Upper Peninsula – Rain and cooler temperatures should help jump start the salmon runs. Anglers are reminded that the season to take snapping turtles and softshell turtles will close on Tuesday, September 15.
Keweenaw Bay: Salmon anglers had a slow week. Those heading out did pick up a few lake trout when trolling near Pequaming and those jigging off the Township Park in 180 to 240 feet. Boat anglers are still finding baitfish with bigger fish mixed in but they would not hit. The South Portage Entry had a few more anglers jigging in 150 to 280 feet off Newton’s Reef and Farmers Reef or the south end of Big Reef in 260 feet for lake trout. In Traverse Bay, those jigging in 240 to 260 feet off Big Louie’s Point had some good catches of lake trout. Anglers also fished Hermits Cove, Gay Point, 6 and 7-Mile Reefs, or straight out from the Big Traverse Bay Pier when trolling in 100 to 150 feet. A mix of lake trout, coho and steelhead were taken north or south of the pier in 30 to 60 feet.
Menominee River: Fishing improved with the recent rain. Shore anglers caught perch, walleye, panfish, catfish, smallmouth bass and freshwater drum. Live bait on the bottom worked best. Boat anglers fishing off the mouth caught a few trout and salmon about 40 feet down in 60 feet with J-plugs.
Little Bay De Noc: Walleye anglers reported better catches in the northern Bay as some of the larger fish have migrated in. Catch rates were fair for those trolling stick baits in the late evening in 10 to 14 feet between the Second and Third Reefs or day anglers drifting and trolling crawler harnesses in 22 to 35 feet between the “Narrows” and the Center Reef. Fair to good catches south near Round Island when trolling stick baits in 12 to 25 feet. Several good perch catches were reported in the Kipling area when using minnows in and around 10 feet. A couple brown trout were caught off the mouth of the Escanaba Yacht Harbor when casting rapalas. Northern pike anglers reported slower catch rates but fish were still taken out from Brach’s Cabins in 10 to 12 feet, the Gladstone coal pile in eight to 14 feet and the mouth of the rivers. Bass anglers caught fish on plastics in 12 to 18 feet south of the Ford River.
Big Bay De Noc: The better smallmouth action was in the shallows off Garden Bluff. Anglers used slip bobbers with crawlers or plastics in four to eight feet. Perch anglers marked fish off the mouth of Garden Bay but only a few catches were reported.
Munising: Boat anglers were light this past week with no luck for coho. Surface water temperatures were in the low 60’s and will stay that way until winds turn from the north. The salmon were suspended in deep water and were not hitting. Shore anglers fishing the Anna River dock had little success. Catch rates were slow out near Big Reef with only a few lake trout taken.
Grand Marais: Anglers were mainly targeting lake trout. The better action was straight out about four miles with spoons 180 to 220 feet down. Lake trout averaged 3 pounds. Most anglers are waiting for winds out of the north to bring in cooler water.
DeTour: Pink salmon and lake trout were caught in and around the Detour Lighthouse when trolling flashers and sliders 55 to 60 down in 80 feet. A few coho were caught 55 to 60 feet down in over 90 feet between the green buoy and the lighthouse. The occasional Atlantic was caught when trolling the 80 foot flat straight south of the lighthouse about two miles. Use sliders 60 feet down in over 80 feet of water. The fish seem to favor three to four inch spoons in chartreuse and white.
Drummond Island: Perch anglers had very little success. Most were targeting 12 to 14 feet around Ashman Island. Anglers might want to try the weed beds in five to six feet. Walleye fishing was fair for those trolling from Paw Pointe to Peck Island with planer boards and stick baits in the early morning or late evening. Good smallmouth action around Bruce Point when jigging brown or dark green tube jigs in five to seven feet on the downwind side of the rock piles. Northern pike were caught just off the weed beds at the DNR boat launch in Maxton Bay when trolling black and yellow bucktail spinners in four to six feet in the early morning, late afternoon or evening. Good rock bass fishing off the old dock pilings on the west side of the parking lot. Try small spinners with white twister tails and worms.
Cedarville & Hessel: Still had good pike fishing around the Les Cheneaux Islands. Anglers are casting, trolling or still-fishing with chubs. The Hessel Marina is also good for pike. Perch fishing in the Moscoe Channel has slowed but was good on the east end of Cedarville Bay and Conner’s Point in Musky Bay. Large and smallmouth bass fishing was good from Cedarville to Hessel. Good lake trout action in the deeper waters off Hessel. Salmon fishing was slow.
St. Ignace: Angling pressure was low. Some are fishing the Carp River from the mouth to Mackinac Trail. Catch rates were slow during the mid-day so try crawlers and lures early morning or late evening.
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