06-15-2007, 02:54 AM
[font "Arial, Helvetica"]Thursday, June 14, 2007 [/font] [font "Arial, Helvetica"]Recreational Fishing Report[/font]
[font "Arial, Helvetica"]![[Image: fish_reportmap2_23340_7.gif]](http://www.mi.gov/images/fish_reportmap2_23340_7.gif)
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[url "http://www.coastwatch.msu.edu/"][font "Arial, Helvetica"][#000000]Great Lakes temperature map[/#000000][/font][/url]
Bass season on the Detroit River, Lake St. Clair and the St. Clair River will open this coming Saturday, June 16th. Bass anglers fishing during the early catch and release season have reported good catch rates. Bass and bluegill fishing has been excellent around the state. This is a good time for fly fishing as there are hatches going on right now in both the Upper Peninsula and the Lower Peninsula.
Southeast Lower Peninsula
Lake Erie - The Mayfly hatch is in full swing which may have caused the walleye fishing to slow way down. Anglers were only picking up 1 or 2 walleye per boat when fishing off Stony Point in 22 to 25 feet of water. The bite was better in Ohio waters when trolling bottom bouncers and crawler harnesses in 30 feet of water. White perch and white bass have also been caught and there are plenty of freshwater drum in the lake. The boat launch at Sterling State Park is scheduled to reopen on Saturday June 16th.
Huron River - Boat and shore anglers are taking catfish under Jefferson Road and along the Point Mouillee State Game Area.
Detroit River - Yellow perch have been caught in the entire mouth of the river. Though they are not taking big numbers of fish, those caught have been averaging 11 to 14 inches. Boat and shore anglers have caught catfish from Trenton all the way down to the mouth.
St. Clair River - Has excellent walleye fishing with good catches reported from Port Huron, Marysville, and Marine City. Most are using bottom bouncers with crawler harnesses.
Harbor Beach - Boats trolling in 70 to 100 feet of water are taking a mixed bag of chinook, coho, lake trout, steelhead, and pink salmon when trolling spoons in a variety of colors.
Lexington - Has good trout and salmon fishing when trolling in 70 to 100 feet of water. Perch are starting to bite in 50 to 60 feet of water down towards Lakeport. Kids are having a lot of fun catching rock bass inside the harbor. Perch were caught in the evening.
Port Sanilac - Boat anglers are doing well in 70 to 100 feet of water. Chinook, coho, lake trout, steelhead and even some pink salmon have been caught. Rock bass and perch were caught in the harbor.
Port Austin - Has good lake trout fishing out deep. Walleye are hitting on crawler harnesses west of the harbor around the Flat Iron Reef and around the lighthouse. Bass fishing continues in Eagle Bay and inside the harbor.
Saginaw Bay - Excellent walleye fishing continues with lots of limits being reported. It seems warm weather got the fish going again. Crankbaits and crawler harnesses are producing fish, and color does not seem to matter. The best action is coming 2 to 3 miles east of the Spark Plug and around Buoys G and H which are located off Linwood. Those trolling are catching fish just about everywhere. Off Quanicassee, try 13 to 16 feet of water off the Callahan Reef or in 20 to 24 feet of water out near the shipping channel. The deeper water is producing more fish. Near Sebewaing, fish about 16 feet of water in the Slot with crawler harnesses.
Saginaw River - Lots of channel cats are being caught in the lower river from the Independence Bridge downstream.
Sebewaing River - A few walleye and northern pike have been caught. Good numbers of catfish were taken off the end of the channel in 3 feet of water.
Southwest Lower Peninsula
New Buffalo- Nice jumbo perch were caught on minnows in 18 to 25 feet of water.
St. Joseph - Boat anglers are taking chinook and coho salmon 40 to 70 feet down in waters 70 to 150 feet deep. Spoons such as the blue dolphin and mixed veggies have caught fish. Pier anglers have managed to take some steelhead in the early morning when using orange spoons or shrimp under a bobber. Good numbers of small perch are hitting on minnows in 30 to 40 feet of water both north and south of the pier.
St. Joseph River - Walleye fishing has not been consistent, but a few fish have been caught in the lower river near the hospital and above the dam at Berrien Springs. Anglers are drifting crawlers or trolling shad raps. Some large catfish have been caught at night when using crawlers or cut bait.
Grand Haven - Anglers are catching salmon in 150 to 200 feet of water when using 5 to 10 colors of lead. Use green, blue, orange, or gold spoons with flies. Pier fishing has been slow except for those catching freshwater drum. No word on perch.
Grand River at Lansing - Walleye have been caught at Moore's Park. More fish have been caught at night, but a few were taken during the day. Catfish are hitting on minnows and crawlers. Bass fishing has been very good.
Lake Ovid - Located at Sleepy Hollow State Park reported good bluegill fishing as the fish are now on the beds. Good numbers of largemouth bass have also been caught.
Muskegon - Boat anglers are catching chinook, lake trout and some steelhead when trolling blue or green dolphins. Some are trolling 50 to 70 feet down in 110 to 140 feet of water while others are going out further and trolling 70 to 120 feet down in waters 220 to 300 feet deep.
Muskegon Lake - Bluegills are hitting on crawlers or wax worms in the shallows and along the weed beds. Shore anglers are doing well on the north end of the lake near the State Park and on the south end near Heritage Landing. The walleye action has been slow.
Muskegon River - Brown trout have been caught in the upper sections of the river and near the dam. Spinners and rapalas worked best.
Northeast Lower Peninsula
Rogers City - Lake trout fishing continues to be very good off Adams Point, Seagull Point, Forty Mile Point, the State Park and the Humps off Calcite Harbor. Good water depths continue to be about 5 feet off the bottom in 35 to 70 feet of water. Out deeper, the fish are suspended so anglers are trolling spoons and flashers with flies or squid. Good colors have been green, blue, orange, purple and white. Light numbers of chinook salmon have been caught in waters 65 to 90 feet deep off Forty Mile Point, the State Park, the Pump House, and Adams Point. Surface water temperatures are still in the low 50's. In another week or two better numbers of salmon should start showing up.
Presque Isle - The main catch has been lake trout along with the occasional chinook and atlantic salmon. Lake trout are hitting in 30 to 70 feet of water. Those fish caught about 5 feet off the bottom in shallow waters are smaller fish. Those fishing in deeper waters are using spoons, flashers with flies and squid. Good colors are green, blue, white, orange and purple. The chinook are hitting in the top 55 feet of waters 80 to 90 feet deep. Most are using downriggers and lead core with spoons. Green and blue have been the hot colors.
