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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Sunday, September 18, 2022

09/14/22 Southeast Lower Peninsula Michigan DNR Fishing Report


 

Southeast Lower Peninsula

Lake Erie: Yellow perch fishing was adequate in the western basin. Many anglers catching yellow perch had success with minnows near the River Raisin buoys just a few miles south of Sterling State Park in 22 feet of water or less. Yellow perch were also caught near E buoy which is 2 to 3 miles south of Bolles Harbor while using minnows on perch spreaders. There were many small undersized perch caught, so large keepers were hard to come by. Walleye were caught outside of Breast Bay in 23 to 25 feet of water a few miles east of Sterling State Park, but harvest limits for walleye were scarce. Anglers were trolling while using crawler harnesses or artificial lures that reached the bottom of the lake.

  • 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.

Detroit River: The best fishing was near the mouth of Lake Erie and around Grosse Isle. A few anglers caught some walleye around Sugar Island. Jigging with crawlers seemed to work best. Small numbers of perch were coming in from anglers still fishing and drifting with minnows near Gross Isle and very close to the mouth of Lake Erie. As temperatures fall a little expect perch action to pick up. The smallmouth bass action was picking up. Anglers did very well with catching smallmouth bass off Stoney Island.

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



Saginaw Bay: Yellow perch were caught at buoys 1 and 2 in 26 feet of water. Yellow perch were also caught one to two miles northeast of Spoils Island in 14 feet of water and at the mouth of the Saginaw River. Walleye were caught while trolling crankbaits in 14 to 16 feet of water just north of Callahan Reef. On the east side of Saginaw Bay, multiple days of windy weather kept angler activity low this past week. Those fishing for walleye reported slow to fair catches. Some walleye were caught out from Sebewaing and towards Sunset in 10 to 13 feet, and also out in the slot around 15 feet of water. A few walleye were also caught between Caseville and Oak Point. Crawler harnesses did best, while body baits caught a few walleye as well. Those fishing for yellow perch around the Sebewaing area reported slow fishing.

  • For a more accurate report on Saginaw Bay I suggest taking a look at the weekly Saginaw Bay Fishing Report given to you by Saginawbay.com

Quanicassee: Anglers caught a few walleye while trolling night crawler harnesses in the slot in 15 feet of water. Fishing was fairly slow as anglers fished half a day to keep four fish. Shore anglers fishing worms caught a few pumpkinseeds and bluegills and an occasional largemouth bass.

Grindstone: Boat anglers caught some salmon and trout while trolling in 100 to 110 feet of water fishing close to the bottom north of the harbor using downriggers and spoons.

Harbor Beach: A few rock bass and smallmouth bass were caught from the break wall while casting body baits and jigging with nightcrawlers. Anglers trolling for salmon and trout were catching a mix of lake trout, coho, a few Atlantic salmon and walleye in 80 to 110 feet of water while using downriggers and lead core. Walleye were scattered in all different depths.


Port Sanilac: Trolling for salmon and trout slowed down a little but anglers caught a mix of a few steelhead, coho, Atlantic salmon and an occasional Chinook salmon and walleye were also caught using planer boards, downriggers, lead core in 90 to 115 feet of water.

Lexington: A few boat anglers were trolling for salmon and trout north towards Port Sanilac.

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 Southeast Michigan to help guide you to public lakes in your county.

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    Friday, June 17, 2022

    Understanding the Natural Forage of Walleye























    For many anglers walleye fishing presents itself as a bit of an enigma. The fish seem to be tucked away deep in the lakes they inhabit and those that are not easily tempted.  As a result many anglers only fish for walleye during the spring when walleye return to their usual spawning grounds making them easy to find.  However walleye fishing, just any puzzle, gets easier when you have all of the pieces. Understanding the walleyes forage base is the first piece of this puzzle.

    Just like any other fish there are two major things that impact a walleye's movements and behaviors. The first is food and the second is mating.  As a result this post will focus on the first and most consistent of these two things, food. Why? Because food determines seasonal behavioral patterns as well as matching the hatch for correct bait choice.

