| Weekly Fishing Report | |
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Thursday, September 15, 2005 With cooler temperatures and much needed rain by the end of the week, salmon should gradually start showing up in the river systems throughout the state. Anglers are reminded that it is UNLAWFUL TO SNAG or retain any fish that has not been hooked in the mouth, including all trout and salmon.
Southeastern Lower Peninsula While the hot humid weather slowed fishing in Lake Erie, rain along with cooler temperatures should bring some good angling opportunities. Some large perch have been caught, just not in big numbers. Try straight out from Bolles Harbor in 16 feet of water, northeast of the Dumping Grounds in 18 feet of water, southwest of the Toledo Lighthouse or in Brest Bay. It seems more fish have been caught on shiners. Anglers continue to catch a few walleye in Michigan waters. Not many catfish have been caught in the “Hot Hole” because of the warm water temperatures. In the southern end of Lake St. Clair, bass have been caught in Canadian waters near the Belle River Hump. Boats are trolling northeast of the Dumping Grounds with Fire-tiger crank baits in 10 to 14 feet of water. A few walleye have been caught on crawler harnesses with copper colored spinners and minnows between Metro Beach and Strawberry Island. Walleye were caught in the northern section of the lake when trolling with crawler harnesses between the Firecracker and the St. Clair Light. Chartreuse or hammered brass blades with red beads worked well. A few walleye have been caught in the St. Clair River. Strong winds have hampered fishing efforts on the east side of the thumb. At Lexington, a few salmon have been caught in the early mornings on spawn under a bobber, glow-in-the-dark plugs and spoons. A few perch anglers have been fishing off Port Sanilac. Good lake trout fishing continues from Harbor Beach for those trolling in 85 to 120 feet of water using attractors with cut bait. Dodgers with Spin & Glows are also working when fishing just off the bottom. Salmon fishing has started to pick up slightly when trolling spoons or J-Plugs 45 to 70 feet down in waters 65 to 95 feet deep. Steelhead fishing is slow but a few fish have been taken on bright green spoons north of the harbor. Walleye fishing was slow. Try crawler harnesses and Hot-n-Tot’s in 45 to 80 feet of water north of the Harbor as well as fishing off the north wall in the evenings. Perch fishing has been slow with a few fish taken by the Light House and also south of the harbor by the Cemetery in 40 to 60 feet of water. The Light House is now fixed and the light is shinning bright. Anglers take the chance of snagging the cable with their anchors, so all boats should use caution. In Saginaw Bay, a few walleye have been caught, but fishing was slow. Crawler harnesses seem to be the best bait. Try the hammered brass with red beads or chartreuse. Perch can be found just about everywhere, but the best spot seems to be about a mile west of the first Spark Plug. Near Sebewaing, anglers are perch fishing in the Shipping Channel, near the commercial nets, and in 14 feet of water around Defoe Island and Lone Tree Island. Inland lakes in the region continue to provide fair to good fishing. Surface water temperatures are still in the low 70’s, but should start to cool down in the next week. Large bluegills can be found when fishing 8 to 12 feet down in deeper waters. Most anglers are just using a split shot with a hook and worm. Large and smallmouth bass can usually be found along the drop-offs. Southwestern Lower Peninsula On the St. Joe River, overall fishing has been slow. Some steelhead have been caught between Buchanan and Berrien Springs. Chinook salmon have been caught downstream from the dam when drifting spawn. The key is to target the deep holes and near the creeks. Those fishing the Paw Paw River reported fair to good catches of salmon and steelhead from Benton Harbor up to Watervliet. On Paw Paw Lake, those seeking panfish reported good fishing when using wax worms and small red worms. Northern pike fishing was slow. Holland and Port Sheldon reported slow fishing. Light numbers of chinook and coho have been caught at least 50 feet down in waters 100 to 200 feet deep using green J-Plugs along with green and blue spoons. Fishing