8/2/2018 Upper Peninsula, Michigan Fishing Report

Upper Peninsula

Lac Vieux Desert: Walleye fishing has remained somewhat slow. Those caught were taken in the deeper holes around the lake. Bass anglers reported very good fishing with top-water lures or when casting spinners in the shallows. A couple legal size musky were caught in the deeper holes and when casting along the shallow weed beds. Bluegill, crappie, perch and sunfish were caught in 3 to 12 feet with natural or artificial baits. Be ready so sort through the small ones.    

Little Bay De Noc: A few walleye were caught here and there. Fish were found along the “Black Bottom” when trolling a crawler harness in 18 to 24 feet and near the lighthouse in Escanaba when jigging crawlers in 14 to 30 feet. Off Breezy Point, the better catches came in the early morning with a crawler harness along the break in 14 feet. Smallmouth bass catches were fair south of the Ford River and south of Hunters Point when casting crank baits or plastics around the weed lines and rocky areas in 8 to 14 feet. A few perch were taken off Gladstone Beach with crawlers in 18 to 25 feet. A couple salmon were caught 80 feet down in 105 feet near the Ford River Can.  

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Big Bay De Noc: Smallmouth anglers reported excellent catch rates off Nahma either 2 miles out to the “Rock” or off the golf course and Butlers Point. A good number of limit catches were reported. Those harvesting fish were using mostly live crawlers and leeches while those releasing were using plastics, spinners and crank baits in 6 to 15 feet. Good fishing was also reported in Puffy Bay and Garden Bay and Martins Bay in 6 to 18 feet. At Fairport, catch rates were fair with lake trout and steelhead coming 60 to 90 feet down in 105 to 170 feet. A few large Chinook were also caught.  

Marquette: Lake trout fishing picked up with most boat anglers catching fish including some limit catches. The fish seem to be suspended so cover the entire water column when trolling spoons. Chartreuse was the hot color. Most were trolling between the white rocks and Granite Island, Sand Hole and Shot Point. The occasional steelhead or brown trout were caught but very few salmon. Stannard Rock was a hot spot when the weather was good. Anglers caught a good number of fishing ranging 3-9 pounds.  

Au Train: Those fishing the east side of Au Train Island were getting a few fish for a couple hours of trolling. Some were making the 28-mile run to the Big Reef and bringing back a good number of fish.  

Munising: Boat anglers did well for lake trout along Wood Island Reef and Grand Portal when trolling along the drop-offs in 140 to 200 feet or more. The best trolling speed was about 2 mph with downriggers near the bottom or when using lead core with spoons.  Hot colors were fire-tiger, chartreuse and orange fluorescent. Coho and a few brown trout were also caught. Splake fishing was slow, and pier fishing was poor.    

Grand Marais: Limit catches of lake trout were reported near Five Mile Reef when trolling along the drop in 180 to 220 feet with assorted spoons and flies. Lake trout were reported in close to shore when trolling west of Au Sable Point. A few coho and brown trout were also caught. Pier anglers had no luck.  

Detour: Anglers are catching a mixed bag of Chinook, Atlantic, pink salmon and steelhead at the Detour Lighthouse. Water temperatures were 52 degrees at 60 feet in most areas of the St. Marys River. Chinook were caught from Fry Pan Island south to the green buoy with purple and gold spoons 35 feet down in 60 to 80 feet. Atlantics were caught from the lighthouse to the first red buoy on the Drummond Island side. Anglers are reminded to be cautious of the rocks when approaching the red buoy as the water goes from 80 feet immediately to 35 feet at the buoy. Use lead core with 3-5 colors and orange spoons.  

Cedarville and Hessel: Good pike fishing was reported in Muskellunge Bay from Dollar Island to Connors Pointe when trolling or drifting creek chubs in 8 to 12 feet or a blue and chrome crank bait off the weed beds in 5 to 7 feet. Fish were caught at the west end of Snows Channel near the golf course when trolling from Buoys 18 & 19 west to the mouth of Mackinac Bay. A few walleye were caught by those drifting a small orange jig tipped with a shiner. For panfish, try 3 to 5 feet at Echo Island in Mackinac Bay.  Fishing improved around Hessel. Some perch were caught off the marina finger docks with small worms. Best fishing was 2-4 pm. In Mackinac Bay, smallmouth bass were caught on crank baits and some very nice largemouth bass were caught on blue and white crank baits or a green rubber frog near the weed beds in 3 to 6 feet. The occasional splake was caught on the west side of Marquette Island at Coates Point when trolling a small blue and white crank bait just off the bottom in 15 to 20 feet.