    Insects, Larva & Crustaceans

    Nymphs (Spring):  The first forage species is one we don't normally associate with walleye, we definitely associate them with trout but never walleye.  That food source is nymphs or insect larva.  Nymphs are widespread throughout all walleye waters. As a result a large insect hatch can pretty much shut down a walleye bite for more than a week on certain waters.

    For example the yearly mayfly hatch on the Detroit River can last upwards of 3 weeks. During which millions of mayflies hatch signaling the end of the silver bass run  and the immediate slow down of the walleye bite. During the mayfly hatch it is not uncommon to catch walleye whose stomachs are full of a mayfly larva.

    During these times catching fish of any species can get difficult. In fact many anglers stay off of the water during this time as they bite gets tough. However if you know what to do you'll still put your share of walleye in the boat.  During major hatches you'll want to down size your baits whenever possible and suspend your baits just below the hatching insects.  So slip bobber rigs with small leeches, half of a worm or buggy hair jigs like wooly bugger jigs are ideal for tempting bug eating walleye. Another tactic is to run your troll spoons like Michigan stinger spoons directly below the hatch so walleye will see the spoon as a baitfish feeding on easy to catching insects.  Normal jigging tactics will catch a few walleye but watch your electronics as they'll show you where the walleye are suspending within and below the hatch.

    Worms (year round):  Earthworms have been the quintessential fishing bait since the beginning of time.  As a result earthworms are one of the most commonly used baits for walleye.

    Nightcrawler rigging options are pretty numerous and all very simple.  For just about every worm or crawler rigging option the worms are hooked as though being hooked to a crawler harness. This is because most crawler rigs, whether to a spoon or a jig, have a crawler harness attached to them in order to use the full  worm as bait.  Below is a picture of a worm burner spoon which is a perfect example of this.

    Fishing with nightcrawlers have a couple of huge benefits.  The first being that they are widely accessible and imitated.  For example most gas stations in close proximity to lakes or rivers will sell night crawlers.  If that doesn't work a quick dig in the yard will have you overflowing with walleye bait for free.

    The second benefit is that nightcrawlers are pretty hardy.  All you have to do is keep them in a cool dark place and you'll have lively bait for quite a while. For me when I'm trolling for walleye from the kayak, I keep my crawlers in a collapsable cooler with a frozen water bottle in it to keep them cool on hot days.

    Leeches:  Leeches and walleye fishing go together like kids and candy. I don't know a walleye fisherman that does not recommend using leeches as bait at one point in the season or another. Leeches are hardy and stay active on the hook for a long time attracting bites even when you're not trolling. 

    Leeches can be rigged in multiple ways, all of which will produce under the right circumstances.  During times when walleye are found suspended leeches can be suspended below a slip bobber on jig heads to entice upward looking walleyes to bite. 

    Leeches can be trolled on bladed harnesses  above bottom bouncers, dragged above weeds with light inline weights and trolled on live bait or Lindy rigs with light weights in shallow weeds.  In deeper water a common way to fish with leeches is with a 3 way rig with the leech being trolled above twister tails or hair jigs keeping the leech trolling at desired depths.



    Crayfish (Year Around): When fishermen think of crayfish their minds often go straight to smallmouth bass, which are known for their love of crayfish.  However walleye have an affinity for crayfish as well, especially in smaller rocky river systems where the crustaceans are abundant. If you're gonna be mimicking crayfish I suggest using brown twister tails on the lightest jig head you can get away with or brown and yellow bucktail jig.  Simply jigging either of these along the bottom is often enough to entice wary walleye to bite.  If you're not too keen on jigging for walleye the rebel craw series will always but a walleye or two in the bag. 

    Amphibians

    Salamander (Spring): Every spring something special happens in every lake and pond across the globe. Amphibians decide its time to do the mating dance.  Normally when you think of amphibians mating you thinking of the hordes of toads and frogs that sing in the shallows every spring to attract a mate.  However just like frogs and toads, salamanders line the edges of lakes and ponds dancing for a mate as well.

