Wednesday, October 7, 2026

10/7/26 Upper Peninsula, Michigan DNR Fishing Report

 


Upper Peninsula

Little Bay de Noc: Anglers targeting yellow perch reported scattered schools and had difficulty locating fish. Some anglers reported catching yellow perch in shallow water using worms. Walleye anglers reported slow fishing, though fishing overall was good. Drifting or trolling crawler harnesses worked well. Anglers also reported having success using jigheads tipped with nightcrawlers or leeches. Coho salmon anglers reported slow fishing and fewer fish sightings. Anglers fishing the Escanaba River had success.

Ontonagon River: Over the past week, the river experienced very light angling effort. Rough weather conditions throughout the week hindered fishing conditions on occasion. Catches of walleye were reported in very low numbers.

Ontonagon/Silver City/Union Bay: The Ontonagon, Silver City, and Union Bay access sites all experienced light angling effort over the past week. Heavy winds and frequent rain showers limited lake access on multiple days. Anglers reported catches of lake trout, coho salmon, Chinook salmon, and brown trout in low to fair numbers. Fish were caught by anglers trolling in depths ranging from 30 to 150 feet of water.

Black River Harbor: Angling effort from the harbor was light over the past week. Inclement weather limited lake access. When weather permitted, anglers reported mixed catches of brown trout, steelhead, coho salmon, and lake trout in low numbers. These fish were caught by anglers trolling in depths of 30 to 150 feet of water.

St. Ignace: Overcast conditions made for good fishing, with anglers catching fish throughout the day. Most anglers caught at least one fish, while a few others landed up to 10 fish. Floating or bottom-bouncing skein produced the best results. Salmon were actively moving in and out of Nunns Creek, while a fresh push at the Carp River provided anglers with an opportunity to hook into a silver Chinook salmon at the Carp River cement footing pier. Salmon were caught throughout the stretch between McDonald Rapids and the Carp River cement footing pier. Other productive bait options included spoons, minnow-style crankbaits, and spinners. Glow baits were effective before daybreak and after sunset.

Grand Marais: Shore anglers caught coho salmon and rainbow trout at the mouth of the Sucker River. Fishing with spawn and casting spoons brought success. Boat anglers did well jigging for lake trout.

Manistique: Anglers reported Chinook salmon and pink salmon in the river. Anglers reported having the most success using skein, though some anglers had success using spinners and shallow-diving crankbaits. Orange, chartreuse, and pink were popular lure colors. The best success occurred at night and early in the morning.

Marquette: Anglers caught lake trout in 80 to 160 feet of water. Most anglers continued to troll north of White Rocks out toward Granite Rock and the Clay Banks, as reports west of the Chocolay River yielded poor results. Anglers reported catching lake trout throughout the water column, primarily near the bottom using downriggers. A few reports indicated anglers caught lake trout and coho salmon off the lower breakwall early in the morning and near sunset. Anglers trolling the river mouths near Lower Harbor caught decent numbers of coho salmon and Chinook salmon. Brown trout and coho salmon were caught in both the Chocolay River and Carp River. Fish numbers increased with cooler evening temperatures.

Au Train: The tribal nets were removed, opening the Flats northwest of Au Train Island toward Five Mile Point for lake trout fishing. The Wood Island Reef and areas northwest of Au Train Island out toward the Laughing Whitefish River also remained available for lake trout fishing, while Au Train Bay to the Laughing Whitefish River was open for salmon, brown trout, and steelhead. Anglers jigging near Au Train Island in 40 to 80 feet of water had good success catching lean lake trout. All lake trout caught were near the bottom while trolling or jigging. Anglers targeting brown trout and salmon in 10 to 60 feet of water marked numerous fish.

Keweenaw Bay/Huron Bay: Anglers reported fair to good fishing, with catches consisting primarily of coho salmon and splake while trolling near river mouths, along with a few brown trout. Shore anglers reported that the bite picked up, with many anglers successfully catching coho salmon and splake. Anglers jigging for lake trout and lake whitefish reported a slow bite.

Traverse Bay/Portage Entry: Anglers reported fair fishing for lake trout when trolling spoons and flasher/fly rigs around structure in 50 to 100 feet of water. Anglers reported a few coho salmon, but in very low numbers. Anglers jigging for lake trout reported a fair bite when using natural presentations, with most fish caught in 80 to 120 feet of water.

Les Cheneaux/DeTour: Anglers in Hessel caught a few yellow perch near the buoy straight out from the Cedarville boat launch. A few northern pike were caught off the pier in Hessel. Smallmouth bass anglers had good success fishing around island rock piles and points. Splake fishing was slow due to 66-degree water temperatures within the marina. Splake season is now closed. In DeTour, anglers caught good numbers of lake trout prior to the season closing. Lake trout season is now closed, and fishing pressure in DeTour was minimal.

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