Fishing Report Thursday, November 8, 2007

[lonehunter]

[font "Arial, Helvetica"]Thursday, November 8, 2007 [/font] [font "Arial, Helvetica"]Recreational Fishing Report[/font]
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[url "http://www.coastwatch.msu.edu/"][font "Arial, Helvetica"][#000000]Great Lakes temperature map[/#000000][/font][/url]

Strong winds continue to keep fishing pressure low around the state. Most anglers have given up their fishing poles for the firearm deer opener November 15.

Southeast Lower Peninsula
Lake Erie - Fishing is slow. Some perch are being taken in the marina at Metro Park.
Huron River - When the water level is up, a few steelhead are being taken while casting wax worms, rooster tails and jigheads. Fishing in the backwaters off the small dams is producing good catches of crappie on minnows and big bluegills on wax worms.
Detroit River - Perch are being taken around Sugar Island and Stoney Island. Walleye fishing is improving in the Lower Trenton Channel.
Lake St. Clair - Fishermen who are able to get out in the lake are doing well fishing for muskie and perch.
St. Clair River - Walleye fishing has been good when hand-lining at night up near Port Huron.
Saginaw Bay - Perch fishing was good near the mouth of the Saginaw River when fishing in 20 feet of water near Buoys 16 & 17.
Southwest Lower Peninsula
St. Joseph - Has no fishing activity.
St. Joseph River - Light numbers of steelhead have been found below the Berrien Springs Dam.
Kalamazoo River - There are steelhead available below the Allegan Dam, although fishing pressure has been light.
Grand Haven - Anglers are surfcasting with bloater bags for steelhead.
Grand River at Grand Rapids - Steelhead are being taken throughout the day on crawlers, spawn sacks, jigs and wax worms. Good catches of walleye while floating rapalas. Crappie fishing continues at Riverside Park. Bluegill are being caught while tight-lining.
Grand River at Lansing - Some catfish, walleye and smallmouth bass activity.
Looking Glass River - Has some nice size carp and bowfin.
Reeds Lake - Is producing good crappie and perch fishing.
Muskegon Lake - Walleye fishing is good in shallow water near the drop-offs. Perch are biting on minnows and spikes.
Northeast Lower Peninsula
Thunder Bay River - There were reports of a few whitefish entering the river.
Oscoda - A few walleye were taken from the pier fishing late at night.
Au Sable River - There are still some steelhead in the lower river. Whitefish should start coming in soon.
Tawas - A few whitefish are starting to show up at the East Tawas State Dock.
Higgins Lake - Brown trout are coming in to shallow waters. Those wading have caught fish.
Northwest Lower Peninsula
Traverse City - Cold and high winds have kept anglers out of the bays.
Frankfort - Steelhead were being taken on the north side of the pier and all along the wall.
Manistee - Pier and shore anglers have had luck catching steelhead and whitefish off the piers on spawn. Single eggs work best for whitefish while spawn bags are working best for steelhead. Those trolling have also had some luck.
Manistee Lake - Boat anglers have taken some coho and steelhead when they can get out. Pier and shore anglers have also caught steelhead.
Big Manistee River - Is low and extremely clear. The good fishing holes are limited, but the fish are there.
Little Manistee River - Is producing steelhead and a few coho above the weir.
Ludington - Pier and shore anglers are having luck catching steelhead on spawn. A few fish have been caught when trolling in the harbor and out to 100 feet of water.
Pere Marquette Lake - A few steelhead have been taken near the mouth of the river. A few pike have been caught while trolling for steelhead. Anglers are also trolling for whitefish. When the wind dies down fishing will be good off the piers.
Pere Marquette River - Steelhead are being caught.
Upper Peninsula
Copper Harbor - Has good fishing for splake in the early morning hours using minnows, crawlers or rapalas. The action slows in late morning.
Keweenaw Bay - The few anglers that are out are doing well off the river mouths casting spoons like Cleo's. They are picking up browns, a few coho and some steelhead.
Menominee River - Walleye were caught on blue rapalas or stickbaits at night.
Marquette - Whitefish and lake trout are being taken off the piers.
Carp & Chocolay Rivers - Are producing catches of brook and brown trout using spawn.
Little Bay De Noc - Water temperatures continue to drop and are now averaging between 45 and 49 degrees. Walleye anglers at the head of the bay marked good numbers of fish and reported fair to good catches when casting or trolling crankbaits at night in 13 to 23 feet of water. During the day anglers are trolling crankbaits in 20 to 35 feet of water straight out from Kipling. Those trolling south down to No-See-Um Creek have caught bigger walleye when trolling in 14 to 22 feet of water. Jumbo perch are being caught in 11 to 17 feet of water north of Butler Island. Bass are still active straight out from Aronson Island along the east bank in 15 to 18 feet of water.
Munising - Anglers are starting to catch some splake near the river mouths.
South Manistique Lake - Good walleye fishng in the evening when using minnows.
St. Marys River - Yellow perch fishing is improving near Drummond Island. Many small fish have been taken on the south side of Ashman Island in 12 feet of water. Larger perch should be coming in as the water temperatures drop below 50 degrees. Anglers need to use caution because of the low water levels which have exposed rock piles on the river and around Drummond Island. Water levels are to low on Munuscong Bay and at Munuscong State Park to launch a boat.