Rockport - Lake trout have been caught around Middle Island and the Nine Mile Can when trolling spoons in 50 to 80 feet of water. The fish are either suspended or near the bottom.
Alpena - Lake trout are being targeted out near the Nordmeer Wreck. Most of the keepers have been in the 4 to 7 pound range. A few salmon and brown trout have also been caught.
Thunder Bay River - Anglers continue to catch catfish, walleye and smallmouth bass when using worms and leeches. Fish have been caught both day and night.
Hubbard Lake - Has good bluegill fishing as the fish are on their beds. Good bass fishing was also noted when casting tubes, spinners or crawlers.
Lake Margrethe - Bluegills are on the beds and catch rates have been excellent. Smallmouth bass fishing has also been very good.
Au Sable River - Trout fishing has slow. Those seeking panfish have done well at both the Cooke Dam and the Foote Dam. Bluegills, bass and walleye were caught.
Tawas - Not much walleye activity here as anglers are going south to Au Gres to fish. Boat anglers working 50 to 60 feet of water off Tawas Point are taking a mix of lake trout, steelhead, chinook and a few walleye. Inside Tawas Bay, anglers are catching good numbers of smallmouth on tube baits.
Tawas River - Shore anglers are getting a mix of channel cats, smallmouth and largemouth bass.
Au Gres - Has excellent walleye fishing in 30 to 50 feet of water. Bass anglers are also catching lots of fish.
Au Gres River - Channel cat action is picking up as the water warms.
Higgins Lake - Boat anglers are taking lots of lake trout when fishing just off the bottom in waters 100 to 130 feet deep. Perch have been caught in 40 to 50 feet of water on the north end near the State Park.
Houghton Lake - The bluegills are starting to school up. Those looking for walleye in the early evening or after dark are trolling and drifting with crankbaits and crawlers harnesses. During the day, walleye were taken when jigging inside the weed beds. The crappies were suspended about 5 feet down in waters 10 feet deep.
Northwest Lower Peninsula
Charlevoix - Good numbers of chinook salmon have been caught when trolling in front of Bay Harbor, and from the St. Mary's Cement Plant down to Fisherman's Island. The salmon were caught at many different depths but overall the people fishing 120 feet and deeper were finding the fish weighing 10 to 15 pounds. Lake trout in the 6 to 11 pound range were turning up, but many were sub-legal and had to be thrown back.
Lake Charlevoix - Those trolling for trout were seeing plenty of action from smallmouth bass and northern pike.
Walloon Lake - The bluegills are moving into shallow waters and are being caught on worms, spider flies or poppers. The bass have moved off the beds and can be found in deeper waters. Anglers trolling for walleye are using crawler harnesses and rapalas in 15 to 40 feet of water.
Thumb Lake (Lake Louise) - The mayflys have started hatching. Those targeting splake are still-fishing or trolling in 50 to 80 feet of water in the east basin but no fish were caught. Large and smallmouth bass have been caught from the shallows to 12 feet of water when casting tubes, poppers, crankbaits, crawlers and minnows. For bluegills, anglers are fishing with crawlers or casting spinners in 10 to 15 feet of water on the northwest section of the lake. Perch and rock bass are hitting on minnows and crawlers.
Traverse City - Fishing for lake trout and smallmouth bass has been very good in the East Bay. Large numbers of alewife can be found off Old Mission so the lake trout are being caught in shallow waters up to 50 feet deep. Limit catches of smallmouth bass were taken by shore anglers fishing near Yuba Creek and Mitchell Creek. Whitefish action was good with near limits reported in 170 feet of water off Dock Road and in front of Mountain Jacks when using white Swedish Pimple. The West Bay has good lake trout fishing when trolling or jigging from the Gravel Pit to the Red 8 Buoy. Chinook salmon were caught with more fish in the 3 to 6 pound range. Smallmouth bass were caught near the mouth of the Boardman River. A few walleye were caught in Cathead Bay and off the harbor in Northport. Whitefish action was slow. Anglers have caught some large lake herring while trolling spoons for salmon and lake trout.
Elk River - Has great smallmouth bass fishing with limit catches taken daily at the dam. Still-fishing live bait has been working the best with crawlers and leeches the preferred bait.
Boardman River - Numerous suckers are still present in the river at the State Street Dam. You will also find smallmouth bass, rock bass and light numbers of steelhead and brown trout below the dam. The best smallmouth bass fishing has been in the early morning when using crawlers and leeches near the downtown area. The Upper Boardman has been fishing very well with numerous fly hatches occurring right now. The Brown Drakes have been hatching around the Forks and are bringing out the large resident brown trout and brook trout to feed just before dark.
Frankfort - Anglers are now starting to catch chinook and steelhead out on the Shelf. Try 50 to 80 feet down in waters 125 to 250 feet deep. Good colors have been chartreuse, hot pink, orange or a gold and black. Pier anglers are using alewife with a slip rig to catch some nice chinook and brown trout. Those trolling inside the piers have also taken a few fish.
Onekama - Anglers are having the best luck straight out in front of the piers, or to the north near the Barrel. The fish are scattered at 45 to 85 feet down in waters 100 to 200 feet deep. Meat rigs and spoons in chartreuse, orange, blue, or yellow have caught the most fish.
Portage Lake - Some nice bluegills, crappie and rock bass have been caught on wax worms and crawlers. They are slowly starting to move up on the beds. Bass and pike are hitting during the day, and walleye are hitting crawler harnesses at night.
Manistee - Boat anglers are trolling out on the Shelf and beyond for chinook, lake trout, and steelhead. Spoons and flies seem to work best. A few fish have been caught in front of the City Water Tower. Pier anglers have caught chinook, brown trout and steelhead when using alewife or spoons.
Hamlin Lake - Continues to have excellent bluegill fishing with limit catches reported. Some of the better fishing spots might be in the bayous.
Ludington - Boat anglers are trolling spoons and flies in 100 to 150 feet of water. Chinook, lake trout and steelhead have been caught north of the harbor from the State Park to Big Sable Point. A few salmon were also taken down by the Project. Pier anglers still have not had much luck. The baitfish are in the harbor but anglers will need to wait a bit longer for the trout and salmon to show up.
