Wednesday, August 19, 2026

8/19/26 Northeast Lower Peninsula, Michigan Fishing Report

 


Northeast Lower Peninsula

Alpena: Boat anglers reported limited success while trolling nightcrawlers and crankbaits in 25 to 30 feet of water. Fish were scattered from North Point to as far south as Scarecrow Island. Anglers targeting trout or salmon reported little success. A few northern pike were caught close to the pier in the weedbeds while casting large spinnerbaits and jerkbaits.

Thunder Bay River: Walleye fishing was reported as very slow. Smallmouth bass were caught while casting spinners and smaller spinnerbaits. Northern pike were also caught throughout the river on spinners, crankbaits, and spinnerbaits. Catfish were found in good numbers throughout the river while using cut bait and nightcrawlers fished on the bottom.

Rockport: Anglers found walleye from Stoneport to South Nine-Mile Point. Both crankbaits and nightcrawlers found success while trolling in 20 to 50 feet of water. Lake trout were plentiful in 80 to 140 feet of water straight out of the harbor. Dodgers and Spin-


N-Glos, as well as spoons, worked well when fished close to the bottom. Anglers also reported a few Chinook salmon, coho salmon, and steelhead in the same waters. Spoons in green, watermelon, orange, and chartreuse saw on-and-off success when fished in the middle of the water column.

Cheboygan: When trolling spoons in 100 to 200 feet of water, lake trout were caught at Raynolds Reef, Spectacle Reef, and the northeast points of Bois Blanc Island. Chinook salmon were caught with spoons, meat rigs, and flasher-fly combinations in those same areas. Salmon were reported staging at the mouth of the Cheboygan River.

From the State Street drawbridge to the Cheboygan Dam spillway, smallmouth bass and rock bass were caught while drifting nightcrawlers. Other effective baits included spinnerbaits and swimbaits.

Oscoda/Au Sable: Anglers targeting lake trout reported decent fishing on the humps in 115 to 150 feet of water while trolling spoons and Spin-N-Glos in the bottom 30 feet of the water column. Walleye were scattered from 60 to 150 feet of water, with anglers targeting the top 30 to 40 feet of the water column. Anglers caught walleye on smaller spoons while trolling at slower speeds. A few steelhead were taken by anglers trolling spoons.

Anglers fishing off the pier and catwalk did well on channel catfish while using nightcrawlers and pyramid weights. A few nice smallmouth bass were caught by anglers casting tubes.

Harrisville: Lake trout fishing was good for anglers heading out to the reef. Spoons and Spin-N-Glos took fish. A few steelhead were taken on 3- to 7-color leadcore while trolling spoons, with orange working well. Good numbers of walleye were scattered from 60 to 150 feet of water. Anglers caught walleye 20 to 40 feet down while using smaller spoons and trolling at slower speeds. Northern pike were caught in the harbor by anglers casting spinners and spoons.

Rogers City: Salmon fishing improved, though water temperatures remained very warm. Adult Chinook salmon were caught, though the bite was not aggressive and was limited to short windows early in the morning and late in the evening. Meat rigs performed best in the warmer water, with productive depths ranging from 40 to 90 feet down throughout the water column. Anglers used an assortment of bait, including spoons, J-Plugs, meat rigs, and attractors paired with flies or squids. Effective colors included greens, blues, whites, UV, and glow patterns during low-light hours. Where cooler water or a thermocline was present, lake trout, steelhead, and juvenile salmon were also caught. Walleye were caught incidentally when trolling for salmon and trout; anglers targeting walleye found success in the top 30 feet of the water column using deep-diving crankbaits or nightcrawler harnesses.

Presque Isle: Fishing for silver fish remained slow, but lake trout were caught out deep near the hump. The most productive depths were 120+ feet down and near the bottom using spoons or attractors paired with Spin-N-Glos or Spin-N-Glo flies. Walleye anglers did well in the evening and after dark while trolling body baits or nightcrawler harnesses, with the best action found in 30 to 65 feet of water when fishing the top 35 feet of the water column.

Below are links to bait shop listings organized by county:


Your area may not be listed within this fishing report so below is a list of links to pages in Northeast Michigan to help guide you to public lakes in your county.

