Weekly Fishing Report – July 21st

Bass and panfish action is in full swing on the inland lakes. The walleye bite has slowed with the extremely warm weather. Some of the rivers are low and clear which makes trout fishing much more of a challenge.

 

 

Southeast Lower Peninsula

Lake Erie: Walleye anglers coming from Sterling State Park are fishing straight out from Stony Point in 24 to 28 feet of water and catching lots of freshwater drum. Those launching from Bolles Harbor and fishing around the E Buoy have caught some nice yellow perch. The Dumping Grounds out from Toledo Beach are still producing a good number of perch.

Huron River: Has bass, carp, catfish, bluegill, crappie and the occasional walleye.

Lake St. Clair: Walleye fishing has been good in waters over 15 feet deep when using crawler harnesses. Bass fishing has also been good, but mostly in deep water.

St. Clair River: Walleye fishing was spotty but fish were caught up near Port Huron.

Lexington: Perch fishing was good. It is best to drift fish until you find an active school of perch then anchor. Boats looking for trout and salmon were trolling in 60 to 90 feet of water.

Port Sanilac: Look for perch along the weed beds. Pier fishing is slow.

Harbor Beach: Steelhead fishing has picked up again, use color lines for best results. Keep your line up high as the fish are feeding on the current bug hatch. Use boards with regular or magnum bright colored spoons while fishing north of the harbor in 75 to 120 feet of water. A couple salmon were caught 20 to 50 feet down. Fair lake trout fishing north of the harbor using dodgers with spin glows near the bottom. Try spoons off downriggers 50 feet down. Start out in 110 feet of water and work your way out to deeper water until you find them. Walleye fishing has picked up north of the harbor and north of Port Hope in 30 to 65 feet of water. For pike and bass, fish along the weed beds close to shore with spoons or body baits. For perch, try the cemetery or inside the harbor with minnows.

Grindstone City: Did not have much activity as most anglers are launching at Port Austin where the walleye bite was much better.

Port Austin: Walleye fishing was excellent in 20 to 40 feet of water. Most fish were caught by those trolling west to Hat Point and the Flat Rock Reefs. A couple steelhead and walleye were also caught.

Saginaw Bay: Walleye fishing was good throughout most of the bay however extremely hot weather this week may push the fish out to cooler waters. Anglers should be prepared to move and change tactics if conditions warrant. Catch rates were good in 13 feet of water off the Pinconning Bar, two miles northeast of the Black Hole, and the Slot from Fish Point to Sand Point. Some limit catches were reported. Mid-summer weed growth has made fishing more difficult in the area immediately north of Knight and Finn Roads. Lots of catfish, freshwater drum, and a few large yellow perch have been caught by walleye anglers. Try crawler harnesses, crank baits or small spoons. Good walleye fishing between Caseville and Port Austin.

Southwest Lower Peninsula

St. Joseph: Perch fishing has slowed. They are still catching a few fish but the size and numbers are down. The lake has turned over which means there is cold water near the shoreline. It may not take long for hot temperatures this week to warm the water back up. Steelhead were caught when trolling orange spoons or body baits while pier anglers are using shrimp.

South Haven: Perch fishing was slow.

Grand Haven: With the warm water, fishing is a bit more difficult. Try downriggers 45 to 85 feet down in 220 to 300 feet of water or 10 and 13 color lead core 150 to 300 feet deep for salmon. Spoons are the bait of choice and the hot colors were green, orange or blue. Pier anglers were catching freshwater drum. A couple boats tried for perch but had no luck.

Grand River at Grand Rapids: Look for steelhead up near the dam. Those drifting crawlers or small body baits caught walleye early or late. This is a good time of year for catfish and carp. Try crawlers or cut bait for catfish and corn for carp.

Grand River at Lansing: Catfish, carp and a few walleye have been caught over at Moore’s Park Dam. Try live bait for catfish and walleye or corn for carp. Some nice pike have been caught on live bait at the North Lansing Dam. Look for catfish near Dietrich Park.

Whitehall: A turn over caused the fish to move in closer to shore where they were caught 30 to 50 feet down in 70 to 90 feet of water. The majority of fish are still coming off downriggers with spoons, although 3 to 5 colors of lead core is also working. A few walleye were caught off the pier but no perch.

White Lake: Is producing a few walleye.

