Curly's Photo and Fishing Blog
Fishing Report 5/1/09
The weather put a big kabosh on fishing last weekend with rivers still high and business owners low as it was a catastropic weekend costing Northern Michigan dearly. Not much to report this week as most are just getting back out fishing with the winds going down today. It has been real slow this week.
Opening weekend followed tradition as it was wet in most areas. Extensive rainfall has many rivers flooded. It could take a minimum of seven to ten days for the watersheds to return to near normal conditions. Avoid standing near the edge of riverbanks because the ground is saturated and could pull away at anytime. Anglers hard-bitten by the fishing bug are encouraged to try inland lakes that are not connected to any river systems, because they were least affected by recent rains.
Mushrooms will be popping soon in Northern Michigan
Higgins Lake - Perch have been caught on minnows and wigglers. Boats trolling cowbells just off the bottom in 80 feet of water have caught some lake trout.
Houghton Lake - Opening weekend was wet however anglers did manage to catch fish. Boats trolling in shallow waters 6 to 8 feet deep found walleye and northern pike. Bluegills and crappie can still be found in the canals.
Steelhead fishing is good at the Two Heart River this week with no pressure..
Traverse City - A few boats are making it out on the West Bay and searching for steelhead and perch. The East Bay is ice free so boat anglers are out looking for steelhead, whitefish, and brown trout. Also reports Suttons Bay is open and has a good perch bite with wigglers and minnows working best. Perch fishing has been great on both bays this week with wigglers working best.
Saginaw Bay - Anglers will want to seek out areas of clear water far away from river mouths, or fish along the line where clear and muddy waters converge. Walleye were hitting good on crawler harnesses fished off planer boards.
Saginaw River - Had a good walleye opener but the river is now flooded. It will take a week or more for the Saginaw River watershed to recede enough for anglers to start fishing again.
Tittabawassee River - The walleye opener was absolutely incredible, by all reports….for Saturday only. Central Michigan received a lot of rain and the river is not fishable at this time.
Portage Lake - Good numbers of perch are still being caught in front of the channel, though a few smaller fish are now mixed in. Try in front of the channel and fish with minnows, wigglers, or wax worms. Pike were caught along the south shoreline.
Manistee - Pier anglers targeting brown trout picked up a few fish when there was a nice chop on the water. Boats trolling in the harbor and along the shoreline have caught brown trout on body baits. Perch fishing off the pier has slowed.
Lake Cadillac - Panfish were caught near the M-115 causeway and the City Dock.
Little Bay De Noc - The docks are in at Kipling and Ford River. The Rapid River Launch is the only one not installed. The rivers are high and fast. Shore anglers caught brown trout off Sand Point in Escanaba when casting crank baits or spoons in the harbor. Perch anglers are still anticipating the seasonal catches off Saunders Point, but no good reports as of yet.
Ford River - Steelhead have been caught 4 to 8 miles upstream.
Day’s River - Most anglers are fishing between old US-2 and the Golf Course.
Big Bay De Noc - The docks are in Fayette, Garden and Ogontz. Several anglers headed out to Kate’s Bay where the late ice season was good, but few catches were reported. No smelt to report.
Upper Peninsula:
Bergland anglers seem to be in a transition period now that the ice is gone. Very minimal activity on perch and most anglers are just waiting for walleye season to open on May 15.
Marquette received 18-inches of snow last week and it has rained ever since so the rivers are crested and very muddy, most look like chocolate. Activity is slow overall slow with the exception of a few Coho on Lake Superior.
Escanaba anglers dealt with rain and wind this week that created high water levels in the rivers. All of the boat landings are open as well as trout season. Trout activity got off to a slow start in the streams. North of Gladstone some perch are being taken in the narrows. Walleye season opens May 15.
Indian Lake is producing nice numbers of perch and anglers are doing well on the majority of inland lakes. The Manistique River continues to remain strong for steelhead on spawn. So far no activity on Lake Michigan, just off of the Lake near Thompson Creek the brown trout are starting to hit.
Off of the Sault Ste. Marie area perch are biting on minnows near Sugar Island. Rain has curtailed much of the angling activity this week overall.