Silver Lake - Has good walleye fishing when trolling over the weed line in 18 to 25 feet of water. Look for perch in 15 to 20 feet of water.
Upper Peninsula
Torch Lake - Walleye were taken in 15 to 20 feet of water when jigging or trolling with minnows and crawlers. Good bass and pike fishing was reported around the old docks. Fishing slowed in the cuts due to muddy water caused by high winds.
West Portage Lake - Bass fishing was fair when anglers could fish the shoreline of Grosse Point. Try using rubber crawlers or crankbaits while working the shallow waters along the shoreline and docks. A few walleye were taken along the shoreline of Pike Bay when trolling crankbaits, crawlers and crawler harnesses off planer boards. A few northern pike were caught on the west shoreline.
Hagerman Lake - In Iron County has good smallmouth bass fishing.
Lake Antoine - In Dickinson County has good smallmouth bass action.
Brule River - The Mayfly hatches are on and the Pale Evening Dunn hatch is also occurring. The Hendrickson hatch is winding down.
Paint River - The Mayfly and the Pale Evening Dunn hatch is currently going on here as well.
Marquette - Chinook fishing was slow to fair and the coho fishing has been very slow. Those fish caught were taken on spoons and flies in 60 feet of water. Lake trout fishing was spotty with some anglers reporting fair success while others were struggling.
Au Train Lake - Anglers are catching walleye along with northern pike, but many of the pike have been sub-legal. Smallmouth bass fishing has been good. A few perch were taken on minnows.
Grand Marais - Limits of whitefish have been caught when using spawn. Most are still small, but on days with a good northwest wind larger fish have been caught. Lake trout anglers are doing well when trolling in 120 feet of water.
De Tour - Fishing has been good for chinook and atlantic salmon and fair for lake trout. Boats are trolling in the shipping channel to the #3 Green Can and around the lighthouse. Yellow and silver, green or blue and white spoons have worked best.
Cedarville and Hessel - Anglers are catching a fair number of northern pike in Hessel Bay and Musky Bay when trolling rapalas and thundersticks. Smallmouth bass finished spawning and are biting off the north shore of Hessel Bay and all surrounding points. Hot lures were spinner baits and tube baits. Perch action has been limited to east end of Cedarville Bay and the Moscoe Channel. Rock bass have been caught in Cedarville Bay.
St. Ignace - Boat anglers are taking good numbers of chinook and fair numbers of atlantic salmon and lake trout when trolling from the city launches in St. Ignace to the Coast Guard Station. Some are fishing on the east side of Mackinaw Island. Blue and green spoons worked best.
Brevoort Lake - Anglers are taking good catches of walleye and yellow perch.
Upper Peninsula:[/url]
The walleye fishing is reported as being good on Gratiot Lake near Copper Harbor. Anglers on Lake Fanny Hooe are catching good numbers of bass and walleye. Lake Medora is producing good bass fishing. On Lake Superior, out of Copper Harbor, the splake and lake trout fishing is good.
On Lake Gogebic, the smallmouth bass fishing is very good. The bass are hitting on spinner and crank baits. The walleye fishing on the lake is fair. Anglers are catching quite a few walleye, but, many of them have to be released because they are undersized.
Around Marquette, the smallmouth bass fishing is good on Lake Independence. The perch and walleye fishing on the lake is fair. The bass and crappie fishing on the Greenwood Reservoir ranges from good to very good. Anglers on the Lower Marquette and Upper Marquette harbors are catching a few lake trout in water 70 to 90 feet deep. Along the local streams, the brook trout fishing is reported as being fair.
By Escanaba, the smallmouth bass fishing ranges from fair to good on both the Escanaba and Ford rivers. The walleye fishing on Little Bay de Noc is spotty. Anglers on the Big Bay de Noc, near Fairport, are starting to catch a few salmon. In the Manistique area on Lake Michigan, the salmon are starting to bite. Anglers on the Manistique quarry are catching good numbers of bluegill.
The whitefish fishing on the upper end of the St. Marys River near Sault Ste. Marie is improving. Anglers are catching a few salmon on the river, behind the “powerhouse.”
Out on Munuscong Bay, the walleye fishing is good. Anglers drifting are using jigheads tipped with a crawler. Anglers trolling on the bay are using crawler harnesses and hard baits. Around Drummond Island, the bass and pike fishing ranges from fair to good on Maxton, Scott and Whitney bays. The perch fishing is fair on most of the bays around the island. On the St. Marys River near Detour, the salmon fishing is reported as being fair.
At St. Ignace, the perch and walleye fishing is pretty good on Brevort Lake. Anglers on the Pine River are also catching a few walleye.
Northwest:[/url]
Crooked and Pickerel lakes near Alanson are producing fair bass fishing. The perch and walleye fishing on the lakes is slow.
Out of the Boyne City area, anglers on Lake Charlevoix and Walloon Lake are catching a few bass and walleye. The bass are hitting on both crawler harnesses and body baits.
Around Traverse City, the bass fishing is very good on both Green and Long lakes. The bass that are found on their spawning beds are hitting on tube jigs. The bass that have moved off their beds are hitting on spinner baits. Both Big Platte and Long lakes are producing some very good walleye fishing. Anglers on the east and west arms of Grand Traverse Bay are reeling in good numbers of brown trout.
In the Frankfort area, the whitefish and perch fishing is fair on Crystal Lake. Anglers casting a line into Lake Michigan from the pier are catching a few brown trout.
By Manistee, the bluegill fishing ranges from good to very good on the inland lakes. Out on Lake Michigan, the salmon fishing is reported as being very good. The best fishing is found about three miles out from shore, off the “shelf” and out into deeper water. Spoons such as the green dolphin or the bounty hunter are working well as bait.
Anglers on Lake Skegemog or Clam Lake near Kalkaska are reeling in good numbers of bass and bluegill. The lake trout fishing is fair on Torch Lake.
Fly-fishermen are finding some very good trout fishing on sections of the Au Sable, Black, Jordan, Pigeon and Sturgeon rivers around Gaylord. The bass and walleye fishing is good on Bradford and Otsego lakes.
At Cadillac, the bass and pike fishing is very good on both lakes Cadillac and Mitchell. The bluegill fishing is good on the lakes. Anglers on Lake Cadillac are catching a few walleye.