[lonehunter]

Upper Peninsula:[/url]

Fishing activity is slow this week around Copper Harbor, Marquette and on Lake Gogebic, mainly due to the poor weather conditions from earlier in the week.

By Escanaba, the walleye fishing is fair on Little Bay de Noc, when the weather allows anglers to get out. During the day, anglers are using red-tail chubs and crawlers as bait. At night, anglers are trolling using shallow running crank baits.

Fishing activity is slow this week by Manistique. Around Sault Ste. Marie, anglers on the St. Marys River are catching a few walleye and whitefish. The best areas to try and catch some whitefish are behind the “powerhouse” and on the upper end of the river.

Poor weather is keeping people off Munuscong Bay. In the Drummond Island area, when the weather allows anglers to get out, the perch fishing is fair on Maxton and Scott bays.

And the fishing action this week is slow by St. Ignace.

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Northwest:[/url]

Burt and Crooked lakes near Alanson are producing some very good perch fishing. The walleye fishing on the lakes is fair. The best times to be out for the marble eyes is in the early mornings or evenings.

Around Boyne City, the perch action is fair on the east and west ends of Lake Charlevoix. Anglers on Walloon Lake are reeling in a few perch, using in minnows as bait. The steelhead fishing is fair along the Boyne River.

Out of the Traverse City area, the perch fishing is fair on both Long and Leelanau lakes. Anglers are using minnows and wigglers as bait. The steelhead fishing is slow in the Boardman River. Anglers are seeing fish, but they seem to be line shy.

In the Frankfort area, the perch fishing is good on Crystal Lake. Early mornings are the best time to be out. Anglers along the Lake Michigan shoreline are reeling in an occasional steelhead surfcasting.

The steelhead fishing ranges from fair to good on the Big Manistee River. The steelhead action is spotty off the piers on Lake Michigan. Anglers trolling on Manistee Lake are reeling in a few coho salmon and steelhead.

Anglers on Manistee or Bellaire lakes near Kalkaska are reeling in good numbers of walleye. Early mornings or evenings are the best times to be out.

By Gaylord, the bass and walleye fishing is fair on both Bradford and Otsego lakes. Anglers are catching a couple of steelhead in the Boyne and Jordan rivers.

And at Cadillac, fishing activity this week is slow.

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West:[/url]

Anglers on the piers along Lake Michigan near Ludington are catching good numbers of steelhead. The steelhead action on the Pere Marquette River is fair. Hamlin Lake is producing fair to good perch and walleye fishing. Most of the fish are found in the shallower waters in the lake.

