Curly's Photo and Fishing Blog
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Barred Owl
Shot this guy around my minnow tanks today. Been feeding him a pike sucker every morning and he was waiting for me.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Summer is Here
Finally summer is here and we have temps in the 90’s. Gills are on the beds and it will be short lived as they will spawn in a hurry and move out as water temps are rising fast. Fish are biting with the warmer weather.
Sturgeon Joe at Otsego Lake is saying the perch and walleye fishing has been fair on Otsego Lake with bass fishing great.
Dave at Four Season Party Store in Houghton Lake says off of Long Point the walleye bite is still super and the weather has been perfect the last few days with leeches working best.
Saginaw Bay - Walleye were caught in 5 to 7 feet of water on the Callahan Reef, 4 feet off Linwood, 10 feet off the Kawkawlin River and 7 to 17 feet in the Slot off Sebewaing and Bay Port. Try the weed beds south of the tower on Sand Point. Good catches of channel cats in 3 to 4 feet of water off Sebewaing. Caseville anglers are taking their boats to Sebewaing or Bay Port.
Mullett Lake - The weather and the fishing have improved. Anglers trolling for walleye have been using a crawler harness with leeches or crawlers, crank baits or Hot-n-Tots. Anglers are taking good catches of perch, pike, bass and even some rainbow trout.
Burt Lake - Walleye have been caught on stick baits and bottom bouncers. Some fish were taken high in the water column and others at 25 feet.
Lake Margrethe near the Grayling area is giving up fair to good catches of walleye in 15-18 feet of water. Live leeches and drift fishing seems to work well. Pan fish and blue gill are hitting in good numbers on wax worms, Chubby Jigs and live bait. Small mouth bass are biting in shallow waters on most inland lakes in Crawford County.
Higgins Lake - Perch have been caught in 40 feet of water and rock bass can be found in 25 to 40 feet of water.
Houghton Lake - Bluegills are finally on the beds. Anglers are catching walleye, pike and bass in 4 to 8 feet of water near the weed beds and along the drop-offs.
Lake Charlevoix - Perch have been showing up in shallow waters. Walleye anglers did well on cloudy days or at night when trolling minnow baits.
Lake Bellaire - Walleye pressure remains steady with anglers catching fish ranging from 14 to 18 inches. Early morning and evening were best when trolling near the Grass River, drop-offs on the north end of the lake or between the Narrows and Eckertly Road. Try a crawler harness, jig and leech, or rapalas in 10 to 50 feet of water. For bass, try casting spinners, tube baits, stick baits or crawlers in 3 to 31 feet of water along the west side of the lake. Perch were caught in 4 to 15 feet of water in the northwest arm and near the Intermediate River. Rock bass are hitting on crawlers in 3 to 5 feet of water.
Lake Skegemog near Kalkaska is producing bass and pan fish on wax worms, night crawlers, sucker and perch minnows. Elk Rapids Dam has some nice blue gill fishing available. Guernsey Lake has decent trout activity.
Elk River - Smallmouth bass and freshwater drum are hitting on crawlers or leeches.
Boardman River - Bass fishing is starting to heat up with good action in the morning near the mouth and steady action throughout the day just below the Union Street Dam when using leeches, crawlers or plastic baits.
Lake Leelanau - Bluegills are finally on their beds and bass fishing has picked up. Look for pike along the weed beds in shallow waters. Anglers are catching walleye and this is a good time of year to catch rock bass.
Long Lake by Traverse City has been super for walleye this week with leeches working best.
Lake Missaukee - Pan fishing improved and lots of pike have been caught with bass and walleye biting on leeches.
Portage Lake -Has good bass fishing near the sailboats and the channel. Those trolling are picking up a mix of small walleye and pike. Lots of small perch, rock bass and some crappie have been caught in 15 to 22 feet of water. The panfish bite is still slow, but the Mayfly hatch is done so look for catch rates to improve.
Manistee -Boat anglers fishing off the Shelf are still taking trout and salmon. Anglers are fishing the top 60 feet at various depths. A few scum lines were found by those venturing out towards deeper waters. Green and orange spoons were still the top producers. Pier anglers were still picking up the occasional chinook or brown trout when casting spoons.
Ludington - Boats fishing between the Bathhouse and Sable Point have found trout and salmon in 100 to 180 feet of water. Try green or blue spoons with green flies. A few fish were still hanging around the harbor.
Brevort Lake near Allenville and north of St. Ignace is producing walleye and anglers are doing well when they can get out. Wind, rain and chilly temperatures limited angling activity this week but the weekend is looking up.
Manistique anglers are dealing with chilly temperatures and rain this week, but when anglers can get out the fishing is good on Indian Lake for decent counts of walleye.