West:[/url]
Hamlin Lake near Ludington is producing some very good bass fishing. The bluegill fishing is good on the lake. Out on Lake Michigan the salmon fishing is fair. The silver fish are found in the top 60 feet of water that is up to 150 feet deep.
Out of the Pentwater area, the king salmon fishing is good on Lake Michigan in front of the Silver Lake State Park. The silver fish are found 60 to 100 feet below the surface, in water up to 140 feet deep.
Around Muskegon, the salmon fishing is fair on Lake Michigan in water 170 to 220 feet deep. The bluegill fishing on Muskegon Lake ranges from fair to good. The gills are moving off their spawning beds to the drop-offs around the lake. Chippewa Lake is producing good bass, bluegill and pike fishing.
At Baldwin, the bass fishing is excellent on Big Star and Idlewild lakes. The bluegill fishing on the lakes is reported as being good. The trout fishing on the Pere Marquette River is very good.
Southwest:[/url]
Out of the Holland area, the perch and salmon fishing is good on Lake Michigan. The silver fish are found 50 to 80 feet below the surface, in water up to 200 feet deep. The salmon are hitting on dark colored spoons. The perch are found in about 30 feet of water, with minnows being the preferred bait. Anglers along the Kalamazoo River are catching a few walleye.
By Benton Harbor, the perch fishing is good on Lake Michigan in water up to 30 feet deep. The salmon fishing is slow. Out on the St. Joseph River, the walleye fishing is fair. Try drifting on the river, using crawlers as bait.
Around New Buffalo, the perch fishing ranges from fair to good on Lake Michigan. Minnows are working well as bait. The salmon fishing is slow on the lake. On the Galien River, the catfish and pike fishing is fair.
At Kalamazoo, the pike fishing is good on both Gull and Long lakes. Anglers are trolling, using Rapalas. Gull Lake is also producing some good smallmouth bass fishing. Anglers on Austin, Barton and Scott lakes are catching a few largemouth bass. Evenings seem to be the best time to be out fishing for the largemouth bass. The bluegill fishing on Cedar Lake and Little Sugarloaf lakes is pretty good. The walleye fishing on Maple Lake is fair. Try drifting on the lake during the evening hours, using a perch colored Rapala. Anglers are also catching a few walleye on the St. Joseph River.
Northeast:[/url]
In the Alpena area, the catfish and walleye fishing is very good on the Thunder Bay River. Crawlers and leeches are working well as bait. Anglers on Thunder Bay are reeling in good numbers of walleye. The best time to be out fishing on the bay is at night. The bass and walleye fishing on Grand and Long lakes is reported as being good. The best time to be out fishing on the lakes is either early in the morning or evening.
Out of the Grayling area, the walleye fishing is fair on Lake Margrethe. Anglers on Lake Margrethe and Section One Lake are catching a few bluegill. The bass fishing is reported as being good on both Section One and Guthrie lakes. Anglers on Manistee Lake are finding fair to good bluegill and walleye fishing. The panfish and walleye fishing is pretty good on Twin Lake. Fly-fishermen are catching a few trout on the Au Sable and Manistee rivers.
Cooke Dam and Foote Dam ponds near Oscoda are producing some very good bass, bluegill, perch, pike and walleye. The crappie fishing on the ponds is fair. Anglers along the Au Sable River are catching good numbers of bass, pike and walleye. The perch fishing on Van Etten Lake is pretty good.
Anglers on Higgins Lake are catching good numbers of lake trout in water at least 100 feet deep. The rock bass fishing is also pretty good around the lake.
Houghton Lake is producing some very good walleye fishing. The bluegill fishing on the lake is good and the crappie fishing fair.
At Au Gres, the walleye fishing is very good on Saginaw Bay. The best fishing is found off Point Au Gres in water 30 to 34 feet deep.
East:[/url]
Around Linwood, the walleye fishing is very good on Saginaw Bay. The perch fishing on the bay is slow.
Out of the Bay City area, the walleye fishing is very good on Saginaw Bay in water about 20 feet deep. Anglers along the Saginaw River are catching a few catfish and white bass.
In the Bay Port area, walleye fishing is very good on Saginaw Bay near Sand Point. Anglers on the bay are also catching good numbers of catfish.
On Lake Huron by Harbor Beach, the lake trout and steelhead fishing is very good. The lakers are found in water 45 to 90 feet deep. The steelhead are found about 15 feet below the surface, in water 90 feet deep. The bass and perch fishing around the harbor is fair.
Anglers on Lake Huron between Port Sanilac and Lexington are catching good numbers of coho and king salmon along with some steelhead. The perch fishing by Lexington and Lakeport is improving, in water 20 to 25 feet deep.
By Port Huron, the walleye fishing ranges from good to very good on the St. Clair River.
And from St. Clair to Marine City, the walleye fishing is very good on the St. Clair River. The fish are biting day and night. The perch fishing along the river is fair.
Central:[/url]
By Lansing, the bass, bluegill and pike fishing ranges from fair to good on Lake Delta. Morrison Lake is producing fair to good bluegill fishing. Anglers on Lake Ovid, in the Sleepy Hollow State Park are catching good numbers of bluegill, largemouth bass and catfish. The bass fishing on Muskrat Lake is reported as being good. Along the Grand River, the carp and walleye fishing is fair. The best fishing is found near Moores Park Dam.
And out of the Jackson area, the bluegill fishing is very good on both Vineyard and Wamplers lakes. The gills are hitting on crawler harnesses tipped with a small waxworm.
Southeast:[/url]
On the St. Clair River near Algonac, the walleye fishing is good. The marble eyes are hitting both day and night.
The largemouth and smallmouth bass seasons open on Lake St. Clair, the St. Clair River and the Detroit River this Saturday, June 16. On Anchor Bay, anglers have been catching and releasing good numbers of bass heading into the season opener.
Out on Lake St. Clair by Metropolitan Beach and buoys 27 and 28, the walleye fishing is reported as being good. The musky fishing on the lake is slow.
Along the southern end of the Detroit River, the silver bass fishing ranges from fair to good. The walleye fishing on the river is fair. The best fishing is found near the mouth of the river. Anglers on Lake Erie are catching a few walleye, out from the Monroe area. The best fishing is found in water about 27 feet deep.
