Curly's Photo and Fishing Blog
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Labor Day Fishing Report
Northern Michigan now faces another economic disaster as deer baiting has been banned. This will only put more business out as most hunters will go to the Upper as they can still bait up there. Millions of dollars will be lost with no recourse to help as we are already hurting up here.
Walleye activity seems to be picking up with the coller nights, while salmon action is on getting hot on the big lake.
Perch moved back out of Ludington with warm water moving back in.
Houghton Lake has been great this week for walleye. Leeches working best along with crawlers. Walleye and bluegill are still being caught along the weedbeds in 7 to 10 feet of water. Early morning or late evening is best due to heavy boat traffic.
Lake St. Helen has been good for bass and gills.
Lake Missaukee - Boat and shore anglers are catching some nice bass and other panfish. Walleye have been caught but catch rates were not consistent.
Little Bay De Noc - Walleye action was best trolling in front of the mouth of the Escanaba River and close to shore at Kipling. Use crawler harnesses or top water lures in 13 to 15 feet of water. Perch were caught in front of the launch at Kipling and along the drop-off while smallmouth bass were taken in the weeds off the launch. Channel cats and freshwater drum have been caught off the docks.
Big Bay De Noc - Off Fairport, chinook salmon were caught about seven miles out. The better fishing was in the early morning. Fish were caught 70 feet down in waters 100 feet deep.
Brevoort Lake - Anglers are still catching walleye. Walleye are hitting on crawlers.
Manistique has been good for fishing. Walleye and bass are decent.
Indian Lake - A few walleye and some perch have been caught.
Skegemog Lake - Effort for smallmouth bass is still high in the flats between the Torch River and Baggs Road and the Narrows. Those targeting muskie are trolling large rapalas in 8 to 20 feet of water in the same area. Pike fishing has increased in the southern part of the lake where anglers are trolling or casting crank baits, rattle traps, stick baits and bombers in 3 to 20 feet of water. Bluegills are hitting on crawlers and red worms in 10 to 12 feet of water.
Big Glen Lake - Perch are still the favorite. The bigger fish are in 30 to 40 feet of water and the bait varies. Try worms, shrimp, minnows and wigglers.
Little Glen Lake - Perch anglers are doing well on the west end of the lake.
Around Grayling, The walleye are biting on Lake Margrethe with Pike fishing sporadic on inland lakes and river fishing is fair to good with live bait, Hendricksonâ??s, and flies.
Hamlin Lake - Fishing activity is slowly picking up as the waters cool. Anglers targeting panfish are having success using worms in 8 to 12 feet on water. Good bass fishing can be found around any kind of structure.
Wixom Lake - In Gladwin County is producing some nice rock bass also crappie and gills have hitting.
Lake Charlevoix - Perch anglers are finding fish at 30 feet but they are small. The bass are off the beds and along the drop offs. Those fishing the channel of the Pine River have caught smallmouth using live bait and artificial worms. Freshwater drum and catfish are also starting to show up.
Saginaw Bay - Perch are being caught in small to moderate numbers a mile east and a mile north of the Spark Plug, near Buoy #18 along the shipping channel, just south of the Black Hole, and 2 miles north off the mouth of the Quanicassee River. The action is not fast and furious but the fish being caught are running 8 to 11 inches. Walleye action continues fair at most locations, with angler effort concentrated around the Spark Plug, off Spoils Island, and in the Slot northeast of Quanicassee up to the outside of the islands off Bay Port. Bass are still hitting in Wildfowl Bay.
Upper Herring Lake - Walleye and largemouth bass have been caught during the day when trolling the weeds with either a crawler harness or a plastic worm.
Long Lake - The walleye are hitting on crawler harnesses after dark. Also Lake Leelanau has reported in with a good walleye bite. Warmer weather walleye are hittiing leeches real good
Portage Lake - Dredging is still taking place in the channel however walleye fishing in and around the channel has been decent at night. Good numbers of largemouth bass have been caught around the docks and the weed beds. The bigger bluegills along with rock bass and perch have been caught in the northwest corner of the lake and in front of the marina in 15 to 25 feet of water. The mayfly hatch is underway so catch rates are a bit slower, but fish are being caught.
Hamlin Lake - Fishing was a bit on the slow side however some limits were taken using wax worms or leaf worms in shallow waters in the South, Middle and North Bayou’s. Bass were caught on live bait or green and purple artificial crawlers.
Muskegon Lake - Walleye are being caught along the weed edges but many are running small. A few perch have been caught on minnows. Bluegill fishing was slow as the fish may be suspended in deeper water. Bass are still being caught in shallow waters along the weedbeds and around structure.
Whitehall - Fishing has picked up with a few more chinook and lake trout coming in, but they have been small. The fish were caught in 80 to 120 feet of water and the lake trout were coming off the bottom.
White Lake - Perch are starting to show up.
East & West Twin Lakes - has picked up for walleye and bass with leeches and crawlers working best..
Higgins Lake - Boat anglers are still taking lake trout when trolling body baits behind cowbells in 80 to 100 feet of water. Lots of rock bass have been caught on minnows and worms. Those drifting leeches along the drop-off in 25 to 30 feet of water are taking smallmouth bass. Perch fishing was hit-or-miss.
Houghton Lake - Has good walleye and bluegill fishing. Anglers are fishing an area out in the middle of the lake called the “elbow” which is a weedbed in 7 feet of water. Crawlers, leeches and wax worms have caught fish.
Tittabawassee River - Catfish has been good.
