Lansing, Michigan – October 16, 2105 – The combined possession limit for largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, walleye and flathead catfish which limited the daily possession limit to five fish has been removed effective immediately. Anglers are now be able to possess up to five (5) bass (largemouth and smallmouth combined), up to five (5) walleye, up to five (5) flathead catfish, and up to two (2) northern pike in their daily possession limit. These species will no longer be managed under a combined possession limit and now will be managed under separate possession limits resulting in more fish for anglers to keep in a day’s fishing.
Northeast Lower Peninsula
Cheboygan River: Had salmon but catch rates were still generally slow.
Ocqueoc River: Salmon continue to be caught but the numbers are still low.
Rogers City: Had just a couple anglers as most have put their boats away. Those heading out reported plenty of baitfish but few predator fish. Lake trout season is closed but they did manage to catch a couple steelhead, Atlantic salmon or some younger Chinook salmon. Try the top 40 feet of waters 50 to 120 feet deep.
Alpena: Windy conditions have made it difficult for late season anglers. There should be steelhead, walleye and Atlantic salmon available. Try North Shore or out in front of the marina. Go with body baits for walleye and spoons up high for trout and salmon.
Thunder Bay River: Had a few Chinook salmon but many were in rough shape. Most were caught very late at night when casting spoons or body baits. Anglers are now waiting for colder weather and the steelhead to show up.
Harrisville: Had slow fishing in and around the harbor. Anglers targeting salmon, steelhead and walleye had limited success. Those fishing inside the harbor were floating spawn or casting spoons and body baits. Most fish were caught late evening on anything that glows. As the water cools, look for steelhead to start making their way into the harbor and heading to the entrance of Mill Creek.
Oscoda: Most anglers are pier fishing for trout and salmon however there are very few fish in the area. Look for steelhead to start making their way in as the water begins to cool.
Au Sable River: Only a few salmon were caught up near Foote Dam. Most anglers are using glow spoons and body baits in the early morning or very late at night.
Houghton Lake: Anglers caught walleye and panfish while drifting leeches and crawlers.
Lake St. Helen: Panfish were caught near the weed beds in deeper water.
Tawas: Pier anglers are catching a few small perch and some walleye were taken in the evening by those casting lures. Near the old dock by the State Police Post, anglers were casting lead head jigs and lures for walleye.
Tawas River: Anglers are getting a few Chinook salmon near the mouth.
Au Gres: When they can get out, boat anglers had some nice catches of perch off Pt. Lookout and Pt. Au Gres in 35 feet. Some reported good smallmouth bass fishing. Try out near the Charity Islands.
Au Gres River: Those fishing the East Branch were surfcasting for steelhead near the Singing Bridge. Some are floating spawn.
Northwest Lower Peninsula
Petoskey: Anglers are still salmon fishing from the end of the piers and docks in the early morning and late evening. Anglers were fishing the “Bobber Hole” at the mouth of the river. Though the fish did not bite, they were rolling and jumping in the area.
Bear River: Anglers did catch a few Chinook, coho, lake trout and steelhead. Most were using spawn bags but artificial eggs and flies also caught fish.
Charlevoix: Had no boats going out. A few anglers wading for salmon near the cement plant did catch the occasional Chinook in the early morning. Anglers typically cast spoons and crank baits or float spawn under a bobber. Pier anglers fishing the channel did find some nice smallmouth bass but they were putting in their time.
Elk River: Fishing was slow with only the occasional brown trout or salmon caught on spawn.
Traverse City: The East Bay had good cisco fishing for those trolling or jigging small spoons 90 feet down. A few smallmouth bass were caught. In the West Bay, boats have not been out. Some perch were caught on live bait but most were throw backs.
Boardman River: Fishing was still slow near downtown Traverse City but anglers did find the occasional Chinook willing to bite on large chunks of skein from the closure to the mouth. Chinook were also caught on flies behind the Traverse City Record Eagle and below the Union Street Bridge. A few lake trout were caught on flies at the mouth.
