Showing posts with label salmon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label salmon. Show all posts

Wednesday, June 3, 2026

6/3/26 Southwest Lower Peninsula, Michigan DNR Fishing Report

 

Southwest Lower Peninsula


South Haven: Salmon anglers reported another good week of fishing. The salmon fishing got tougher the last couple of days; 75 to 100 feet of water was the most consistent. Standard sized spoons worked best. Pier anglers caught a few steelhead and a decent number of freshwater drum. Most of the fish were caught on shrimp or alewife. Perch fishing pressure was very low.

St. Joseph: Salmon fishing was slow with fish being reported as spread out. Anglers caught fish from 55 feet of water out well beyond 120 feet of water. The most consistent water was around 80 feet. Pier fishing was steady. Steelhead were caught on shrimp as well as live bait and by casting.

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. 

St. Joseph River: Good numbers of walleye were caught in the lower St Joseph river by anglers trolling crank baits and drifting crawlers. 

Muskegon: Salmon fishing slowed down slightly over the past week but a fair number were still caught. Salmon were scattered in 60 to 220 feet of water with the best action reported in 70 to 140 feet of water. Green and orange spoons worked well with a few caught on white flasher-flies.

  • 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 noticed the salmon action slowing down over the past week. They still caught a fair number of salmon in addition to a few steelhead 30 to 100 feet down in 60 to 140 feet of water. Spoons did the best in the colors of orange, yellow, and green. Pier anglers targeting steelhead found the action to be slow. Anglers casting the in the channel for freshwater drum caught a few on silver spoons.


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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Wednesday, August 27, 2025

8/27/25 Southwest Lower Peninsula, Michigan DNR Fishing Report

 


Southwest Lower Peninsula

South Haven: Boat anglers targeting salmon had fair success this week. Quite a few fish were caught, but conditions were challenging. Fish were taken from 35 feet of water out to well past 120 feet of water, mostly on spoons. The catch consisted primarily of Chinook salmon and coho salmon. Pier fishing was decent as well. Anglers were catching coho salmon and steelhead, using spinners and spoons, as well as shrimp fished under bobbers. Perch fishing was very inconsistent. There were a couple of good days, but things became more difficult after lake temperatures dropped.

St. Joseph: Boat anglers had decent salmon fishing this week. The fish were very spread out, with most boats targeting around 70 feet of water. Most fish were caught on spoons. Pier fishing was decent as well. The action was slow at first but improved when the temperature dropped. Fishing could have been better, but rough lake conditions limited opportunities. Most fish were caught on spoons and spinners. Perch fishing was pretty good, though it slowed down when lake temperatures dropped. Anglers were targeting around 30 feet of water.

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. 

Muskegon: Anglers caught salmon from inside the basin out to 80 feet of water. Glow plugs and glow spoons worked well. Pier anglers caught a few salmon while casting glow spoons.

  • 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 caught decent numbers of salmon from the pierheads out to 80 feet of water. Glow spoons and glow plugs worked best. Pier anglers caught salmon on alewives and while casting glow spoons.


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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8/27/25 Northeast Lower Peninsula, Michigan Fishing Report

 


Northeast Lower Peninsula

Cheboygan: Unstable weather and strong winds limited fishing activity on Lake Huron. In the Cheboygan River, anglers caught smallmouth bass, rock bass, freshwater drum, and the occasional walleye and salmon. Worms were the most common bait used for these species. For smallmouth bass, natural-colored or white soft plastic swimbaits produced good results. Crankbaits and spinners had some success with walleye. Good areas to target these species included beside the pedestrian walkway bridge by the baseball fields, the State Street drawbridge by the Cheboygan DNR field office, and along the parking lot by the Plaunt’s Transportation ferry. Early-run salmon were at the Cheboygan pier and Cheboygan dam spillway. Before sunrise and just after sunset were the best times to catch salmon. At the Cheboygan pier, anglers cast spoons, while anglers at the Cheboygan dam floated or bottom bounced spawn.

Oscoda/Au Sable: Walleye were taken in good numbers while trolling crawler harnesses or Jr. spoons on three to seven colors of leadcore in 80 to 130 feet of water. Anglers trolling spoons and targeting salmon 60 feet down in 110 to 120 feet caught a handful of Atlantic salmon, coho salmon, and the occasional Chinook salmon this week. Orange and black/red spoons reportedly performed well. Walleye were also caught on larger spoons by anglers targeting salmon. Earlier in the week, anglers fishing from the pier—when the lake had flipped and cold water was close to shore—caught a couple of coho salmon and one chinook salmon while casting glow spoons before sunrise. Anglers targeting smallmouth bass off the pier also did well, casting small paddle tails and drop shots with plastics.