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8/19/26 Southwest Lower Peninsula, Michigan DNR Fishing Report



Muskegon: Boat anglers caught fair numbers of Chinook salmon along with some coho salmon and steelhead. The best action was 50 to 100 feet down in 90 to 170 feet of water. Glow spoons and glow plugs worked well. Boat anglers targeted 90 to 120 feet of water range at first light. Early morning was more productive than the evening. Pier anglers caught a few freshwater drum, with no salmon reported from the piers.

  • For a more accurate report on the Muskegon Lake & the Muskegon River I suggest reaching out to the people at Snug Harbor Outfitters. Phone: (231-719-0759)

Grand Haven: Boat anglers found decent numbers of salmon 55 to 100 feet down in 90 to 120 feet of water. Anglers venturing offshore found a mix of steelhead and coho salmon in 200 to 250 feet of water. The morning bite was very good compared to the evening bite. Glow plugs worked well in low-light conditions. Pier anglers caught a few bass and freshwater drum on ned rigs, with no salmon reported from the piers.


For more bait shops in the southwest lower peninsula follow the links below:
Berrien County Bait Shops: Click Here!
Allegan County Bait Shops: Click Here!
Ingham County Bait Shops: Click Here!
Branch County Bait Shops: Click Here!
Barry County Bait Shops: Click Here!
Montcalm County Bait Shops: Click Here!
Kalamazoo County Bait Shops: Click Here!
Kent County Bait Shops: Click Here!

Your area may not be listed within this fishing report so below is a list of links to pages in Southwest Michigan to help guide you to public lakes in your county.

Allegan County Public Lakes: Click Here!
Barry County Public Lakes: Click Here!
Calhoun County Public Lakes: Click Here!

Cass County Public Lakes: Click Here! 
Kalamazoo County Public Lakes: Click Here!
Oceana County Public Lakes: Click Here!
Ottawa County Public Lakes: Click Here!
Van Buren County Public Lakes: Click Here!
Barry County Public Lakes: Click Here!

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8/19/2026 Southeast, Michigan Fishing Report

 


Southeast Lower Peninsula

Lake Erie: Yellow perch fishing remained slow throughout the area. Many small yellow perch were caught and released. No specific location outperformed another. Walleye were found in deeper water with slow action reported. Anglers targeting perch found a few opportunities near the mouth of the River Raisin.

  • If you're planning on fishing out of Sterling State Park or the Brest Bay area you can pick up tackle from the nice people at Jeff's Bait & Tackle

  • If you're planning on fishing any of the canals near Lake Erie Metro Park or Point Mouillee State Game Area you can get all of your bait & tackle needs met at  Bottom Line Bait & Tackle.

Eastern Saginaw Bay: Walleye continued to be caught, though limits were scarce. Boats averaged 5 to 6 fish, with some doing better. Productive locations included Callahan Reef in 14 feet of water, as well as further out in the vicinity of the Spark Plug and Buoys #1 and #2 in the shipping channel, where anglers did best trolling nightcrawler harnesses.

Ingham County: Anglers reported success targeting smallmouth bass in the Grand River.


For Bait Shops in Southeast Michigan See List Below:

Your area may not be listed within this fishing report so below is a list of links to pages in Southeast Michigan to help guide you to public lakes in your county.


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    8/19/26 Northwest Lower Peninsula, Michigan Fishing Report

     


    Northwest Lower Peninsula

    Manistee: Anglers targeting Chinook salmon reported catching them in 100 to 140 feet of water straight out and south of the port while trolling plugs, spoons, and flasher-fly combinations 60 to 80 feet down. Chinook salmon were also caught in 200 to 300 feet of water while fishing 50 to 90 feet down. A few coho salmon and steelhead were caught in the mix. Anglers fishing the piers reported slow action as warm water returned around the harbor.

    • For more public lakes to fish in Manistee County: Click Here!

    Ludington: Warm water moved back in and pushed fish deeper. Chinook salmon and coho salmon were caught out from the pumped storage project in 95 to 120 feet of water while trolling 40 to 80 feet down, and at Big Sable Point in 90 to 160 feet of water while fishing 40 to 80 feet down. Straight out and to the north, a few were caught in 55 to 70 feet of water while fishing near the bottom. Plugs, spoons, flies, and meat rigs all worked. Warm water kept action slow on the pier and in Pere Marquette Lake, though smallmouth bass were reported from the pier.

    Charlevoix: Anglers targeting salmon reported low numbers. The temperature break was reported near 55 to 70 feet down. Trolling spoons and meat rigs produced results.