Little Bay De Noc -Walleye catches were still down in the upper parts of the Bay but getting better south of the Ford River. Those trolling at night near the Second Reef caught fish, but the better fishing was the area around the “Fingers” when trolling crank baits and crawler harnesses in 14 to 38 feet of water. Smallmouth bass were caught near the Ford River, Garth Point and the Terrace Inn. Most were casting crank baits or tube baits in 4 to 8 feet of water..
Big Bay De Noc - Fish are starting to become more active and walleye anglers are catching them from the “Boot” south to Ansell’s Point. They are trolling or drifting crawlers in 14 to 30 feet of water. Good smallmouth action around the Bay when casting crank baits and jigs along the weeds. At Fairport, the better fishing has been in the evening when trolling artificial cut bait about 85 feet down in waters 125 feet deep. They have caught chinook and steelhead..
Grand Marais - Catch rates for whitefish were sporadic with a few caught in the early morning and at night. Lake trout action was good with limit catches reported.
Cedarville and Hessel -Has excellent pike fishing. The water has begun to warm and the pike are hitting on stick baits in 5 to 12 feet of water. Perch and smallmouth bass are hitting in limited numbers. The fish are scattered throughout Cedarville Bay, Moscoe Channel and the east end of Hessel Bay. Herring are in McKay Bay in 10 to 15 feet of water. Anglers are using flies or wax worms.
Good angling taking place all around the Baldwin area. Howes and Big Bass lakes are producing good blue gill numbers on wax worms, wigglers, crickets and Hula Poppers. Big Bass Lake is also giving up good counts of perch on minnows. Anglers are pulling in good numbers of small mouth bass in the 5-6 pound range consistently and Jitterbugs and Hula Poppers are popular. The Pere Marquette, Manistee and Muskegon rivers are providing nice trout action for fly fishing in the early morning and late evening hours.
Near Grayling Big Bear Lake is great for lake trout and thanks to the Hex hatch should be good for the next week or so. The Au Sable and Manistee rivers are both producing nice numbers of trout and the Hex hatch is helping anglers there as well. Frog, Section 1, Bradford and Blue gill lakes are all producing fair amounts of blue gill within the shallow waters. Manistee Lake has some nice crappie fishing taking place and Bear Lake is fair for bass and trout. Anglers on Lake Margrethe are pulling in some nice numbers of blue gill while the walleye activity has slowed because of the Hex hatch.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Summer is Here
Mayfly hatch has started today on Margrethe and Houghton Lake with bluegills showing up on the beds in most lakes in Northern Michigan. This coming Saturday, June 20th is the opening day of bass season on the Detroit River, Lake St. Clair and the St. Clair River. Panfish activity has started to pick up along with walleye, pike, bass and catfish. Mayfly hatches have just started in certain areas around the state.
Finally warm weather is here and the fish are biting.
Sturgeon Joe at Otsego Lake is saying the perch and walleye fishing has been fair on Otsego Lake.
Dave at Four Season Party Store in Houghton Lake says off of Long Point the walleye bite is still good when they can get out.
Saginaw Bay - Hot spots for walleye over the last week have been the Spark Plug, Callahan Reef, 10 feet of water off Kitchen Road and the mouth of the Kawkawlin River, the Slot from Quanicassee northeast to Sand Point and the Bar on the west side of the Slot. Pretty much wherever anglers went they caught walleye as long as they were in 10 feet of water or deeper, and most were getting their limits. The action near Sand Point and Wildfowl Bay slowed maybe because the fish moved out to deeper water. Channel cats were hitting in the Hot Ponds. Slow fishing at Caseville except for a few bass taken off the pier.
Mullett Lake - Anglers have been targeting smallmouth bass along the drop-offs with tube baits, jerk baits, and spinners. Walleye anglers are trolling on the north end with crank baits, spinners or crawler harnesses. A few pike and perch were caught.
Burt Lake - Walleye have been caught on stick baits and bottom bouncers. Some fish were taken high in the water column and others at 25 feet.
Lake Margrethe near the Grayling area is giving up fair to good catches of walleye in 15-18 feet of water. Live leeches and drift fishing seems to work well. Pan fish and blue gill are hitting in good numbers on wax worms, Chubby Jigs and live bait. Small mouth bass are biting in shallow waters on most inland lakes in Crawford County.
Higgins Lake - Perch are being caught but it will be short lived because the Brown Drake hatch is underway. Lake trout are deep and hitting on body baits or live bait.
Houghton Lake - Walleye have been caught when trolling crawler harnesses or leech rigs in 6 to 8 feet of water. Some big bluegills and sunfish are hitting on wax worms or leaf worms in 3 to 6 feet of water. The Mayfly hatch is currently underway.