At Belleville, the walleye fishing is very good on Belleville Lake. Anglers are using a jig tipped with a leech. The bluegill and crappie fishing is also very good on the lake. The catfish fishing is excellent on the lake.
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[/font] [url "http://www.coastwatch.msu.edu/"][font "Arial, Helvetica"][#000000]Great Lakes temperature map[/#000000][/font][/url]
Bass season on the Detroit River, Lake St. Clair and the St. Clair River will open this coming Saturday, June 16th. Bass anglers fishing during the early catch and release season have reported good catch rates. Bass and bluegill fishing has been excellent around the state. This is a good time for fly fishing as there are hatches going on right now in both the Upper Peninsula and the Lower Peninsula.
Southeast Lower Peninsula
Lake Erie - The Mayfly hatch is in full swing which may have caused the walleye fishing to slow way down. Anglers were only picking up 1 or 2 walleye per boat when fishing off Stony Point in 22 to 25 feet of water. The bite was better in Ohio waters when trolling bottom bouncers and crawler harnesses in 30 feet of water. White perch and white bass have also been caught and there are plenty of freshwater drum in the lake. The boat launch at Sterling State Park is scheduled to reopen on Saturday June 16th.
Huron River - Boat and shore anglers are taking catfish under Jefferson Road and along the Point Mouillee State Game Area.
Detroit River - Yellow perch have been caught in the entire mouth of the river. Though they are not taking big numbers of fish, those caught have been averaging 11 to 14 inches. Boat and shore anglers have caught catfish from Trenton all the way down to the mouth.
St. Clair River - Has excellent walleye fishing with good catches reported from Port Huron, Marysville, and Marine City. Most are using bottom bouncers with crawler harnesses.
Harbor Beach - Boats trolling in 70 to 100 feet of water are taking a mixed bag of chinook, coho, lake trout, steelhead, and pink salmon when trolling spoons in a variety of colors.
Lexington - Has good trout and salmon fishing when trolling in 70 to 100 feet of water. Perch are starting to bite in 50 to 60 feet of water down towards Lakeport. Kids are having a lot of fun catching rock bass inside the harbor. Perch were caught in the evening.
Port Sanilac - Boat anglers are doing well in 70 to 100 feet of water. Chinook, coho, lake trout, steelhead and even some pink salmon have been caught. Rock bass and perch were caught in the harbor.
Port Austin - Has good lake trout fishing out deep. Walleye are hitting on crawler harnesses west of the harbor around the Flat Iron Reef and around the lighthouse. Bass fishing continues in Eagle Bay and inside the harbor.
Saginaw Bay - Excellent walleye fishing continues with lots of limits being reported. It seems warm weather got the fish going again. Crankbaits and crawler harnesses are producing fish, and color does not seem to matter. The best action is coming 2 to 3 miles east of the Spark Plug and around Buoys G and H which are located off Linwood. Those trolling are catching fish just about everywhere. Off Quanicassee, try 13 to 16 feet of water off the Callahan Reef or in 20 to 24 feet of water out near the shipping channel. The deeper water is producing more fish. Near Sebewaing, fish about 16 feet of water in the Slot with crawler harnesses.
Saginaw River - Lots of channel cats are being caught in the lower river from the Independence Bridge downstream.
Sebewaing River - A few walleye and northern pike have been caught. Good numbers of catfish were taken off the end of the channel in 3 feet of water.
Southwest Lower Peninsula
New Buffalo- Nice jumbo perch were caught on minnows in 18 to 25 feet of water.
St. Joseph - Boat anglers are taking chinook and coho salmon 40 to 70 feet down in waters 70 to 150 feet deep. Spoons such as the blue dolphin and mixed veggies have caught fish. Pier anglers have managed to take some steelhead in the early morning when using orange spoons or shrimp under a bobber. Good numbers of small perch are hitting on minnows in 30 to 40 feet of water both north and south of the pier.
St. Joseph River - Walleye fishing has not been consistent, but a few fish have been caught in the lower river near the hospital and above the dam at Berrien Springs. Anglers are drifting crawlers or trolling shad raps. Some large catfish have been caught at night when using crawlers or cut bait.
Grand Haven - Anglers are catching salmon in 150 to 200 feet of water when using 5 to 10 colors of lead. Use green, blue, orange, or gold spoons with flies. Pier fishing has been slow except for those catching freshwater drum. No word on perch.
Grand River at Lansing - Walleye have been caught at Moore's Park. More fish have been caught at night, but a few were taken during the day. Catfish are hitting on minnows and crawlers. Bass fishing has been very good.
Lake Ovid - Located at Sleepy Hollow State Park reported good bluegill fishing as the fish are now on the beds. Good numbers of largemouth bass have also been caught.
Muskegon - Boat anglers are catching chinook, lake trout and some steelhead when trolling blue or green dolphins. Some are trolling 50 to 70 feet down in 110 to 140 feet of water while others are going out further and trolling 70 to 120 feet down in waters 220 to 300 feet deep.
Muskegon Lake - Bluegills are hitting on crawlers or wax worms in the shallows and along the weed beds. Shore anglers are doing well on the north end of the lake near the State Park and on the south end near Heritage Landing. The walleye action has been slow.
Muskegon River - Brown trout have been caught in the upper sections of the river and near the dam. Spinners and rapalas worked best.
Northeast Lower Peninsula
Rogers City - Lake trout fishing continues to be very good off Adams Point, Seagull Point, Forty Mile Point, the State Park and the Humps off Calcite Harbor. Good water depths continue to be about 5 feet off the bottom in 35 to 70 feet of water. Out deeper, the fish are suspended so anglers are trolling spoons and flashers with flies or squid. Good colors have been green, blue, orange, purple and white. Light numbers of chinook salmon have been caught in waters 65 to 90 feet deep off Forty Mile Point, the State Park, the Pump House, and Adams Point. Surface water temperatures are still in the low 50's. In another week or two better numbers of salmon should start showing up.
Presque Isle - The main catch has been lake trout along with the occasional chinook and atlantic salmon. Lake trout are hitting in 30 to 70 feet of water. Those fish caught about 5 feet off the bottom in shallow waters are smaller fish. Those fishing in deeper waters are using spoons, flashers with flies and squid. Good colors are green, blue, white, orange and purple. The chinook are hitting in the top 55 feet of waters 80 to 90 feet deep. Most are using downriggers and lead core with spoons. Green and blue have been the hot colors.