By Muskegon, the steelhead fishing is fair on the lower end of the Muskegon River. Spawn is working well as bait. On Muskegon Lake, the bluegill and perch fishing is fair. Most of the perch are being caught on the west end of the lake, while most of the gills are being caught in the shallows on the east side of the lake.

Poor weather conditions have been keeping anglers off Chippewa Lake.

And at Baldwin, the steelhead fishing is fair on the Pere Marquette River. The bluegill action ranges from fair to good on most of the small inland lakes in the area.

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Southwest:[/url]

By Holland, anglers on the piers on Lake Michigan are reeling in a few walleye. Early mornings are the best time to be out. The steelhead fishing in the local rivers is fair.

Around Benton Harbor, the steelhead are starting to move into the St. Joseph River. Anglers on the pier on Lake Michigan are reeling in an occasional steelhead.

Anglers using Rapalas at the mouth of the Galien River are catching a few walleye.

Out of the Kalamazoo area, the steelhead fishing is fair on the Kalamazoo River, below the Allegan Dam.

And at Three Rivers, diehard anglers on the local lakes, like Corey Lake, are reeling in a few perch using wigglers as bait.

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Northeast:[/url]

Out of the Alpena area, the perch fishing is fair on the Thunder Bay River. Anglers on Grand and Hubbard lakes are also reeling in a few perch, using minnows as bait.

Lake Margrethe by Grayling is producing fair to good perch fishing. Anglers are using minnows as bait, in water about 15 feet deep.

By Oscoda, the steelhead action is improving on the Au Sable River. Van Etten Lake is producing some good perch action. Anglers on Cooke Dam and Foote Dam ponds are reeling in a few pike, smallmouth bass and walleye.

In the Tawas City area, anglers on the “state dock” are catching a few perch and walleye. Fishing activity this week on Higgins Lake is slow.

Houghton Lake is producing good pike fishing. The walleye fishing is improving on the lake. Evenings are the best time to be out.

And at Au Gres, the perch and bluegill action is fair in the cuts along Saginaw Bay. The perch fishing is spotty on Saginaw Bay, when the weather allows anglers to get out.

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East:[/url]

In the Linwood area on Saginaw Bay, the perch fishing is steady, when the weather allows anglers to get out. The best fishing is found in water 17 to 20 feet deep.

By Bay City, the perch action is fair on Saginaw Bay. The best fishing is found near buoys 10 and 14. Anglers along the Quanicassee River are reeling in a few bluegill, with waxworms being the preferred bait.

Out of the Harbor Beach area, the salmon and brown trout fishing is fair inside the harbor. Inside the Port Sanilac and Lexington harbors, the salmon fishing is slow. A few steelhead and brown trout are being caught in the harbors. Anglers in Lexington Harbor are catching a few big perch.

The walleye fishing on the St. Clair River in Port Huron ranges from slow to fair for anglers in boats. From shore, the brown trout, steelhead and walleye fishing is fair to good.

And in the St. Clair area, the perch fishing is fair off the docks along the St. Clair River.

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Central:[/url]

With so many people geared up for hunting around Mount Pleasant, the fishing activity this week is slow.

Out of the Lansing area, diehard anglers along the Grand River are reeling in a few catfish and walleye.

And at Jackson, the bluegill fishing is fair on Vineyard Lake. The gills are hitting on waxworms, in water about 12 feet deep.

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Southeast:[/url]

Around Anchor Bay, the gusty winds from earlier in the week have been preventing anglers from getting out. When the weather allows anglers to get out, the perch action is good from Selfridge Air National Guard Base to the Grosse Pointe Yacht Club.

On the north end of the Detroit River, the walleye fishing is improving. The best fishing is found on the Canadian side of the river. The walleye fishing is also improving on the south end of the Detroit River, in the Trenton Channel. Anglers casting a line in the water by Sugar Island are reeling in a few perch.

By Monroe, the weather has been preventing anglers from getting out on Lake Erie.

And at Belleville, the crappie fishing is fair on Belleville Lake. The best area to cast a line in the water is by Rawsonville Road. Anglers in boats are catching an occasional musky on the lake.