Harrisville: Lake trout were caught in 170 to 250 feet of water by anglers targeting the bottom while trolling Spin-N-Glos and spoons. Walleye, coho salmon, and the occasional steelhead were caught on five to seven colors of leadcore in 80 to 120 feet while trolling spoons.

Presque Isle: Mixed bag fishing produced Chinook salmon, lake trout, a few steelhead,


walleye, and the occasional coho salmon. The best places to fish were straight out, between the lighthouses, north of the lights off North Bay and Black Point, or south toward Stoneport. The most productive depths were 60 to 120 feet of water. Running lines throughout the water column yielded the best results. Anglers used spoons, flashers with flies and squids, J-plugs, and meat rigs. Effective colors included green, white, blue, black, and glow patterns — especially early and late in the day. There were large numbers of baitfish in the area, and targeting them proved effective as well.

  • For more public lakes in Presque Isle county: Click Here!

Alpena: A few anglers reported walleye catches from the lake, but I didn’t see any salmon or trout on the days I was there. Many anglers on the river had success with smallmouth bass and freshwater drum and were still reporting many goby catches.

Rockport: Anglers trolling out at Rockport reported a few walleye, lake trout, and steelhead catches, but no limits reached.

Rogers City: After the big blow, anglers were expected to find salmon staging close to Swan Bay. The best depths were from the bay shallows out to 50 feet. The most effective tactic was to run J-plugs and body baits off planer boards. There were also fish out deeper. Running lines throughout the water column produced the best results. A mix of spoons, flashers with flies and squids, meat rigs, and J-plugs worked well. Good colors included green, white, black, blue, and glow patterns—especially early and late in the day. With the disrupted and warm water, the bite was suspected to be best before sunrise and after sunset. Anglers who chose not to fish Swan Bay reported that the area near 40 Mile Point yielded some immature Chinook salmon, lake trout, and walleye. There were large numbers of baitfish present. The best strategy was to troll around the bait, as fish were actively feeding on it.

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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Wednesday, October 16, 2024

10/16/24 Northeast Lower Peninsula, Michigan Fishing Report

 


Northeast Lower Peninsula

Cheboygan: Salmon were reported to be in high numbers at the Cheboygan Dam spillway; however, anglers had a tough time catching fish. Anglers were primarily catching Chinook salmon with the occasional pink salmon, coho salmon, or steelhead mixed in. Those drifting natural baits such as spawn saw the best results, however, other good options were beads, minnow crank baits, and spoons. 

Rogers City: Poor weather conditions kept anglers off the water.

Alpena: Angling pressure was reported as slow. A few boat anglers ventured in Thunder Bay with no success. Others targeted perch along the pier and harbor docks with only a few small fish found.

Thunder Bay River: Chinook salmon were still present in good numbers. Anglers had success drifting spawn and beads. Fire tiger, chartreuse, and blue/silver body baits were also productive. Those using spawn reported a few steelhead and Atlantic salmon showing up as well. Perch anglers below 2nd Avenue bridge reported no luck.

Rockport: A few anglers tried for Chinook and coho salmon with only a few caught. Chartreuse and white crank baits caught a few fish along with green, gold, and orange spinners.

Oscoda: Anglers fishing off the pier at night started to pick up some walleye when casting flicker shads. A few coho and Atlantic salmon were caught by anglers casting spoons off the pier early in the morning.

Au Sable River: Steelhead and Atlantic salmon were caught throughout the lower river when casting spinners, floating spawn/beads, and streamer fishing. Most Atlantic salmon were caught on spinners or flies resembling a minnow. Chinook salmon were caught below Foote Dam by anglers floating skein or spawn bags. 

Harrisville: Chinook and coho salmon were caught by anglers floating skein 3 to 4 feet down early in the morning or at dusk inside the harbor from the gas docks. Fish were caught throughout the day, but the bite seemed the slow. Steelhead were also caught out of the marina by anglers casting little Cleos. 

Black River: Anglers who were casting pink arctic spinners early in the morning picked up a couple coho salmon. Chinook salmon were caught when floating skein and beads. Anglers had the most success when casting spoons or spinners in the morning.

