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Thursday, November 2, 2006
Recreational Fishing Report

Great Lakes temperature map
Fishing has been slow across the state due to recent high winds.
Steelhead fishing will be picking up since the salmon runs have ended.
Most inland lakes are still producing good catches of panfish.
Southeast Lower Peninsula
Lake Erie - Perch are being taken above Sugar Island, Powder
Island and east of Celeron Island in 9 feet of water. Perch are in Brest
Bay near the state park. Bass anglers were taking largemouth from the
Hot Hole which is south of the River Raisin.
Huron River - Steelhead are being fished at Bow Park and the
Spillway.
Ford Lake - Fishing has been poor to fair depending on the
weather. When anglers could get out of the wind they were catching
walleye and perch on minnows and jigging spoons. Bass were hitting a
variety of plastic baits. Bluegill could still be caught on wax worms.
Most fishermen were catching fish in deeper waters.
Lake St. Clair - On the south end of the lake, anglers are
handlining for walleye in the Delphine Channel. Perch fishing is good
from Nine Mile Road down to Alter Road. Muskies are being taken around
the Dumping Grounds. Walleye and perch have been caught near the mouth
of the North Channel. Most are jigging with large minnows for walleye.
St. Clair River - At the Marysville boat launch, perch and
steelhead are being caught on emerald shiners Steelhead are being taken
at Pinegrove Park on redeye spoons, bombers and large emerald shiners.
Those fishing for walleye are using bombers and large emerald shiners.
Southwest Lower Peninsula
St. Joseph - Some steelhead and whitefish are being taken off
the piers, but with all the wind it is almost impossible to fish.
St. Joseph River - Boat anglers continue to do well for
steelhead with spawn working the best. Shore anglers are catching a few
fish as well, but the fishing is hampered by high water and falling
leaves.
Dowagiac River - There are still some salmon in the river but
most of the fish are gone. Steelhead fishing is slow due to high water
and falling leaves. Fishing should improve greatly as water conditions
improve.
Grand Haven - A few steelhead have been caught on spawn from
both piers. Menominee are still being taken.
Grand River at Grand Rapids - Lots of steelhead action in the
river. A few brown trout were also caught. Steelhead are hitting on
choker bags, jigs tipped with wax worms, hot-n-tots, thundersticks and
glow-in-the-dark wobble glows with pink dots. When the water is clear,
try size 8 to 10 hooks with 6 to 8 pound fluorocarbon. Walleye are being
taken on the east side of the river with walleye minnows.
Glow-in-the-dark or white and pink bucktail jigs are also being used.
Good crappie and bluegill fishing in the early morning at Riverside
Park. Bluegills are hitting worms fished on the bottom near the sunken
island. Anglers are reminded that the drop-shot fishing method may not
be used on any river or stream. At Millenium Park, large bass are being
taken on big shiners and crappies are hitting on fathead minnows and
shiners.
Cranberry Lake - Large numbers of 9 to 12 inch bluegills are
being caught on wax worms and leaf worms.
Reeds Lake - Large crappie are being taken on shiners and
fathead minnows. Anglers are also using fathead minnows, jigging 2 to 3
feet down.
Grand River at Lansing - Salmon fishing is done and the
steelhead have not made it up this far, so try for crappie and bluegill
near brush piles and bridge pilings.
Muskegon - Steelhead are still being taken off the piers on
spawn.
Muskegon River - The best spots for steelhead are from US-31
down using chartreuse spawn bags or hot-n-tots, and flatfish in orange
and gold. Walleye fishing has been slow. Reedsburg Dam up near Houghton
Lake is producing good catches of pike using minnows.
Muskegon Lake - Pike fishing is good along the weed beds.
Northeast Lower Peninsula
Rockport - The docks have been pulled and the bathrooms are
locked for the season. Salmon fishing is over for the year. A few perch
were taken off the end of the pier still-fishing 3 feet down using
minnows under Some 5 to 10 inch fish have been caught. Perch are also
being found in the lagoon area by the tribal boats. Try outside the
middle boat in the deep hole with the low weeds.
Thunder Bay River - Fishing activity has increased due to the
possible chance of hooking a steelhead up river. Anglers drift fishing
the dam using spawn or flies are having little to no luck for steelhead.
A few dark salmon are still being caught. The best spot for perch is the
bend above Jepettos using small perch minnows. Other areas for perch
include the gas dock at the marina, the river launch, Mill Island and
below the Second Street Bridge. All were using small perch minnows for
bait and most were still-fishing or fishing from the bank while using
perch rigs. The catch rate has been consistent and steady all day. A
couple whitefish were also caught as more fish should be coming up into
the river shortly.
Oscoda - A few anglers have been out targeting whitefish,
steelhead, salmon and brown trout, with only a few whitefish being
taken.
Au Sable River - Fishing has slowed with little steelhead
action in the lower stretch of river. Walleye are being taken at the
mouth of the river by casting rapalas in the evening or early morning
before daylight.
Higgins Lake - Anglers are seeking brown and rainbow trout
along the drop off.
Houghton Lake - Walleye are being taken at night in 2 to 4
feet of water floating rapalas and crankbaits, with rapalas being the
most popular.
