike. 

Port Sanilac: Had some good catches of salmon and trout taken in 60 to 80 feet.    

Harbor Beach: A few salmon were taken in 80 to 100 feet straight out and north of the harbor. Try body baits off boards and spoons off downriggers. Best colors were green, orange, black, and blue in the top 60 feet. Steelhead were taken on bright colored spoons. Lake trout continue to be taken near the bottom with dodgers and spin-glo’s. Hot colors were green, yellow, orange, or white with pink dots. A few walleyes were taken closer to shore when using small spoons or body baits. 

Port Austin: Salmon and trout were caught on spoons about 30 feet down in 70 to 80 feet. Walleye were caught when trolling crankbaits in 18 to 20 feet. At Eagle Bay, smallmouth bass were caught and released in shallow water when casting tube baits. 

Saginaw Bay: Walleye move out to 30 feet northeast of the Spark Plug and were hitting on a crawler harness. A few jumbo perch were also caught. Walleye fishing was slow no doubt because of the clear water conditions. Anglers could see the bottom in 17 to 20 feet on a calm day. Those fishing off Quanicassee had limited success along the Slot in 15 to 17 feet and east of the shipping channel in 25 to 28 feet. Body baits or a crawler harness worked best. Anglers may have to cover a lot of water to find a small school of active fish.   

Saginaw River: Walleye are still being caught in the lower river by those using blade baits and jig heads with rubber minnows.

Tittabawassee River: Low water levels are making it much harder to fish. Fishing pressure has been light. Those trying have caught large and smallmouth bass, channel cats and freshwater drum when drifting crawlers or casting artificial baits.

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Southwest Lower Peninsula

Crappie are just about done spawning in shallow waters. Bluegills were coming in close to shore on the inland lakes. Some were already on the beds and were hitting on crawlers, wax worms, red worms, wet flies, small poppers or spiders. 

St. Joseph: Salmon fishing slowed for boat anglers with only a few Chinook and coho caught. The fish were scattered and there was no pattern or depth preferred. Most of the boats were well past 100 feet. Pier anglers were catching lots of freshwater drum when casting or still-fishing on the bottom.   

South Haven: Had decent salmon fishing for boat anglers. The fish were scattered and found in 120 feet or much deeper. Lake trout and steelhead were also caught. Perch fishing was slow with only a few taken in 60 feet. 

Holland: Chinook salmon were taken on spoons, flashers and flies. 

Grand Haven: Silver fish like Chinook salmon, coho and steelhead were out deep in 180 to 260 feet and were hitting in the top 100 feet. Most were taken on orange and blue spoons along with green flies. Pier fishing for salmon and steelhead was slow. 

Grand River near Grand Rapids: Anglers are getting some walleye. Smallmouth bass were hitting on minnows so the opener should be good this weekend.   

Muskegon: Was producing a decent number of Chinook and coho salmon in 170 to 300 feet. Most fish were taken on orange and blue spoons in the top 80 feet. 

Muskegon River: Water levels are back up though the water was still clear. Trout fishing continues and some are using dry flies. Walleye and pike continue to be caught as well. 

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Northeast Lower Peninsula

Rogers City: Some limits of lake trout are coming in on a regular basis though some days are still better than other days. The better fishing was in 40 to 70 feet near the State Park, Forty Mile Point or Seagull Point. Those heading south from Calcite also found fish when running dipseys and copper. Green, yellow, orange and silver spoons as well as dodgers and cowbells with spin-glo’s were taking fish. Use attractors in the bottom 15 feet. Run lines in the top 15 feet for Atlantic salmon. 

Rockport: Anglers are heading straight out or out to the Middle Island lighthouse and buoy and targeting lake trout. Run lines throughout the water column in 35 to 60 feet with spin-glo’s and attractors 10 feet off the bottom. For Atlantic salmon, run lines in the top 15 feet and use bright colors.

Alpena: Lake trout, Chinook and Atlantic salmon were caught when trolling spoons, body baits and spin-glo’s off North Point, Thunder Bay Island and Rockport. Lake trout were suspended while Atlantic salmon were caught higher in the water column. For walleye, try near the river mouth in 10 to 20 feet. 

Thunder Bay River: Those trolling for walleye did manage to pick up a few more fish as did those drifting crawlers. 

Higgins Lake: Anglers are getting some perch once they find an active school of fish. Those with jigging spoons near the bottom in 80 to 100 feet caught a few lake trout. Rock bass are being caught everywhere.

Houghton Lake: Walleye anglers were still getting a few nice fish at night when fishing close to shore with crankbaits, crawlers, or leeches. For bass, try the canals and near the river mouths. 

Tawas: Walleye fishing was slow with only a few fish caught near the artificial reef in 15 to 25 feet when casting jigs tipped with minnows. Those trolling out near Buoy #2 and to the east in 50 to 70 feet caught lake trout on spoons. Pier anglers caught some steelhead and Atlantic salmon when casting spoons and body baits or still-fishing with minnows. 