    Little Traverse Bay: Anglers targeting salmon reported slow catch rates. The temperature break was between 55 and 75 feet of water. Spoons and meat rigs produced results. Fishing early in the morning before sunrise produced better results than in the evening.

    East Grand Traverse Bay: Anglers fishing out of Elk Rapids caught lake trout while trolling roughly 80 to 90 feet down in 100 to 140 feet of water. Cowbells along with white and green flasher-fly combinations worked well. Anglers heading south of the Center Road launch caught lake trout when trolling in 80 to 140 feet of water. Water temperatures throughout the bay hovered between 70 and 73 degrees. Smallmouth bass were caught in the Elk River.

    West Grand Traverse Bay: Lake trout along with a few Chinook salmon were caught by those trolling in 100 to 120 feet of water along the west bank just north of Elmwood Marina. A mix of spoons and flasher-fly combinations worked well. Anglers trolling near the Red #6 Buoy in 100 to 120 feet of water landed a few lake trout. Water temperatures hovered between 69 and 73 degrees.

    Leland: Boat anglers trolling for salmon reported great numbers of fish at North Manitou Island. Anglers reported the best action in 130 to 300 feet of water, running baits 60 to 90 feet down. Boat anglers started a northbound troll on the southeast side of the island and followed the banks, marking heavy concentrations of bait fish. Steelhead were also caught 40 to 60 feet down. Anglers working both the first and second banks harvested a few Chinook salmon while trolling. Effective presentations included green and blue spoons, along with both natural and artificial meat rigs. Water temperatures were in the mid-60s down to 70 feet of water, dropping to 45 degrees below that depth. The best fishing occurred before sunrise and just before sunset.

    Frankfort/Lake Michigan: Chinook salmon numbers were reported as very good straight out front and while trolling north. Anglers set lines 70 to 120 feet down during the early mornings and late evenings. Some anglers moved out to deeper water as water temperatures rose. Spoons remained the most popular lure choice, with the Bloody Nose pattern working best. Steelhead were also reported in the top 30 feet of the water column with orange spoons working best. Coho salmon numbers picked up for anglers who found bait pods.

    • For a list of bait and tackle shops in the Frankfort area: Click Here!

    Onekama/Lake Michigan: Anglers running straight out to 240 to 300 feet of water and setting lines in the top 120 feet reported moderate numbers of Chinook salmon and a few coho salmon in the early morning before sunrise. Ten-color leadcore setups with flasher-fly combinations and magnum glow spoons worked best.

    Martiny Chain of Lakes: Fishing for panfish was great across the chain, with multiple anglers catching limits of very large bluegill from both shore and boats. Northern pike fishing also picked up.

    Tri-Lakes: Fishing for bass and panfish was good to great. Multiple anglers reported good bass fishing after sunrise in the morning. Some limits of quality bluegill were caught, along with a few decent northern pike.

    Muskegon River: Walleye fishing was good in the late evening. Bluegill and rock bass were caught in good numbers below Rogers Dam.

    Haymarsh Area: Fishing was very good from kayaks and from shore, with multiple panfish and bass caught. Most anglers targeted the channels.

    Newaygo County: Anglers reported success for anglers targeting smallmouth bass on the Muskegon River downstream from Croton Dam. Bluegill and bass fishing was phenomenal on inland waters.

    Oceana County: Lake Michigan provided great fishing for Chinook salmon from Little Sable Point to the Silver Lake Sand Dunes. A drop in water temperature brought Chinook salmon into shallower water. Anglers began trolling in 60 feet of water before sunrise and pushed out to 180 feet of water as the day progressed. Spoons and J-Plugs were productive. Inland fishing remained slow.

    Mason County: Very few salmon entered the Pere Marquette River system. Anglers experienced


    good catches of salmon on Lake Michigan.


    Below are links to bait shop listings organized by county: 

    Your area may not be listed within this fishing report so below is a list of links to pages in Northeast Michigan to help guide you to public lakes in your county.
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    Thursday, August 13, 2026

    8/12/26 Upper Peninsula, Michigan Fishing Report

     

    Upper Peninsula

    Little Bay de Noc: Anglers targeting walleye trolled with planer boards and crawler harnesses. Some anglers reported success using crankbaits, with the best results coming at low speeds. Anglers who traveled south into Green Bay had fair success, while others who used reaction baits fished near the bottom. Yellow perch anglers reported inconsistent fishing, though some caught fish near Escanaba Harbor and the Escanaba River.