     For us this may not seem very important but for walleye this "hatch" is very important because of when it occurs. Walleye spawn typically right after ice out on their home bodies of water which for the Detroit River and surrounding lakes is usually late March to early April.  The end of this spawn typically overlaps with beginning of the amphibian spawn which usually takes place from mid April to May.  So on bodies of water like Belleville Lake where there are decent amphibian hatches in spring.  In evening egg laying salamanders become easy pray for walleye hunting in the weeds just outside of the brush where the salamanders normally mate and attache their egg clusters.

    I've only really experienced this personally once as this isn't a major hatch but it is one that predator fish, including walleye, will take advantage of.  For me I was ending a day of kayak fishing on a local lake when I saw fish swirling on something just outside of the shallow reed line. The first thing i threw in that area was a black slug-go which immediately got gulped down the by the weirdest fighting bass I'd ever caught.  What I initially thought was a bass was a 16 inch walleye feeding on salamanders who ventured too far out from the reeds. After catching that first walleye I ended up catching two more and six bass to add to the night.

    Due to the fact that i had never caught walleye this shallow I decided to see what the heck drew the walleye to this spot. I paddled over and started looking around in the reeds with my head lamp. That's when I saw them, small black and blue salamanders swimming within the reeds or just floating on top of the water.  It was one of the coolest things ever but it also let me know that walleye are very much in tuned with their surroundings and they know where to find an easy late night snack.

    **If you are a person who plans on using any amphibians as bait. Be sure to check the regulations for your state prior to doing so as there are quite a few amphibians on the threatened list and are protected as a result**


    Frogs (Fall and Spring):  Just like every other predator fish, walleye are opportunistic feeders.  In lakes with shallow bays and lilly pad flats walleye will eat frogs whenever easily accessible. While not a primary food source, frogs particularly in the fall often fall prey to walleye as they lounge or swim through weed edges a bit too close to deeper water. 






    Baitfish

    Every die hard walleye fisherman knows that walleye and baitfish go together like peanut butter and jelly.  However what many of us miss is the differences in bait fish that will make walleye key on them over another baitfish. So when considering baitfish we need to lump them into two primary categories: Soft rayed baitfish and hard rayed baitfish. 

    Soft Rayed Baitfish

    Soft rayed baitfish are pretty much any baitfish that whose fins have soft rays like minnows, shad and gobies.  It is believed that due to this most gamefish will key on soft rayed bait before those with hard rayed dorsal fins. 


    Creek Chubs
    Creek chubs are often thought of as great pike bait. However, since creek chubs occupy the same home waters as walleye, chubs make up a substantial food base for resident walleye.  At a max size of 12 inches chubs and having no hard spines, chubs make a substantial, easy to swallow meal for large walleye. 



     Minnows
    A minnow by any other name is just a same. Not true, the name minnow is often a general term thrown out there to explain any small fish that can be used as bait.  For that reason we are gonna keep with that definition.  Pretty much any small baitfish including but not limited to actual minnows and shiners are at the top of the walleyes meal list. 

    Due to this, just about every walleye bait has a way to either use live minnows or mimic minnows in order to tempt hungry walleye. 


    Rainbow Smelt
    This non indigenous species intentionally introduced to the great lakes in 1912 has made itself at home in many walleye waters across the country.  As result walleye have gladly taken on the smelt as an easy addition to their diet.  



    Round Gobies (year around):  If you live anywhere in the great lakes. you are aware of the round goby.  An invasive fish native to Europe and the Baltic Sea introduced into the great lakes in 1990 by sea going ships traveling through inland waters.  The round goby has quickly established itself as public enemy number one of the DNR and anglers who fish the Great Lakes water shed due to their nasty desire to eat the eggs of native fish species.  However in the last few years anglers have begun to notice that large gamefish species, like walleye, have learned that gobies are definitely on the menu.  

    Gobies are bottom dwellers that prefer hard bottom areas where they can easily hide between rocks on in wholes when predators are around.  This fact has not gong unnoticed by great lakes walleye who don't hesitate to make an unwary goby a snack. 