Northwest Lower Peninsula
Petoskey - Some steelhead have been taken off the docks using
spawn sacs and single eggs. Cold, windy conditions have kept most
anglers from going out.
Bear River - Anglers are catching salmon, but most are
releasing their catch due to their poor condition.
Charlevoix - Anglers are catching salmon, but most are
releasing their catch due to their poor condition.
Lake Charlevoix - Anglers are catching perch along the
northwest shore.
Traverse City - On East Bay, anglers continue to catch a fair
number of whitefish off the Wall in 90 to 95 feet of water while
still-fishing single eggs on the bottom. On the West Bay, fair numbers
of yellow perch are being taken off the Boardman River mouth in 90 feet
of water.
Elk River - Steelhead have been taken near the dam and along
the river bank. Spawn bags produced the most consistent action while
drifting along the bottom or floating under a bobber.
Boardman River - A few steelhead and chinook have been caught
below the Union Street Dam while drifting spawn bags along the river
bottom.
Crystal Lake - Fair to good fishing for lake trout while
trolling the south end of the lake. Perch are being taken near 7th
Street.
Frankfort - Steelhead fishing from shore and the piers has
been good on both the Elberta side and Frankfort side. A few fish have
been caught casting small spoons but spawn on a slip rig seems to be
working best. Fish are hitting on chartreuse and pink spawn bags with
the catch being consistent throughout the day. Boaters trolling in
Betsie Bay have picked up some steelhead and northern pike. On the pier,
a few menominee have been caught near the elbow and out on the very end.
Most fish have been small.
Betsie River - The chinook run is over and a few steelhead are
starting to make their way into the river.
Onekama - Weather permitting, anglers trolling in 175 to185
feet of water have caught chinook, coho and a few steelhead on green,
purple, and white spoons. Steelhead were caught on spawn when fishing
off the North Pier.
Portage Lake - A few perch have been caught in front of the
channel, but things appear to be slowing down. Please be aware that
other boats may be bird hunters.
Manistee - Pier fishing and surfcasting have been good in the
last week.
Ludington - Steelhead fishing has been good surfcasting and
off the piers.
Upper Peninsula
Keweenaw Bay - Angler participation was down again in Traverse
Bay. Fishing was fair for boat anglers trolling for lake trout out from
the Gay Stacks on Buffalo Reef. Some nice lake trout and rainbow trout
are being taken in 30 to 50 feet of water with a variety of 'Township
Park. Try using 3/4 ounce jigs with sucker cut bait in 210 feet of
water.
Marquette - Fishing off the Lower Harbor breakwall has started
to improve. A few whitefish, menominee and splake have been taken but
fishing has been slow. Fair to good lake trout fishing was reported when
trolling off the end of the breakwall.
Dead River - The salmon run appears to be over.
Green Bay - In the Menominee/Marinette area, bad weather kept
most boat anglers on shore. Those that made it out reported fair walleye
catches off Henes Park. Excellent walleye fishing just off the mouth of
the Cedar River.
Menominee River - Walleye are moving up river with catches
taking place from Stephenson Island upstream to the First Dam. The best
time to fish is in early morning hours using rapalas off Hattie Street
Bridge. Fair brown trout and salmon fishing off shore drifting spawn or
yarn. Angling pressure is down due to high winds.
Little Bay De Noc - Anglers fishing walleye at night have been
doing well north of the narrows, trolling in various depths around the
Second and Third Reefs.
Big Bay De Noc - Recent high winds have kept anglers away.
Bass fishermen did well in the area just south of Garden Bluff drifting
minnows off the break 15 to 20 feet down. All fish caught were large
than 16 inches and fat. No walleye reports.
Munising - Fishing conditions have been poor most days this
past week with cold, rain and high winds. Those braving the elements
have reported slow success on coho, splake and rainbows. Most anglers
have been using spawn bags and casting spoons from shore. Very few boats
have been out. Whitefish have been slow to fair with most fish on the
small side.
St. Mary's River - A few steelhead are being taken from shore
at Rotary Park by drifting salmon spawn. Musky fishing has been
productive near Moon Island at the north end of Munuscong Bay and Fowler
Bay by trolling large musky type lures in 8 to 15 feet of water off the
edges of weed beds. Smallmouth bass fishing is good at the north end of
Neebish Island using large minnows in 14 to 21 feet of water.
De Tour - A few anglers have been out targeting musky and
northern pike on the west side of Drummond Island. The best places to
try for perch are Ashman Island, Grape Island, Yacht Haven and Scott Bay
fishing in 10 to15 feet of water using shiners or night crawlers.
Cedarville and Hessel - Catch rates have slowed dramatically
due to wind, rain and snow. The few anglers that made it out were having
limited results for perch fishing the north side of Drummond Island in 8
to 14 feet of water using minnows. The salmon run has come to a close.
The channel markers throughout the Les Cheneaux Islands have been
removed for the season. Most boats venturing out are duck hunting rather
than fishing.
Carp River - A few anglers are fishing the river mouth for
steelhead and northern pike. The catch is limited, but should pick up
soon.
St. Ignace - Fishing activity is extremely slow as both city
launches have been closed. A few anglers are targeting salmon around
Bois Blanc Island and the southwest side of Mackinaw Island.
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