Cooler temperatures will once again hamper fishing conditions for the next week. The bluegills seem to be in a holding pattern, just waiting to spawn. The opening day for walleye, northern pike and muskie on the Upper Peninsula inland waters not otherwise closed to fishing, and the Great Lakes is May 15th.

Lake Erie – Walleye fishing has been a little better this week. Fish have been caught in shallow waters 12 feet deep off Luna Pier, Bolles Harbor west of the Toledo Lighthouse, and near the mouth of the River Raisin. Another hot spot has been the Dumping Grounds, which are southeast of Bolles Harbor. Lot?s of white bass have also been caught.

Detroit River – Very good walleye fishing for those using jigs and rubber worms, live crawlers or minnows. Those using stinger hooks have caught more fish. The walleye are usually in 30 to 40 feet of water during the daylight hours.

Lexington – Still reports good trout and salmon fishing when trolling body baits or spoons in waters 20 to 40 feet deep. Anglers reported a mixed bag of chinook, coho, brown trout and steelhead.

Port Sanilac – Boat anglers have caught chinook and coho when trolling in waters 10 to 30 feet deep. Brown trout and steelhead have also been caught. Body bait and spoons seem to work best.

Harbor Beach – Salmon have been caught on spoons in 90 feet of water. Some nice 12 to 15 pound fish have been caught. Lake trout fishing has picked up now that the season is open. Anglers are trolling spoons and dodgers with fly?s or squid in 40 to 80 feet of water just south of the harbor. The brown trout are in 20 feet of water.

Port Austin – Fishing picked up in recent days. While boat anglers have caught mostly lake trout, some chinook salmon have also been caught.

Saginaw Bay – Walleye have been caught in 13 feet of water off Linwood and in shallow waters 3 to 10 feet deep east of the Saginaw River mouth. Another good spot to fish is about a mile north of the Spoils Island. Crawler harnesses and stick baits are both producing. Channel catfish are still biting near the Hot Ponds. Near Quanicassee, boat anglers reported fair to good walleye fishing using crawler harnesses in 8 feet of water along the west side of the Callahan Reef. Try drifting crawler harnesses and bottom bouncers in the Slot which is just off Sand Point. At Caseville, small yellow perch were taken off the pier.

Tittabawassee River – Walleye fishing continues to be good, but is tapering off. Anglers are catching a good number of sub-legal fish along with the keepers. White bass are just starting to show up. The launch at Imerman Park and near Center Road had not only the higher catch rates, but the most fishing pressure.
 

St. Joseph – Boat anglers are catching chinook and lake trout when fishing 70 to 100 feet down in waters 100 to 140 feet deep. Coho and steelhead can be found 20 to 50 feet down. Green, blue or chartreuse spoons were hot. Some are using green and white flies and silver dodgers. Pier anglers are fishing live bait on the bottom, but catch rates were slow.

St. Joseph River – Anglers are catching light numbers of smallmouth bass up at the Berrien Springs Dam. Try still-fishing with crawlers. Walleye were caught on crawlers between the Somer Layton Bridge and Corunde Park.

Grand Haven – Pier fishing has slowed, but anglers are still able to take alewife in cast nets to use for bait. Most of the fish caught have been chinook salmon, and only one walleye recorded. Boat anglers are taking good numbers of chinook when trolling blue or green spoons in waters 40 to 140 feet deep. Coho and steelhead have also been caught. No word on perch.

Grand River at Grand Rapids – Walleye have been caught when bouncing a crawler and split shot off the bottom. Northern pike have been caught near the mouth of Indian Creek, which is below Ann Street. Try floating bluegills or suckers with no sinker. Crappie are now hitting on plastics. Good numbers of white bass ranging 6 to 10 inches have been caught on crawlers. Channel cats have been caught on crawlers and cut bait when fishing off the bridges or the East Wall. Flatheads are hitting live bluegills on slider rigs. Steelhead fishing has slowed to a trickle.