    Munising: Boat anglers trolling and jigging for lake trout around Wood and Grand Island had good success. Boat anglers trolling the bay caught a few splake. Anglers targeting splake reported a slow bite off the Anna River mouth.

    Ontonagon River: Over the past week, the river continued to see a fair-to-low amount of angling effort. Reports from anglers included catches of walleye in low numbers. Anglers reported having better luck catching fish when jigging, as opposed to trolling. Occasional catches of lake sturgeon were reported by those fishing with natural baits. Shore anglers reported catches of walleye, rock bass, and lake sturgeon in low numbers. Reports suggested that morning hours were the most productive time of day for catching these fish.

    Ontonagon/Silver City/Union Bay: Angling effort from Ontonagon was somewhat low over the past week. Effort from the Silver City and Union Bay access sites increased from previous weeks but remained lower than in Ontonagon. Reports from anglers included catches composed primarily of lake trout in fair-to-low numbers. Occasional catches of brown trout were reported at a much lower frequency. Anglers reported trolling across depths varying anywhere from 80 to 180 feet of water.

    Black River Harbor: The harbor continued to see low angling effort over the past week. Anglers reported catches of lake trout in low numbers. Reports found that anglers trolled in depths of 80 to 180 feet of water to find these fish. Shore anglers within the harbor boundaries had very little success.

    St. Ignace: Anglers who trolled spoons off St. Martin’s islands and the coast guard pier had limited success catching Chinook salmon.

    Anglers drifting leeches for walleye at the Carp and Pine rivers had mixed results.

    Grand Marais: Boat anglers continued doing well trolling and jigging for lake trout, with a few reports of coho salmon caught while trolling. Anglers fishing off the break wall had little success.

    Manistique: Anglers targeted Chinook salmon south of Manistique and near the Garden Peninsula in depths of 90 feet of water and deeper. Spoons produced fish, although anglers also reported success with flasher-flies and meat rigs. Salmon were still present. Steelhead were also caught, typically on lures fished higher in the water column.

    Marquette: Most anglers continued to troll north of White Rocks out toward Granite Rock and the Clay Banks in 120 to 160 feet of water for lake trout. They reported catching fish throughout the water column, though the larger lake trout were found in slightly deeper water near Granite Rock. A few anglers reported catching small numbers of salmon and brown trout near Little Presque Isle and the Clay Banks in roughly 60 to 100 feet of water. Few anglers ventured out to Sand River and Shot Point, as lake trout and brown trout catches declined compared to the previous week.

    Au Train: Angling effort was low in Au Train this week due to the weather, with only two anglers interviewed. They reported fishing in 120 to 160 feet of water. Lake trout were caught near the bottom, northwest of Au Train Island or by Wood Island Reef.

    Keweenaw Bay/Huron Bay: Anglers reported fair fishing over the past week, with most of the catch composed of lake trout. Anglers also reported catching a few smaller Chinook salmon, coho salmon, and rainbow trout. Trolling spoons and flasher-fly combinations produced the most results. Anglers jigging for lake trout reported a fair bite, landing fish on natural and artificial presentations across varying depths throughout the week.

    Lake Independence/Big Bay: Fishing activity was more consistent with most anglers targeting walleye and yellow perch. Anglers did best jigging in 15 to 20 feet of water using natural bait.

    Traverse Bay/Portage Entry: Anglers trolling spoons and flasher-fly combinations near structure in 60 to 100 feet of water reported fair to good numbers of lake trout. Anglers jigging for lake trout reported a fair bite when using natural and artificial bait. Most fish were caught between 100 and 140 feet of water with some anglers reporting success in waters deeper than 200 feet.

    Les Cheneaux/DeTour: Anglers in Hessel caught salmon as well as lake trout out of the west entrance. Anglers reported a few perch from the marina docks. There were reports of good numbers of smaller northern pike around the marina as well as in wilderness bay. In DeTour, anglers caught lake trout by trolling the flats. Chinook salmon and Atlantic salmon were reported caught by anglers trolling around the lighthouse in the early mornings and late afternoons.

