Fishing Report

Fishing for chinook has been very good off the Saddle or up near the Barrel. Some fish have been found deeper in 230 feet of water, and some have been caught in as little as 80 feet. Trolling meat rigs, flies, or spoons in green, gold, and blue have produced some nice chinook and lake trout.

Excellent catches of chinook and steelhead have been caught from the Bank all the way up to Point Betsie. Fish have been deeper this week as anglers are trolling about 115 feet down in waters up to 275 feet deep.

Reported excellent catches of large healthy chinook salmon off Pyramid Point and Sleeping Bear Point. Those traveling out to the west side of South Manitou Island have caught fish weighing up to 27 pounds.

Good fishing continues with limit catches of chinook salmon up to 25 pounds taken. Try Hootchie Mama's and flies or spoons along the First Bank at sunrise and sunset. Lake trout have also been caught in waters 85 to 130 feet deep. Remember, the maximum size limit for lake trout is 23 inches except, one fish in the daily possession limit of three may be 34 inches or greater.

On the East Bay, anglers were catching chinook and lake trout from the South Bank up to Willow Point, which is along Old Mission Peninsula. Elk Rapids and Yuba are producing a few salmon 70 to 80 feet down in waters 110 to 140 feet deep. On the West Bay, anglers continue to pickup a few chinook and lake trout when fishing from Grelickville up to the White Walls and near the mouth of the Boardman River.

The overall fishing slowed some this week. The fish are scattered and being picked up at depths anywhere from 60 to 150 feet. The majority of fish have a stomach full of alewife, so look for the baitfish. A few lake trout and steelhead were also caught on blue and green spoons.

Salmon fishing slowed a bit, but anglers are still getting fish when fishing in the very early morning. Water temperatures are very warm so anglers are going out to deeper waters, though some have reported fish holding in the waters less than 100 feet deep, about 60 feet down.

Has no pier action. Boat anglers trolling north towards Whitehall and Duck Lake seem to have better luck in waters 100 to 150 feet deep. Green and white spoons on downriggers or dipseys worked best. The action has not been fast and furious, but one or two boats are coming in with limit catches.

Water temperatures are quite warm, so boat anglers are fishing north towards the nets. Boats are fishing in depths ranging from 90 to 210 feet deep, but most fish were taken 70 to 110 feet down in 100 to 150 feet of water. Pier action has been very slow with only a few catfish and freshwater drum taken.

Perch fishing remains good while still-fishing in waters 45 to 50 feet deep. Anglers are catching fair numbers of chinook salmon 60 to 80 feet down in waters 80 to 150 feet deep.

Chinook salmon have been caught 60 to 70 feet down in waters 70 to 140 feet deep. Boat anglers are catching good numbers of perch when still-fishing in water 20 to 40 feet deep. Pier fishing has been slow with only a few freshwater drum taken when casting spoons

Boats have been heading out for lake trout. Most are trolling within a few miles north or east of the Upper Harbor breakwall. Fish have been caught in waters 40 to 80 feet deep and are running 2 to 5 pounds.

Only a couple coho were caught on spoons about 40 to 70 feet down. In Traverse Bay, anglers are trolling off Big Louie's Point and straight out from the marina in 120 to 175 feet of water. Cowbells, spoons and dodgers with green peanuts have worked well.

Walleye fishing continues to be very good with lots of limits taken on crawler harnesses in 25 to 35 feet of water. Most boats are trolling south of Au Gres towards inner Saginaw Bay. Perch fishing is starting to pick up with fish taken in 25 to 40 feet of water off the lighthouse, the hotel and in the Shipping Channel. The fish are scattered, so it may take some time to locate a school of fish.

Reports good catches of large walleye when trolling crawler harnesses and bottom bouncers in 40 to 70 feet of water. Pier anglers are taking some 8 to 10 inch perch, smallmouth bass, walleye and even a few northern pike.

Anglers have been catching lake trout and salmon when trolling in waters 80 to 150 feet deep. Water temperatures are the same as Harrisville, so find the thermocline. Pier anglers have done well on catfish, but the walleye fishing has been slow.

Boat anglers have caught lake trout along with the occasional salmon. The better fishing seems to be in waters 80 to 150 feet deep. Surface water temperatures are in the low to mid 70's. Blue and green spoons seem to work best.

Boat anglers have caught lake trout when running out to the Wreck, the area around the Trout Refuge, and around Thunder Bay Island. Those heading 20 to 30 miles out near the rocky reef have caught the bigger fish when trolling along the shelf in waters 125 feet deep or deeper. Pink salmon have been caught out near the Wreck.

Experienced more fishing pressure, but few fish have been caught. Most anglers are heading south towards the Biological Station and the Ocqueoc River. They are trolling in 60 to 120 feet of water with spoons, flies, and squid.

Reported slow fishing with most boats heading up to Mackinaw Island. Chinook salmon have been caught on spoons, or flashers with flies.

Has quite a bit of fishing activity out near Buoys 1 and 2, which is way out at the end of the marked shipping channel. Good fishing out of Quanicassee using harnesses and Hot-n-Tots in 8 to 11 feet of water on the Callahan Reef. Some are fishing near the Spark Plug in 20 to 24 feet of water. Up at Sebewaing, boats are trolling south from Fish Point to the area off Sunset Bay Marina in 11 feet of water. From Bay Port to Caseville, boats are heading for the Charity Islands.

Anglers are going out late in the evening and catching good numbers of walleye out by lighthouse and the navigation buoys. Trolling about 20 feet off the bottom in waters 80 to 100 feet deep has produced some lake trout and salmon.

Salmon were caught straight north and south of the harbor when fishing the top 60 feet of waters 65 to 90 feet deep. Try spoons off downriggers or dipseys back 120 to 140 feet. Best colors were black, purple and green with glow and yellow tails. Lake trout are hitting on dodgers with spin-glows or cut bait just off the bottom in 90 to 120 feet of water. Good bass fishing inside the harbor around the weed beds. Walleye fishing has also been good straight out and north of the harbor in 50 to 80 feet of water.

Anglers fishing the north end of the river up near the Blue Water Bridge have caught walleye when drifting or slow trolling with crawler harnesses and Hot-n-Tots. Some are jigging near the bottom.

Anglers continue to catch walleye, but the bite has been a little slower this week. Most of the fish caught have come in waters 30 to 45 feet deep. Boats launching from Wyandotte and near John Dingell Park have caught fish around Grassy Island. Some continue to use crawler harnesses and bottom bouncers while others are using jigs. Freshwater drum and catfish have also been caught.