Fishing Report

The coho fishing is just about done, and only a couple chinook salmon have been caught so far. Lake trout fishing also ranged from slow to fair but as the waters warm, fishing should improve.

Walleye anglers are jigging or handlining at night. There has been no word on perch fishing this week because most are targeting walleye.

Anglers are starting to catch walleye off Twelve Mile Road, Fourteen Mile Road and up near the 400 Club. Some are jigging or handlining while others are trolling with crankbaits.

Walleye fishing has been very good just south of Detroit Edison and on the east side of Grosse Ile. Limit catches were reported in Canadian waters. Good numbers of white bass have been caught.

Walleye are being caught in 12 to 20 feet of water off Bolles Harbor. Most are using crawler harnesses with bottom bouncers. The action has been very good when the waters are clear. Good numbers of white bass have been caught. Those fishing near the Banana Dike reported good northern pike fishing.

Pier anglers reported slow catch rates with only a couple steelhead and brown trout taken off the North Pier. Those fishing at night have caught walleye. Boat anglers have caught some chinook and brown trout up at Big Sable Point.

Pier anglers have caught brown trout and steelhead when casting or using spawn. Both piers have been active with a few walleye taken off the South Pier and a few perch and whitefish taken off the North Pier. Boat anglers trolling in front of the harbor and south near Gurney Creek have caught chinook and brown trout. Lake trout were also caught but the season does not open until May 1st.

Boat anglers have caught trout between the piers and when trolling north up towards Arcadia.

Fishing off of the piers has been moderate with a few brown trout and steelhead taken when casting Cleo's on the inside of the pier or using spawn on the outside. Boats trolling in between the piers and north up to Point Betsie are taking some trout in 20 to 35 feet of water in the late afternoon hours.

Anglers are taking limit catches of lake trout in both bays. In the East Bay, anglers are jigging off the Bluffs. Whitefish have been caught in waters up to 230 feet deep. In the West Bay, limits of perch ranging from 7 to 12 inches have been caught in Suttons Bay and at Northport. Minnows and wigglers are working but the bigger fish seem to prefer minnows. Steelhead, brown trout, lake trout and whitefish were caught off the Great Lakes Maritime Academy Pier when using spawn.

Brown trout and perch action has been very slow. One boat was lucky enough to take four brown trout. Yellow and orange have been good colors.

Pier fishing has been slow, but those trolling in 25 to 50 feet of water are taking some coho, chinook and brown trout. Orange bodybaits and small spoons worked best. Most fish were taken in the top 20 feet of water. Perch were taken when fishing just off the bottom in 70 feet of water.

Coho have been caught off both piers and when trolling in shallow waters 25 to 35 feet deep. A few chinook and brown trout have also been caught.

Good walleye fishing off the mouth of the river with some limits taken. Shore anglers casting lakeward are also getting some walleye. Crankbaits work best. Those surf-casting at night near the Singing Bridge are taking walleye.

Pier anglers are catching a lot of 5 to 8 inch perch along with the occasional brown trout. Boat anglers are taking walleye off the mouth of the Tawas River. Anglers casting from shore at the river mouth also getting some walleyes.

The docks are now in and ready for launching. Boats trolling in shallow waters up to 25 feet deep have caught a few brown trout.

Water temperatures are still cold so anglers will want to fish along the shoreline in the brown water mark. Anglers are reminded that lake trout season does not open until May 1st. Boats are trolling spoons in front of the breakwall, in Swan Bay, Calcite Harbor and off Seagull Point. Good colors to try are chartreuse and silver, green and silver or blue and silver. One lucky angler caught a nice brown trout when casting off Seagull Point. Early morning or late evenings were best.

Boat anglers trolling for walleye have done well from Linwood south to the Bay City State Park in 10 to 13 feet of water using either crawler harnesses or small crankbaits. Walleye were taken in 5 feet of water off the mouth of the Quanicassee River. Shore anglers are catching a mixture of rock bass, crappie and bluegills around the docks in Sunset Bay and Sebewaing.

Boat anglers are on the move and are starting to catch chinook, coho and steelhead.

Fishing finally got started when the winds quit blowing. Boat anglers trolling took some coho weighing up to 3 pounds along with some chinook and steelhead in the 5 to 7 pound range. Bodybaits in 12 to 18 feet of water worked best.

Walleye fishing has been good from Algonac to Marine City. Salmon and steelhead have also been caught.

Walleye fishing has been excellent since the water has cleared up and the weather has warmed. Limit catches are reported from many locations along the length of the river from Belle Isle to Trenton when jigging, trolling or handlining.

The ice has left the bays and coho fishing is improving when trolling crankbaits or fishing with spawn. Nice splake are being caught near the Anna River.

Boat fishing has ranged from slow to fair. Most of the fish caught have been coho salmon with the occasional brown trout, chinook and splake mixed in. Very few steelhead and lake trout have been caught. Shore fishing was slow.

The steelhead run is almost over but a few fish are still being caught when floating wax worms between the two dams at Flat Rock. Suckers are still hitting on wax worms, and flies. A few walleye remain in the river and might provide some action for the opener this weekend.