Rogue River – Those seeking trout have done well. Fly fishing with the light cahill or elk hair caddis and spinners in gold, silver or fire-tiger have caught fish. Some pretty big smallmouth bass have been caught on junior Thundersticks.

Grand River at Lansing – Bluegills seem to be holding in the deeper waters. Walleye are hitting on minnows or crawlers, while the catfish prefer cut bait. Good carp fishing should be present in the river in the next week or two.

Muskegon – Boat anglers are taking good numbers of chinook salmon when trolling in waters 30 to 150 feet deep right in front of the harbor. Some are jigging for walleye off the short pier next to the Coast Guard Station. No perch to report.
 

Cheboygan River – Walleye anglers are jigging minnows or slow trolling. Some nice smallmouth bass have been caught and released.

Rogers City – Surface water temperatures are still in the low to mid 40s, and the shallow waters are in the upper 40s. Lake trout and splake season is now open and the minimum size limit is 22 inches. Boat anglers have caught lake trout, atlantic salmon and steelhead when trolling south along the shoreline towards Calcite Harbor, Swan Bay and Adams Point. The key is to use planer boards with Rapalas, bombers and body baits. Run the lines off the boards about 65 to 70 feet back. Hot colors have been chartreuse and silver, blue and silver, perch, black and gold, fire tiger, and rainbow. Those using downriggers, are also using silver attractors or cowbells. A few lake trout have been caught in the shallow waters around Seagull Point.

Presque Isle – Boat anglers reported fair catches of whitefish in the 6 to 7 pound range when trolling in waters less than 20 feet deep from the harbor up to North Bay. Most are using planer boards and body baits in the colors chartreuse and silver, blue and silver, fire tiger, black and gold or rainbow. Run the boards at least 50 feet out to the side of the boat, and put the lines 65 to 70 feet back. Downriggers with cowbells or attractors just hitting the bottom have caught lake trout.

Rockport – Boat anglers are starting to target lake trout near Middle Island. Those fishing the bay are targeting brown trout. Those willing to put in the effort have caught fish. Most are trolling in somewhat shallow waters with silver spoons.

Alpena – A few more boats are starting to catch lake trout. Catch rates are still a bit slow, but some nice fish averaging 4 to 8 pounds have been caught when trolling off North Point. Slow walleye fishing.

Thunder Bay River – Steelhead fishing up at the Ninth Street Dam has come to a stand still. Rumor has it that some silver fish have still been caught when drifting flies or spawn, but the number of anglers fishing has dropped. The marina is now open and the fish cleaning station is open for the season.

Harrisville – Anglers are catching lake trout on spoons in 40 to 70 feet of water. Some are targeting walleye near shore, but not many fish have been caught.

Oscoda – Pier fishing has been slow. Those targeting walleye are drifting a worm under a bobber. A few suckers were caught, and steelhead fishing has tapered off. Boat anglers have caught a few lake trout just outside the piers.

Tawas – Boat anglers have caught a few walleye when trolling around Buoys 4 and 6. Chinook and brown trout were caught around Buoys 1 and 2. Pier anglers have taken a few walleye, brown trout and small perch.

Higgins Lake – Lake trout have been caught when trolling live bait and cowbells in 100 to 120 feet of water on the northeast side of Treasure Island. A couple of nice 20 pound fish have been caught. When not on the water, anglers are still seeking and taking good numbers of mushrooms.

Houghton Lake – Crappie are starting to school up and are hitting on minnows in 4 to 6 feet of water. Fair walleye fishing was reported near the rivers and canals. Try fishing waters 6 to 8 feet deep in the early morning or late evening. Good northern pike fishing, but the fish are running small.
 

Bear River – Anglers have caught light numbers of steelhead on spawn or flies.

Lake Charlevoix – A few walleye have been caught on crawler harnesses, crank baits or plugs in waters 10 to 25 feet deep. Yellow perch are in deeper waters 50 to 70 feet deep near East Jordan, Dutchman?s Bay and just outside the harbor.