Lake Charlevoix - A fair number of walleye and smallmouth bass have been caught.
Lake Bellaire - Construction at the Fisherman’s Paradise access site has been completed. The access site is now deeper and the dock extends further out, so it should be much easier to launch a boat. Walleye anglers are taking fish in the early morning and late evening when trolling near the Grass River outlet, the northern drop-offs, and the northwest arm from the Narrows to the Eckertly Road access site. Try crawler harnesses, jigs with leeches or rapalas. Fair to good smallmouth bass action along the west side of the lake, the flats on the north shore, and near the Grass River. Perch were caught in the northwest arm in 4 to 15 feet of water. Try leaf worms or crawlers. Rock bass are hitting in 7 to 10 feet.
Lake Skegemog near Kalkaska is producing bass and pan fish on wax worms, night crawlers, sucker and perch minnows. Elk Rapids Dam has some nice blue gill fishing available. Guernsey Lake has decent trout activity.
Lake Missaukee - Pan fishing improved and lots of pike have been caught.
Portage Lake - Fishing was slow due to the recent Mayfly hatch. Bass anglers are still taking fish in 8 to 10 feet of water. Boat anglers trolling in the afternoon caught some nice pike along with the occasional large bluegill or perch. For walleye, anglers trolling near the channel at night have caught fish on small body baits.
Manistee -Boat anglers fishing off the Shelf are still taking trout and salmon. Anglers are fishing the top 60 feet at various depths. A few scum lines were found by those venturing out towards deeper waters. Green and orange spoons were still the top producers. Pier anglers were still picking up the occasional chinook or brown trout when casting spoons.
Ludington - Salmon and trout have been caught in 70 to 140 feet of water between the Bath House and Betsie Point. Good colors were green, blue and orange. Pier fishing was slow.
Brevort Lake near Allenville and north of St. Ignace is producing walleye and anglers are doing well when they can get out. Wind, rain and chilly temperatures limited angling activity this week but the weekend is looking up.
Manistique anglers are dealing with chilly temperatures and rain this week, but when anglers can get out the fishing is good on Indian Lake for decent counts of walleye.
Little Bay De Noc -Water temperature have made it up to 60 degrees but the walleye bite was still slow and many fish were sub-legal. The better catches were coming around Strawberry Island and south to the Center Reef when trolling or drifting crawlers in 4 to 32 feet of water. Fish shallow up near the island. Walleye were also caught between No-See-Um Creek and the “Fingers.” Good smallmouth action around the Bay including Garth Point and Hunter’s Point. Perch fishing was fair for those jigging or drifting worms in 8 to 18 feet of water around Butler Island.
Big Bay De Noc - Walleye were caught especially in the north end of the bay when trolling or drifting crawlers in 8 to 20 feet of water. Bass were caught near Ogontz when trolling or drifting crawlers in 6 to 10 feet of water. Smallmouth bass were on the beds in South River Bay and some perch were caught in 8 to 12 feet of water in Garden Bay.
Grand Marais - The better whitefish action was in the early morning and at night. Limits of lake trout were caught in 120 to 270 feet of water.
Cedarville and Hessel -Even with cooler temperatures, anglers were catching good numbers of northern pike and fair numbers of smallmouth bass. Northern pike are biting in the Moscoe Channel, Cedarville Bay and Mackinac Bay. Most were casting spinner baits or stick baits.
AAA Fishing Report
Upper Peninsula:
Anglers in and around the Bergland area are finding plenty of walleye trolling with planer boards and Reef Runners. Fish are suspended in the Mud Flats.
Life is good in the Lâ??Anse area where fishing is good for lake trout and jigging with cut bait. Anglers are most successful when fishing in the early morning or evening hours and in waters 150-170 feet on both Huron Bay and Keweenaw Bay. King salmon seems to be hit-or-miss with anglers fishing in 30-40 feet during the early morning or late evening hours using downriggers, dodgers and spoons. During the day anglers are finding better results fishing in 100 feet of water. Crappie are on beds now.
Marquette anglers are finding that the walleye are just starting on many inland lakes. It appears that the cold water has slowed the trout and salmon fishing a bit off of the area.
Escanaba anglers are finding that the walleye fishing is either hot or cold but when the fish are biting they are hitting on crawlers and crank baits in good numbers. The fish are pretty spread out with the north end and center reef the best locations. Ford and Escanaba rivers are giving up decent counts of bass and a few perch can be had off of the campground area near Gladstone.
A Mayfly hatch in the Manistique area has slowed angling activity. Warmer weather has finally arrived in the area and anglers with plenty of patience are getting a walleye here and there on Indian Lake.