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    8/12/2026 Northwest Lower Peninsula, Michigan DNR Fishing Report

     


    Northwest Lower Peninsula

    Manistee: Anglers targeting Chinook salmon found them in 80 to 140 feet of water, straight out and south of the port, while trolling plugs, spoons, and flasher-fly combos 50 to 60 feet down. Chinook salmon were also caught in 170 to 220 feet of water while fishing 50 to 80 feet down, with a few coho salmon and steelhead in the mix. Anglers fishing the piers caught largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, walleye, and a couple of Chinook salmon while casting spoons and lures. Early mornings and late evenings produced the best bite, with glow, green, and blue colors working best.

    • For more public lakes to fish in Manistee County: Click Here!

    Ludington: Chinook salmon were caught out from the projects in 80 to 110 feet of water while trolling 40 to 60 feet down, as well as at Big Sable Point in 70 to 180 feet of water while fishing the top 60 feet with plugs, spoons, flasher-fly combos, and meat rigs. Warm water slowed action on the pier and in Pere Marquette Lake. Green and glow colors worked well.

    Charlevoix: Boat anglers targeting salmon found slow but steady success trolling in 90 to 140 feet of water. Running lines at the temperature break, roughly 65 to 85 feet down, produced the best results. Anglers used blue, green, and silver spoons, flasher-flies, and the occasional meat rig. Smallmouth bass fishing on the pier produced several small, undersized fish.

    Little Traverse Bay: Anglers targeting salmon found most catches on the Petoskey side of the bay. Targeting fish at the temperature break, roughly 65 to 85 feet down, produced slow but steady results. Occasional lake trout were also caught.

    East Grand Traverse Bay: Anglers fishing out of Elk Rapids caught lake trout while trolling roughly 80 feet down in 100 to 120 feet of water. A few Chinook salmon were also reported, though the salmon bite remained inconsistent. White and green flasher-fly combinations worked well. Anglers trolling around Old Mission also caught lake trout in 70 to 130 feet of water. Anglers heading south of the Center Road launch caught good numbers of lake trout when trolling in 80 to 140 feet of water. Water temperatures throughout the bay hovered between 70 and 73 degrees. Smallmouth bass were caught in the Elk River.

    West Grand Traverse Bay: Lake trout were caught by anglers trolling in 100 to 140 feet of water along the west bank just north of Elmwood Marina, with a few Chinook salmon also in the mix. A combination of spoons and flasher-fly setups worked well. Smallmouth bass fishing slowed, but those fishing along the breaks in 20 to 40 feet of water landed some quality-sized fish. Water temperatures hovered between 69 and 73 degrees.

    Leland: Boat anglers trolling for salmon reported excellent numbers of fish caught at North Manitou Island. Anglers reported the best water being 130 to 300 feet of water 60 to 90 feet down. Boat anglers who reached the island reported starting a north troll on the southeast side and following the banks. Anglers reported marking tons of bait fish while catching steelhead 40 to 60 feet down. Anglers fishing both the first and second banks reported harvesting a few Chinook salmon while trolling. Effective bait included green and blue spoons, as well as natural and artificial meat rigs. Water temperatures were in the mid-60s down to 70 feet, where temperatures then dropped to 45 degrees. The best times for fishing were before sunrise and right before sunset.

    Frankfort/Lake Michigan: The Chinook salmon bite was in full swing, with several anglers reporting limits during the early morning bite before sunup and very good catches during the evening. Anglers set lines in 120 to 200 feet of water and worked the temperature break 50 to 70 feet down. “Bloody nose” colored spoons and plugs produced very good numbers of fish. Coho salmon moved into the area, resulting in more knockoffs. Steelhead hit well in the top 30 feet of water on orange spoons. Anglers jigging reported low catch numbers, though Chinook salmon were reported in the Betsie River.

    • For a list of bait and tackle shops in the Frankfort area: Click Here!

    Onekama/Lake Michigan: The early morning bite in front of the golf course and working the Barrel after sunrise worked well for anglers targeting Chinook salmon. For evening fishing, anglers headed straight out to 180 to 220 feet of water, trolling north as they set lines working the top 100 feet of water.

    Northport/Suttons Bay: Anglers reported targeting lake trout by jigging and trolling near Stony Point, Omena Bay, and the areas surrounding Northport. Jigging with small white and gold spoons worked the best. Pier anglers caught small rock bass.

