While fishing on the Great Lakes, be aware of commercial fishing activities ongoing near several popular ports. Commercial netting gear will be marked with tall buoys with orange flags, which may be a fair distance apart. Be aware of your surroundings and know that commercial nets and associated lines can cause entanglements with fishing gear or boat motors.

If you are entangled, cut yourself free and mark the location with GPS or attach a float or buoy and leave the net in the water. If fishing gear is lost, report GPS coordinates and location to enforcement agencies such as the Michigan Department of Natural Resources hotline, (800) 292-7800; Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission, (715)-685-2113; or Chippewa Ottawa Resource Authority, (906) 632-0043, as soon as possible.

For more information on Great Lakes nets, visit michiganseagrant.org/topics/coastal-hazards-and-safety/commercial-fishing-net-safety/.

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

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Southeast Lower Peninsula

Eastern Saginaw Bay: Fishing around the inner bay from Quanicassee to Sunset Marina and out toward the shipping channel was slow this past weekend. Most boats caught between zero to four walleye, with a few boats landing slightly more. Catching over 10 walleye per boat was rare. Anglers who fished in deeper water—more than 25 feet—near the shipping channel had the most success using crawler harnesses. Those who ran body baits struggled throughout the week.

Lake Erie One angler caught 41 yellow perch in the dumping grounds southeast of Bolles Harbor using minnows as bait. Walleye had mostly moved out, making for a slow bite this week, but a few were found on east of the Sterling State Park launch near the Michigan-Ohio border. They were biting on crawlers. Both largemouth bass and smallmouth bass were biting well on artificial baits in all areas, in about 14 feet of water.

Lower Saginaw Bay: Anglers reported walleye were out in deep water, so anglers headed out to Buoys 1 and 2 and beyond to catch walleye in depths ranging from 26 to 30 feet. A few yellow perch also showed up at the Spark Plug, but anglers needed to move around.

Lake St. Clair: Anglers caught smallmouth bass at the mouth of the middle channel in approximately 30 feet of water. They used jerk baits, swim baits, and drop shots. Muskie anglers had good luck in the same area, fishing very close to the Canadian side or crossing over if they had Canadian licenses. A few walleye were also caught in deep water. Fish came in from the mouth of the middle channel, the mouth of the north channel, and nearby areas. Smallmouth bass anglers fishing near Grassy Island in 16 to 17 feet of water had fair luck as well. Walleye anglers ran into some catfish and northern pike while trolling with crawler harnesses.

Washtenaw County: Fishing was tough due to the warm weather. A few crappie and northern pike were caught on South Lake using minnows. Other anglers on South Lake caught a few bluegills and sunfish using worms. Bass fishermen on Whitmore Lake reported spotty success on largemouth bass using a variety of lures and soft plastics. A few nice redear sunfish were also caught on Whitmore Lake using worms.

Monroe County: Fishing picked up at the DTE hot ponds near Plum Creek. Limits of channel catfish were caught, and a few undersized channel catfish were reported.

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Southwest Lower Peninsula

South Haven: Boat anglers targeting salmon reported success. The fish spread out significantly. Salmon were caught from 45 feet of water out to well beyond 120 feet of water. The most productive water appeared to be around 70 feet, with most of the boats fishing north of the piers. Spoons caught most of the fish. Pier anglers caught steelhead using shrimp. Water temperatures rose, and fishing was a bit inconsistent.

St. Joseph: The lake temperature flipped, causing the fish to spread out. The most productive depths seemed to be around 70 to 90 feet of water. Anglers caught fish from 20 feet of water out to beyond 200 feet. Spoons were catching most of the Chinook salmon and coho salmon. Pier anglers had a good week of steelhead fishing. They caught steelhead and the occasional Chinook salmon using shrimp. Anglers fishing the river side of the piers continued to catch freshwater drum and catfish. Perch fishing had slowed down significantly due to the colder water temperatures. The perch spread out, with fish being caught out to 70 feet of water.

Muskegon: Salmon action slowed down slightly compared to the previous week. Anglers found fair numbers of salmon in 50 to 120 feet of water. Green and blue glow spoons worked well along with glow plugs. Pier anglers tried casting spoons for salmon but were unsuccessful.

Grand Haven: Boat anglers found the salmon to be scattered from the pierheads out 130 feet of water. A mix of meat rigs, glow spoons and glow plugs have all worked well. Pier anglers caught a few salmon on alewife or while casting glow spoons.