Rockport - Lake trout have been caught around Middle Island and the Nine Mile Can when trolling spoons in 50 to 80 feet of water. The fish are either suspended or near the bottom.
Alpena - Lake trout are being targeted out near the Nordmeer Wreck. Most of the keepers have been in the 4 to 7 pound range. A few salmon and brown trout have also been caught.
Thunder Bay River - Anglers continue to catch catfish, walleye and smallmouth bass when using worms and leeches. Fish have been caught both day and night.
Hubbard Lake - Has good bluegill fishing as the fish are on their beds. Good bass fishing was also noted when casting tubes, spinners or crawlers.
Lake Margrethe - Bluegills are on the beds and catch rates have been excellent. Smallmouth bass fishing has also been very good.
Au Sable River - Trout fishing has slow. Those seeking panfish have done well at both the Cooke Dam and the Foote Dam. Bluegills, bass and walleye were caught.
Tawas - Not much walleye activity here as anglers are going south to Au Gres to fish. Boat anglers working 50 to 60 feet of water off Tawas Point are taking a mix of lake trout, steelhead, chinook and a few walleye. Inside Tawas Bay, anglers are catching good numbers of smallmouth on tube baits.
Tawas River - Shore anglers are getting a mix of channel cats, smallmouth and largemouth bass.
Au Gres - Has excellent walleye fishing in 30 to 50 feet of water. Bass anglers are also catching lots of fish.
Au Gres River - Channel cat action is picking up as the water warms.
Higgins Lake - Boat anglers are taking lots of lake trout when fishing just off the bottom in waters 100 to 130 feet deep. Perch have been caught in 40 to 50 feet of water on the north end near the State Park.
Houghton Lake - The bluegills are starting to school up. Those looking for walleye in the early evening or after dark are trolling and drifting with crankbaits and crawlers harnesses. During the day, walleye were taken when jigging inside the weed beds. The crappies were suspended about 5 feet down in waters 10 feet deep.
Northwest Lower Peninsula
Charlevoix - Good numbers of chinook salmon have been caught when trolling in front of Bay Harbor, and from the St. Mary's Cement Plant down to Fisherman's Island. The salmon were caught at many different depths but overall the people fishing 120 feet and deeper were finding the fish weighing 10 to 15 pounds. Lake trout in the 6 to 11 pound range were turning up, but many were sub-legal and had to be thrown back.
Lake Charlevoix - Those trolling for trout were seeing plenty of action from smallmouth bass and northern pike.
Walloon Lake - The bluegills are moving into shallow waters and are being caught on worms, spider flies or poppers. The bass have moved off the beds and can be found in deeper waters. Anglers trolling for walleye are using crawler harnesses and rapalas in 15 to 40 feet of water.
Thumb Lake (Lake Louise) - The mayflys have started hatching. Those targeting splake are still-fishing or trolling in 50 to 80 feet of water in the east basin but no fish were caught. Large and smallmouth bass have been caught from the shallows to 12 feet of water when casting tubes, poppers, crankbaits, crawlers and minnows. For bluegills, anglers are fishing with crawlers or casting spinners in 10 to 15 feet of water on the northwest section of the lake. Perch and rock bass are hitting on minnows and crawlers.
Traverse City - Fishing for lake trout and smallmouth bass has been very good in the East Bay. Large numbers of alewife can be found off Old Mission so the lake trout are being caught in shallow waters up to 50 feet deep. Limit catches of smallmouth bass were taken by shore anglers fishing near Yuba Creek and Mitchell Creek. Whitefish action was good with near limits reported in 170 feet of water off Dock Road and in front of Mountain Jacks when using white Swedish Pimple. The West Bay has good lake trout fishing when trolling or jigging from the Gravel Pit to the Red 8 Buoy. Chinook salmon were caught with more fish in the 3 to 6 pound range. Smallmouth bass were caught near the mouth of the Boardman River. A few walleye were caught in Cathead Bay and off the harbor in Northport. Whitefish action was slow. Anglers have caught some large lake herring while trolling spoons for salmon and lake trout.
Elk River - Has great smallmouth bass fishing with limit catches taken daily at the dam. Still-fishing live bait has been working the best with crawlers and leeches the preferred bait.
Boardman River - Numerous suckers are still present in the river at the State Street Dam. You will also find smallmouth bass, rock bass and light numbers of steelhead and brown trout below the dam. The best smallmouth bass fishing has been in the early morning when using crawlers and leeches near the downtown area. The Upper Boardman has been fishing very well with numerous fly hatches occurring right now. The Brown Drakes have been hatching around the Forks and are bringing out the large resident brown trout and brook trout to feed just before dark.
Frankfort - Anglers are now starting to catch chinook and steelhead out on the Shelf. Try 50 to 80 feet down in waters 125 to 250 feet deep. Good colors have been chartreuse, hot pink, orange or a gold and black. Pier anglers are using alewife with a slip rig to catch some nice chinook and brown trout. Those trolling inside the piers have also taken a few fish.
Onekama - Anglers are having the best luck straight out in front of the piers, or to the north near the Barrel. The fish are scattered at 45 to 85 feet down in waters 100 to 200 feet deep. Meat rigs and spoons in chartreuse, orange, blue, or yellow have caught the most fish.
Portage Lake - Some nice bluegills, crappie and rock bass have been caught on wax worms and crawlers. They are slowly starting to move up on the beds. Bass and pike are hitting during the day, and walleye are hitting crawler harnesses at night.
Manistee - Boat anglers are trolling out on the Shelf and beyond for chinook, lake trout, and steelhead. Spoons and flies seem to work best. A few fish have been caught in front of the City Water Tower. Pier anglers have caught chinook, brown trout and steelhead when using alewife or spoons.
Hamlin Lake - Continues to have excellent bluegill fishing with limit catches reported. Some of the better fishing spots might be in the bayous.
Ludington - Boat anglers are trolling spoons and flies in 100 to 150 feet of water. Chinook, lake trout and steelhead have been caught north of the harbor from the State Park to Big Sable Point. A few salmon were also taken down by the Project. Pier anglers still have not had much luck. The baitfish are in the harbor but anglers will need to wait a bit longer for the trout and salmon to show up.
Silver Lake - Has good walleye fishing when trolling over the weed line in 18 to 25 feet of water. Look for perch in 15 to 20 feet of water.
