A strong cold front has descended on the Great Lakes region and this will slow catch rates for a few days. By the end of the week, the fish should be adjusted to the change in the barometric pressure and catch rates should pick up again. Salmon fishing however is in full swing in some areas, especially the west side of the state.
Southeast Lower Peninsula
Lake Erie: Is producing limit catches of perch out from Brest Bay in 25 feet of water. Those launching from Bolles Harbor are catching good numbers of fish out of the River Raisin and around the E-Buoy in 19 to 22 feet of water.
Detroit River: Some perch were caught in the lower river but anglers are working hard come back with a few fish. Bass were caught along the shipping channel and the Cross-Dike near Grosse Ile. Shore fishing was slow.
St. Clair River: Was slow but a few walleye have been caught.
Port Sanilac: Steelhead were caught in 95 to 110 feet of water. Perch were found off the Trailer Park in 45 to 65 feet of water. Pier fishing was slow.
Harbor Beach: Steelhead fishing slowed but should pick back up. Try straight out or north of the harbor in the early morning with color lines. Put out some long lines on boards and bright colored small spoons. Start in 70 feet and head out to that 160 to 200 foot range. Fish the top 60 feet in the morning and the top 40 feet as the sun comes up. For lake trout, try dodgers with spin glows or flies near the bottom. Catch rates for salmon were slow in 70 to 190 feet of water. Set downriggers for the top 50 to 80 feet with bright colored spoons, plugs and flies. Walleye action was slow as the fish were scattered. Try 25 to 60 feet of water with Hot-n-tots, small spoons or crawler harnesses. Try 10 to 20 feet of water inside the harbor for perch.
Grindstone City: Had good lake trout fishing early in the morning straight north of the harbor in waters 120 to 160 feet deep.
Port Austin: Lake trout were caught in 125 to 140 feet of water when boats can get out. Smallmouth bass were caught off the pier and from the mouth of Bird Creek.
Saginaw Bay: Perch anglers were out in force and targeting the Spark Plug, the Black Hole, Buoy H, Buoy 22 and west of Buoys 1 & 2. Not many anglers on the east side as most of the boats are heading over to Au Gres. Walleye fishing is still slow due to the over abundance of minnows and shad as well as the cooler water temperatures. Walleye fishing will pick up later in the fall when the fish start to follow the schools of forage fish into the river.
Saginaw River: Shore anglers caught smallmouth bass, freshwater drum and catfish in the lower river.
Quanicassee River: Had a few small perch moving in.
Sebewaing River: Also had a few small perch in the lower river.
Holloway Reservoir: Is producing a few crappie, catfish and carp.
Mott Lake: Is producing bass and bluegills but anglers are putting in their time.
Southwest Lower Peninsula
St. Joseph: Salmon fishing is very good and boat anglers were doing the best in 100 feet of water. Pier and perch fishing were slow.
St. Joseph River: Salmon and steelhead are slowly starting to move into the river. Smallmouth bass are still being caught. Flathead and channel cats are hungry and hitting on crawlers, stink baits and cut bait.
South Haven: Has good salmon fishing in 80 to 100 feet of water. Pier fishing is very slow. Perch are still being caught in around 40 feet of water.
Black River: There are a few fish coming near the river but none have been caught.
Grand River at Grand Rapids: Is producing a few chinook up near the Sixth Street Dam. Most are using spinners or spawn. The fish were scattered.
Grand River at Lansing: Had good catfish action for those using chicken liver or stink baits up near the North Lansing Dam and the Moore’s Park Dam.
Looking Glass River: Is producing pike. Try spinner baits or large minnows.
Muskegon: Boat anglers are catching salmon between the piers and 100 feet of water. Best action is in the early morning or late evening when trolling glow spoons and flies. Pier anglers are also catching fish early or late.
Muskegon River: Salmon are starting to show up in the river system. The backwaters in Newaygo and Mecosta Counties were producing excellent bass action.
Northeast Lower Peninsula
Rogers City: Had excellent fishing with good numbers of chinook salmon showing up. Average is 12 to 18 pounds but a good number were 20 pounds or more. Hot spots were south from the Calcite breakwall and Adams Point. Depths vary but most fish were caught in 20 to 70 feet of water. Spoons, J-plugs and attractors were all good and the hot colors were green glow, black and white, orange and silver or purple. A few lake trout and walleye were also caught. Some coho were caught straight out and north towards Forty Mile Point when trolling spoons.