 Northeast Lower Peninsula

Rogers City: Catch rates improved with anglers taking chinook, steelhead, lake trout, brown trout, walleye and the occasional Atlantic salmon. More chinook salmon are showing up however the fish were still a bit scattered. Try 60 to 130 feet of water. Set downriggers between the surface and 45 feet down as the fish are up high in the water column. Good colors were green, pink and orange, green and copper, chartreuse, blue, black and white or anything that glows early and late. An excellent thermocline is developing.

Presque Isle: What locals call the “Farm” has been very productive. The area is five to six miles northeast of the big lighthouse. Fish up high and cover the top 45 feet of the water column with downriggers or lead core with 3, 5, or 7 colors and dipsey or slide divers set in the top 30 feet.

Rockport: Some have caught salmon, steelhead and lake trout in 120 feet of water. The fish were scattered so try trolling between the launch and the Nordmere Wreck or from the launch to Stoneport.

Alpena: Walleye fishing on the bay was good especially during the evening hours when using crawler harnesses. Anglers were trolling clown rapalas around Grass and Sulfur Islands. Fish were found in 10 to 12 feet of water or as deep as 35 feet. Some anglers did manage to catch chinook or pink salmon, lake trout and steelhead when using high lines in 120 feet of water.

Thunder Bay River: Fishing was a bit slow with only a couple catfish taken by those still-fishing with leeches or crawlers.

Harrisville: Lake trout have moved out to 150 feet of water. Fish near the bottom with white, silver or green glow spoons behind dodgers. Steelhead could be found around the scum lines in 60 to 80 feet of water however catch rates were hit-or-miss. Walleye were in 25 to 45 feet of water off the lighthouse and north of the harbor. Try crawler harnesses or body baits.

Higgins Lake: Is producing a good number of rock bass. Lake trout are deep so try trolling crank baits, rapalas or bombers. Those jigging sand kickers, Swedish pimples or cast masters found lake trout in 80 to 110 feet of water.

Oscoda: Lake trout have moved out into 80 to 150 feet of water. Some are using glow flies with cut bait behind dodgers while others are using white and silver spoons.

Au Sable River: Walleye fishing has slowed. Try outside the mouth in 20 to 40 feet of water while drifting or trolling crawler harnesses or body baits.

Tawas: Most anglers are still towing their boats down to Au Gres for walleye.

Au Gres: Had good walleye fishing north of Big Charity Island and straight off the mouth of the river in 12 feet of water.

Northwest Lower Peninsula

Traverse City: Fishing has been slow in both bays and no chinook salmon yet. In the East Bay, a few lake trout were caught by those jigging. Good smallmouth bass action near Elk Rapids when using live bait.

Frankfort: Anglers are catching fish 20 pounds or more before daylight in 110 feet of water when heading west and trolling 60 to 85 feet down with glow spoons. After daybreak, meat rigs produced some nice catches. Coho and steelhead were caught in the top 50 to 60 feet. Lake trout were active 80 feet down in the early morning. After daylight, try flashers and peanuts just off the bottom.

Onekama: Fish have been caught by those starting out in 120 feet of water and heading north when trolling meat rigs.

Portage Lake: Perch, bluegills, pumpkinseed, and rock bass are hitting on worms. Large and smallmouth bass can be found along the drop-offs and under the docks.

Lake Cadillac: The walleye bite has slowed. Those casting caught pike and bass. Perch were caught just off the bottom but anglers will need to move around as the fish keep moving. Fish deeper water for bluegill and crappie.

Lake Mitchell: Is producing some nice pike. Those fishing the coves are catching a variety of species including bluegills, bass, bullhead, rock bass and bowfin.

Manistee: Boat anglers were catching chinook in 50 to 150 feet of water. Try running green flies or spoons. Coho and steelhead were also caught off shore when fishing the top 50 feet with orange spoons. Pier fishing was slow.

Manistee River: Is producing some brown trout below Tippy Dam. The warm water fishery such as pike and bass is starting to improve below the dam.

Hamlin Lake: Was good for bluegill, crappie and perch especially in the North Bayou and Indian Pete’s Bayou. Look for bass along the drop-offs and structure.

Ludington: Orange body baits were the ticket for boat anglers targeting salmon in 60 to 120 feet of water. Steelhead and coho were caught.

Pere Marquette River: Water levels are low and clear. Fly fishing is hard at this time. Deerfly season is just getting started so bring your bug spray.