    Below are links to bait shop listings organized by county: 

    Your area may not be listed within this fishing report so below is a list of links to pages in Northeast Michigan to help guide you to public lakes in your county.
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    8/12/26 Northeast Lower Peninsula, Michigan Fishing Report

     

    Northeast Lower Peninsula

    Tawas/Au Gres: Walleye were caught in good numbers in 40 to 60 feet of water near Charity Island and in the Alabaster area. Crawler harnesses and crankbaits both produced fish.

    Decent numbers of walleye were caught in 25 to 34 feet of water straight out front in Au Gres and to the south. Crawler harnesses produced the best results. Anglers reported walleye, freshwater drum, white perch, white bass, and an occasional yellow perch.

    Alpena: Walleye fishing in the bay was reported as slow. Those targeting walleye had success in 30 to 60 feet of water from North Point to Scarecrow Island. Lake trout were caught in 100 to 130 feet of water in the bottom 30 feet. A few steelhead were also caught while trolling bright-colored spoons in the top 25 feet of the water column.

    Thunder Bay River: Walleye fishing was reported slow. A few smallmouth bass were caught while casting spinners. Catfish were plentiful throughout the river while fishing crawlers on bottom.

    Rockport: Lake trout fishing remained solid in 100 to 150 feet of water. Flashers with Spin-N-Glos and spoons worked well, with chartreuse, white, and green yielding the best results. A few Chinook salmon and coho salmon were caught east of Middle Island in 120 to 180 feet of water, with spoons, meat rigs, and flasher-fly combos producing the best results. Steelhead were caught near the surface on orange, gold, and watermelon spoons. Walleye were scattered from Stoneport to South 9 Mile Point, 5 to 30 feet down in over 40 to 60 feet of water. Anglers had success running lines through the water column using crankbaits and crawler harnesses.

    Cheboygan: Lake trout were caught off the northeastern points of Bois Blanc Island and across all major reefs, including Poe Reef, Raynolds Reef, and Spectacle Reef. Spoons produced the best bite, though lake trout were occasionally caught using flashers and Spin-N-Glos in over 100 feet of water. An occasional Chinook salmon was also caught while trolling spoons.

    Low numbers of smallmouth bass and rock bass were reported in the lower Cheboygan River by anglers drifting nightcrawlers. Smallmouth bass were occasionally caught using swimbaits and spinnerbaits.

    Oscoda/Au Sable: Anglers did well on walleye when trolling spoons in 80 to 150 feet of water, 20 to 50 feet down. Lake trout were also taken on spoons and Spin-N-Glos. A few steelhead were caught throughout the water column. Anglers fishing off the catwalk/pier caught channel catfish and freshwater drum using pyramid weights and nightcrawlers. A few nice smallmouth bass were caught on swimbaits and tubes.

    Harrisville: Anglers trolling spoons and Spin-N-Glos in 90 to 130 feet of water caught lake trout in the bottom 20 feet of water. Walleye were also caught on spoons 20 to 50 feet down. Anglers casting in the harbor caught a few northern pike on spinnerbaits.

    Rogers City: Salmon fishing remained abnormally slow and failed to show any improvement. The best bite occurred very early or very late in the day. Anglers headed south toward Swan Bay and Adams Point for the best results, with optimal depths ranging anywhere from 40 to 90 feet of water. Anglers used an assortment of spoons, J-plugs, meat rigs, and flashers with plastic squids or flies. Effective colors included green, blue, yellow, white UV, and glow patterns for early-morning and late-evening fishing.

    Walleye continued to be an incidental catch for anglers targeting salmon and lake trout. Lake trout were found deep in over 100 feet of water, seeking cold water and becoming more structure-oriented along with the cold water trends.

    Presque Isle: Warm water was present throughout the area up until150 feet of water. Salmon were difficult to find, but lake trout fishing was reported good out deep off the hump, where they were caught near the bottom in cold water. Salmon were caught high in the water column, along with incidental catches of walleye, requiring lines spread throughout the water column. Anglers used spoons, flashers with flies or squids, meat rigs, and J-Plugs. Effective colors included white UV, green, blue, and glow patterns for early-morning and late-evening fishing.


    Below are links to bait shop listings organized by county:


    Your area may not be listed within this fishing report so below is a list of links to pages in Northeast Michigan to help guide you to public lakes in your county.

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    8/12/26 Southwest Lower Peninsula, Michigan DNR Fishing Report

     

    Southwest Lower Peninsula

    Muskegon: Boat anglers reported salmon 50 to 85 feet down in 100 to 140 feet of water. The best bait continued to be glow spoons and glow plugs during low-light conditions. Anglers targeting salmon were unsuccessful due to warm water, though a few freshwater drum were caught using spoons or swimbaits.