Itâ??s a slow go this week for Sault Ste. Marie anglers, very limited angling activity to speak of.
Excellent walleye fishing taking place on Munuscong Bay with anglers getting great results with crawler harnesses with a bottom bouncer, Wally Divers and jigging. Excellent walleye action is also taking place at the mouth of the Gogomain River with anglers drifting or trolling.
Good fishing for anglers headed to Scott and Maxton bays around Drummond Island for walleye. Anglers are using crawlers, crawler harnesses and stick baits with good results. Pike, small mouth bass and an occasional sunfish are also biting on both bays. Walleye are active at the mouth of the river to the Potanissing Bay.
St. Ignace anglers are either getting limits on walleye or getting nothing at all out on Brevort Lake. Warmer weather has finally arrived in the area and the fishing should really start to pick up.
Northwest:
Crooked and Pickerel lakes near the Alanson area are producing plentiful walleye, pike and bass on crawlers. Lake trout are biting on Lake Michigan. A Mayfly hatch just happened.
Boyne City anglers are finding good luck fishing on Walloon Lake for bass, walleye and northern. Splake, blue gill, crappie and bass are hitting in good quantities on Deer, Susan and Thumb lakes. Body baits and crawler harnesses seem to do the trick. Off of the Lake Charlevoix channel in the late evening hours anglers are getting nice numbers of bass, walleye and northern. Walleye are biting around 4 a.m. and 11 p.m.
Torch and Skegemog lakes in the Kalkaska area are both abundant with pike, lake trout and bass. Most inland lakes have a variety of fish bedding such as blue gill, pan fish and sunfish. Overall most rivers and streams in the area are producing good action for trout fishing with spinners.
Killer angling action taking place in the Gaylord area, the streams and rivers are alive with activity. The Black, Sturgeon and Pigeon rivers are producing very good counts of steelhead, and Rainbow trout. Several hatches have occurred including Brown Drake, Sulfur, Caddis and Mahogany Dun. Fishing is best mid to late afternoon. Bradford Lake is doing well for walleye on crank baits and Otsego Lake is a bit slow but some small and large mouth bass are biting.
Great fishing for anglers headed for the Cadillac area. Sunfish, blue gill, Rock bass, crappie and perch are plentiful on both Mitchell and Cadillac lakes. A variety of baits and techniques are working. Blue gill still have not bedded and anglers are typically not getting limits, but fishing is steady. Lake Michigan is giving up good numbers of bass and pike.
West:
Good action off of the Ludington area on Lake Michigan where anglers are fishing in 120 feet of water for steelhead, Brown trout and salmon. Fish are god size and a variety of spoons are working well including Mixed Veggie, Blue/Green Dolphins, Wonder Bread, Kevorkian and Lemon Ice. On Hamlin Lake blue gill, bass and Northern pike are in good numbers. Pike are coming off their beds on the upper portion of the lake and around the bayous. Worms, minnows and jigs seem to be working well.
Warmer weather in Baldwin has greatly improved the fishing activity. Trout action is good on the Pere Marquette, Little and Big Manistee rivers. Several streamer patterns are working. Bass Lake some large size bass are being caught, five to six pounds seem to be the norm. Large mouth bass are hitting on crank baits, while rubber worms with a spinner in front is working well on Rock bass.
Muskegon area anglers are finding mid-June doldrums with angling activity on the slow side. Some anglers are pulling in a few blue gill on Muskegon Lake using bobbers, wax worms and spikes. Salmon activity is taking place on Lake Michigan in 300-350 feet of water. Anglers fishing the Muskegon River are doing well on trout with flies.
Chippewa Lake is really good for pan fish with many anglers obtaining limits easily. A few bass are hitting on crawlers and the fish are good size. Minnows seem to be the bait of choice.
Around the Grand Rapids area the Grand River is producing nice numbers of catfish and crawlers are working well.
Northeast:
Around Grayling trout are starting on the Manistee and Au Sable rivers and a Brown Drake hatch has occurred. Lonesome Lake in Crawford County and Guthrie Lake are both producing fair blue gill numbers and some bass can be found in shallow waters. Lake Margrethe is producing nice blue gill in the shallows and near the south end.
Oscoda anglers finally have some nice weather and improved fishing conditions. Cooke Dam Pond is producing good blue gill and bass, Foote Dam Pond is giving up pike, perch, lots of bass and a few crappie. Van Etten Lake anglers are reeling in nice numbers of pike, perch and walleye. The Au Sable River has decent walleye and sucker activity and an occasional steelhead in the mix. Overall good fishing in the area and the following baits are popular, minnows, leeches, night crawlers, wax worms and leaf worms.
