Michigan DNR – Weekly Fishing Report for Week Starting September 1st
Upper Peninsula
Lake Gogebic: Anglers had moderate success with walleye and perch picked up sporadically by those using live bait with a slip bobber over the weed beds in 8 to 12 feet. Those trolling crawler harnesses and crank baits in deeper water caught more fish. A couple legal size pike were caught right along with many sub-legals. Some nice panfish and the odd walleye were caught on the north end with live bait. Smallmouth bass can be found along the rocky areas and off the points. Some nice rock bass 10 to 12 inches were caught along the south end.
Menominee River: Walleye, catfish, freshwater drum and smallmouth bass were caught from the Hattie Street Dam to the mouth by those trolling and shore anglers. Crank baits, plastics and live bait worked well. No salmon to report.
Little Bay De Noc: Walleye anglers reported spotty catches of legal fish in the northern part of the Bay. The better catches were reported in the “Black Bottom” area when trolling a crawler harness but the best walleye catches were coming from Green Bay waters when using stick baits or crawlers in 10 to 18 feet near Round Island which is about 2 miles south of the Ford River. A good number of smallmouth bass were reported in the same area. Good walleye catches were reported out near Seagull Point when trolling crank baits in 20 to 25 feet. No limit catches but all the boats interviewed had fish. Perch fishing was fair near the Day’s River in 16 to 18 feet, mouth of the Whitefish River in 6 to 8 feet, near Butler Island in 14 feet, the “Narrows” in 20 to 30 feet and near the mouth of the Escanaba River in 25 feet. Most were using crawlers. Northern pike were very active with excellent catches taken in the south end of the “Black Bottom” by walleye anglers trolling crank baits or crawlers in 16 to 25 feet. Salmon have started to enter some of the rivers but the Escanaba River will be tough to access this year because of construction on the US-41 Bridge.
Manistique: Almost all the fishing action has been in the river this week. A fairly good number of salmon have reached the dam and are being caught daily by shore anglers. Brown trout and steelhead were also caught. Many are using black flies with long leaders or jointed rapalas. The dams are open and flowing fast. The “Big Bass Hole” about a ¼ mile south of the dam gates produced fair to good catches of walleye, smallmouth bass and a few brown trout. Those targeting walleye used a jig and crawler, beetle spins, rapalas or spawn. Boat anglers caught salmon when trolling mega lips or rapalas. From the “Big Bass Hole” to the dam is shore fishing only.
Marquette: Limits or near limits of lake trout were caught between the white rocks and little Presque Isle. The occasional coho was caught near the white rocks. Those fishing near Granite Island had mixed results and the fishing at Shot Point has slowed. No salmon were caught in the rivers yet.
Au Train: Lake trout fishing was best within 3 miles of Au Train Island however no big numbers were caught. There were no reports of salmon in the rivers.
Munising: The weather was not favorable but a few boat anglers that managed to get out did catch some quality size lake trout near Wood Island and Reef and off Big Reef. The coho bite was slow and there was no splake action at the Anna River dock.
Grand Marais: When the winds were favorable for fishing, a few boat anglers did well for coho. Lake trout anglers continue to do well with limit catches reported near Au Sable Point and straight out near the shipping lanes. No activity for pier anglers or shore anglers.
Tahquamenon River: Overall fishing was slow. There were no reports of muskie or pike caught. Those fishing the Dollarville Dam and pier managed to catch small rock bass, bluegills, pumpkinseed and the odd bass with wax worms and crawlers. A couple boat anglers managed to catch some perch on a worm. The East Branch had very good brook trout fishing.
St. Marys River: In the upper river near Sault Ste. Marine, Atlantic salmon along with a couple pink salmon were picked up behind the Cloverland Power Plant. Yellow perch fishing was steady in the early morning and just before dark in the North Channel with minnows or crawlers on the bottom in 25 feet. Walleye fishing was a bit better in the shipping channel in 30 to 32 feet with a green or motor oil crawler harness and bottom bouncer between the 3-Mile and the 7-Mile Buoys. Smallmouth bass were caught on the rocks when casting tube baits or drop shotting. No walleye but pike were caught on the north end of Lake George. In the lower river, very few walleye were caught. Those lucky enough to get fish did so in Canadian waters with deep diving stick baits in 14 to 16 feet along the weed beds. Small pike were caught by those trolling for walleye off the Raber piers.
Detour: When boats can get out to the Detour Reef, they caught lake trout, pink salmon, a few small Chinook and a couple walleye. Each week the salmon are moving closer to the Detour Lighthouse. Anglers were successful trolling from Fry Pan Island and out to the green buoy with flashers and dipsey divers in 60 to 90 feet. The Chinook were in the top 60 and the pink salmon were in the top 40 feet. North of Detour Village at Swedes Pointe, a few nice walleye were caught in 8 to 12 feet in the early morning with a slip bobber and minnow off the reefs and underwater humps. Those trolling a harness and bottom bouncer with beads and blades also caught walleye.
Drummond Island: Perch fishing effort is starting however harvest numbers remain low with only 8 to 12 fish per boat. Those fishing in Potagannissing Bay were not as successful as boat anglers fishing in Canadian waters.
Cedarville and Hessel: Small yellow perch were caught throughout the Les Cheneaux Islands. For panfish, try around the docks and weed beds when floating small worms in 4 to 6 feet. Some big sunfish were caught around Echo Island which is in Mackinaw Bay. For Hessel, pike were caught straight out from the pier and on the north side of Marquette Island. Most were caught on chrome spoons or black bucktail spinners just off the weed beds in 5 to 8 feet. On the west side of Marquette Island, smallmouth bass were taken off the rock piles in 4 to 6 feet. No reports on yellow perch.
Carp River: Walleye fishing picked up with fish caught off the pier with crank baits or a jig and worm. Artificial baits seem to work better. The fish caught were 14 to 17 inches but the average was 15 inches.
Fishing Tip: Glow lures popular with Great Lakes salmon
Salmon fishing on the Great Lakes is really hitting its stride as many species are getting ready to begin their upstream migration. At the moment Lake Michigan is particularly popular for Chinook salmon with anglers trying various techniques to land this prized sportfish.
One tactic that can be particularly useful when targeting Chinooks is fishing with glow lures. This species can often be caught near the surface in low-light conditions and glow lures make that opportunity even more appealing.
In particular, glow lures work well in the early morning hours before the sun comes up or at night. Many believe this type of lure attracts salmon because it can be seen in the dark from longer distances and encourages them to strike.
Are you interested in targeting Chinook salmon this later summer/early fall? Check out their page on the Michigan Fish and How to Catch Them website.
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