    In areas where gobies inhabit the great lakes water shed it is illegal to fish with gobies as live bait. In fact it is highly encouraged that if caught, round gobies are immediately dispatched.  However, this doesn't mean that there are not good options for imitating round gobies when fishing for walleye.  Something as simple as an olive or brown twister tail on a jig is a great lure to tempt walleye hungry for gobies.  If twister tails aren't your thing then tubes, paddle tail baits, bucktail jigs and the Megabass Dark sleeper are all great goby imitations.  No matter what you choose to use, when you're fishing for great lakes walleye keep in mind they they're always hungry for gobies.


    Northern Lake Herring (Cisco or Tullibee):  With a range starting at the lower great lakes flowing north into northern Canada, cisco are a staple for northern walleye.  In the north country they are the quintessential gamefish food as they get to a relatively large size and are soft rayed making them easy to swallow.  In areas where cisco are a part of the ecosystem anglers troll large minnow shaped crankbaits in order to match the hatch. 


    Gizzard Shad: With a range covering more than 60 percent of the united states, shad are one of the most widespread baitfish species. For this reason they are a forage for walleye and other gamefish in most U.S.  When using shad to find walleye, seek out dams with a decent flow as the shad will ofter gather there and hungry walleye will undoubtedly be close by.  Another way to catch walleye on the shad bite is by trolling shadraps or flicker shads just below large schools of shad in open water.  Lastly the spring shad spawning runs, often coinciding with walleye runs, will always keep predator fish of all species close by gorging on the abundant shad. 

    Hard Rayed Baitfish


    Yellow Perch:  When I think of hard rayed baitfish for walleye, the first fish that pops into my head is the yellow perch.  Widely considered to be walleye candy it is not uncommon to catch walleye full of young of the year perch.  In many ecosystems this close cousin of the walleye are the primary food source for walleye.  For this reason every bait shop has baits that mimic perch.  As perch are schooling fish it's very common to find walleye close by eager to get a quick bite of perch. 


    Bluegill:     In lake systems with abundant bluegill, walleye readily feed on bluegill when available.  As bluegill are often shallow weedy water dwelling fish, walleye often dine on them in the fall and early winter as the weeds on shallow flats and shoals die back leaving the bluegill more vulnerable to attack. 


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    Tuesday, June 14, 2022

    Outdoor News: Michigan Flathead Catfish Record By 53+ Pound Catfish


     

    When thinking of Michigan fishing the average angler thinks of things like Detroit river walleye, Lake St. Clair muskie or great lakes salmon fishing. What you do not think about are flathead catfish. 

    However I'm happy to say that for one Indiana angler congrats are due as that's exactly what he thinks of.  Lloyd Tanner of Indiana states, "I've been fishing in Michigan for almost 30 years. What draws me to Michigan is the fishing for big catfish." Apparently Lloyd knows something that many of us do not, big flathead catfish roam Michigan waters.

    As a result of his drive to chase Michigan flatheads we all need to congratulate Mr. Tanner on braking the Michigan state record for flathead catfish.  His fish weighed in at 53lbs with a length of 48 inches, knocking out the previous record of 52 lbs, 46 inches. Mr. Tanner landed his fish while fishing with cutbait on the St. Joseph river, a tributary of Lake Michigan. 

    So our hats are off to you today Lloyd Tanner, congrats on breaking the state record and tight lines. 



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    Wednesday, June 8, 2022

    6/8/2018 Northwest Lower Peninsula, Michigan DNR Fishing Report

     




    Northwest Lower Peninsula

    Ludington: Chinook were caught at Big Sable Point and straight out in 80 to 190 feet of water when fishing 30 to 80 feet down. Green and blue spoons and flies worked best. In the mix came a few lake trout. Pier fishing was slow.

    West Grand Traverse Bay: Lake trout were caught jigging and trolling off of the red buoy on the west side of Marion Island and also off of Stony Point. Smallmouth bass fishing was very slow.

