Fishing Report

Chinook fishing has picked up slightly. Catches range from slow to fair with sizes averaging 8 pounds. Fish have been caught at various depths on various colored spoons, though greens seem to be the best. Coho fishing has continued to be slow. An occasional lake trout or splake is being caught by those trolling for salmon. Lake trout fishing has been fair in the deeper waters. Shore fishing for splake has been slow.

Strong winds kept most boat anglers off the lake. Those that did venture out managed to catch a few salmon and lake trout near the shores of the Upper and Lower Harbor. Shore fishing remains slow.

Walleye fishing on the river remains good with most catches ranging from 15 to 18 inches. All methods of fishing have been working well. The musky opener saw plenty of angling pressure with many catches in the 40 to 47 inch range.

Fishing continues to be slow. Boat anglers caught brown trout in the harbor. Chinook have been caught both south of the harbor and north towards Big Sable Point. Trolling dark colored spoons worked best. Pier anglers have not caught any trout or salmon, but a few walleye were taken at night.

Anglers are catching chinook to the north near the Saddle, and in front of the Arcadia piers. Most fish are being caught in 165 to 180 feet of water on light colored spoons in yellows or whites.

Pier fishing has been slow. Only a few chinook and brown trout have being caught on the piers using alewives. Boat anglers trolling in the harbor are picking up a few brown trout, while those trolling to the north near the point are picking up good numbers of chinook. Try trolling around 180 feet of water with white, blue or green spoons.

Chinook are being caught off of Sleeping Bear Point and Pyramid Point. Lake trout fishing has been slow.

On the East Bay, anglers caught a fair amount of whitefish and a limited number of perch off of Deepwater Point in 60 to 90 feet of water on wigglers and minnows. On the West Bay, anglers are catching lake trout along the Brush Grounds. Try trolling silver or chartreuse colored flatfish in size No. 9 in 10 to 30 feet of water. Boat anglers caught a few yellow perch and menominee in Bowers Harbor in 90 feet of water using minnows and wigglers. Perch action has been hit or miss depending on the day.

The fish have moved out into deeper waters. Boat anglers are catching chinook and coho when fishing 70 to 120 feet down in 200 feet of water. Spoons in any shade of blue or green have worked the best. A few steelhead and brown trout have been caught as well.

Boat anglers are catching plenty of coho and chinook salmon in 40 to 80 feet of water, fishing halfway down with spoons in green or orange.

Perch fishing has been good. Anglers are having success in 70 feet of water using minnows.

Anglers are catching good numbers of smallmouth bass on the lower end of the river near St. Joseph. This should make for a good season opener on Saturday. Walleye were caught while drifting crawlers on the lower end of the river. Flathead catfish are starting to bite in the deep holes throughout the river.

Boat anglers are catching chinook when trolling anywhere from 35 to 90 feet down in waters 80 to 140 feet deep. Pier fishing has been slow. Perch fishing at South Haven has been good while fishing with minnows in 50 to 55 feet of water. Anglers are catching perch in 60 to 70 feet of water straight out from St. Joe.

The most popular location on the lake has been the South Arm. Walleye are being caught while trolling from East Jordan to Holy Island and off the Boyne City Harbor. Try using crawler harnesses or rapalas in 15 to 20 feet of water at night or in the early morning. Anglers have also had luck casting blade baits and artificial crawler jigs on the west shoreline near Dutchman?s Bay access in 20 to 30 feet of water. Northern pike are being caught near the Boyne River outlet. Anglers are trolling crawler harnesses and rapalas and casting with crank baits in 10 to 15 feet of water. Many of the fish being caught are measuring between 22 to 31 inches. Smallmouth bass have been caught near East Jordan on tube baits, crawler harnesses and rapalas in 12 to 30 feet of water. Other popular locations have been near Boyne City and around Youngs State Park. No trout or perch action was reported.

Fair walleye fishing was reported. Good pan fish catches have been reported near the Middle Grounds.

Lake trout continue to run hot on cowbells or minnows in 100 feet of water. A few brown and rainbow trout are being caught in 15 to 20 feet of water on body baits. Plenty of perch are being taken out near the Sunken Island in 20 to 30 feet of water.

Slow fishing out in the bay. In the Au Gres River, a few catfish have been caught. With warmer weather in the forecast, the fishing should pick up.

Recent weather has put a damper on fishing activity. When boat anglers did venture out they caught a few walleye in 20 to 30 feet of water near Tawas Point. Pier anglers caught only a light mixed bag of small perch and an occasional walleye or northern pike.

Pier anglers have caught a few walleye by drifting a worm under a bobber. Fishing the early morning and just before dark seems to be the most productive.

Fishing pressure has been low due to recent winds and rain. The boat anglers that did venture out caught lake trout in 50 to 60 feet of water while trolling spoons on the bottom.

Surface water temperatures have increased to the upper 40s. Lake trout fishing is good. Fishing the shallow water has been the key. Good places to fish are at Quarry Point and Adams Point south of the harbor. Try using silver or green Dodgers with chartreuse Spin-N-Glow?s or cowbells with Spin-N-Glow?s. The fish seem to be hitting about 5 feet off the bottom. Anglers continue to troll the shoreline for brown trout, steelhead, atlantic salmon and lake trout. The key is to use planer boards with body baits or spoons. Hot colors have been chartreuse and silver, blue and silver, black and gold, perch, and rainbow.

A few walleye were taken at the Hot Ponds on jigs and crawlers. Walleye continue to hit good in 12 to 18 feet of water from the mouth of the Saginaw River up to Linwood. Trolling with crawler harnesses has been the most productive. Channel catfish are biting in the Quanicassee River. Walleye have been hitting good in the Quanicassee River and the bay. The best catches have come on jigs or Hot N Tot?s with a crawler

Boat anglers are catching lake trout in 40 to 70 feet of water. Pier fishing has been slow.

Salmon fishing is fair to good straight out from the harbor in 45 to 70 feet of water using Dream Weaver spoons and action flys with Spin Doctors. Lake trout are being taken straight out and south of the harbor in 60 to 90 feet of water. Brown trout are being caught in the shallow waters 20 to 40 feet deep on body baits. Perch fishing is slow but a few have been caught at the Lighthouse and south of the harbor by the cemetery using minnows. A few walleye are still being taken from the north wall casting body baits.

Continues to produce good trout and salmon fishing in waters 60 to 100 feet deep. Anglers are catching a mix of chinook, coho, brown trout and steelhead.