The Michigan DNR Hunt Fish app is now available, offering you the ability to:

• Buy hunting and fishing licenses and trail permits.
• Report deer or fish harvests.
• Look up regulations and download guides and digests.
• Find your license history, including point and chance balances.
• Check out maps with multiple layers, showing features such as shooting ranges and boat launches.
• Get timely notifications from the DNR.

Enjoy the outdoors, get your licenses, read digests and more all on the go. Find it now in the App Store and Google Play store for Apple and Android devices.

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

Buy your license ►

Southeast Lower Peninsula

Lake Erie: Anglers were catching yellow perch on weighted perch rigs/spreaders while using minnows or worms, but minnows had more success. Most fish were caught in 18 to 22 feet of water, while some were caught around a depth of 15 feet. Anglers had success near buoys 1 and 2 (located a mile or two east of the Raisin River mouth), and near Woodtick Island (south of Luna Pier, two to three miles away from the Ohio border). Anglers fishing for walleye had slow days, but they were still harvesting fish. Walleye were caught while using perch colored flicker shads or crawler harnesses east of the Fermi Power Plant and near buoys 1 and 2. These fish were generally caught in depths of 20 to 23 feet near schools of perch and other bait fish.

Saginaw Bay: Yellow perch were caught near Gambills in 12 to 14 feet of water with a lot of sorting. Yellow perch ranging in size of 7 to 10 inches were also caught near Sailboat Buoys A and B in 14 feet of water and at the Old Shipping Channel in 16 feet of water and at the Spark Plug Buoy in 26 feet of water on minnows. Walleye fishing on the east side of the bay was good one day, and then slow the next.  Shallower water from 10 to 13 feet was best around Callahan Reef, out from Quanicassee and towards Sunset, and from Thomas Road to Sebewaing. A few walleye were caught in the slot as well in 14 to 16 feet. Body baits produced the most walleye with crawler harnesses catching some as well. Out from Quanicassee, anglers were starting to target yellow perch around 10 feet of water. Most boats were reporting slower fishing, and those doing best were moving around and sorting through lots of small fish to get some larger perch.

Bayport: A few bass anglers were out but fishing was slow.

Back to Top

Southwest Lower Peninsula

Muskegon: Salmon continued to be scattered from the break walls out to 180 feet of water. A few mature Chinook salmon were caught near the break walls on chrome or white J-plugs. A mix of mature and immature salmon were caught 45 to 100 feet down in 70 to 200 feet of water. Green and orange spoons worked well along with green flies. In low light conditions, glow spoons worked very well.

Grand Haven: Salmon were caught from the pierheads out to 120 feet of water. A mix of meat rigs, glow spoons and J-Plugs all produced salmon. Pier anglers found the salmon action to be slow. A few coho and Chinook salmon were caught while casting glow spoons. Anglers found the action to be more productive in low light conditions.

St. Joseph: Pier fishing was slow for all species. Boat anglers targeting salmon caught a few Chinook in 40 to 80 feet of water. The best water was beyond 120 feet of water. Perch anglers had a challenging week. The best water was in 42 feet of water. The fish were packed closely together. Lake conditions kept most boats close to the pierheads. 

South Haven: Perch fishing was pretty good. The best water was in 50 feet of water. There were some fish also caught in 40 feet of water. Most of the fishing pressure was south of the piers. Pier fishing was slow. There were a few freshwater drum caught but fishing was slow for steelhead and salmon. Boat anglers targeting salmon reported good fishing. The best water was deeper than 120 feet of water. Anglers trolling spoons were having success. 

Back to Top

Northeast Lower Peninsula

Houghton Lake: Anglers were catching bluegill in 9-11 feet of water while using small leeches and wax worms. The walleye fishing was slow.

Tawas: There was some walleye, coho salmon and brown trout caught in 70 to 90 feet out past buoy 2 and south towards the Bell Buoy in 30 to 40 feet while trolling spoons, flicker shad and crawlers. At Gateway Park on the Tawas River, there were some bluegill and small perch caught while still fishing crawlers and minnows.