Upper Peninsula 

Keweenaw Bay: Chinook and lake trout were picked up between Sand Point and Carla’s Restaurant but over all the bite is slow. Anglers jigging for lake trout did well off Pequaming Point as well as Koski Flats and the south end of Big Reef. Those trolling the South Portage Entry caught some fish near Farmers and Newton Reef or the Mud Banks but the bite was hit-or-miss. In Traverse Bay, try Five and Seven Mile Reefs as well as between Big Louie’s Point and Gay Point.

Marquette: Surface water temperatures are in the low 60’s. Lake trout were scattered but fish were caught near Granite Island, Little Presque Isle, and the Sand Hole which is four to five miles east of the port. Try flies and spoons in 180 to 220 feet of water.

Menominee River: Is producing walleye, smallmouth bass, rock bass, catfish, and freshwater drum throughout the entire river.

Little Bay De Noc: Walleye catches were typically slow this month. For more fish try the southern waters when drifting crawler harnesses in 8 to 14 feet of water near Breezy Point and 12 to 20 feet of water near the “Fingers.” Good numbers of perch were caught around Butler Island when using worms or crawlers in 10 to 12 feet of water but many small ones were released. The bigger perch can be found just north of the Narrows when still-fishing with crawlers in 18 to 23 feet of water. Lots of freshwater drum have been caught around the Second and Third Reefs. Chinook were starting to show up in the channel off Aronson Island. Try 40 to 60 feet down in 80 to 90 feet of water.

Big Bay De Noc: Continues to have good smallmouth action in Kate’s Bay and off Garden Bluff when casting crank baits or tube baits in 12 to 20 feet of water. Perch were caught in Garden Bay when still-fishing with worms about 150 yards west of the launch in 8 to 12 feet of water. Off Fairport, chinook were caught in the Gap and off Point Detour when trolling 60 to 80 feet down in 80 to 120 feet of water.

Au Train: Warm air has pushed the surface water temperatures into the low 60’s. A few lake trout were caught north of Au Train Island in 180 to 220 feet of water when using flies and spoons. No large schools of bait fish were reported. Few fish were caught near the shipping channel.

Munising: Catch rates were extremely slow. Those willing to put in a great deal of time did manage to catch a few lake trout 70 to 170 feet down near Wood Island when trolling spoons, dipsies and flies. Pier and dock anglers said the splake action was slow with only a few legal size fish caught.

Grand Marais: A few boats are still heading out for lake trout and fishing the shipping channel, five to seven miles north of the bay in a variety of depths from 40 to 300 feet deep. The fish are running on the small side and fewer limits have been caught by those trolling meat rigs and assorted lures. Even the pike action was slow around the boat launch.

Manistique: Chinook and steelhead were caught four to five miles out when trolling east and west. Surface temperatures were 58 to 61 degrees. Catch rates were slow but most of the fish caught were steelhead hitting on spoons and flies.

Manistique River: A couple walleye and smallmouth bass were caught off the pier when using crawlers or casting rapalas.

St. Mary’s River: Anglers did the best on Atlantic salmon and lake trout when fishing the shipping channel to the #3 Green Can and the lighthouse or the Drummond Island side to the #2 Red Can. Limits of lake trout were caught about three miles south of the Red Can. Hot colors were purple, pink, orange, green or yellow. Perch were caught around Sweets Point however watch out for the rocks. Walleye anglers are fishing Raber Bay, the east side of Round Island and Munuscong Lake with purple, watermelon or chartreuse crawler harnesses.

De Tour: Had a lot of activity with anglers targeting trout, salmon and herring. Try Big Trout, Little Trout, Long and Burnt Islands for herring. For Drummond Island, walleye were caught off Peck Island which is in Scott Bay by those trolling crawler harnesses in 7 to 10 feet of water. Try early morning or late evening between Paw Point and Peck Island in 2 to 4 feet of water.

Cedarville and Hessel: Catch rates for lake herring were spotty in McKay Bay however Prentice Bay was producing a good number of fish. Try casting Swedish pimples or a red teardrop tipped with a wax worm. Yellow perch were good one day and shut down the next. Try the east end of Hessel Bay with crawlers or shiners. Good northern pike action in 8 to 12 feet of water in Hessel Bay. Try minnows or chubs under a bobber. The occasional smallmouth bass was also caught.

St. Ignace: Anglers are harvesting chinook and lake trout from the Coast Guard Station to the old fuel tanks as well as the northeast and southeast corners of Mackinaw Island. Most are trolling spoons such as black and white glow or green with white stripes. The primitive launch east of the bridge is a good spot for pike and bass. Try weedless hooks with crawlers or spinner baits in the bull rushes.