Fishing Report

Pier anglers have caught walleye in the morning. Freshwater drum, catfish and rock bass were caught off the pier near the parking area. Boat anglers have caught mainly lake trout when trolling with spoons in waters 60 to 80 feet deep. A few chinook and pink salmon were also caught.

Lake trout have been caught in 70 to 130 feet of water. Some fish have been caught near the bottom while others appear to be suspended in the water column. Catch rates have not been consistent.

The bigger walleye seem to be out in Thunder Bay around Grass Island. While there are fewer fish, those that are patient will be rewarded with bigger fish and better overall quality. If you're looking to pick up some nice bass, Squaw Bay is the place. A few whitefish and walleye were caught recently. Try trolling crawler harnesses and bottom bouncers.

Very good lake trout fishing, but quite a few fish have been thrown back as the minimum size limit is 22 inches. Try fishing off Stoneport, in the North Bay or just off Big Light Point. Some are fishing just off the bottom in waters 30 to 65 feet deep while others are fishing the entire water column for bigger fish. Light numbers of chinook and atlantic salmon can be found in waters 60 to 120 feet deep.

Lake trout are everywhere. This would be a good time to take someone new out fishing as the lake trout are biting well. The better spots to fish are still straight out of the harbor, near Adams Point, or Seagull Point which is just northwest of the harbor. Try 5 feet off the bottom in waters 30 to 90 feet deep, or fishing the entire water column. Some nice healthy chinook salmon with alewife and smelt in their stomach have been caught recently. Try fishing about the top 60 feet in waters 80 to 120 feet deep. Good colors are green, purple, black and white or anything that glows in the early morning or late evening.

Walleye fishing ranged from fair to excellent, with most boats getting fish on crawler harnesses in the shallow waters, or Hot-n-Tot's out deeper. Good spots to fish were just off Linwood and the Kawkawlin River, the Black Hole and the Callahan Reef. Good numbers of channel cats were taken in the Hot Ponds. Very good walleye action was reported straight out from the Quanicassee River and straight west of the mouth of the Sebewaing River and south to Fish Point. Near Caseville, walleye were caught in waters 17 to 19 feet deep from the Slot off Sand Point. The carp are in the shallows and those bow fishing are reminded: If you shoot it, take it home and bury it!

Lake Trout and salmon fishing was fair. The fish are scattered so boat anglers are using all types of gear. The catch was mostly lake trout with a few chinook and steelhead mixed in. Pier anglers took good numbers of bass on the opener, and also a lot of rock bass.

Salmon fishing is slow with a few being taken straight out and north of the harbor 40 to 60 feet down in 90 to 120 feet of water using Dodgers with Squid, Spin Doctors, Action Fly's and Magnum Spoons. Lake trout fishing is good straight out and south of the harbor using Dodgers with Fly's, attractors with Spin-n-Glows or cut bait just off the bottom in 80 to 120 feet of water. Steelhead are hitting on color lines with small spoons and the brown trout are hitting long lines with body baits in the shallow waters 40 to 80 feet deep south of the harbor. A few walleye were taken off the North Wall when casting body baits.

Lake trout and salmon are scattered in waters 40 to 100 feet deep. Most of the fish caught were lake trout, followed by chinook and steelhead.

Is full of white bass. Anglers have done well using worms or minnows. Yellow perch have been caught at the Cross Dike east of Sugar Island. Shore anglers are starting to catch bluegill and rock bass off the pier at Wyandotte.

Good numbers of walleye were caught off Luna Pier, Bolles Harbor, and Brest Bay in 13 to 20 feet of water. Those fishing near the Fermi Power Plant, the Banana Dike and the Dumping Grounds have also caught walleye as there seems to be no concentrated school of fish. Crawler harnesses with bottom bouncers or trolling with bright colored Hot-n-Tot's have caught fish. Large numbers of white bass are providing a good fishery for both shore and boat anglers.

