Salmon are not only moving closer to shore, but are also just starting to move into the river systems. Rain in the forecast should help push greater numbers of fish into the rivers. Inland lake fishing has been fair to good. This is a good time of year to catch bass, pike, and crappie.
 

Lake Erie - August is usually a slow month for catching fish. The lake usually has large algae blooms and water temperatures are usually on the warm side. A few walleye have been caught, but certainly no limits. Yellow perch have been caught in 20 to 24 feet of water off Stony Point, the Fermi Power Plant, the E Buoy and the Sputnik. Smallmouth bass are hitting on tube baits in 15 feet of water.

Detroit River - Walleye have been caught in the channels between Celeron Island and Sugar Island. Try fishing along the weed beds in 14 feet of water with white jigs. Good bass fishing was reported near the Hole in the Wall, which is north of the Cross Dike and Sugar Island. Tube baits and fake goby baits have worked best.

Ford Lake - Large algae blooms have turned much of the lake green and the fishing has just been fair. Bass anglers are taking 3 to 6 fish per trip using crank baits, tube jigs and crawlers. Bluegills and white bass are hitting on wax worms and crawlers

Lake St. Clair - Walleye fishing slowed a bit, but fish have been caught up in Anchor Bay when trolling between Strawberry Island and Grass Island. Trolling or drifting crawler harnesses or jigs has caught fish. Popular colors have been white, gold, chartreuse or red.

St. Clair River - Walleye fishing up near Port Huron did slow. Those fishing in the North Channel and the Middle Channel have caught perch in 15 to 20 feet of water. Crawlers harnesses perch rigs with crawlers or minnows have caught fish when still-fishing or when drifting.

Port Sanilac - Excellent perch fishing continues in 35 to 40 feet of water. Perch are running anywhere from 7 to 11 inches. Boat anglers are trolling in 80 to 120 feet of water for trout and salmon. The temperature break is currently about 60 feet down. Most of the fish caught have been lake trout, followed by chinook, steelhead and walleye. Pier anglers are getting a few perch, smallmouth bass and rock bass.

Saginaw Bay - Has fair to good walleye fishing. Boat anglers are fishing the north side of Callahan Reef and around the Spark Plug using crawler harnesses. Perch fishing has been good to very good at Buoys 1, 2, 15 and 16. Other hot spots were Buoy H, the Spark Plug and just south of the Black Hole.
 

St. Joseph - The salmon and trout have moved in closer to shore and are now being caught in 35 to 90 feet of water. Perch can be found in 30 to 35 feet of water. Pier anglers have only managed to catch light numbers of chinook and steelhead, but good numbers of perch ranging from 9 to 11 inches have been caught.

St. Joseph River - There are good numbers of steelhead in the river though few anglers are targeting them. There should be fish moving in the river in the low light hours of the morning and at night. Anglers should target the deeper holes during the day. Bass fishing continues to be good and smallmouth are hitting on crank baits.

South Haven - Boat anglers are catching a limited number of trout and salmon in waters 30 to 60 feet deep. Good numbers of perch have been caught by both pier and boat anglers fishing in 30 to 40 feet of water.

Grand Haven - Fall fishing is just getting started. Boat anglers are using J-Plugs and spoons. Chrome with red head, or green and yellow splatter backs have been good. Those fishing off the North and South Piers have been catching chinook salmon. They are taking alewife in cast nets and using them for bait. Salmon are moving up the rivers, so expect fish at the dams soon.

Grand River at Grand Rapids - Good numbers of walleye have been caught near Pearl Street and behind the Museum. Walleye have also been caught at night in the shallow pocket waters. A few salmon have been caught on spinners and spoons below Wealthy Street. Rain in the forecast could push more fish into the river. Some 35 to 40 inch northern pike have been caught on sucker minnows when fishing the pocket waters just outside the current. Catifsh can be found in the deeper holes.

Cranberry Lake - Which is just off 8-Mile Road, reported good crappie fishing.

Reeds Lake - Anglers are catching bass, crappie and northern pike.

Grand River at Lansing -Some of the better fishing has been for bluegills over at the Moore's Park Dam. Lots of anglers are seeking out catfish. Large sucker minnows and stink baits worked well, but the best bait seems to be small bluegills.

Muskegon - The fall salmon season has started here as well. Boat anglers are using spoons and J-Plugs in chrome, green, yellow and white. Pier anglers are jigging for chinook salmon off the short pier. Salmon have started to move up into the Muskegon River.

Whitehall - Had good fishing this week with a lot of chinook along with a few coho and lake trout have been caught. The fish have moved in quite a bit so anglers are fishing in 80 to 100 feet of water. Pier anglers have also caught fish in the early mornings off the very end of the pier.

