Fishing Report

Salmon have been caught on up near the Allegan Dam. Steelhead can also be found and more fish should be moving up into the river. Some nice walleye were also caught.

A few salmon were caught when drifting spawn or flies up near the dam. Steelhead fishing was slow.

Has experienced very low fishing pressure. Between the Berrien Springs Dam and the Jasper Launch there are still quite a few fish spawning on the gravel. Drifting spawn or casting spoons has worked best. Steelhead fishing has been a bit slow, but boat anglers have taken some decent catches on spawn. The steelhead fishery should improve everyday as more fish come in.

The salmon fishing is about done. Steelhead should start showing up in the next week or two.

The fishing here has started to pick up. Those fishing in the early morning or late at night have started to pick up a few walleye off the pier when casting rapalas or drifting crawlers under a bobber. Anglers casting spoons off the end of the piers have caught some steelhead and quite a few lake trout, but the lake trout must be thrown back as the season is closed.

Fishing was slow with only a few anglers catching salmon when floating spawn under a bobber.

Anglers are fishing along the shore near the Ninth Street Dam for chinook, but this may be the last decent weekend for salmon. Most are drifting spawn bags or a single egg on a hook. Anglers are reminded that snagging is illegal. A couple steelhead were hooked when drifting flies or spawn. The area above the bridge has been a good spot to fish when casting up into or just above the rapids. The Ninth Street Bridge has been torn apart and is getting ready for new concrete. The parking lot near the dam is not accessible from Ninth Street.

One of the docks has already been pulled out and the other one will be taken out in the next week or so. Anglers casting from the pier have hooked on to a few salmon. Try standing on the mid section and casting towards the parking lot with spoons, body baits or whatever works.

Perch fishing has slowed, but those fishing off Pinconning have managed to catch fish in 15 to 20 feet of water out near the Black Hole. Perch were caught near the mouth of the Saginaw River and along the Shipping Channel. A couple walleye were taken on crawler harnesses.

Boat anglers going outside the harbor are marking a lot of fish in 18 to 20 feet of water, but they will not bite. These could be whitefish which will be spawning on the rocky shoals in a couple of weeks.

Anglers are still getting a few salmon inside the harbor. They are catching 2 or 3 fish one day, then nothing the next.

Those fishing out around Drummond Island have caught perch off Grape Island and Rutland Island. Try jigs with minnows or minnow spreaders in 14 feet of water. Lots of smallmouth bass and northern pike have also been caught on stick baits and spinner baits.

Those fishing the big lake are not catching as many coho as the fish are moving upstream. A few coho, splake and steelhead were caught when trolling dodgers, flies and crankbaits. Those surf-casting are using spawn or spoons.

A few anglers have started to fish off the Lower Harbor breakwall. Some are casting spoons for lake trout while others are concentrating on whitefish or menominee, but it may be early as not many fish have been caught. Shore anglers near the mouth of the Carp River have landed a few coho and steelhead.

Some nice lake trout and steelhead have been caught when casting spoons off the pier in Traverse Bay. Try green and orange Little Cleo's. Boat anglers have caught lake trout and steelhead on spoons when trolling just off the pier or in 30 to 50 feet of water out from the Gay Stacks.

Perch fishing slowed with only a few reports of fish caught south of Celeron Island in 9 feet of water, and in 6 to 8 feet of water around Sugar Island and Mud Island. Swedish Pimples and minnows worked best. Walleye have been caught when hand-lining near the Detroit Edison Stacks.

Walleye have been caught in the North, Middle and South Channels when jigging. Those fishing off the wall near Port Huron have caught walleye in the early morning or late evening.

Perch have been caught off the Grosse Pointe Yacht Club. Jumbo perch have been caught just west of the Lake St. Clair Light in Canadian waters.

Most of the steelhead have been caught downstream towards Rockwood. Spinners or jigs with wax worms have caught fish. The waters below the dam at Flat Rock are loaded with shad.

Walleye fishing from Huron to Lorain has been good as the fish continue to migrate west. Farther east most fishing effort has been directed at yellow perch. Walleye have been taken north of the Huron dumping grounds, on the north end of the Sandbar, and sporadically around Ruggles Reef. Fish have been caught on worm harnesses or spoons trolled with dipsy divers or jet divers, and also on deep diving crankbaits. Yellow perch fishing is excellent in the central basin in 25 to 30 feet of water off of the Vermilion breakwall and off of the condos east of Vermilion near Beaver Creek, within one mile of Lorain and Avon point, one to two miles northwest of Cleveland (E. 72nd St. lighthouse) in 38 feet of water, two miles northeast of Eastlake in 38 feet of water, three miles north of Fairport in 50 to 55 feet of water, and two to three miles north of Ashtabula 45 to 55 feet of water. Fish have ranged from seven to 12 inches. Perch rigs with shiners fished near the bottom have produced the most fish. Smallmouth bass fishing has been good along the shoreline from Fairport Harbor to Conneaut in 15 to 25 feet of water. Fish have been caught on goby color tube jigs, goby color drop-shot rigs, jigs tipped with minnows or leeches, or by trolling crankbaits. Steelhead fishing has been fair to good in the Vermilion River, Rocky River, Euclid Creek (Wildwood State Park), Chagrin River, Grand River, Arcola Creek, Geneva State Park, Conneaut Creek and along the Conneaut west breakwall. Shore anglers are using small spinners and spoons, and jigs and maggots rigged with a split shot under a light bobber.

Fishing effort directed towards walleye has greatly decreased as western basin anglers have switched to perch fishing. Some success has been reported on Kelleys Island Shoal. Drifters are using mayfly rigs or weight forward spinners, while most trollers are using worm harnesses or spoons with jet or dipsy divers, and crankbaits. Yellow perch fishing has produced good numbers of fish in the Western Basin, but on average fish have been under nine inches. Over the past week the best areas have been “D†can of the Camp Perry range, Green Island, Rattlesnake Island, Lucy’s Point of Middle Bass Island, north of North Bass Island, and the Marblehead lighthouse. Perch spreaders with shiners fished near the bottom produce the most fish. Smallmouth bass should start moving shallower as water temperatures drop heading into fall. Fish rocky drop-offs and reefs around the Bass Islands and Kelleys Island along with near-shore areas from Catawba Island to Sandusky Bay to find active fish. Tube jigs and drop shot rigs with goby imitations are the most popular set-ups for smallmouth.

Perch are hitting on minnows in 10 to 20 feet of water just off the Camp. Look for channel cats at night up near Van Etten Creek.

Perch have been caught in 25 feet of water along the drop off and out near the South Sunken Island. Boat anglers trolling for brown trout and rainbow trout reported fair catches.

Walleye fishing is picking up as the cooler weather has the fish chasing minnows into the shallows. The better fishing is in the early morning or late evening. Bluegill fishing is steady with fish caught along the weed beds on wax worms or leaf worms. A few northern pike were caught on minnows or stick baits.

Perch can still be found in fair to good numbers along the west side of the lake. A few lake trout were caught when trolling just off Railroad Point in 50 to 70 feet of water. With colder temperatures in the forecast, watch for lake trout to start moving into the shallow waters off Beulah.