Lansing, Michigan – October 2, 2015 – It looks like the weather has finally turned the corner and has moved into fall mode. Those targeting the rivers should find some fresh salmon after the much needed rain and cooler temperatures. Pier anglers and those surf-casting should also find some fish. Inland, cooler water temperatures will bring bass back into the shallows.
Northeast Lower Peninsula
Cheboygan River: Salmon activity was slow but a few more fish were starting to show up at the dam.
Ocqueoc River: Anglers were starting to catch salmon.
Rogers City: With lake trout season closing on September 30, angling activity slowed. A major shift in water temperature had surface waters in the upper 40’s so anglers were fishing high in the water column. Steelhead, walleye and younger salmon were reported. Try 60 to 90 feet with spoons and J-plugs in green, blue, orange or anything that glows early and late near Adams Point or between the State Park and Forty Mile Point. A couple salmon were caught in the bay near the mouth when trolling or casting bombers.
lpena: Anglers caught a mixed bag of Atlantic, Chinook, steelhead and walleye straight out in 35 to 60 feet. Good colors were green, orange, blue, silver or glow early and late. Thunder Bay Island may be a good spot to target.
Thunder Bay River: A couple salmon were caught recently. More fish should be showing up now that cooler weather is here.
Harrisville: Fishing was slow with only a few salmon coming into the harbor. Water temperatures were near 65 degrees but as they cool more fish will start marking their way into the harbor. Those able to make it out were marking a lot of fish especially in 40 to 50 feet. Try floating spawn, trolling spoons or casting body baits.
Oscoda: A few salmon were caught. There were no reports of any steelhead in the area. Rough conditions have kept most anglers in the river but those able to get out were marking a lot of fish straight out in 12 to 40 feet.
Higgins Lake: Smallmouth bass and rock bass were caught near structure.
Houghton Lake: Was producing a few walleye and panfish for those drifting leeches and crawlers.
Lake St. Helen: Panfish were caught near the weed beds.
Tawas: A couple boats trolling for walleye off Jerry’s Marina and out near Buoy #2 were still getting one or two fish. Pier fishing was slow.
Tawas River: Anglers fishing from about 4 a.m. until dawn were doing battle with some Chinook salmon and occasionally landing one. There are definitely fish in the river but they’re hard to land in the close confines.
Au Gres: One boat trolling near Big Charity Island caught a few walleye. The spot for perch was just north of White’s Beach at Eagle Bay Marina. Several good catches were landed in 15 to 24 feet off the Saganing Bar and the Pinconning Bar. One fish measured 14 inches but most were nine to 12 inches.
Northwest Lower Peninsula
Petoskey: Boat anglers targeting salmon were off to a slow start but some did catch a few Cisco. Pier anglers managed to catch a few Chinook and coho when using spoons and crank baits in the early morning.
Bear River: Anglers are waiting for cooler temperatures and rain to bring more salmon into the river. A few smaller steelhead were caught at the dam and downstream. Spawn bags were the ticket. The season to take brook trout, brown trout and Atlantic salmon closed on September 30.
Charlevoix: Anglers had a hard time finding salmon but they did pick up a few Cisco when trolling. A couple salmon were caught inside the breakwall at the cement plant when casting or jigging. Cisco were caught 70 to 115 feet down in 140 to 200 feet with spoons or spin-n-glows. Salmon anglers were wading out and casting spawn or stick baits into the slip. A reminder that the Medusa Creek weir is in operation and the creek is closed to fishing within 100 feet of the mouth. Some nice smallmouth bass were caught around the Pine River Channel. Try worms, leeches or soft plastics on the bottom.
Boyne River: Had rumors of salmon caught at the dam and down near the mouth.
Platte River: Had a good push of fish after the rain and cooler temperatures.
Frankfort: Those trolling in the top 50 feet of waters 200 to 250 feet deep did catch some steelhead, coho and Chinook on smaller spoons and J-plugs.
Betsie River: Fresh Chinook salmon are entering the river and the numbers should improve after the rain. Chinook and coho are moving throughout the area but this year’s numbers are down.
Onekama: Those trolling out to 200 feet around the “Barrel” picked up a couple steelhead and lake trout.
Portage Lake: Anglers caught largemouth but they were working hard to get them.
Manistee: A few fish were picked up 60 to 90 feet down in 150 feet along the “Shelf”. Those heading out to waters 300 to 400 feet deep caught a mixed bag of younger salmon, coho and steelhead. Spoons and J-plugs worked well.
Manistee River: The better salmon fishing has been in the early morning. Some of the fish were still in good shape but some were dark.
Ludington: A couple decent catches were reported off Big Sable Point when fishing 80 to 90 feet down in 150 feet. Anglers are hoping the rain, cooler temperatures and north winds will get some fish moving again.
Pere Marquette River: Is producing salmon. Look for fresh fish coming into the river this week. Anglers are casting crank baits and small spoons or drifting spawn under a bobber. The better fishing has been early morning or evening.
Pentwater: Had fish stacked up in 60 to 120 feet but the bite was slow. Those trolling in 190 to 200 feet caught Chinook salmon about 80 feet down. Coho and steelhead were also caught.
Upper Peninsula
Lake Gogebic: The walleye and pike fishing are starting to pick up again. Anglers are finding more legal size walleye and some nice pike on the northern half of the lake. Those doing best were using slip bobbers with live bait. Good smallmouth action throughout the lake. Yellow perch fishing was still slow but a few were found on the north end. Those targeting walleye and perch have caught some nice black crappie.