Around Munuscong the St. Maryâ??s River is producing steelhead on spawn and spoons. Pike, walleye and musky season opens May 15.
Around Drummond Island some smelt can still be found in the Lake Huron tributaries and anglers are getting some perch on minnows and perch rigs.
St. Ignace received plenty of wind and rain this week idling fishing activity, but a warm-up helped a few anglers pull in some trout. Smelt has slowed down but persistent anglers heading to the north side of the Carp River are filling their two-gallon bucket.
Northwest:
Rain and adverse weather has limited fishing activity in Alanson so far this week.
Traverse City anglers are doing well on the Boardman River for steelhead. Suttons Bay is producing some perch on wigglers and perch minnows. Walleye is slow so far.
Anglers getting out around the Frankfort area are doing well on most inland lakes for blue gill and crappie. Steelhead and suckers are still running at a good pace on the Betsie and Platte rivers. Spawn and flies are working well, spin fishing, bobbers and longer leaders are also in the bag of tricks for anglers. Walleye and trout season opens in the area on Saturday.
Around Kalkaska some nice size trout have been caught despite the rain. The rain should actually bring in more steelhead into the Boardman River for the weekend.
Gaylord anglers are finding very good steelhead numbers in the Boyne, Sturgeon and Jordan rivers. Spawn, egg flies and nymph patterns are working well. Good action for walleye on Otsego Lake and Big Lake with crawler harnesses and crank bait working well. Trout streams are slow but improving.
In the Cadillac area fishing this week has been quiet with some blue gill and crappie being taking from Mitchell and Cadillac lakes. Trout fishing is good in the streams.
West:
Excellent trout action is taking place around the Baldwin area on the Little Manistee and Pere Marquette rivers and streams throughout the area that include rainbow, brown and brook trout. Steelhead activity is also rated good to excellent when using spawn. Inland lakes are good for pike on sucker minnows and the pan fish are biting in nice numbers too.
Good fishing for anglers in the Muskegon area for perch, trout and walleye. Muskegon Lake is producing nice numbers of perch in 42-29 feet of water on minnows and wigglers. Perch action is good on Lake Michigan in 60-70 feet of water. The White and Muskegon rivers are both giving up tremendous trout catches. Off of the Muskegon piers the walleye fishing is good using crank baits and husky jerks.
In the Chippewa Lake area the channels are providing good counts of specks and Chippewa Lake is producing a few walleye on minnows.
Rain, rain and more rain is the word in Grand Rapids and with all that rain flooding is the rule for just about every river in the area idling fishing at this point. Inland lakes all have high water levels as well but are fishable.
Northeast:
Alpena anglers continue to hit on good numbers of walleye near the shoreline of Lake Huron. Fishing in the evening hours with Rapalas seems to be getting good results. Fish are ranging from three to seven pounds. Steelhead and sucker activity is good near the Ninth Street Dam when anglers use spawn and flies.
Fishing is good in Oscoda for steelhead, suckers and walleye. Below the Foote Dam Pond steelhead and sucker activity is really starting to pick up. Walleye are hitting near the mouth of the Au Sable River.
Grayling anglers are doing fair for trout on the Au Sable and Manistee rivers. Best fishing seems to be mid-day. Lake Margrethe is slow to fair for pan fish. Anglers are getting best results in shallow water since fish are starting to bed up a bit. The walleye bite is slow so far. Crappie and blue gill are showing up in the canals. Live baits are working well on pan fish, wax worms on blue gill and jig heads with leeches while drifting for walleye.
Fishing is on the rise for Houghton Lake anglers. Today the weather finally broke and the walleye and pike are biting when trolling and using stick baits or Rapalas. The canals are producing decent counts of blue gill and crappie.
The sun finally popped out today on Higgins Lake after days of rain and wind. Walleye, trout and pike season are open, but so far no activity is taking place.
In the Au Gres area steelhead activity is still good on the east branch of the Au Gres. Sucker opportunities have dwindled. Good action for walleye at the mouth of the River.
Standish anglers are finding a slow and tough go for fishing due to northeast winds and rain causing dirty water and rough conditions. Some walleye are being caught near the mouth of the river and perch fishing seems to be over.
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