Upper Peninsula
Torch Lake - Walleye were taken in 15 to 20 feet of water when jigging or trolling with minnows and crawlers. Good bass and pike fishing was reported around the old docks. Fishing slowed in the cuts due to muddy water caused by high winds.
West Portage Lake - Bass fishing was fair when anglers could fish the shoreline of Grosse Point. Try using rubber crawlers or crankbaits while working the shallow waters along the shoreline and docks. A few walleye were taken along the shoreline of Pike Bay when trolling crankbaits, crawlers and crawler harnesses off planer boards. A few northern pike were caught on the west shoreline.
Hagerman Lake - In Iron County has good smallmouth bass fishing.
Lake Antoine - In Dickinson County has good smallmouth bass action.
Brule River - The Mayfly hatches are on and the Pale Evening Dunn hatch is also occurring. The Hendrickson hatch is winding down.
Paint River - The Mayfly and the Pale Evening Dunn hatch is currently going on here as well.
Marquette - Chinook fishing was slow to fair and the coho fishing has been very slow. Those fish caught were taken on spoons and flies in 60 feet of water. Lake trout fishing was spotty with some anglers reporting fair success while others were struggling.
Au Train Lake - Anglers are catching walleye along with northern pike, but many of the pike have been sub-legal. Smallmouth bass fishing has been good. A few perch were taken on minnows.
Grand Marais - Limits of whitefish have been caught when using spawn. Most are still small, but on days with a good northwest wind larger fish have been caught. Lake trout anglers are doing well when trolling in 120 feet of water.
De Tour - Fishing has been good for chinook and atlantic salmon and fair for lake trout. Boats are trolling in the shipping channel to the #3 Green Can and around the lighthouse. Yellow and silver, green or blue and white spoons have worked best.
Cedarville and Hessel - Anglers are catching a fair number of northern pike in Hessel Bay and Musky Bay when trolling rapalas and thundersticks. Smallmouth bass finished spawning and are biting off the north shore of Hessel Bay and all surrounding points. Hot lures were spinner baits and tube baits. Perch action has been limited to east end of Cedarville Bay and the Moscoe Channel. Rock bass have been caught in Cedarville Bay.
St. Ignace - Boat anglers are taking good numbers of chinook and fair numbers of atlantic salmon and lake trout when trolling from the city launches in St. Ignace to the Coast Guard Station. Some are fishing on the east side of Mackinaw Island. Blue and green spoons worked best.
Brevoort Lake - Anglers are taking good catches of walleye and yellow perch.
Upper Peninsula:[/url]
The walleye fishing is reported as being good on Gratiot Lake near Copper Harbor. Anglers on Lake Fanny Hooe are catching good numbers of bass and walleye. Lake Medora is producing good bass fishing. On Lake Superior, out of Copper Harbor, the splake and lake trout fishing is good.
On Lake Gogebic, the smallmouth bass fishing is very good. The bass are hitting on spinner and crank baits. The walleye fishing on the lake is fair. Anglers are catching quite a few walleye, but, many of them have to be released because they are undersized.
Around Marquette, the smallmouth bass fishing is good on Lake Independence. The perch and walleye fishing on the lake is fair. The bass and crappie fishing on the Greenwood Reservoir ranges from good to very good. Anglers on the Lower Marquette and Upper Marquette harbors are catching a few lake trout in water 70 to 90 feet deep. Along the local streams, the brook trout fishing is reported as being fair.
By Escanaba, the smallmouth bass fishing ranges from fair to good on both the Escanaba and Ford rivers. The walleye fishing on Little Bay de Noc is spotty. Anglers on the Big Bay de Noc, near Fairport, are starting to catch a few salmon. In the Manistique area on Lake Michigan, the salmon are starting to bite. Anglers on the Manistique quarry are catching good numbers of bluegill.
The whitefish fishing on the upper end of the St. Marys River near Sault Ste. Marie is improving. Anglers are catching a few salmon on the river, behind the “powerhouse.”
Out on Munuscong Bay, the walleye fishing is good. Anglers drifting are using jigheads tipped with a crawler. Anglers trolling on the bay are using crawler harnesses and hard baits. Around Drummond Island, the bass and pike fishing ranges from fair to good on Maxton, Scott and Whitney bays. The perch fishing is fair on most of the bays around the island. On the St. Marys River near Detour, the salmon fishing is reported as being fair.
At St. Ignace, the perch and walleye fishing is pretty good on Brevort Lake. Anglers on the Pine River are also catching a few walleye.
Northwest:[/url]
Crooked and Pickerel lakes near Alanson are producing fair bass fishing. The perch and walleye fishing on the lakes is slow.
Out of the Boyne City area, anglers on Lake Charlevoix and Walloon Lake are catching a few bass and walleye. The bass are hitting on both crawler harnesses and body baits.
Around Traverse City, the bass fishing is very good on both Green and Long lakes. The bass that are found on their spawning beds are hitting on tube jigs. The bass that have moved off their beds are hitting on spinner baits. Both Big Platte and Long lakes are producing some very good walleye fishing. Anglers on the east and west arms of Grand Traverse Bay are reeling in good numbers of brown trout.
In the Frankfort area, the whitefish and perch fishing is fair on Crystal Lake. Anglers casting a line into Lake Michigan from the pier are catching a few brown trout.
By Manistee, the bluegill fishing ranges from good to very good on the inland lakes. Out on Lake Michigan, the salmon fishing is reported as being very good. The best fishing is found about three miles out from shore, off the “shelf” and out into deeper water. Spoons such as the green dolphin or the bounty hunter are working well as bait.
Anglers on Lake Skegemog or Clam Lake near Kalkaska are reeling in good numbers of bass and bluegill. The lake trout fishing is fair on Torch Lake.
Fly-fishermen are finding some very good trout fishing on sections of the Au Sable, Black, Jordan, Pigeon and Sturgeon rivers around Gaylord. The bass and walleye fishing is good on Bradford and Otsego lakes.
At Cadillac, the bass and pike fishing is very good on both lakes Cadillac and Mitchell. The bluegill fishing is good on the lakes. Anglers on Lake Cadillac are catching a few walleye.
West:[/url]
Hamlin Lake near Ludington is producing some very good bass fishing. The bluegill fishing is good on the lake. Out on Lake Michigan the salmon fishing is fair. The silver fish are found in the top 60 feet of water that is up to 150 feet deep.