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Northeast Lower Peninsula

Cheboygan: Anglers targeting lake trout did well at Spectacle Reef using Spin-N-Glos. Salmon remained difficult to find, but anglers continued to try common areas where they tend to congregate, such as off Lighthouse Point and Lafayette Point on Bois Blanc Island, or near the shipping channel. Meat rigs were the most successful, though combinations of spoons or flies with flashers or dodgers also produced good results. In the Cheboygan River, anglers caught walleye, smallmouth bass, and rock bass. Shore anglers targeting walleye used drop shot rigs with worms or cast nightcrawler harnesses. Smallmouth bass were caught using worms, soft plastics, or spinnerbaits. Good areas to target these species included beside the pedestrian walkway bridge by the baseball fields, the State Street drawbridge near the Cheboygan DNR field office, and along the parking lot by Plaunt’s Transportation ferry.

Tawas/Au Gres: Fishing in Tawas picked up, with walleye caught in 40 to 80 feet of water on both nightcrawlers and spoons. The Charity Islands continued to produce a good number of walleye as well. Catfish, freshwater drum, steelhead, small yellow perch, and even an Atlantic salmon were caught while anglers were fishing for walleye.

Oscoda/Au Sable: Anglers fishing in 80 to 120 feet of water caught a handful of walleye 20 to 60 feet down while trolling spoons for salmon. A few coho salmon were also picked up on 5-color lead core and flasher flies 60 to 80 feet down in 100 to 120 feet of water. Occasionally, anglers caught a steelhead or Atlantic salmon on high lines. Anglers fishing from the catwalk and pierhead were still finding decent numbers of channel catfish while using crawlers and cut bait on the bottom. Dusk and dawn produced the most catfish.

Harrisville: Anglers targeting lake trout did well in 170 to 250 feet of water when targeting the bottom 20 feet trolling spoons and green or chartreuse Spin-N-Glos. Walleye were caught in 100 to 150 feet of water by anglers targeting salmon 20 to 60 feet down.

Rogers City: Salmon fishing picked up. The salmon were present but not biting well due to warm water. Anglers combated this by fishing very early in the morning or late in the evening toward dark and even past it. They also used meat rigs and flasher-fly combinations. The best places to fish were anywhere from Calcite to Adam’s Point. The salmon stayed mostly near the bottom but would come up in the evening or very early morning. The best depths were between 75 and 120 feet of water. Lake trout were caught deep in waters 80 feet or greater, fishing near the bottom. Walleye were a bonus catch lately, with some taken while salmon fishing. Good colors included greens, blues, whites, blacks, and glow patterns early and late. Anglers ran a variety of spoons, meat rigs, and flasher flies targeting salmon, spreading lines throughout the water column—focusing close to the thermocline but never ruling out fishing the warmer water as well.

Presque Isle: Waters were warm nearshore, but that may have changed later in the week. Anglers targeted lake trout in 120 feet or more of water, fishing close to the bottom. Other places to try included off the lighthouses, Black Point, and south toward Stoneport. Anglers ran a few lines deep for lake trout while spreading the rest higher for chances of steelhead, coho salmon, Atlantic salmon, or walleye.

Port Austin: Walleye fishing slowed somewhat. No limits were seen over the weekend, and the fish seemed to have moved out deeper. Some walleye were caught around Hat Point Reef in 40 feet of water on nightcrawler harnesses. Additionally, anglers targeting steelhead caught walleye while trolling at mid-level in 100 to 115 feet of water.

Harbor Beach: Some limits of walleye were caught straight out in 80 feet of water, trolling body baits.

Port Sanilac: Slower fishing overall, occasional lake trout was caught trolling in 100 feet of water.

Lexington: Mostly recreational boaters, very little fishing effort.

Alpena: Fishing in Alpena slowed down this week with no fish being reported caught for several days. Anglers fishing on the river caught many rock bass and goby.

Rockport: Fishing in Rockport was slow. Anglers reported many lake trout caught trolling near Middle Island. Walleye anglers returned with zero to two fish. Some anglers caught and released freshwater drum and smallmouth bass. There were no catches from fishing along the shore.

District 5 Counties: Anglers caught good numbers of bass in the Au Sable River and ponds. Anglers out of Oscoda caught walleye, steelhead, and coho salmon on Lake Huron. Good size and numbers of smallmouth bass were caught on Cook Pond. Pike, walleye and bass were caught at the Alcona Dam. Good size and numbers of lake trout were caught on Lake Huron in about 150 feet of water.

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Northwest Lower Peninsula

Manistee: Chinook salmon, coho salmon, and a few steelhead were caught in the area while fishing in 65 to 80 feet of water and 100 to 160 feet of water, targeting depths of 30 to 80 feet with spoons, flasher-fly combos, and plugs. The meat rig bite remained spotty. Very few Chinook salmon were caught off the piers while casting spoons, as water temperatures remained warm.