Houghton Lake anglers continue to find good walleye action while drifting and trolling along with a few blue gill, Northern Pike and crappie. Anglers fishing from shore are getting carp with bows.
Higgins Lake anglers are finding Rock bass everywhere on the lake using crawlers. Perch fishing is good in 30 to 40 feet of water. Lake trout fishing is good using Swedish Pimples.
Good fishing in the Au Gres area for walleye. Anglers are going straight out from the boat launch in 30-40 feet of water and using crawler harnesses with good results. The Au Gres River is giving up some pike, bass and an occasional walleye.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Free Fishing Weekend
This coming weekend, Saturday June 13th and Sunday June 14th will be Michigan’s annual Free Fishing Weekend. Both resident and non-residents can fish without a license on these two days however all the regulations that govern fishing in Michigan will still apply. For a list of statewide fishing events on this special weekend, go to http://www.michigan.gov/dnr. Warmer weather and less wind will greatly improve fishing success around the state.
Cold temperatures and strong winds continue to hamper fishing efforts. Bass and bluegill are on the beds mainly in the southern sections of the state as the northern sections are still too cold. Anglers are catching walleye and northern pike. Warm weather is on it’s way.
Sturgeon Joe at Otsego Lake is saying the perch and walleye fishing has been fair on Otsego Lake.
Dave at Four Season Party Store in Houghton Lake says off of Long Point the walleye bite is still good when they can get out.
Saginaw Bay - Walleye continue to hit near the Spark Plug, off the mouth of the Saginaw River, off Jones Road, and near the Callahan Reef. Down near Quanicassee, it appears the fish are moving up towards Sebewaing and Bay Port where anglers have caught good numbers in about 15 feet of water in the Slot and outside the islands. Closer to Caseville, anglers are heading south to the Slot off Sand Point or the weeds in Wildfowl Bay for excellent catches of walleye.
Mullett Lake - Smallmouth bass were caught near the drop-offs when using spinners, tube baits or jerk baits. Walleye, northern pike and rainbow trout have also been caught.
Bluegills are still a week away from being on the beds in Northern Michigan
Lake Margrethe near the Grayling area is giving up fair to good catches of walleye in 15-18 feet of water. Live leeches and drift fishing seems to work well. Pan fish and blue gill are hitting in good numbers on wax worms, Chubby Jigs and live bait. Small mouth bass are biting in shallow waters on most inland lakes in Crawford County.
Higgins Lake - Anglers are going out for perch but no reports had come in. Try the usual spots such as up near the North State Park, and around the Sunken Island.
Houghton Lake - Walleye anglers are doing well when trolling or drifting in 6 to 8 feet of water with crawler harnesses and leeches or crawlers. Those using Hot-n-Tots have also taken a few fish. Northern pike were caught but the fish are small. Crappie were hitting on minnows along the west side of the lake in Muddy Bay.
Lake Charlevoix - Anglers were catching perch and bass. Try trolling along the weeds for bass. Shore anglers caught perch off the docks. The water is warming up so it should be a good time for the kids to target rock bass near shore.
Burt Lake near Alanson is producing good amounts of crappie near the north arm despite the chilly temperatures. Crawlers and floating jig heads seem to be working well. Pike and musky are active near the mouth of Crooked Lake. The Michigan Walleye Tour takes place on Burt and Mullet lakes this Saturday and Sunday. For details call 231-929-5590.
Lake Bellaire - Water temperatures were in the low 60’s. Walleye fishing was slow but fish were caught in the evening when trolling near the Grass River outlet, the Intermediate River inlet and between the Narrows and the access site at Eckertly Road. Most are trolling crawler harnesses, jigs, leeches or rapalas in 10 to 30 feet of water. For smallmouth bass, anglers are casting spinners, tube baits, stick baits and grubs in 3 to 12 feet of water along the west side of the lake, near the flats, and along the drop-offs on the north side of the lake. Northern pike were caught near the Intermediate River in 8 to 10 feet of water. Rock bass have also been caught.
Lake Skegemog near Kalkaska is producing bass and pan fish on wax worms, night crawlers, sucker and perch minnows. Elk Rapids Dam has some nice blue gill fishing available. Guernsey Lake has decent trout activity.
Portage Lake - Bass fishing continues to be good throughout the lake, though the recent cold temperatures pushed the fish back out into deeper waters. Largemouth bass were caught around the channel rocks. The panfish are also out deep, try 25 to 35 feet of water. Walleye have been caught at night and lots of northern pike have been caught along the weeds during the day. Try trolling small spoons and crawler harnesses along the drop-offs and near the channel.
Manistee -The better fishing continues to be near the Ledge when using blue or green spoons 50 to 100 feet down.