Au Gres: There were some good catches of walleye caught between Lookout Point and Au Gres Point in 25 to 35 feet while trolling flicker shad and crawlers. At Pine River Access, there were some walleye caught out near the catfish hole and the Saganing and Pinconning bars in 15 to 20 feet while trolling crawlers and flicker shad. There were also some reports of perch caught in the same areas in 12 to 165 feet while still fishing with minnows.

Rogers City: Chinook salmon fishing effort was dominating the fishery though results were mixed. With cooperative weather, quite a few anglers were fishing the very early morning and twilight hours and reporting mixed results. Anglers were fishing in about 50 to 90 feet of water primarily near Swan Bay and Adams Point. Salmon were reported in approximately even numbers using both spoons and meat rigs. There was very little thermocline present and recent winds stirred up the temperature once again, so anglers were spacing lines throughout the water column to find fish. Many of the Chinook were in the low to mid-teens size, with many boat anglers reporting results of at least one fish. Those with better luck might be able to get three or four with an incidental lake trout mixed in here and there.

Cheboygan River: Salmon were caught off the pier and by boat anglers trolling the river channel. Only Chinook catches were reported. Salmon were seen at the spillway below the dam. Lures like wobbling crankbaits, inline spinners, and spoons were best for enticing salmon to strike. They generally were biting lures more out of aggression than appetite this time of year.

Back to Top

Northwest Lower Peninsula

West Grand Traverse Bay: Chinook and coho were caught in the hole in front of the Boardman River, 50 to 80 feet down was best. Some salmon and trout were also caught in front of the white wall.

East Grand Traverse Bay: Chinook and coho were caught out from Center Road Boat Launch shelf down to the Horseshoe and also out by Deepwater Pointe. Water depths of 120 to 150 feet of water were good fishing 50 to 75 feet down. Lake trout fishing was good in 90 to 100 feet of water close to bottom. There were no reports on any cisco catches yet, but they should be schooling up any time soon. Those trying for bass reported slow fishing, mostly only catching single digits per trip in 30 feet of water.

Frankfort: Anglers inside the harbor and off the wall were reporting moderate numbers of Chinook with better numbers in the evening. Coho were also being reported out front and around the herring hole.

Platte Bay: Coho salmon were just beginning to stage in Platte Bay with a few early run fish starting to hit the river as well. Anglers targeting coho salmon in Lake Michigan did well jigging 1-1.5 oz. jigs or by trolling with typical salmon targeted gear. For the river anglers, floating setups worked best with spawn or bead rigs. Reminder: On the Platte River it shall be unlawful to use other than one single-pointed unweighted hook measuring ½” or less from point to shank.

Manistee: Salmon were caught in 30 to 40 feet of water outside the pierheads and in the harbor and channel from anglers trolling and jigging. Green and glow-colored spoons and J-Plugs worked best. A few Chinook were caught from the piers while casting spoons both late at night and early in the morning.

Ludington: Salmon and a few steelhead were caught at Big Sable Point, in 45 to 60 feet of water outside the pierheads, in the harbor, and in Pere Marquette Lake from anglers both trolling and jigging. Green and glow spoons, flies, and J-Plugs worked well. Some Chinook were caught from the piers with spoons during lowlight hours.

Back to Top

Upper Peninsula

Little Bay de Noc: Anglers targeting walleye were having success when fishing around No See-Um Creek, Minneapolis Shoal, south of Gladstone. Perch fishing was good near Kipling, as well as eater-size walleye caught while using worms and minnows.

Manistique: Chinooks and coho salmon were showing up in the river. Shore and boat anglers were catching salmon, casting crankbaits and float fishing skein. While fishing efforts were low, anglers were still catching some fish out in the lake in 130 to 180 feet of water.

Marquette: Anglers had the most success near the upper harbor area by White Rocks and Granite Island catching lake trout. Some lake trout were caught from the Shot Point area as well. Anglers fishing near White Rocks caught lake trout in depths between 70 to 100 feet of water while trolling spoons and spinners. Anglers fishing near Granite Island reported catching lake trout in 150 to 200 feet of water while trolling spoons or jigging cut-baits. For fishing near Shot Point, most success came from anglers trolling orange or blue spoons in anywhere from 50 to 80 feet of water.