Traverse City – On the East Bay, anglers continue to catch a few whitefish off the Hump near Elk Rapids. White Swedish Pimples and sand digger jigs were required to fish the deeper waters as the fish remain 230 to 240 feet deep. Whitefish along with a good number of lake trout were taken off Deepwater Point in 130 feet of water. The West Bay is producing good numbers of lake trout when jigging spoons near the Brush Grounds. Whitefish can be found off Bingham Road in 200 feet of water.

Elk River – Steelhead action was slow this past week as anglers took an average of 1 to 2 fish each morning drifting spawn bags below the dam at first light.

Glen Arbor – Boat anglers have caught chinook salmon when trolling with downriggers. Chrome red headed J-Plugs and large spoons in green or blue have worked best. Slow brown trout fishing.

Glen Lake – Good yellow perch action when using wigglers in waters 50 to 65 feet deep. Some sorting will need to be done, but fish up to 14 inches were caught.

Frankfort – Boat anglers caught chinook salmon in 150 to 200 feet of water off Point Betsie and near the Herring Hole. Pier anglers have caught light numbers of chinook, lake trout, brown trout and northern pike when fishing off the South Pier.

Onekama – Boats trolling to the north are picking up chinook and lake trout in 125 to 175 feet of water. Blue, green, and silver body baits or spoons seem to work best.

Portage Lake – Yellow perch were caught on the west end of the lake. Good numbers of northern pike have been caught, but the fish are running small. Largemouth bass are hitting on spinners.

Lake Cadillac – Northern pike have been caught southeast of Kenwood Park. Rapalas have been the ticket, and chartreuse has been the hot color. Bass fishing has been good, especially in the canal between the lakes.

Lake Mitchell – Fishing has been a bit slow. Those targeting northern pike reported fair fishing on the east end by the canal. Try still-fishing with sucker minnows under a slip bobber. Some had success when trolling with plugs in Big Cove, which is located off Hemlock Campground.

Ludington – Fishing has been slow. Boat anglers caught a few brown trout in the harbor. Chinook have been caught both south of the harbor and north towards Big Sable Point. Trolling dark colored spoons worked best. Pier anglers have not caught any trout or salmon, but a few walleye were taken at night.
 

Keweenaw Bay – Anglers have been catching chinook and coho over the past week however; both boat and pier fishing remain slow.

Falls River – Slow rainbow trout fishing as the river is full of suckers.

Menominee River – Excellent walleye fishing along the entire lower river. Boat anglers are jigging minnows or trolling Rapalas. Shore anglers are jigging off the Hattie Street Bridge or casting near the First Dam. Pier anglers have caught walleye in the late evening.

Little Bay De Noc – Yellow perch have been caught just south of Saunders Point. Try jigging wigglers or worms in 30 feet of water just south of the narrows. Jumbo perch, whitefish and suckers have been caught. Good perch fishing along the southern part of the Black Bottom when jigging worms in 20 to 25 feet of water. Several freshwater drum were caught just north of the Bay Shore Resort.

Marquette – Boat anglers have caught and landed chinook salmon in the 3 to 10 pound range when trolling in waters 10 to 40 feet deep. Coho, lake trout and splake have also been caught. Shore fishing was slow.

Grand Marais – Angling for whitefish is slowly starting to improve. Pier anglers are fishing off the bottom using a few cured eggs threaded onto a size 10 hook about 18 inches above a 2 oz. pyramid sinker.

Manistique River – Those fishing near the paper plant have caught steelhead on yarn flies and spawn bags.

St. Mary's River – Coho have been caught on spawn or flatfish by those fishing near the Power House Bridge, which is on Portage Street in Sault Ste. Marie.

De Tour – Good salmon fishing with anglers catching chinook and atlantic salmon averaging 6 to 8 pounds. Most of the action was reported around the Lighthouse and the #3 Green Can. Hot colors are green and silver or blue and silver.

Drummond Island – Good numbers of yellow perch have been caught around the island. Those fishing at the Yacht Haven Pier were actually catching fish on bare hooks with no bait.