White Lake - Bluegill fishing has been very good. Not a lot of huge fish, but quite a few limits were taken when jigging live bait in 20 feet of water.
 

Cheboygan - Fishing has been slow. A limited number of fish have been caught on the south or west side of Bois Blanc Island in 100 feet of water. Most boats are heading up to the straits area of Mackinaw Island.

Hammond Bay - While fishing has been slow, the better catches have come either straight out or to the north in 70 to 110 feet of water. Most are trolling with spoons, flies and squid, or dodgers. Chinook along with a few lake trout have been caught.

Rogers City - Fish are scattered all over! A few good places to fish are Forty Mile Point, the State Park and around the Pump House. If you are heading south try Swan Bay, Calcite and Adams Point in 55 to 120 feet of water. Spoons and dodgers in green, blue, pink, or black and white have caught fish.

Alpena - Walleye catches have slowed a little bit, however, catch rates are fair to good along North Shore when trolling body baits or drifting crawler harnesses. Lake trout are hitting six to ten miles east of Thunder Bay Island about 85 feet down in waters in 100 to 150 feet deep. Bass are biting in Squaw Bay. Northern pike and catfish have been caught in the Shipping Channel when trolling or casting.

Hubbard Lake - Walleye fishing is still very good. Anglers are trolling with Hot-n-Tots and crawlers in 45 to 50 feet of water right on the bottom. Walleye have been caught along the south end of the lake as well as around Doctor's Point. Bass have been caught on crawlers in 8 to 12 feet of water. Perch fishing has improved with 11 inch fish taken in 12 to 14 feet of water on both the north and south ends of the lake.

Oscoda - Has fair lake trout fishing. Those targeting the upper water column in 70 to 110 feet of water have caught a few chinook and walleye. Pier fishing was slow with only a few chinook taken on glow spoons or body baits.

Tawas - Walleye fishing slowed with only a few fish taken on crawlers harnesses in 50 to 70 feet of water. Pier anglers are catching perch, smallmouth bass and rock bass. Boat anglers have caught perch out by Buoys 2 and 4 and when fishing the weed beds off the Coast Guard Station.

Au Gres - Walleye fishing has slowed, as it always does in August. Yellow perch fishing ranged from very good to poor, depending on the weather. The hot spots have been in 35 to 45 feet of water off the Hotel and out by the Shipping Channel.
 

Harbor Springs - Salmon fishing is in full swing with the better fishing in a one hour window in the early morning and at sundown. Glow spoons, flies or squid worked best. Depths vary with some fish taken at 40 to 70 feet while others are deeper in waters 100 to 120 feet deep. The key is to veer off from all the other boats and fish the less crowded areas.

Lake Charlevoix - Salmon anglers are trolling spoons and J-Plugs 30 to 40 feet down in waters 70 feet deep between Two Mile Point and Oyster Bay. Some are using cut bait near the bottom in 70 feet of water between Whiting Point and Horton Bay. Northern pike were caught in 10 to 20 feet of water in the harbor at Boyne City. Smallmouth bass fishing was slow. Perch were taken on shrimp, minnows or crawlers in 10 to 25 feet of water near Oyster Bay, and near the Coast Guard Station.

Traverse City - Has fair to good salmon fishing. On the East Bay, fish the South Bank, along Old Mission Peninsula from the Bluffs down to the Walls, off Yuba and Elk Rapids. On the West Bay, the better fishing has been around the Red Buoy off Grelickville, between Bower's Harbor and the Gravel Pit, and near the mouth of the Boardman River. The most productive baits were Hootchie Mama's with green or blue flies 60 and 70 feet down in 130 to 150 feet of water. Lake trout action was fair.

Crystal Lake - Reported good catches of perch, lake trout and whitefish on the west end of the lake. Minnow rigs have been caught some nice perch in the evenings. Both the Upper and Lower Herring lakes are still producing decent catches of panfish through out the day.

Frankfort - Has very good trout and salmon fishing along the Bank and to the north off Point Betsie. Chinook, coho and steelhead have been caught in 50 to 150 feet of water using a variety of spoons. Pier anglers have caught a few salmon when fishing off both sides in the early morning or late evening.

Betsie River - A few chinook and steelhead have been caught as far up as the Homestead Dam, but the river fishing is still slow.

Upper and Lowe Herring Lakes -Both lakes are producing decent catches of panfish throughout the day.

Onekama - Continues to provide great Chinook salmon fishing. The boats are still heading straight out from the piers and north towards Arcadia. Anglers had the best luck in 65 to 130 feet of water with blue, green or white lures. Steelhead and lake trout have been caught out in deeper waters.