Keweenaw Bay/ Huron Bay: Anglers coming off the bays reported catching coho and Chinook salmon in the mornings while trolling. Most of these successful fishing trips were coming off the water around 10am and began fishing around sunrise. Anglers also found lake trout down in 70 to 180 feet of water while trolling. Anglers used a mixture of natural and artificial baits while catching lake trout. Expect fishing to continue to be good while nights are continuing to cool off. Anglers should try mixing up the colors normally used. Purple was a hot color lately.

Traverse Bays/ South Portage Entry Canal: Anglers coming off the water reported successful harvest of lake trout and some sparse salmon. Anglers were still mostly trolling however fishing pressure was consistent throughout the day. Anglers were trolling in waters around 170 feet and jigging in waters up to 220 feet. Anglers who were trolling mostly used artificial baits like spoons while natural baits were used while jigging. Natural baits were especially effective in near shore waters.

Les Cheneaux/Detour: Anglers in the Hessel area were still catching a few perch off the pier at the marina using leaches, crawlers and minnows, however the bite was slow. In Detour, anglers were catching a few Chinook, lake trout and pink salmon all around the lighthouse.

Au Train: Most reports of catches were lake trout coming from around Au Train Island. Some anglers reported catching lake trout near the Au Train River in deep pockets of water. Anglers fishing near Au Train Island had success trolling and jigging for lake trout in the flats and deeper water. For anglers fishing in the flats, try trolling spoons or spinners in depths between 40 to 60 feet of water. As for deeper water, most reports came from anglers trolling spoons or jigging cut-baits in 150+ feet of water. Anglers could also try trolling in deep pockets (40 to 80 feet) of water near the Au train River for lake trout.

Upper St. Marys: Anglers were primarily targeting perch near the Soo Locks with success in numbers but not in size. Small sized perch were caught using live bait just off the bottom of the river. Waishkey Bay produced slow catches of pike and perch throughout the week.

Lower St. Marys: Anglers in the lower St. Mary's were successfully harvesting good amounts of pike, yellow perch and smallmouth bass. Walleye anglers were doing okay trolling with a variety of live and artificial baits in deeper waters. There were reports of musky in the Neebish Island/Lime Island stretch. Drummond Island was a good location to be for larger yellow perch and smallmouth bass.

Carp River & Nunns Creek: Salmon were caught at both the mouth of the Carp River and at Nunns Creek. Most of the salmon activity was at night but some early morning activity was also reported. Boats in Saint Martin Bay were catching salmon, especially around the two islands.

Lake George: The fishing in Lake George was productive with catches of pike, smallmouth bass and perch. On occasion there are a few walleye caught as well, which was a distinct increase since earlier this month. Most of the fishing was dependent on the weather conditions for the species in question, some conditions being better for others and with a front sitting close, it may cause the bite to change.

Lake Nicolet: Fishing in Lake Nicolet improved as the month progressed due to weather and temperatures. The methods remained consistent, and a few of the surveyed anglers were putting in the hours to track down the fish. Salmon were caught, with a couple walleye, pike, and perch being caught on occasion through the lake as well. More types of salmon were reported in the river, but surveyed numbers were still on the lower side of things at the present time, but those numbers started to increase as the season continued. Pink salmon may start to run in a week or so and should allow for more variety of species for anglers.

Whitefish Bay: Anglers in Whitefish Bay were targeting coho, Chinook and lake whitefish with limited success. Some anglers were jigging for whitefish just above the bottom of the lake in 100 feet of water. The catch rate was slow. At the Tahquamenon River, anglers were catching limited pike, rock bass and yellow perch near the mouth of the river, and some anglers reported small sized musky follows further upriver.

Back to Top

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?

Want more tips for fishing in Michigan? Visit Michigan.gov/Fishing.

Back to Top

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.