Out of the Pentwater area, the king salmon fishing is good on Lake Michigan in front of the Silver Lake State Park. The silver fish are found 60 to 100 feet below the surface, in water up to 140 feet deep.
Around Muskegon, the salmon fishing is fair on Lake Michigan in water 170 to 220 feet deep. The bluegill fishing on Muskegon Lake ranges from fair to good. The gills are moving off their spawning beds to the drop-offs around the lake. Chippewa Lake is producing good bass, bluegill and pike fishing.
At Baldwin, the bass fishing is excellent on Big Star and Idlewild lakes. The bluegill fishing on the lakes is reported as being good. The trout fishing on the Pere Marquette River is very good.
Southwest:[/url]
Out of the Holland area, the perch and salmon fishing is good on Lake Michigan. The silver fish are found 50 to 80 feet below the surface, in water up to 200 feet deep. The salmon are hitting on dark colored spoons. The perch are found in about 30 feet of water, with minnows being the preferred bait. Anglers along the Kalamazoo River are catching a few walleye.
By Benton Harbor, the perch fishing is good on Lake Michigan in water up to 30 feet deep. The salmon fishing is slow. Out on the St. Joseph River, the walleye fishing is fair. Try drifting on the river, using crawlers as bait.
Around New Buffalo, the perch fishing ranges from fair to good on Lake Michigan. Minnows are working well as bait. The salmon fishing is slow on the lake. On the Galien River, the catfish and pike fishing is fair.
At Kalamazoo, the pike fishing is good on both Gull and Long lakes. Anglers are trolling, using Rapalas. Gull Lake is also producing some good smallmouth bass fishing. Anglers on Austin, Barton and Scott lakes are catching a few largemouth bass. Evenings seem to be the best time to be out fishing for the largemouth bass. The bluegill fishing on Cedar Lake and Little Sugarloaf lakes is pretty good. The walleye fishing on Maple Lake is fair. Try drifting on the lake during the evening hours, using a perch colored Rapala. Anglers are also catching a few walleye on the St. Joseph River.
Northeast:[/url]
In the Alpena area, the catfish and walleye fishing is very good on the Thunder Bay River. Crawlers and leeches are working well as bait. Anglers on Thunder Bay are reeling in good numbers of walleye. The best time to be out fishing on the bay is at night. The bass and walleye fishing on Grand and Long lakes is reported as being good. The best time to be out fishing on the lakes is either early in the morning or evening.
Out of the Grayling area, the walleye fishing is fair on Lake Margrethe. Anglers on Lake Margrethe and Section One Lake are catching a few bluegill. The bass fishing is reported as being good on both Section One and Guthrie lakes. Anglers on Manistee Lake are finding fair to good bluegill and walleye fishing. The panfish and walleye fishing is pretty good on Twin Lake. Fly-fishermen are catching a few trout on the Au Sable and Manistee rivers.
Cooke Dam and Foote Dam ponds near Oscoda are producing some very good bass, bluegill, perch, pike and walleye. The crappie fishing on the ponds is fair. Anglers along the Au Sable River are catching good numbers of bass, pike and walleye. The perch fishing on Van Etten Lake is pretty good.
Anglers on Higgins Lake are catching good numbers of lake trout in water at least 100 feet deep. The rock bass fishing is also pretty good around the lake.
Houghton Lake is producing some very good walleye fishing. The bluegill fishing on the lake is good and the crappie fishing fair.
At Au Gres, the walleye fishing is very good on Saginaw Bay. The best fishing is found off Point Au Gres in water 30 to 34 feet deep.
East:[/url]
Around Linwood, the walleye fishing is very good on Saginaw Bay. The perch fishing on the bay is slow.
Out of the Bay City area, the walleye fishing is very good on Saginaw Bay in water about 20 feet deep. Anglers along the Saginaw River are catching a few catfish and white bass.
In the Bay Port area, walleye fishing is very good on Saginaw Bay near Sand Point. Anglers on the bay are also catching good numbers of catfish.
On Lake Huron by Harbor Beach, the lake trout and steelhead fishing is very good. The lakers are found in water 45 to 90 feet deep. The steelhead are found about 15 feet below the surface, in water 90 feet deep. The bass and perch fishing around the harbor is fair.
Anglers on Lake Huron between Port Sanilac and Lexington are catching good numbers of coho and king salmon along with some steelhead. The perch fishing by Lexington and Lakeport is improving, in water 20 to 25 feet deep.
By Port Huron, the walleye fishing ranges from good to very good on the St. Clair River.
And from St. Clair to Marine City, the walleye fishing is very good on the St. Clair River. The fish are biting day and night. The perch fishing along the river is fair.
Central:[/url]
By Lansing, the bass, bluegill and pike fishing ranges from fair to good on Lake Delta. Morrison Lake is producing fair to good bluegill fishing. Anglers on Lake Ovid, in the Sleepy Hollow State Park are catching good numbers of bluegill, largemouth bass and catfish. The bass fishing on Muskrat Lake is reported as being good. Along the Grand River, the carp and walleye fishing is fair. The best fishing is found near Moores Park Dam.
And out of the Jackson area, the bluegill fishing is very good on both Vineyard and Wamplers lakes. The gills are hitting on crawler harnesses tipped with a small waxworm.
Southeast:[/url]
On the St. Clair River near Algonac, the walleye fishing is good. The marble eyes are hitting both day and night.
The largemouth and smallmouth bass seasons open on Lake St. Clair, the St. Clair River and the Detroit River this Saturday, June 16. On Anchor Bay, anglers have been catching and releasing good numbers of bass heading into the season opener.
Out on Lake St. Clair by Metropolitan Beach and buoys 27 and 28, the walleye fishing is reported as being good. The musky fishing on the lake is slow.
Along the southern end of the Detroit River, the silver bass fishing ranges from fair to good. The walleye fishing on the river is fair. The best fishing is found near the mouth of the river. Anglers on Lake Erie are catching a few walleye, out from the Monroe area. The best fishing is found in water about 27 feet deep.
At Belleville, the walleye fishing is very good on Belleville Lake. Anglers are using a jig tipped with a leech. The bluegill and crappie fishing is also very good on the lake. The catfish fishing is excellent on the lake.