Au Gres: A few walleye were caught north of Charity Island when trolling or casting crawlers and crank baits. Other anglers were able to get a few fish heading south out from the mouth. Bluegill and other panfish were caught by anglers at Eagle Bay Marina.

Tawas: Windy conditions kept most boat anglers off the water. Chinook salmon and a few coho salmon were caught at the Tawas River mouth on various baits including spawn, spinners, spoons, and Rapalas. Chinook salmon and steelhead were also caught at the Singing Bridge when fishing the river and in the surf. 

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 17, 2023

8/17/23 Northeast Lower Peninsula, Michigan Fishing Report

 





Northeast Lower Peninsula

Presque Isle: Weather conditions limited the amount of activity. Anglers who made it out caught lake trout and salmon straight out of the harbor in 70 to 150 feet of water. Fish were scattered throughout the water column so running lines at different depths worked best. The waters from the lighthouse to black point were giving up trout, Chinook salmon, steelhead and a few Atlantic salmon. Bright colored spoons ran high were taking steelhead and Atlantic salmon while watermelon-colored spoons worked well on trout and Chinook salmon lower in the water column. Walleye were reported to be scattered 20 to 35 feet down in 50 to 100 feet of water.

Cheboygan River/Lake Huron: Smallmouth bass and pike were caught in the river with most of the pike being around or downstream of the foot bridge. Freshwater drum were still around and the first numbers of salmon should begin to enter the river soon (1-2 weeks most likely).

Rockport: Anglers reported decent numbers of lake trout, Chinook salmon, coho and Atlantic salmon near Stoneport south to Middle Island. A wide variety of spoons and flasher/fly combos were catching fish 30 to 70 feet down in depths of 60 to 120 feet. Walleye were found suspended along the reefs and were caught on spoons and deep diving crankbaits. 

Alpena: Anglers who fought the winds reported slow fishing as in the bay. A few walleye were caught on crankbaits in the late evenings near North Point and south near Scarecrow Island. Anglers using jigs and leaches found a few fish along the shipping channel to the mouth of the Thunder Bay. Pier anglers reported catfish and bass were caught while using crawlers and a few northern pike were caught while using crankbaits and spinnerbaits.

Thunder Bay River: Anglers reported low fishing pressure on the river. Several anglers targeting catfish had success near Mill Island Park and below the 9th Street Bridge. Crawlers and minnows worked the best. A few were caught throughout the river on crawlers and tube jigs.

Tawas: Anglers were targeting 60 to 65 feet of water and catching walleye, just not as many. Harvests were essentially cut in half as anglers were coming in with 3 or 4 walleye. Shore fishing at Gateway Park was producing catfish for the few anglers out there. Later in the evening, anglers were catching a walleye or two when fishing off the pier.

Oscoda/Au Sable: Fishing pressure was low but the anglers that did make it out were fishing around 140 feet of water. Anglers were catching a couple walleye and steelhead. Anglers fishing off the pier in the early morning had the occasional luck of a walleye, but mainly caught smallmouth bass. More anglers were taking boats in the river and catching smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, pike, and at times got lucky with a walleye. Most of the catches in the river occurred in the early morning.

Rogers City: Anglers were mostly fishing south between Calcite and Adams Point. The Chinook salmon were there but getting them to bite was difficult. The water was warm top to bottom. Anglers reported that the best fishing occurred very early or very late. Anglers were using a variety of lures from spoons to J-Plugs to attractors with flys, squids and meat rigs. Meat was starting to be very effective now with the adult salmon starting to show up. Anglers were deploying downriggers, lead core, dipseys, and copper to spread lines throughout the water column. Good colors were greens, blues, black and white, glow stuff early and late. 

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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8/17/23 Southwest Lower Peninsula, Michigan DNR Fishing Report

 




Southwest Lower Peninsula

South Haven: Boat anglers had another successful week of fishing. Salmon and trout were caught in 80 to 100 feet of water. Rotators and flies along with meat rigs were performing very well. Perch anglers had some decent catches. The most productive depth was around 30 feet of water. Pier fishing was a little slow for all species. 

St. Joseph: Perch were caught in 35 feet of water. Most of the fishing pressure was south of the piers. Salmon anglers had rough conditions. There were some trout caught and a few salmon inside of 80 feet of water. Pier fishing was also compromised by the rough waves. Fishing for all species was slow. 