has been tough due to the extremely warm surface water temperatures which have been in the low 70’s. Perch fishing has been very slow. We need some good east winds along with some rain to improve fishing conditions. The Grand River has very low water levels, and water temperatures are still quite warm. The salmon are not moving in, and it does not look like they will until we get a good rain and cooler temperatures. A few walleye have been caught in the early mornings when fishing close to the dam or off the wall with crawlers. Water levels near Lansing are low and warm as well, and no salmon have been seen. A few walleye have been caught below Webber Dam. Catfish have been caught below the dams when using minnows, dead smelt or small bluegills. The Maple River is usually a good place to catch some nice catfish. Large bluegills have been caught in the deeper waters of Morrison Lake. At Grand Haven, most of the spawners are holding in waters 60 to 100 feet deep. Boats are slow trolling and using white fish catchers and flies. Pier fishing has been slow as waters close to shore are extremely warm. From Muskegon, boat anglers continue to catch chinook. More steelhead and coho are starting to show up in the catch as well. Boats continue trolling in Muskegon Lake for trout and salmon. Very few fish have moved into the Muskegon River. Water levels are very low and water temperatures are in the low 70’s, which is not ideal for spawning. Northeastern Lower Peninsula From Rogers City to Presque Isle, fishing has been good this past week with some limits reported. Most are fishing south of the harbor from Calcite to Adams Point, north of the harbor to Forty Mile Point, and straight out of the harbor. In the southern locations, anglers are fishing 5 to 55 feet down in waters 10 to 60 feet deep. Anglers to the north are 35 to 60 feet down in 50 to 80 feet of water. There has been little activity in Swan Bay, with only a few fish coming into the river. Most of the fish are still in deeper waters. Slow fishing on Black Lake. Some walleye have been caught in the early morning or late evening when using crawler harnesses, Hot-n-Tot’s and Rapalas. Perch and panfish have also slowed. Those fishing Fletchers Floodwaters are starting to catch jumbo perch when using a red and white jig tipped with a worm or minnow. While bass action has started to pick up, only a few northern pike have been caught. Some nice bluegills have been caught when fishing 5 to 8 feet down. Slow fishing was reported off Rockport. Near Alpena, anglers continue to catch lake trout. Salmon are still in the bay and have been caught in shallow waters. Smallmouth bass are biting near the Cement Plant in shallow waters 3 to 5 feet deep. In the Thunder Bay River, a few salmon can be seen jumping at the Ninth Street Dam, but there have been very few bites so far. Recent rains may push more fish into the river system. At Harrisville, lake trout have been caught using green spoons and Rapalas in 70 to 80 feet of water. Chinook salmon have been caught just outside the harbor in 7 to 15 feet of water on chrome J-Plugs with green or blue. Chinook were also taken about 55 feet down in waters 70 to 80 feet deep when using anything that glows. Walleye were caught 60 to 80 feet of water. For Oscoda, boat anglers have caught lake trout on spoons in 150 feet of water. Chinook salmon have been caught on J-Plugs in 15 feet of water near the mouth of the Au Sable River. Those fishing off the pier have caught fish in the early mornings or at night. Fair to good catches of brown trout, rainbow trout, and brook trout have come from the “flies only” section of the Au Sable River. Anglers are using Blue-Winged Olives, bright colored streamers, flies with rubber legs and flying ants. At Tawas, salmon are showing up in the harbor. Boats continue to troll for chinook and lake trout in 60 to 90 feet of water off Tawas Point or in 40 to 70 feet of water near Buoy-2. Rock bass and sunfish have been caught off the pier. Shore anglers are picking up a few chinook when casting Cleo’s near the mouth of the Tawas River. Near Au Gres, salmon are starting to show up in the harbor. Boats are trolling in shallow waters in the early mornings. Pier anglers fishing near the mouth of the Au Gres River have managed to catch a few chinook when casting Cleo’s. Good