Ludington - Ludington anglers will find that the blue gill are bedding on Hamlin Lake as well as most inland lakes in the area. Crawlers and worms seem to work well. Off of Ludington, Lake Michigan is producing Kings in 100 feet of water and anglers fishing 50-60 feet down are finding decent results with Blue Dolphin and Wonder Bread spoons. Bass are in good numbers when using spinners or tubes. The Pere Marquette River is producing nice counts of Brown, Brook and Rainbow trout east of Custer.
Brevort Lake near Allenville and north of St. Ignace is producing walleye and anglers are doing well when they can get out. Wind, rain and chilly temperatures limited angling activity this week but the weekend is looking up.
Manistique anglers are dealing with chilly temperatures and rain this week, but when anglers can get out the fishing is good on Indian Lake for decent counts of walleye.
Little Bay De Noc - Water temperatures are still in the mid 50’s, which makes for slower catch rates. A few walleye were taken north of the Narrows but more fish were found near the Second Reef in 20 to 35 feet of water. Those trolling at night with crank baits or crawlers found fish in the shallows between Garth Point and the Center Reef. Perch anglers have been struggling. A few jumbos were caught off Saunders Point when jigging crawlers in 30 feet of water. Sub-legal walleye were also caught. Good smallmouth bass action especially near the mouth of the Ford River and along the shoreline off Gladstone, Garth Point and Strawberry Island. Anglers are casting crank baits, crawlers and tube baits.
Big Bay De Noc - Walleye were caught especially in the north end of the bay when trolling or drifting crawlers in 8 to 20 feet of water. Bass were caught near Ogontz when trolling or drifting crawlers in 6 to 10 feet of water. Smallmouth bass were on the beds in South River Bay and some perch were caught in 8 to 12 feet of water in Garden Bay.
Grand Marais - Whitefish action remains fair. A northwest wind still produces the best results. The better fishing has been in the early morning or just before dark.
Cedarville and Hessel - Northern pike action has been good in shallow waters when casting stick baits along the weed beds. The Moscoe Channel was the hot spot and smaller fish were caught in Cedarville Bay. Pier anglers at Hessel have caught smallmouth bass and northern pike. Look for splake in the deeper waters.
Thursday, June 04, 2009
We Need A Warm Up Fishing Report
Cold temperatures and strong winds continue to hamper fishing efforts. Bass and bluegill are on the beds mainly in the southern sections of the state as the northern sections are still too cold. Anglers are catching walleye and northern pike. We need a warm-up but it sure looks like this weekend is not looking great for sumer weather
Sturgeon Joe at Otsego Lake is saying the perch and walleye fishing has been fair on Otsego Lake.
Dave at Four Season Party Store in Houghton Lake says off of Long Point the walleye bite is still good when they can get out.
Mullett Lake - Anglers are still heading out and looking for walleye, smallmouth bass and rainbow trout. Harvest rates were good for smallmouth bass where the average size was 14 to 20 inches. For walleye, anglers were heading over to Burt Lake where more fish were caught.
Lake Bellaire - The Fisherman’s Paradise Public Access site will be closed June 1st through June 4th and again June 8th through June 11th for construction. Walleye 16 to 20 inches were caught when trolling near the Grass River outlet, the Intermediate River or in the northwest arm from the Narrows to the Eckertly Road access site. Try 5 to 30 feet of water with crawler harnesses, jigs, leeches or rapalas. For bass, anglers are casting spinners, tube baits or grubs into waters up to 10 feet deep along the west side of the lake, the flats near the Grass River and the flats along the north shoreline. Pike were caught near the Intermediate River in 8 to 12 feet of water and in the northwest arm in 14 to 25 feet of water. Try spoons or live minnows. A few perch were found in the northwest arm.
Bluegills are still a week away from being on the beds.
Higgins Lake -Some perch have been caught around the Sunken Island and between the North State Park and the Conference Center. A few lake trout were caught but the fish were smaller. The brown drake fly hatch is underway.
Houghton Lake - Is producing some bass, pike, walleye and crappie.
Lake Charlevoix - Had good smallmouth bass action in the shallows. Try 6 to 12 feet of water with crank baits or minnow type plugs. Northern pike were also caught.
Long Lake - Walleye were caught at night when trolling a crawler harness or rapala.
South Lake Leelanau - Is producing some nice walleye. Try fishing shallow waters after dark. Look for smallmouth bass along the south end of the lake in the weed beds.
Traverse City - Things have been slow as high winds have kept most of the bays.