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. 

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 

Muskegon: Boat anglers were catching a good mix of Chinook and coho salmon 30 to 80 down in 50 to 120 feet of water. Glow plugs and glow spoons have performed well.

  • 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 were finding the salmon to be scattered but good catches were reported. The best action was 40 to 90 down in 70 to 150 feet of water. Pier anglers who were casting spoons found the freshwater drum and salmon bite to be slow. Glow spoons and plugs worked well. The best bites occurred in the early morning and late evenings.


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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Wednesday, June 8, 2022

6/8/22 Southwest Lower Peninsula, Michigan DNR Fishing Report


 

Southwest Lower Peninsula

To access the original Michigan DNR fishing Report: Click Here! 

St. Joseph: Pier fishing continued to be decent. Anglers were catching freshwater drum and catfish while using night crawlers and casting lures. There were also a few steelhead caught while using shrimp fished under bobbers. Boat anglers continued to have decent fishing. The most productive water was well beyond 100 feet of water. Anglers were doing pretty decent in 90 feet of water also. Most of these fish were caught on a mix of rotators and flies as well as on spoons. The catch was a mix of coho and Chinook.

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. 

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  

South Haven: Pier anglers continued to catch a few steelhead and freshwater drum.  The fish
were caught on shrimp and alewife fished under bobbers. There were also a few fish caught while casting spoons. Boat anglers had pretty good fishing this week.  The best fishing was well beyond 100 feet of water. There were also a few fish caught in 80 to 100 feet of water. Most of the fish were caught on spoons. The catch was a mixed bag of coho, Chinook and a few steelhead.

Muskegon: Anglers were reporting good numbers of salmon along with a few steelhead 30 to 90 feet down in 120 to 200 feet of water. Pier anglers were catching freshwater drum while casting silver spoons. Green and blue spoons continued to work well.

  • 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 were finding decent numbers of salmon 25 to 100 feet down in 120 to 220 feet of water. Pier anglers were catching freshwater drum while casting spoons or with alewives on bottom. A few steelhead were caught using shrimp under bobbers. Salmon were caught using green and blue spoons. White flashers and white flies worked well deeper in the water column.


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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Saturday, November 10, 2018

11/8/2018 Northeast Lower Peninsula, Michigan DNR Fishing Report

Northeast Lower Peninsula

To access the original Michigan DNR fishing Report: Click Here!

 Cheboygan River: Continues to produce steelhead on real or artificial spawn bags. Some were also casting small spoons or crank baits.
Alpena: Pier anglers casting body baits caught a couple walleye. A few whitefish were speared in the bay.
Thunder Bay River: Those targeting trout and salmon up near the 9th Street Dam had increasing catches of Atlantic salmon along with a couple Chinook. Coho, steelhead and lake-run brown trout. The Atlantic salmon are currently spawning. Fish were taken on spoons and crank baits as well as by those stripping streamers, bottom bouncing or floating spawn bags and flies. A couple walleye were taken by those casting crank baits. A few yellow perch were caught by those still-fishing with minnows and wax worms.

Oscoda: Pier anglers caught walleye when casting body baits and jigs.

Au Sable River: Good numbers of Atlantic salmon are being observed and the bite picked up a bit for those using streamer flies, egg patterns, casting spoons or spinners, and bottom bouncing or floating spawn bags and beads. Most of the Atlantics are actively spawning. These fish have been picky and change day to day, so anglers should be willing to change their rig or move to find fish willing to bite. A couple steelhead were taken on spawn bags and beads. Most were small, but a few larger fish were caught. Those casting spoons or spinners caught a couple pike or the odd Chinook that was extremely dark and decaying. Walleye were caught down near the mouth when casting jigs.

680 River Rd.
Oscoda Twp. Mi 48750
(989) 739-5332

Tawas River: Those fishing the lower river caught walleye.

 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.
Alcona County Public Lakes: Click Here!
Alpena County Public Lakes: Click Here!
Clare County Public Lakes: Click Here!
Crawford County Public Lakes: Click Here!
Gladwin County Public Lakes: Click Here!
Iosco County Public Lakes: Click Here!
Montmorency Public Lakes: Click Here! 
Ogemaw County Public Lakes: Click Here!
Oscoda County Public Lakes: Click Here!

 Presque Isle County Public Lakes: Click Here!
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