perch action was reported in 30 to 40 feet of water in the Shipping Channel. Northwestern Lower Peninsula Near Petoskey, salmon and lake trout have been caught in front of Magnus Park. Fish ranging from 8 to 17 pounds have been caught on a regular basis, and some boats reported taking limit catches. Trolling 80 to 90 feet down in waters 100 to 130 feet deep produced the better catches. Fish have been caught off the piers and are just starting to show up in the Bear River. At Charlevoix, anglers are catching salmon from Fisherman’s Island to the Cement Plant and off North Point using spoons with dodgers and flies. Lures that glow worked well in the early mornings and late evenings. Pier and shore anglers are casting glow lures. There are now fish in Lake Charlevoix. At Traverse City, salmon fishing has been good on both bays especially in the mornings between 6-8 a.m. On East Bay, boat anglers are trolling 35 to 70 feet down in waters 120 to 150 feet deep along the South Bank. In the West Bay, salmon have been caught in the “Hole” located near the mouth of the Boardman River, as the salmon are staging before they enter the river. Boats are trolling glow spoons or J-Plugs 35 to 50 feet down. On the Lower Boardman River, anglers have been fishing for trout and salmon at the mouth and below the Union Street Dam, but salmon are yet to be seen and no trout have been caught recently. Along the upper stretches of the river, only a few trout averaging 6 to 8 inches have been caught below Shecks Campground. In the Brown Bridge Pond, bluegills, rock bass and yellow perch have been caught on crawlers. Good fishing in Platte Bay where a large number of coho have showed up. The mouth of the Platte River has been dredged and the buoy's are in place, but water temperatures are still around 70 degrees. A small number of chinook and coho have been harvested at the lower weir. Boat anglers trolling 30 feet down in 60 feet of water have taken some limits. J-Plugs in green glow and chrome or chrome stick baits with black or blue have worked well. Shore anglers fishing near the mouth reported excellent success when casting glow spoons the hour before sunrise and after sunset. At Frankfort, boat and pier anglers have found success when fishing during the evening hours. Chinook and brown trout have been picked up in the harbor. Anglers are trolling in 40 to 120 feet of water in front of the piers and north up to Pt. Betsie. Try spoons or plugs in the colors yellow, orange, blue, or green. Pier anglers are casting spawn or green and blue spoons after dark. Those fishing the Betsie River have caught some fish at the Homestead Dam and the River Road access site. Some are fishing under the M-22 Bridge even though water levels are low and not many fish are present. Near Onekama, boat anglers have caught chinook, coho and steelhead 40 to 60 feet down in water 80 to 160 feet deep. Try fishing north between Lookout Point and Arcadia with blue or yellow spoons. Pier fishing has been slow, however a few smaller chinook have been caught off the north pier in the early mornings. In Portage Lake, bluegill and perch fishing has been fair throughout the day while largemouth bass and walleye have been caught in the evenings. At Manistee, most of the fish are still in the big lake and the deep thermoclines are hampering the fishing efforts for those fishing close to shore. A few salmon were taken off both the piers and while trolling in the harbor, but it has been tough to get them to bite. Anglers are fishing the deeper holes in the Big Manistee River all the way up to Tippy Dam with Hot-n-Tot’s or spawn. Water temperatures are still warm, and rain is needed to push more fish into the river systems. Near Ludington, good numbers of fish are staging just off shore, waiting for the water temperatures to drop. Boats have been trolling off Big Sable Point which is up near Ludington State Park. Those fishing the Sable River from the mouth upstream to the Hamlin Lake Dam are reminded that it is unlawful to use other than one single-pointed unweighted hook measuring 3/8 inch or less from point to shank. In Pere Marquette Lake, boats are still trolling 20 to 25 feet down in waters 30 to 40 feet deep with spoons and J-Plugs. In the Pere Marquette River, a few salmon have been caught in the lower stretches from