Walleye have been caught from Ruggles Reef to Vermilion, less than 1 mile NE of Eastlake in 25’ of water and 1 to 3 miles NE of Fairport in 38-48’ of water. Fish have been caught on worm harnesses, crankbaits and spoons. Yellow perch fishing has been good in the Cleveland area 1 to 2 miles N of E 72nd St. in 36 to 40’ of water, and 3 mile N of Wildwood State Park in Euclid in 40' feet of water. Fish are also being caught NE of the Vermilion breakwall, and 1 mile N of Fairport and Conneaut in 25-30' of water. Perch spreaders with shiners fished near the bottom produce the most fish. Smallmouth bass fishing has been good in harbor areas and in 15 to 25’ of water along the shoreline in Conneaut, Ashtabula, Geneva and Fairport Harbor. Fish have been caught on tube jigs, jigs tipped with minnows or leeches, or by trolling crankbaits.

Walleye fishing continues to be excellent with many limits being caught. Fishing has been best around West Sister Island, “D†can of the Camp Perry firing range, NW of the Catawba State Park ramp, Gull Island Shoal, American Eagle Shoal SW of Kelleys Island, and E of Kelleys Island. Drifters are using mayfly rigs or worm harnesses with bottom bouncers, while trollers are using worm harnesses with inline weights or bottom bouncers and jet or dipsy divers with spoons. The best yellow perch fishing in the western basin has been around the Toledo water intake, Lucy’s point of Middle Bass Island, and Gull Island Shoal. Perch spreaders with shiners fished near the bottom produce the most fish.

Has slow trout and salmon fishing. Some are trolling high lines in 8 to 10 feet of water for brown trout, while others are out fishing for salmon in deeper waters 160 to 180 feet deep.

Slow fishing as those casting and still-fishing have had no luck. Boat anglers trolling did manage to catch some chinook and steelhead when trolling up to Big Sable Point in waters 200 feet deep. The harbor is full of baitfish, so anglers may want to try fishing with alewife.

Pier fishing has been slow. Those trolling were able to catch a few chinook salmon in and around the harbor, but the bite has been very early. Chinook and lake trout have been caught off the Shelf.

Lots of baitfish are hanging around the piers, but not many anglers are fishing for trout and salmon. A few smallmouth bass were taken off the south side of the pier. Those out trolling have caught chinook and lake trout in 100 to 150 feet of water. Green spoons fished 70 to 80 feet down have produced some nice chinook.

Those trolling in and around the piers are catching some brown trout on body baits and small spoons. Chinook and lake trout were taken when trolling north towards the Point. Yellow, red and green spoons in 70 to 130 feet of water produced the best. There are still plenty of baitfish around the piers.

On the East Bay, anglers continue to catch a fair number of whitefish off of Deepwater Point in 60 feet of water. A good number of lake trout are being caught along the South Bank when trolling spoons, flatfish and cowbells in 15 to 40 feet of water. Small chinook salmon were also caught along the southern portion of the bay. Smallmouth bass were caught near Elk Rapids. On the West Bay, lake trout were caught north of the Red Buoy and along the brush grounds.

Lake trout have been caught in 40 to 70 feet of water in Little Traverse Bay. Fishing pressure has been very light

Boat anglers have caught chinook, lake trout and steelhead when trolling in waters 150 to 240 feet deep. Coho have also been caught in waters 80 to 240 feet deep. Start shallow in the morning, and move out deeper as the day progresses. Spoons in green, yellow, black and white have caught fish.

Boat anglers have caught chinook when fishing 40 to 50 feet down in waters 80 to 120 feet deep. Spoons or body baits in green, blue, chartreuse and watermelon have caught fish.

Water levels are still high, but the river is still fishable. Walleye fishing was slow so try using crawlers in the large deep holes. Steelhead fishing has started to pick up, as there seems to be quite a few fish below the Berrien Springs Dam. Some are drifting flies while others are casting spinners or small spoons. Smallmouth bass fishing was slow.

Boat anglers continue to catch chinook and steelhead when trolling shallow in the early morning and moving out to deeper waters as the day progresses. Try trolling a variety of spoons with some sort of attractors as the fish are a bit scattered after the storms.

Boat anglers are catching the occasional chinook and coho. Some are venturing out deeper for lake trout. Catches have been good with most fishermen landing a few trout. Most of the lake trout are ranging from 2 to 5 pounds. Shore fishing has been slow.