Saginaw Bay -Walleye fishing has been excellent when anglers can get out. Hot spots include the Spark Plug, Black Hole, sailing buoys G & H, off Jones and Finn Roads, the Callahan Reef and the mouth of the Saginaw River. Excellent walleye fishing off Quanicassee in 6 to 8 feet of water straight out from the river or in 9 to 14 feet if water on the Callahan Reef. Good walleye action in the slot off Sebewaing in 14 feet of water. Those fishing off Bay Port found walleye in 20 feet of water off the tip of Sand Point.
Tittabawassee River - The walleye run is pretty much over except for a few odd fish caught below the Dow Dam. Anglers are now catching good numbers of smallmouth bass, white bass and channel cats.
Portage Lake- Walleye have started hitting again in the evening. Fish were caught when trolling along the edge of the weed beds and out near the channel. Pike were caught during the day when casting on the east side or trolling spoons and body baits along the drop-offs. Bass have been caught in the shallows when casting crank baits. A few nice rock bass and bluegills were caught.
Manistee -The better fishing continues to be near the Ledge when using blue or green spoons 50 to 100 feet down.
Ludington - Boat anglers are catching fish in 80 to 160 feet of water between the Bath House and Big Sable Point.
Lake Cadillac - Panfish were caught near the M-115 causeway and the City Dock.
Little Bay De Noc - Walleye catches were fair with only one or two fish per boat. Strong south winds produced fair to good catches from Portage Point south to Breezy Point when trolling crank baits just off the break in 10 to 30 feet of water. Fair catches reported in the deep water off the Second Reef when trolling crank baits in 30 to 40 feet of water. Night anglers fishing shallow waters on the Second Reef caught walleye when drifting crawlers in 10 to 20 feet of water. Several nice fish were caught in 2 to 8 feet of water south of Garth Point. Lots of smallmouth bass were caught in 6 to 10 feet of water south of the Ford River and near Garth Point. Some jumbo perch were caught in 6 to 10 feet of water around Strawberry Island.
Big Bay De Noc - Walleye fishing was fair as not many boats have been able to get out. Most are fishing the head of the Bay but catch rates were only fair when trolling or drifting crawlers in 6 to 12 feet of water. Anglers reported excellent smallmouth action throughout the Bay. Ogontz was a hot spot for those trolling or drifting along the weeds in 6 to 8 feet of water with crank baits, spinners or crawlers. Fish Dam, Porcupine Point, Garden Bay and South River Bay were also good spots to target smallmouth bass. Small perch were caught in Garden Bay when jigging in 8 to 12 feet of water. Bass fishing around Summer Island was good.
Drummond Island - The walleye and pike opener was slow with only a few pike taken in Paradise Point Bay when drifting frozen smelt in 4 to 8 feet of water. Smallmouth bass were caught near the mouth of the harbor when fishing in 6 feet of water around the rock piles. Though water levels are higher this year, caution still needs to be used around the rock piles and reefs.
De Tour - A few boats are beginning to head out from the city launch. They were marking fish but catch rates were slow. A couple steelhead can still be found in Albany Creek.
Cedarville and Hessel - The northern pike action was good for those trolling or casting stick baits in waters up to 10 feet deep. Try the Moscoe Channel, Hessel Bay, Cedarville Bay or Musky Bay. Those fishing off the pier at Hessel were targeting yellow perch. No anglers were targeting splake however they are present in the deeper waters on the west end of Hessel Bay.
White Lake - Catch rates for panfish were very good especially for bluegill and crappie. Anglers did well in front of the City Park and Armstrong’s Bait and Tackle.
AAA Fishing Report
Upper Peninsula:
Warmer weather last week made a huge difference on Lake Gogebic. The walleye bite has been very consistent during the early mornings and evenings. Anglers are using a jig with minnows or leeches in 10 to 12 feet of water. In water 20 to 25 feet, crank baits are working well fishing 15 to 18 feet down from the surface. Smallmouth bass fishing has been excellent using sucker minnows in five to six feet of water.
Anglers have had to use the wind to find the best fishing areas near Escanaba. Walleye numbers remain good when trolling crank baits near the steep drop-offs. The Ford and Escanaba rivers are giving up good numbers of Smallmouth bass. The perch bite is fair to good south of Gladstone on Little Bay De Noc when there is a south wind.
Fishing activity around Marquette and Munising has been slow due to weather conditions. However, for diehard anglers, a fair amount of walleyes is being caught using a windy rig.
Cold weather has slowed the walleye fishing for anglers on Indian Lake near Manistique.
The best fishing around Sault Ste. Marie is for whitefish in the upper end of the St. Maryâ??s River.
Fair amounts of walleye are being caught in the Munuscong Bay area, when using a jig head with night crawlers and leeches.
Choppy water around Maxton and Scott bays has limited fishing activity. Anglers are still able to produce some fair numbers of bass, pike and walleye using a crawler harness or stick baits. The same can be said near St. Ignace where persistent anglers are catching a few walleye and bass.