Frankfort: A couple steelhead were caught off the north pier when using fresh spawn.
Betsie River: Late run Chinook were being caught on spawn at the mouth. Some fish are still making their way up and several were in the closed waters above Thompsonville.
Portage Lake: Bass and panfish were hitting in 12 to 18 feet. The lake is beginning to cool down and fish numbers are picking up.
Manistee River: Salmon are finally making an appearance in most of the major tributaries in Manistee County and Mason County, as well as portions extending into Lake County. Fish were seen and caught at Tippy Dam, near the mouth of the Pine and below High Bridge.
Hamlin Lake: Beginning October 26, 2015 Ludington State Park in Mason County will begin the annual process of lowering Hamlin Lake to its winter water level. The lake lowering is expected to take four to eight weeks depending on precipitation during that time period.
Pere Marquette River: Had a push of fresh king salmon. Anglers are fly fishing, drifting spawn or casting small spoons and crank baits. The rain and much cooler temperatures finally have the fish moving. Fish were on the gravel.
Pentwater: Pier anglers were beginning to catch a couple steelhead or brown trout when using spawn or silver spoons and body baits. Those fishing the channel caught a couple walleye and catfish on rapalas.
Pentwater River: Those salmon fishing caught dark fish however some did report a fresh run of chrome fish in the river.
Upper Peninsula
Copper Harbor: Splake fishing has been very slow with the occasional sub-legal fish here and there and few keepers. The fall colors were at their peak.
Menominee River: A recent survey of the river did show a few Chinook salmon along with some pink salmon, brown trout, steelhead, walleye and smallmouth bass but catch rates were low.
Little Bay De Noc: Attention Anglers: The zone where only one walleye greater than 23 inches may be retained in the daily possession limit has been expanded south from the Ford River to the Bark River. Therefore effective immediately, no more than one walleye over 23 inches may be possessed in the daily limit north of a line drawn from Peninsula Point Lighthouse to the mouth of the Bark River. Walleye anglers reported few catches even in the southern waters. Some fish were caught around the “Black Bottom” when using stick baits or crawler harnesses in 20 to 30 feet from the “Narrows” to Gladstone Beach in 14 to 28 feet. Perch anglers reported good catches when they could find them. Most were fishing near the Day’s River with minnows in ten to 25 feet. Good pike action at Kipling, the Day’s River, Gladstone Beach, “Black Bottom”, Escanaba ship docks and the Escanaba Yacht Harbor when using spinners, crank baits and spoons in eight to 22 feet. Smallmouth bass anglers reported fair catches off Hunters Point with plastics in ten to 20 feet.
Big Bay De Noc: Has smallmouth bass fishing. Strong winds have kept many from fishing the Garden Bluff area, out by Snake Island and Snail Shell Harbor. Catch rates were good at times but a good number of fish were undersize. Anglers are using minnows or plastics 15 to 35 feet down along the break. A handful of perch anglers reported a few catches off Garden Bluff when using minnows in and around 40 feet.
Manistique River: Has a few Chinook salmon here and there.
Marquette: Many anglers had luck catching coho in the Chocolay River. They were using spinners from the step hole and the platform off M-28. The mouth of the Carp River is also good fishing spot for coho and steelhead. Anglers are using spawn bags or casting spinners out from the rocks. Fishing was slow on the Dead River.
Au Train Lake: Had slow walleye fishing but anglers were still out using crank baits and artificial minnows along the West Bay. There was some good perch fishing along the south end of the West Bay. Anglers were drifting or jigging with live bait. A good number of pike are still being caught on artificial baits along the north end. Construction at the boat launch area will start on October 19 until the first week of November, 2015.
Munising: Had few anglers and few reports. A couple splake and coho were reported by shore anglers casting spoons. Construction on the Anna River dock has been completed.
Grand Marais: Had no report as few boat and shore anglers were out.
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