Keweenaw Bay: Salmon anglers had another slow week. Those that did get out picked up a few coho and lake trout. Anglers are seeing a lot of fish in 70 to 80 feet on their electronics but the bite was slow. Most are trolling north to Old Mission. Those fishing the South Portage Entry caught a few coho and lake trout when trolling in 40 to 70 feet near the lighthouse. In Traverse Bay, those jigging in 240 to 260 feet off Big Louie’s Point had some good catches of lake trout. Of those trolling some did well while others did poorly near Hermits Cove, Gay Point, Big Louie’s Point, straight off Big Traverse Bay Pier and near 6 and 7 Mile Reefs in 100 to 150 feet. Anglers trolling north or south of Big Traverse Bay picked up a mix of lake trout, steelhead and coho in 30 to 60 feet.
Lake Antoine: Anglers were taking a mixed catch of walleye, bass, pike and bluegills.
Menominee River: Is producing walleye, smallmouth bass and catfish. A few Chinook and brown trout were caught near the mouth but the action upstream was still slow.
Little Bay De Noc: Walleye anglers reported fair catches near the “Black Bottom” when trolling or drifting crawler harnesses in 18 to 26 feet. Fewer catches were reported at the “Narrows” and Kilping when trolling stick baits in 14 to 38 feet and down near Round Island in 10 to 27 feet. Perch anglers reported spotty catches in the northern Bay but good catches between the Day’s River and Brach’s Cabins when using minnows in 10 to 17 feet. Fair to good pike action when trolling or casting crank baits near Kipling or spoons between Butler Island and the power plant at Gladstone in eight to 20 feet. Pike were caught near the Day’s River, the ship docks in Escanaba and in the Escanaba Yacht Harbor when casting spoons, spinners or crank baits. A few salmon have been spotted in the Escanaba River but no catches reported. The Ford River will be hard to access this year because of the high water levels and heavy vegetation growth near the mouth.
Big Bay De Noc: Had walleye anglers but no catches were reported. Fish were marked in 20 feet near Round Island but no catches. Most of the anglers were targeting smallmouth but catch rates were down from previous years. Water temperatures are warmer and the bass seem to be in limbo from the fall migration. Reports were mixed with some doing better in the shallows around Puffy Bay and Kate’s Bay and others finding them on the break around Snake Island about 15 to 20 feet down. Many start using minnows with slip bobbers this time of the year but those fishing shallow reported pumpkin colored salamanders working well. A few perch were reported in Garden Bay using minnows in eight to 14 feet but anglers say the better fishing is yet to come.
Marquette: Had good lake trout fishing near the White Rocks and Partridge Island. Pink salmon are running in the Dead River and most anglers are using spinners near the dam. Anglers are still waiting for a run in the Chocolay and Carp River. A few coho were harvested in the Chocolay River but fishing was still slow.
Au Train Lake: Is producing pike near the boat launch on the south end just east of Buck Bay. Perch were caught in four to 10 feet in the “walleye hole” along the northwest shoreline. A good number of walleye were also caught but many were undersize.
Munising: The past week improved slightly for coho salmon with a few boats getting two or three fish. A few coho caught in the Bay were five to six pounds. Some were trolling in 70 feet or less in front of the Anna River but shore anglers using spawn only caught small splake. Construction on the Anna River dock continues and should be completed in a few weeks. Lake trout anglers did well in Trout Bay, near White Rock and the flats near Au Train Island when using high-lines in 130 to 150 feet. Surface water temperatures were 60 to 62 degrees. Murray Bay produced a couple nice smallmouth bass.
Grand Marais: Boat anglers and those shore fishing on the Sucker River had no reports or coho caught. Anglers tried Cleo’s, spoons and spawn but had no hits. Night anglers fishing off the pier, the harbor area and shore fishing on the Sucker River had no luck. Lake trout anglers did well about four miles out in 150 feet. A few limit catches of fish averaging three pounds were reported.
Manistique River: Had a lot of anglers but the majority of fish had not made it here yet. With the cooler temperatures, fishing should pick up in the next few weeks.
DeTour: A few yellow perch were caught off the old dock pilings on the north side of the DNR Harbor Marina in 12 to 14 feet when using small worms and shiner minnows. A few coho were caught by those trolling a four-inch gold and white hammered spoon from the red buoy on the southwest side of Drummond Island to the DeTour Lighthouse. Try 55 feet down in waters over 90 feet deep.
Drummond Island: Yellow perch fishing improved and fish eight to 10.5 inches were caught on the northeast side of Ashman Island. Recommended baits were spreaders with pink, red or gold beads tipped with shiner minnows in 12 to 15 feet. Harbor Island was producing a few perch off the weed beds in four to five feet in the early afternoon hours. Walleye fishing was fair for those trolling planer boards between Paw Point and Peck Island in five to six feet in the early morning. A few fish were also caught between Rutland Island and Peck Island when using bottom bouncers and crawler harnesses in eight to 12 feet. Some pike were taken in Maxton Bay when trolling chrome spoons with a red eye and black bucktail spinners with yellow spots off the weed beds in four to six feet.
Cedarville & Hessel: Had good pike fishing all through the islands, especially Muskie Bay from Middle Entrance to Duck Bay when still-fishing with chubs. Perch fishing picked up in Muskie Bay for those drifting worms or crawlers. Pumpkinseed sunfish were also caught. Don’t neglect Snows Channel or Viking Channel as both can be quite productive. Splake season closed on September 30.
Carp River: Had some activity on pink, Chinook and coho salmon at the mouth and at the rapids. Pink and Chinook salmon were reported in Nunn’s Creek. Fishing pressure was slow but should pick up soon.
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