Fishing Report

The waters are clearing up and walleye are starting to move out into the lake. Boat anglers heading out in Brest Bay are trolling Reef Runners and Husky Jerks.

Fishing from both piers has been slow. Some steelhead were taken on spawn. Boating anglers have had better luck trolling both north and south of the harbor with good fishing in close. The catch has been mainly brown trout with an occasional steelhead.

Steelhead fishing remains good.

Is still producing good catches of steelhead and brown trout.

Pier anglers have had luck catching steelhead and brown trout from both piers. The south pier has been more productive before the elbow, and the north pier about half way up. Anglers have been using spawn. A few casting anglers have also had some luck catching a few bass. Boating anglers have had luck to the north and out in front of the pier heads trolling body baits and catching brown trout and a few steelhead.

Anglers trolling between Onekama and Arcadia have been catching some steelhead and brown trout in 15 to 30 feet of water.

Fishing has started to slow but fair numbers of steelhead are still being caught below the dam on spawn, egg flies, and streamers.

Fishing for steelhead and brown trout has remained steady. Fish are being caught off the piers and shore in the early morning and early afternoon hours on spawn. Anglers trolling in and around the harbor, as well as up near Platte Bay, have also caught fish in 10 to 35 feet of water. Good lure colors were orange, lime green, and white.

Is still producing good steelhead fishing.

Pier anglers fishing off the south pier have caught a few brown trout using spawn. Trolling in shallow water has produced few brown trout.

Steelhead are still in the river at Moores Park and at Portland. Try using spawn, crawlers or spinners. Some crappie are being taken at the Waverly Bridge on spec minnows. Catfish are still active.

The spring steelhead run is still on. There are a lot of fish in the river but not many fishermen. Those fishing are using spawn bags, yarn, wobble glows and chartreuse flies. Crappie are being caught along the walls in the slow eddies.

Fishing for brown trout off the piers has been slow but anglers are still trying with spawn. Trolling for brown trout has also been slow. Perch fishing is slow.

Good brown trout fishing along the shoreline in 6 to 20 feet of water. Pier fishing is slow.

A few steelhead and brown trout have been taken off the pier.

Walleye fishing is on-fire on the river. Anglers can keep only one fish until the first Saturday in May due to the boundary water regulations. Then the limit goes to 5 fish. A lot of big fish are being caught throughout the river.

Boat anglers had fair to good success for coho, with an occasional brown trout, chinook or splake being taken. Most anglers are jigging in the bubblers at the Upper Harbor or trolling spoons and bodybaits. Anglers fishing off the breakwall have reported slow to fair success for coho and whitefish.

Anglers fishing steelhead in the East Branch of the river up near M-55 are reportedly doing well. The fish seem to have shot up the river without stopping to be caught by the surf anglers. Action at the Singing Bridge remains slow.

Boat anglers are taking a few walleye trolling off the mouth of the river and off Point Au Gres, Point Lookout, and Whitestone Point.

Boats anglers are catching a few walleye off Jerry's Marina, Tawas Point, and the mouth of the Tawas River. Few brown trout are showing up. At the State pier, occasional fair catches of perch, and the odd brown trout and walleye. Shore anglers casting at the mouth of the Tawas River are getting a few walleye.

A few steelhead are in the river below Foote dam. A warm rain will bring in the main run.

The 9th Street Dam continues to be the location with the most fishing effort. Anglers are drift fishing with spawn, wax worms and artificial flies. Few steelhead have been taken. Sucker numbers and sizes are increasing as the week progresses. Other fishing activity on the river has been occurring from shore downstream below the dam. At Mill Island, anglers are casting stick baits and spoons and trolling the lower river using spoons, rapalas and body baits targeting steelhead, brown trout and walleye. The fish cleaning station is still closed for the season.

It appears things are beginning to turn around with the slow warm up. This past weekend was the first opportunity for anglers to fish from shore or from a boat. The ice is almost completely out of the marina; however, there is still some floating shore ice along Lake Huron. The breakwall rocks are still full of ice and traversing them is dangerous. Fishing remains slow due to the cold water. A few brown and lake trout have been taken, but the water is barely 34 degrees. The best bet for any fish right now is to find the brown river water in hopes that it's a degree or two warmer. A limited number of boats are trolling in front of the harbor, Swan Bay or Calcite Harbor looking for brown water. Common lures are body baits like rapalas, bombers, rattling rouges and small spoons. Colors include fire tiger, chartreuse, green and silver, blue and silver, and clown. Those traversing the breakwall are casting, with one angler landing a 20 pound brown trout this past weekend. They are casting crocodiles, cleos and body baits in chartreuse with silver prism tape, green and silver, blue and silver and fire tiger.

Fishing is really slow in the inner bay this week. At Hoyle's marina, a lot of little perch are being taken but almost no keepers. Most anglers are using minnows, but a few are using tiny tube jigs under slip-bobbers. Trolling anglers are getting some walleye in 10 feet of water off the mouth of the Saginaw River out by Spoils Island. Use the brightest colored rapalas you have, as the water is reported to be the color of hot chocolate.

Water levels should be coming down and the river should be clearing up. Steelhead fishing remains good up near Yates Dam using spawn.