Ludington: Chinook salmon were caught at Big Sable Point in 45 to 140 feet of water when fishing 30 to 70 feet down, as well as just past the piers in 35 to 45 feet of water. A good mix of coho salmon and Chinook salmon were caught to the south and off the projects in 70 to 130 feet of water; steelhead were also caught in the top 40 feet. Spoons, flasher/fly combos, and plugs produced good bites, though a few fish were also taken on meat rigs. The piers were slow, although baitfish were spotted in the harbor.

Frankfort/Lake Michigan: Anglers reported very good numbers of Chinook salmon while trolling in 100 to 150 feet of water and working the top 80 feet, with the herring hole being a good location. Water temperatures fluctuated as winds shifted. Spoons and meat rigs had the best success in the early morning or at dusk. Coho salmon hit a bit closer to shore in 50 to 80 feet of water on medium spoons. Steelhead continued hitting in the top water on orange spoons.

Leland: Lake trout and Chinook salmon were caught at various locations including North Manitou, South Manitou, Whaleback, Second Bank, and Pyramid Point. Those who targeted Chinook salmon found the most success fishing near Pyramid Point in 100 to 180 feet of water. The Chinook salmon bite was most consistent at 80 feet, with the thermocline at 70 feet. Using spoons (orange, pink, and green), paddles with flies, meat rigs, and J-plugs produced the most fish. Pier anglers fished for smallmouth bass and rock bass using bobbers and worms.

Suttons Bay: Lake trout and Chinook salmon were caught throughout the Suttons Bay area. Anglers who jigged small white spoons in 80 to 100 feet of water near Stoney Point found great success catching lake trout early in the morning. Anglers caught a few Chinook salmon while trolling from Stoney Point heading north.

Charlevoix: Fishing pressure continued to increase, with reports of lake trout, smallmouth bass, and Chinook salmon. Chinook salmon were caught while trolling around Medusa using flies, meat rigs, and spoons in 80 to 120 feet of water. Anglers reported higher success for Chinook salmon while fishing at night. Many smallmouth bass were caught throughout the day while drifting worms in the Pine River Channel. The most success for smallmouth was reported around the lighthouse on the south pier. Lake trout were caught trolling in 120 to 150 feet of water.

Little Traverse Bay: Anglers fishing the Bear River reported catching smallmouth bass and panfish while drifting worms. Anglers fishing on the bay reported success trolling for Chinook salmon toward the Harbor Springs side of the bay in 65 to 100 feet of water.

West Grand Traverse Bay: Chinook salmon were caught in the early morning by anglers trolling in 100 to 140 feet of water near the west arm of the bay. Most fish were suspended between 50 and 70 feet. Those trolling near “the bowl” at the southern end of the bay also caught a few Chinook salmon near sunrise. Lake trout and the occasional steelhead continued to be caught in front of the whitewalls by anglers trolling in 80 to 120 feet of water. Surface water temperatures hovered around 72 degrees throughout the bay.

East Grand Traverse Bay: Anglers targeting lake trout reported the bite was good. Those trolling the dog leg north of Deepwater Point had success in 100 to 140 feet of water. Lake trout were also caught by anglers jigging the breaks in 80 to 100 feet of water north of Yuba. Chinook salmon were caught by those trolling in the northern areas of the bay near Elk Rapids. Smallmouth bass were caught by anglers fishing the flats south of Deepwater Point. Those targeting smallmouth bass reported the bite was tough. Anglers targeting structure in 20 to 30 feet of water seemed to find more aggressive fish. Smallmouth bass were also caught in the Elk River by those drifting leeches or worms along the bottom. Temperatures throughout the bay ranged between 70 and 74 degrees.

Onekama/Lake Michigan: Heading straight out to 120 to 150 feet of water and working to top 75 feet and heading north, anglers caught moderate numbers of Chinook salmon in the early morning.

Grand Traverse County: Anglers did well on lake trout. Some Chinook salmon were caught by the white wall, and others were taken in the hole in Traverse City.

Leelanau County: Anglers out of Leland did well on lake trout on both the first and second banks. Limits of Chinook salmon were found out of Leland near the Manitou Islands. The walleye bite slowed down on Lake Leelanau, with anglers catching few fish during outings. Anglers reported good pan fishing on Schell, Tucker, Bass, and School Lakes in Sleeping Bear National Park.

Lake County: Fishing was average for the area. Trout fishing on local rivers was slow due to warm water temperatures and low water levels.

Oceana County: Fishing was very slow on the inland lakes due to warm water. However, anglers limited out with a mixed bag of Chinook salmon, coho salmon, and steelhead caught in the upper water column of Lake Michigan, where cold water had upwelled from Pentwater to Little Point Sable.