Northwest:
Even though the weather has not cooperated, Lake Charlevoix near Boyne City is giving up good numbers of walleye and bass along the south arm. Another great place to cast a line is near the mouth of the Boyne River on the north arm of Lake Charlevoix. Stream and river fishing across the region has slowed significantly in the area.
Pre-spawn bass fishing is great in the Traverse City area. Long Lake is producing good amounts of walleye using minnows and Suttons Bay anglers are catching a few Lake Trout.
In the Frankfort area, the up and down weather has slowed fishing activity. Smaller lakes across the region are producing fair amounts of large and smallmouth bass, rock bass and pan fish. Anglers on Crystal Lake are taking good numbers of whitefish with wigglers being the preferred bait. The lake is also producing fair numbers of perch using minnows.
Area lakes around Kalkaska are giving up fair to good numbers of bass and walleye. A great place to through a line is East Lake where anglers are catching a good amount of bass on a variety of baits. Lake Bellaire has the best walleye action using minnows. Fly fishing has slowed but a few fish are still being caught around the Elk Rapids Dam.
River fishing has slowed a bit, in the Gaylord area, with a fair to good amount of steelhead being caught on the Jordan, Pigeon, Manistee, Sturgeon and Black rivers. Baits of choice are Sulphurs, Grey Drakes, Isoâ??s and Mottled Caddis flies.
The pike action in the Cadillac area is excellent. Varieties of baits are working well including spinners, sucker minnows and Rapalas. Lakes Mitchell and Cadillac are producing good amounts of large mouth bass on Yamamoto Senko baits. The lakes are also producing fair to good amounts of pan fish using live baits.
West:
In the Baldwin area, bass fishing is slow this week due to the weather. Perch fishing on Big Bass Lake is producing nice numbers of perch using minnows as bait. For the best blue gill and sunfish action Howes Lake is providing very good numbers of fish. Anglers are also catching a few pike using sucker minnows on area lakes. The weather has even slowed river and stream fishing. Fair to good amounts of trout are being taken using a variety of baits.
Fishing on Muskegon Lake is good with the limited amount of anglers on the lake. Blue gills are roaming the shallows in search of bedding areas. The bite has been very good using worms. In Lake Michigan, salmon and steelhead fishing has been good. During the day, try fishing in 100 to 140 feet of water about 30 to 60 feet down from the surface using blue or green Dolphins. At night, fishing in 250 feet of water, steelhead are staying near the surface, while the King Salmon are located about 90 to 100 feet down. Fishing around Spring Lake is producing good numbers of Crappie around the bridge in Ferrysburg.
Chippewa Lake is seeing fair to good numbers of blue gills for anglers who battle the cold and windy conditions.
Bass fishing is very good in the Grand Rapids area. For the best action try Englewright and Hess lakes. Good salmon and perch fishing on Lake Michigan for those able to handle the choppy water. Perch are being caught in 60 to 80 feet of water using soft-shelled crayfish or minnows. Trolling spoons in 100 to 150 feet of water is working well for salmon.
Northeast:
The cold, wind and rain are slowing anglers from getting out on the water around Alpena. Anglers are catching a few walleye on Thunder Bay River. Perch fishing on Grand Lake is fair to good using minnows.
Bass season is in full swing near Oscoda. Cooke Dam and Foote Dam ponds are seeing the best bass action using leeches, minnows and the occasional Hula Popper. The ponds are also giving up good amounts of perch and pike with minnows as the bait of choice. Anglers can still catch a few steelhead, walleye and suckers using a variety of baits. In Lake Michigan, a few King Salmon can be found.
In the Grayling area, spawning bass are being caught on all area lakes with live leeches working best as bait. For the person seeking blue gill, try using a popper for the best results. Lake Margrethe is the best place to cast a line when looking for walleye. Leeches work best in about 18 feet of water. The Manistee and Au Sable rivers are producing a few Brook, Brown and Rainbow trout using a Sulphur Dun or Hendrickson flies.
Crappie have moved out of the canals around Houghton Lake and into water about six to eight feet deep. Trolling, drifting and using bobbers with leeches are working well for those in search of walleye.
Higgins Lake has been choppy over the past few days but for anglers trolling Rapalas, fair to good numbers of trout are being taken. Rain and wind is not hampering the Rock bass fishing with night crawlers working well as bait.
Fishing activity in the Au Gres area continues to produce fair to good numbers of fish. Out on Saginaw Bay the walleye action is good using minnows. Trout fishing in the east branch of the Au Gres River and around the Singing Bridge are getting good results using spinners, small Cleoâ??s and crawlers.