    • For a more accurate report on the Muskegon Lake & the Muskegon River I suggest reaching out to the people at Snug Harbor Outfitters. Phone: (231-719-0759)

    Grand Haven: Salmon were caught 50 to 90 feet down in 85 to 150 feet of water. Blue and green spoons worked well, along with a white flasher-fly combo. Due to increasing water temperatures, no salmon or steelhead were reported from the pier. A few freshwater drum were caught while casting spoons.

    South Haven: A fair number of salmon were reported 45 to 90 feet down in 100 to 130 feet of water. Green or blue glow spoons worked well. Pier anglers caught a few freshwater drum while casting spoons.

    St. Joseph: Boat anglers found salmon along with a few steelhead 55 to 80 feet down in 90 to 120 feet of water. White flasher-fly combinations and glow spoons produced the most bites. Pier anglers caught freshwater drum and catfish in the channel.

    Nearby Bait Shops Include: 
    Fishin Hole (269) 982-3474
    Tackle Haven (269) 925-0341
    Great Lakes Tackle  (269) 208-6178
    Fishing Hole 2 (269) 468-7522 

    Note: At any time you can view the Berrien Springs fish ladder cam by go to this link or following their youtube channel. Subscribing to their channel helps fund the fish ladder cam. 


    For more bait shops in the southwest lower peninsula follow the links below:
    Berrien County Bait Shops: Click Here!
    Allegan County Bait Shops: Click Here!
    Ingham County Bait Shops: Click Here!
    Branch County Bait Shops: Click Here!
    Barry County Bait Shops: Click Here!
    Montcalm County Bait Shops: Click Here!
    Kalamazoo County Bait Shops: Click Here!
    Kent County Bait Shops: Click Here!

    Your area may not be listed within this fishing report so below is a list of links to pages in Southwest Michigan to help guide you to public lakes in your county.

    Allegan County Public Lakes: Click Here!
    Barry County Public Lakes: Click Here!
    Calhoun County Public Lakes: Click Here!

    Cass County Public Lakes: Click Here! 
    Kalamazoo County Public Lakes: Click Here!
    Oceana County Public Lakes: Click Here!
    Ottawa County Public Lakes: Click Here!
    Van Buren County Public Lakes: Click Here!
    Barry County Public Lakes: Click Here!

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    8/12/2026 Southeast, Michigan Fishing Report

    Southeast Lower Peninsula

    Lake Erie: Yellow perch fishing remained slow over the past week. Anglers caught many small perch that were thrown back, with roughly a one-to-one ratio of kept fish to released fish. Perch anglers had more success out from Luna Pier in around 15 to 18 feet of water than out from the River Raisin. Jigging with minnows was the most effective method. Walleye fishing on the Michigan side was slow for most part; however, a few boat anglers found fish east of Stony Point along the Michigan-Ohio line using crawler harnesses, though success was very infrequent.

    • If you're planning on fishing out of Sterling State Park or the Brest Bay area you can pick up tackle from the nice people at Jeff's Bait & Tackle

    • If you're planning on fishing any of the canals near Lake Erie Metro Park or Point Mouillee State Game Area you can get all of your bait & tackle needs met at  Bottom Line Bait & Tackle.

    Lower Saginaw Bay: Walleye fishing was slow over the weekend, though a few were caught out in front of Pinconning and by the slot in 18 to 20 feet of water.

    Yellow perch anglers caught fish around the sailboat buoys, with buoy B being productive. Anglers averaged about 10 to 12 keeper-sized perch per boat, ranging from 10 to 12 inches, along with a high number of throwbacks.

    Eastern Saginaw Bay: Anglers caught some walleye, though fishing was slower overall. Most anglers fished half a day to land six to eight walleye per boat. Walleye were found in the slot off Sebewaing and Fish Point in 15 feet of water, as well as out toward the shipping channel near Buoy 1, where trolling nightcrawler harnesses worked best. Anglers also found a few yellow perch in the slot south of Sebewaing in 13 feet of water, noting that moving often helped locate active fish.


    For Bait Shops in Southeast Michigan See List Below:

    Your area may not be listed within this fishing report so below is a list of links to pages in Southeast Michigan to help guide you to public lakes in your county.


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