    East Grand Traverse Bay: Smallmouth bass fishing started to pick up, with some anglers catching 10 to 20 bass per trip. No bedding activity was reported yet. A few cisco were caught in front of Yuba and Deepwater Point in 30 to 60 feet of water. Jigging or casting worked best.

    Manistee: Anglers caught some Chinook straight out along the shelf and south towards Big Sable


    Point. Depths ranged from 130 to 225 feet of water while fishing 30 to 80 feet down. A few steelhead were caught as well. Green and blue spoons and flies work well. Pier fishing remained slow.

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

    Onekama: Anglers in the barrel were reporting small Chinook around 80 down and lake trout near the bottom on Spin-n-Glos.

    Frankfort: Anglers were reporting Chinook in the area with majority of them being young ones. Anglers were trolling out front in 180 to 220 feet of water and working 80 to 100 down. Blue and green spoons were working best. A couple steelhead were also reported near the surface. Water temperatures were slow to rise but the numbers of alewife were still high in all areas.

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


    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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    6/8/20 Northeast Lower Peninsula, Michigan Fishing Report

     


    Northeast Lower Peninsula

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

    Tawas: Some smallmouth bass and rock bass were caught on the pier while casting body baits, crawlers and plastics. There were some lake trout, walleye and Chinook salmon caught outside of buoy #2 in 50 to 70 feet of water while trolling spoons and body baits. At Gateway Park on the Tawas River, there were some smallmouth bass, and pike caught while casting spinners, body baits and crawlers. There was a lot of bass fishing activity with anglers catching and releasing smallmouth and largemouth bass, while casting spinners, body baits and plastics near shore as well as out near the rocks on Tawas Point.   

    Alpena: Lake trout anglers were catching limits mostly in 30 to 70 feet of water. Lake trout were found throughout the water column. They were running a couple of lines near the bottom with flasher and Spin-n-Glos then spoons in the water column. Atlantic salmon should be starting. Anglers wanting to target them should fish the top half of the water column focusing on the top 30 feet or so. Try running smaller spoons in bright colors. Walleye fishing was slow out in the bay.

    Thunder Bay River: A few walleye were caught at night off the Ninth Street bridge while drifting
    leeches. A few were caught while trolling in the river with crawler harnesses as well. Anglers were also catching a mix of smallmouth bass, rock bass, bowfin and sunfish. Anglers were casting with body baits and using live bait. 

    Au Gres: There was some good walleye fishing with some limits caught in 25 to 30 feet out near Point Au Gres and south, while trolling crawlers and body baits. There were some limits of walleye caught in 10 to 15 feet down near the Pine River and south toward the Pinconning and Saganing bars. There was a lot of bass anglers catching and releasing smallmouth and largemouth bass near shore as well as out near the Charity Islands, while casting spinners body baits and plastics.

    Presque Isle: Anglers have done well fishing for Atlantic salmon in the top 50 feet of water on smaller spoons. Bright colors seemed to be the best - oranges, silver, bright greens, golden yellow or any of these combos. Anglers should fish structured areas for best results for lake trout. The lake trout were caught on dodgers and Spin-n-Glos along with brightly colored spoons with lots of green on them.   

    Rogers City: Lake trout fishing was descent with limits caught. Anglers were still having some days where they have to work harder for them than others. Lake trout love gobies and they were eating them heavily. Anglers should fish areas that have rocky bottoms or areas of structure. Best depths have been 35 to 60 feet of water. Lake trout were all over the water column as well. Anglers were using green, lime, blue or chartreuse spoons as well as cow bells with Spin-n-Glos or dodgers with Spin-n-Glos. Atlantic salmon should be around, fish the top part of the water column with smaller spoons. 

    Cheboygan River & Lake Huron out of Cheboygan: Walleye fishing was on the upswing, boat and shore anglers were having more success than in the previous weeks. Many anglers launching out of Cheboygan were finding limits of lake trout with most fish caught at one of the offshore reefs. Crawlers were used more than leeches in this river with most anglers drifting their bait with some split shot near the bottom. Jigging can be effective once the fish are located.



    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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