Cedarville and Hessel - Still have good pike fishing. Those fishing off the pier at the Hessel Marina are taking pike, smallmouth bass and perch on crawlers or minnows. Yellow perch action picked up in Hessel Bay in 9 to10 feet of water. Musky Bay has slow yellow perch fishing and the fish are small. Moscow Channel is good, and Cedarville Bay is fair. Smallmouth bass fishing is fair but should be picking up soon. Salmon are reported in 60 to 70 feet of water or less but fishing is slow.
FISHING REPORT
Upper Peninsula:
Copper Harbor anglers have beautiful fishing weather for lake trout. Lake Superior is providing decent catches in 90-100 feet of water.
In the Bergland area, Lake Gogebic is producing some walleye. Anglers are fishing deeper waters and using minnows. Night crawlers are working well on perch right at the edge of the weed beds.
Good action in the Marquette area for walleye and perch on Independence and Greenwood lakes, the Dead River Basin and a few scattered fish on Bay DeNoc. Anglers are jigging with minnows after dark or trolling with crawler harnesses before dark.
Around Escanaba the walleye are scattered throughout Little Bay De Noc with best results in 25-40 feet of water. Trolling or drifting with crawler harnesses seems to be working well. Expect some perch to be mixed in the catch. A few salmon are being caught on Cedar River and around Fairport.
Near the Manistique area, salmon are hitting on spoons. Indian Lake is giving up nice catches of walleye and perch around the rock pile on Rapalas and night crawlers.
Around Sault Ste. Marie some very good angling action is taking place. Walleye are abundant up and down the St. Maryâ??s River. Small sized perch are active in the upper River. Salmon are starting to run and various pan fish are plentiful.
Tremendous fishing in the Munuscong area where anglers are obtaining limits of walleye on Raber Bay and around the shipping channels. Perch action is great around the Islandâ??s and the St. Maryâ??s River. Cedarville Lake is giving up plenty of lake trout and salmon on spoons. Get in on the Salmon Derby that runs today through Sunday; call 906-647-4002 for details.
Anglers in the St.Ignace area are doing ok on walleye with crawlers and leaf worms.
Drummond Island anglers are catching some perch and bass on Lake Huron as well as on Potaganissing Bay.
Northwest:
Off of the Frankfort area salmon are hitting on Cleos, crockadiles, glow in the dark spoons, wobblers and alewives on a slider. The best location is near the piers. The Betsie River is also producing a few salmon, mostly running in bunches. Anglers are using squid, plugs, and flies. Crystal Lake is giving up some nice perch on wigglers, crawlers and minnows. Good fishing for walleye on Betsie Bay, Platt Lake and the Upper and Lower Herring lakes.
Around Alanson Burt Lake is producing a few perch and walleye. Fish are biting on minnows and crawlers. Salmon action is rated fair on Little Traverse Bay.
Lake Charlevoix near Boyne City has cooled down due to temperatures in the forties during the morning. Anglers continue to catch good numbers of bass and walleye while drifting and using body baits and crawlers.
Off of the Manistee area salmon action is good on Lake Michigan and particularly Kings are hitting on spoons around the piers. Wigglers are working well on perch off the pier as well. On the Big Manistee River anglers are doing well using junior husky jerks on salmon.
Near Kalkaska the salmon are starting to pick up on Grand Traverse Bay and anglers are using dipsy divers and Hot-n-Tots with good results. Small mouth bass are also hitting on the Bay in good numbers as well. Excellent bass fishing is taking place on Skegemog Lake on leeches.
Fantastic fishing is taking place in the Gaylord area on all of the inland lakes and streams. Expect excellent conditions for trout during the morning hours on Tricos. Grasshoppers and cadis patterns are working well in the evening. Bass and walleye continue to offer up good opportunities for anglers fishing Lake Michigan.
In Cadillac, crappie are active on the east end of Lake Cadillac. Mitchell Lake is giving up crappie and blue gill on wax and leaf worms. Both Cadillac and Mitchell lakes are producing large mouth bass. Headed over to Lake Michigan the salmon are hitting on a variety of baits, spoons are working well around the piers, while Cleoâ??s and cast masters seem to work better out on the Lake. Salmon are biting on J-Plugs and storm lures on the Pine and Manistee rivers.
Northeast:
Oscoda angling is very good with pike, bass, crappie, blue gill, perch and walleye all active on a variety of baits that include minnows, leeches and worms. Cooke and Foote Dam Ponds are providing plenty of pan fish on leaf worms. Salmon action is starting to pick up on the AuSable River, and Van Etten Lake is giving up nice catches of pike, perch and walleye.
Lake Margrethe in Grayling is giving up fair to good catches of pike. Best results are found in 20-feet of water using sucker minnows and fishing the middle grounds. Anglers are trolling in 17-feet of water for walleye and fish are biting on leeches. Perch are hitting on wax worms and minnows.
Around the Alpena area fishing opportunities are fair for salmon and lake trout out on Lake Huron. A variety of spoons seems to be working well.
Higgins Lake anglers will find really great fishing for perch, lake trout and rock bass. Minnows are working well on perch when fishing in 22-35 feet of water. Swedish pimples are popular on the lake trout in 100 feet of water, and crawlers are doing the trick on rock bass just about every where on the Lake.
In the Au Gres area, perch activity has slowed a bit, but the walleye ranges from fair to good depending on the day you head out. Best action seems to be taking place in 35 feet of water and using crawlers and minnows.