Tawas River: Smallmouth bass and pike were caught when casting body baits, jigs with swimbaits and tube baits.

Au Gres: Walleye fishing was slow with most caught south of Eagle Bay and down towards the Spark Plug along the east side of the shipping channel in 25 to 35 feet when using crawlers. A few were also caught near Whitestone Pt, Pt. Au Gres, Pt Lookout, and south towards the Pine River in 20 to 35 feet. Those anglers also caught some incidental big perch when trolling for walleye. Good large and smallmouth bass action reported near Whitestone Pt. and Pt. Lookout when using tube baits, swim baits, and body baits in 10 to 25 feet. Largemouth were also caught in 3 to 15 feet with body baits and spinners. 

Au Gres River: Catfish and small perch were caught on crawlers. 

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Northwest Lower Peninsula

Although the area did get some rain, the rivers are still a bit low and mostly clear which makes fishing much harder. Dry fly fishing picked up as the hot weather prompted some good insect hatches. Water temperatures on the inland lakes warmed, especially the shallow dark bottom lakes. 

Charlevoix: Lake trout were caught near North Point in 60 to 80 feet. While some were near the bottom and some were suspended, all were hitting on spoons and spin-glo’s. Cisco were caught by those jigging in 45 to 60 feet. Angler pressure increased in the channel with the arrival of Cisco. They can be found the entire length of the channel when jigging and casting anything shiny such as spoons, spinners, blade baits and Swedish pimples. A few lake trout were also caught. 

Petoskey: Boat anglers were fishing the other side of the bay. Warmwater species moved to the mouth of the river and were found in the “Bobber Hole”. Anglers caught smallmouth bass, pike, rock bass, suckers, and bullhead. Pier and beach anglers also caught fish. Most were using worms, minnows, crankbaits, and soft plastics. 

Bear River: Was still running on the low side. Not many reports of steelhead anymore, but anglers caught smallmouth bass, pike, chubs, and a couple small brown trout up near the dam. 

Harbor Springs: More smallmouth anglers are going out and fishing the shoreline as well as from the docks and piers. Lake trout were caught in 40 to 60 feet near Harbor Point and in the bay towards the State Park when trolling spoons and spin-glo’s. A whitefish was also caught.

Frankfort: The fish cleaning station is open, and the construction has been completed. Young salmon are starting to show up as anglers are trolling south along the shoreline through the Herring Hole. The fish were 30 to 50 feet down in 60 to 80 feet and hitting on spoons. Very good numbers of lake trout were reported up in Platte Bay.       

Onekama: Anglers trolling north to the golf course and in the “Barrel” reported the occasional small Chinook salmon as well as good lake trout catches higher up in the water column.   

Lakes Cadillac and Mitchell: The warmer weather produced good fishing for panfish, bass and walleye.    

Manistee: Fishing was hit-or-miss for those trolling. A few lake trout were caught outside the harbor and straight out along the “Shelf” when fishing near the bottom. A couple Chinook salmon were also caught 55 to 75 feet down in 120 to 170 feet. Most were using spoons and flies. Pier anglers had no luck. 

Ludington: Fishing was slow with only a few lake trout taken straight out of the harbor and near the projects. Pier fishing was slow. 

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Upper Peninsula

Ontonagon: Catch rates were decent on the big lake as fish were moving out to deeper water. Fishing locations vary everyday depending on wind direction. Some nice lake trout and salmon have been caught.    

Ontonagon River: Walleye fishing was hit-or-miss. Those finding fish have done well but were sorting through a good number of small ones. 

Keweenaw Bay: When they could get out, boat anglers caught lake trout in deep water.  Low fishing pressure was reported on Huron Bay, the Silver River and the Falls River. 

Little Bay De Noc: Anglers continue to catch a few perch near Kipling. 

Big Bay De Noc: Anglers have caught walleye and smallmouth bass. 

Munising: Boat anglers targeting coho and splake did not do well at all. Some did manage to catch the occasional brown trout, rainbow trout or king salmon. Surface water temperatures did climb to the low 40’s before the cold front moved in. There were no anglers fishing the Anna River because the action has been very slow. 

Grand Marais: Boats trolling for trout and salmon reported slow catch rates. Pier anglers were getting some limit catches with the strong northwest winds. 

St. Marys River: Walleye have been caught in Munuscong Bay.

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Fishing Tip: Use a spinnerbait to target bass

As water temperatures rise, both largemouth and smallmouth bass will start to hang out in shallower water and stick close to areas with cover. Want to know a great tool to target them there? Try a spinnerbait.

Seek out cover; such as logs, boulders or weed patches and cast your spinnerbait in that direction. Often you’ll entice a bass ready to strike unsuspecting prey.

Want to learn more about one of Michigan’s most popular fish species? Check out their page on the DNR’s website.

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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.