Custer on down when using spawn, spinners or deep diving thundersticks. Good bluegill fishing continues in the deeper waters of Upper Hamlin Lake. Upper Peninsula Not much fishing activity in Keweenaw Bay. Slow salmon fishing, however; lake trout were caught when trolling in waters 80 to 185 feet deep or jigging in waters 150 to 240 feet deep. Fishing in Traverse Bay has been virtually non-existent. Fair to good fishing was reported on Lake Gogebic. Walleye were taken on jigs while smallmouth bass, northern pike and yellow perch were hitting on live bait. Along the Upper Menominee River, bluegill and yellow perch have been caught on crawlers in the backwaters of Chalk Hills Dam and Grand Rapids Dam. Smallmouth bass have been caught below Pemene Falls while working crank baits. A few walleye have also been caught. Heavy fishing pressure was reported below the Grand Rapids Dam due to all the sturgeon anglers. Another hot site has been near the Koss Bridge which is located four miles above the Grand Rapids Dam. In Little Bay De Noc, good walleye catches were taken when trolling or drifting crawlers in 15 to 25 feet of water southeast of the Black Bottom. The red buoy in Kipling produced a few fish but many were undersize. Boat anglers that headed south out to the Shoals marked good numbers of fish, but few catches were reported. Good perch fishing around Butler Island when jigging crawlers and minnows in 15 to 25 feet of water. In Big Bay De Noc, Smallmouth bass are becoming more active south of Garden Bay. Still not at peak, but several anglers reported good catches as far south as Snake Island when using minnows with slip-bobbers in 15 to 20 feet of water. Good perch catches again this week in Garden Bay when jigging crawlers or minnows in 8 to 12 feet of water. Slow walleye fishing as anglers were unable to locate any good numbers of fish. Salmon anglers fishing off Fairport have managed to still catch a few fish when trolling 70 to 90 feet down in waters 120 feet deep. In Marquette, strong winds have caused poor fishing conditions for boats fishing the shores of Lake Superior. Those fishing in 60 to 80 feet of water have caught an occasional chinook, but most of the fish have been caught just outside the harbors. Some report an occasional coho taken in the Chocolay River. Not many fishing at Munising, but those boats targeting lake trout reported fair fishing. There have been reports of a few salmon caught in the bay, but no fish have been produced to back those reports. No word on lake trout fishing at Grand Marais. The salmon run has not started in Sucker Creek or Grand Sable Creek. Walleye fishing has been slowly picking up on the Tahquamenon River. Try fishing the edge of the weeds upstream from the mouth of the Sage River, using live bait under a bobber. At Sault Ste. Marie, pink and atlantic salmon are in the St. Mary’s River. Chinook have been caught when trolling J-Plugs near the Edison Power Plant. Good walleye fishing was also reported. Near Raber, walleye have been caught in the Lime Island Shipping Channel and off Squaw Island. Anglers are using crawler harnesses with bottom bouncers in 8 to 10 feet of water. Near Drummond Island, the yellow perch fishing just keeps improving. Try fishing off the dock at Yacht Haven with a slip bobber set 4 to 5 feet down. Smallmouth bass have been caught in Scott’s Bay. Fair salmon fishing was reported east of Cedarville in 30 feet of water using J-Plugs or stick baits. Good locations to fish include the Dolomite Shipping Channel and right in front of the Dolomite docks. No salmon have been spotted in the creeks yet. Yellow perch are quite active in Moscoe Channel, Musky Bay and around Little Joe Island. Use crawlers or crab meat. Northern pike and smallmouth bass are hitting on chubs or shiner minnows in the shallow waters of Government Bay, Cedarville Bay, Connors Point, Musky Bay, Hessel Bay and around the Hessel Marina. There have been few boats at St. Ignace, but those going out have caught chinook around Mackinaw Island and the Coast Guard Station. Silver and white flashers with green flies seem to work best. Salmon are near the mouth of the Carp River. A few spawning beds were spotted as far up as McDonalds Rapids, however; no catches have been reported. |
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