Presque Isle: Is producing a mix of chinook, lake trout, walleye and steelhead when fishing between the two lighthouses in 55 to 90 feet of water. Try about halfway down or find the thermocline with spoons and J-plugs with attractors, flies or squid. Good colors were green, black and white or anything that looks like smelt.
Rockport: Anglers are trolling for walleye near the point and Middle Island. Those trolling for trout and salmon had limited success.
Thunder Bay River: Has limited activity with anglers targeting chinook salmon at the Ninth Street Dam. Most are drifting flies. A few smallmouth bass were caught between the Second and Ninth Street bridges.
Harrisville: Chinook were caught in and around the harbor in 50 to 90 feet of water. Lake trout were on the bottom in 120 to 150 feet. Steelhead are working their way in closer to shore and were caught in 40 to 60 feet of water. Hot colors were orange, green, black, white, and purple along with dodgers, flashers and cowbells.
Oscoda: Salmon have been caught off the piers and near the mouth of the river. The fish are healthy and decent size. The salmon are scattered between the pier and 90 feet of water. Steelhead are coming in on a more regular basis. Lake trout are working their way back to shallow waters 60 to 90 feet deep and are hitting on anything green, orange or a white and silver combination. Use attractors to get their attention. Walleye may be making their way back towards the river.
Au Sable River: There are salmon up in the river but the fall run has not quite started yet.
Tawas: Boat anglers are taking some perch around Buoys 2 and 4 however be ready to sort out the small ones. Pier anglers have caught small perch, rock bass, and the occasional smallmouth bass.
Au Gres: Perch fishing remains very good when boats can get out. The hot spots were between Point Lookout and Pointe Au Gres or out by the shipping channel in 45 to 50 feet of water. Some 7 to 10 inch fish have been caught.
Northwest Lower Peninsula
Petoskey: Had very good salmon fishing on Little Traverse Bay. Chinook and coho were caught anywhere from 20 to 110 feet down in 80 to 120 feet of water when using rotators and flies. Pier anglers are finding salmon at night or early in the morning when using glow spoons, rapalas or deep diving reef runners.
Bear River: Salmon are in the river however a cool rain or a strong northwest wind will bring more fish in.
Charlevoix: Salmon fishing remains good for boat and shore anglers. Boats are trolling 80 to 110 feet down in 90 to 150 feet of water. Shore anglers are catching salmon in the St. Mary’s boat slip in the morning or late evening with glow spoons, wobblers, and thundersticks in bright colors.
Lake Charlevoix: Salmon can be found near the Coast Guard station and the mouth of the Boyne River.
Traverse City: In the East Bay, catch rates were slow near Elk Rapids with only panfish and smallmouth bass caught. In the West Bay, chinook salmon were caught off the mouth of the Boardman River when using plugs and flashers. Those trolling or jigging for lake trout along the west side of the bay have done well.
Frankfort: Is producing a good numbers of salmon for boat and pier anglers. Boats are trolling spoons, plugs and meat rigs. Pier anglers are casting spoons or spawn.
Betsie River: Is producing a good run of salmon.
Manistee: Is producing good salmon action between the piers and 90 feet of water. Anglers are bringing in some big fish weighing 20 pounds or more! Meat rigs and spin/fly combos were catching the majority of fish. Chinook were caught off the piers at dawn and dusk when using glow spoons.
Manistee Lake: Is producing salmon for those trolling.
Manistee River: Is producing some large chinook salmon. Overall; the fish caught are much bigger than the past couple years. Anglers are reminded that the Little Manistee River is closed to fishing from the weir downstream to Manistee Lake.
Ludington: Boat anglers are catching salmon around the piers and out to waters 120 feet deep. Try glow plugs or meat rigs. Pier anglers are catching salmon.
Pere Marquette Lake: Has good salmon action for those trolling.
Pere Marquette River: Has very good salmon action from M-31 to the flies only section.