Newaygo County: Water temperatures were very warm, and fishing had slowed on the Muskegon River. Flow rates were below 1,000 cfs, leading to low water levels from Croton Dam to Henning Park. Panfish and bass were caught in shallow areas on inland lakes.

Mecosta County: Some perch were caught on the Muskegon River, but walleye fishing was slow throughout July. Inland lakes also fished slowly due to the warm water.

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Upper Peninsula

Ontonagon River: The river saw a fair amount of fishing effort over the past week. Angler reports show that walleye were caught in low to fair numbers. Anglers reportedly had the best luck finding fish when trolling.

Ontonagon/Silver City/Union Bay: Ontonagon saw a fair amount of angling effort over the past week. Union Bay and Silver City experienced lower efforts. Reported catches consisted of lake trout in fair numbers with occasional coho salmon and Chinook salmon also thrown in the mix. Anglers found success when trolling across a variety of water depths.

Black River Harbor: The harbor saw fair amounts of angling efforts over the past week. Anglers reported recent catches consisting of lake trout in low to fair numbers. Catches of coho salmon and Chinook salmon have also been reported on occasion. Anglers reported that fish activity was slow. Successful trips have seemingly been the result of persistence and longer trips on the water.

Little Bay de Noc: Smallmouth bass fishing was good. Anglers cast artificial baits and worms. Yellow perch anglers reported good fishing in deep water. There were some reports of anglers catching salmon from Portage Point south.

Big Bay de Noc: Smallmouth anglers report good fishing in Ogontz Bay and near Nahma. Some anglers used bobbers baited with night crawlers, while others are casting soft plastics.

Fairport: Anglers report fair to good fishing. Anglers caught fish on spoons and flasher fly combos. Anglers targeted 100 feet of water and deeper. Fish catches were reported near Point Detour and the island chain. Steelhead were common.

Keweenaw Bay/Huron Bay: Anglers reported that lake trout fishing was fair to poor. Anglers have had some success trolling spoons and flasher flies in 100 to 120 feet of water. Anglers reported that salmon fishing was productive, with an occasional splake being caught.

Marquette: Anglers started to see bait balls on their graphs, and the number of lake trout caught was consistent north of White Rocks in 200 to 250 feet of water. Anglers trolling from northwest of White Rocks out toward north of Granite Island did well, but it seemed they had to move into deeper water before they started catching fish. Anglers saw fish all over the water column, but catches came mostly from deeper water. The Clay Banks had been fishing very slowly lately. There were reports of lake trout caught along with a few salmon and steelhead caught during the Veteran’s Derby. Lake trout were caught in depths ranging from 80 to 120 feet.

Au Train: Warm, windy weather pushed lake trout fishing out deeper, but anglers reported catching a few both trolling and jigging. Anglers trolled for lake trout around 150 to 180 feet deep northwest of Au Train Island, out in the flats toward the Clay Banks, or near Wood Island in about 200 feet of water at around 120 feet in the water column. There were reports of a five-pound coho salmon and a couple of lake trout caught in about 70 feet of water southeast of Au Train Island as anglers trolled back into the Brownstone Boat Launch.

Traverse Bay/Portage Entry: Anglers reported catching fair to good amounts of lake trout when trolling spoons and flasher/flies around structure. Anglers also reported that jigging for lake trout was productive over the last week. Very few coho salmon and Chinook salmon were caught. These were caught fishing spoons down 60 to 80 feet in 100 feet of water.

Munising: Boat anglers reported catching lake trout around Grand Island at deeper depths trolling and jigging for them. There were also a few reports of coho salmon and Chinook salmon being caught trolling near Grand Island. Anglers targeting splake did well trolling in the bay.

Grand Marais: Boat anglers had success targeting lake trout trolling and jigging for them at deeper depths. Boat anglers have also reported catching coho salmon with the most success trolling east of the break wall.

UP Counties: On Lake Michigan, salmon were still being caught, but smaller fish were expected. On Indian Lake, some walleye and perch were caught using various methods. Strong inland lake fishing for bass and sunfish continued. Anglers near Munising Bay did well on lake trout, with some reporting occasional Chinook and coho salmon. Walleye and bass were caught at the head of Little Bay de Noc, and both salmon and steelhead were caught on Lake Michigan. Many lake trout were caught this year. Anglers also began to pick up decent numbers of walleye and pike throughout the St. Marys River. However, those targeting Atlantic salmon in Sault Ste. Marie had a difficult time.

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Fishing tip: Check your knots.

A strong, properly tied knot is just as important as the right lure or bait. Before every trip (and especially after catching a fish or getting snagged), inspect and retie your knots. The Palomar and improved clinch knot are both reliable and easy to tie, even in low light. Don’t lose the big one to a simple knot failure!

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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.