Portage Lake -The bluegills are running on the small side, but good numbers have been caught in 20 to 35 feet of water. This would be a great time to take a child out fishing, as the fast action will keep them interested. Bass anglers are doing best in the morning hours when throwing surface baits along the weed beds.

Lake Cadillac - Has very good fishing. Panfish have been caught in good numbers near shoe on the windward side of the lake. Anglers are fishing in to 5 to 10 feet of water with crawlers and wax worms on the east and south shore. Those fishing from the City Dock at dusk and dawn have caught crappie on minnows.

Lake Mitchell - Anglers targeting bass in the early morning have done best fishing the top water in areas 12 to 20 feet deep. Walleye have been caught in waters at least 20 feet deep using jigs and minnows.

Manistee - Has been very productive. Good numbers of chinook have been caught first thing in the morning or at dusk in the top 50 feet of waters 60 to 100 feet deep. A few fish have been caught in the middle of the day, but the fish are down much deeper. The coho are just starting to show up

Little Manistee River - Fish have started to move up into the river. The tubes at Stronach are producing good numbers of fish. Anglers are reminded of the spawning closure from September 1st through November 14th from a point 300 feet downstream from the DNR weir to Manistee Lake.

Ludington - Also has very good fishing for chinook and coho. Anglers are trolling with spoons or plugs in waters 50 to 100 feet deep both north and south of the pier in the early morning or at dusk. Pier anglers are having luck casting in the morning for chinook. A few northern pike have also been caught.

Pere Marquette Lake - Boats are starting to troll for salmon as the fish have already started to move into the lake. Pier anglers are having luck casting in the morning for kings, and they have caught a few pike as well.

Pere Marquette River - Anglers are starting to catch salmon on spawn and flies. Fish have been spotted as far up as Custer already.
 

Ontonagon - Has been producing some nice catches of lake trout over the last week. A few salmon have also been caught. Anglers found the best success when using spoons and flies in 50 to 100 feet of water.

Keweenaw Bay - Fishing pressure has picked up with limits of lake trout caught in waters over 200 feet deep. Anglers starting to target salmon are having limited success trolling in 50 to 60 feet of water. Those jigging for lake trout haven't had much success due to strong currents in the area.

Lake Michigamme - Walleye have been found in the East Arm near the islands and to the south of them near the rock structures. Walleye were also caught in the West Arm when jigging leeches and crawlers or casting spinner baits and rapalas. Perch were caught when trolling with crawlers or casting live bait. Smallmouth bass have been caught throughout the lake. Northern pike are hitting on both artificial and live bait in the bays and near the dam in the South Arm.

Marquette - Lake trout fishing has picked with most fish caught running 2 to 5 pounds. There have been reports of some very large fish breaking off. Most fish have been taken in 140 to 180 feet of water. Some boats trolling near the harbors in 80 feet of water have caught an occasional chinook, coho or lake trout.

Little Bay De Noc - Anglers are making good numbers of fish in the Lower Bay. Boat anglers have done well in the early morning when trolling crawlers in 22 to 28 feet of water along the break between the mouth of the Escanaba River and the Shipping Docks. Those fishing near Kipling caught several nice walleye when trolling crawlers in 14 to 25 feet of water off the Second Reef. Smallmouth bass were caught in 10 to 15 feet of water at the mouth of the Ford River and up by the Power Plant. A few perch were taken east of Butler Island and the southern end of the Black Bottom.

Big Bay De Noc - Has seen a good number of tournament anglers over the last week. Most of the boats are working the area near Round Island but a few have traveled the distance out to the area around Summer Islands. Smallmouth bass and perch have been caught north of St. Vital Island when jigging worms in 10 to 20 feet of water. Off Fairport, anglers are fishing 80 to 160 feet down in waters 100 to 200 feet deep with spoons and flies.

Manistique - Many of the boats are going out more than ten miles to 130 feet of water to catch chinook. Fish are starting to move in closer though and a few fish have started to find their way into the river. Some walleye were also caught.

Grand Marais - Lake trout fishing has been good with limit catches reported about five miles to the north off the bank. Coho are also starting to show up.

St. Mary's River - Those looking for chinook salmon in the upper river are trolling around the Soo Edison Power Plant and Sugar Island, but it seems the chinook are not there yet. Schools of atlantic salmon are at the Power Plant, but no one seems to be targeting them. Walleye fishing is still good at 9-Mile Road when trolling crawler harnesses with bottom bouncers on the north side of Neebish Island. Good northern pike fishing on the Lake George side of the river near Gem Island. Try rattle traps in 4 to 8 feet of water at the edge of the weed beds.

De Tour - Anglers continue to catch chinook and lake trout from the Shipping Channel to the #3 Green Can and around the lighthouse. Anglers are using lime flies, lime squid, spoons or silver J-Plugs.