Upper Peninsula
Keweenaw Bay: Fishing was slow. A few salmon were caught 40 feet down in the middle of the bay with spoons. The South Portage Entry produced a couple of nice lake trout off Farmer’s Reef when trolling downriggers and spoons or surface lines with body baits.
Marquette: Limit catches of lake trout were taken in the early morning from the White Rocks to Granite Island and near the Clay Banks. Try spoons, flies and cut bait within 30 feet of the bottom in 130 to 160 feet of water. A couple coho were caught near the Clay Banks.
Menominee: Salmon and trout fishing were slow. Walleye anglers are catching fish near Green Island. Some were trolling stick baits and crawler harnesses but the bigger fish were caught by jigging minnows. Anglers trolling the drop off on the Wisconsin shoreline picked up some nice walleye when trolling crawler harnesses.
Menominee River: The walleye bite picked up but most of the fish caught were sub-legal. Anglers are trolling stick baits, rapalas and crawler harnesses over the deep holes in the early morning or evening. Fair to good catches were reported from the mouth up past Boom Landing and the Mystery Ship launch. Smallmouth bass, rock bass and freshwater drum were caught when drifting crawlers. Those jigging crawlers or minnows off the breakwall in the early morning caught a few perch.
Little Bay De Noc: Walleye were caught off Kipling when trolling or drifting crawlers in 17 to 30 feet of water or the Narrows in 20 to 30 feet. The fish were suspended 6 to 8 feet down in 16 to 20 feet of water along the Black Bottom. Good numbers of fish were marked off Portage Point but catch rates were slow. Those jigging for perch did well along the break in 20 to 30 feet of water while those at the mouth of the Yacht Harbor caught fish on crawlers or minnows in 10 to 20 feet of water. Some big pike were caught just south of the ore docks in 14 to 20 feet of water.
Big Bay De Noc: Is producing fair catches of perch in Goully Bay for those still-fishing crawlers or minnows in 14 to 20 feet of water. Smallmouth bass were caught in Garden Bay, off Ansell’s Point and the Bluff. Try plastics or crank baits in 12 to 16 feet of water. Ogontz also had perch but no lbig numbers yet. No walleye to report.
Au Train: Surface water temperatures have cooled and limit catches of lake trout were caught in 130 to 160 feet of water from Laughing Fish Point and north of Au Train Island. Good catches were also reported near the Wood Island Reef.
Munising: More boats are targeting coho but catch rates were slow as water temperatures remain in the mid 60’s. Those trolling are catching small lake trout or splake in and around the bay in 50 feet of water. A couple coho were caught in Trout Bay when using dodgers, flies and spoons. Catch rates were slow at the Wood Island Reef but limit catches of lake trout were reported at the “Grumps Hump” when trolling spoons, dipsies, flies or jigging. Pier and dock anglers are targeting splake but catch rates were slow. Try small spoons, spinners or spawn.
Grand Marais: Those able to get out to the shipping channel caught lake trout in waters ranging from 70 to 200 feet deep. Limit catches were seen on several occasions and the fish averaged 2 to 10 pounds. Most are trolling lures tipped with cut bait. White, watermelon and copper were the hot colors.
Manistique: Most anglers are still heading out to waters 140 to 170 feet deep for chinook salmon. Average fish per boat was 0-3 in five to eight hours of effort.
Manistique River: Boats trolling stick baits, spoons and rapalas have caught smallmouth bass and pike near the mouth. Shore anglers caught bluegill and rock bass off the docks near the city launch.
St. Mary’s River: Fishing has been slow for all species around Drummond Island, Kemps Point, Raber Bay, and Lime Island. Upstream on Munuscong Lake, walleye and northern pike are hitting in the channel on crawler harnesses with round or smiley V blades in orange or black and chanteuse.
Detour: Salmon are still present and averaging 8 to 16 pounds. Most are trolling the shipping channel to the #3 Green Can and the lighthouse or the Drummond Island side to the #2 Red Can or three miles south. Good colors are black with orange or copper, blue with red and green or white spoons.
Cedarville and Hessel: Perch fishing out of Hessel and Cedarville dropped off but the fish are still there and will come back around. Pike are still hitting on chubs in 8 to 13 feet of water. Salmon anglers are fishing 25 to 35 feet down off Hessel, the Yacht Entrance and Goose Island. Those casting have caught smallmouth bass.
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