Bait-shops in Benzie and Manistee County

Benzie County is famous for the Platte River Hatchery birth place of the coho salmon in the great lakes.With the Platte and Bestie river this county rocks with Salmon in the fall and Steelhead in the spring. With Lake Michigan suppling the action May though September. Crystal Lake is the mecca for ice fisherman in the winter if the lake freezes (late Jan). It is full of perch, smelt, and lake trout and they catch lots! Manistee County has a great salmon and trout fishery also. Portage Lake is the favorite place for the locals to fish in the winter it is a great place to get walleye, northen pike, and perch. The Big Manistee and Little Manistee rivers are one of the worlds fishing “hotspots” for trout and salmon.

Pappy ‘s Bait & Tackle
17092 Caberfae Hwy Wellston,Mi 49689
231-848-4142

Has a full line of bait and tackle

OSBORN’S SPORT SHOP
8929 CHIPPEWA HWY. BEAR LAKE, MI 49614
231-889-3775

Has a full line of bait and tackle

Don’s Sporting Goods
535 Cypress St. Manistee, Mi 49660
231-723-5028.

Has a full line of bait and tackle

Franfort Tackle Box
903 Main Street Franfort, Mi 49628
231-352-7673

Has a full line of bait and tackle, but is not open in the winter

Lake Ann Grocery
19619 Maple St, Lake Ann, MI 49650

Has worms and crawlers but no minnows

 Tag Limit Outdoors, Inc.  

9899 Honor Hwy  Honor, MI

  (231) 225-0278

Backcast Fly Shop

1675 Benzie Hwy, Benzonia, MI 49616

(231) 882-5222

Stapleton’s Corner Store

790 Michigan Ave, Benzonia, MI 49616

(231) 882-4342

Has minnows

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Here’s a comprehensive Michigan fishing report covering July 4–10, 2025:

🎣 July 4, 2025 – Lake Michigan (Ludington area) • Tough bite early in the day. Surface temps ~66°F and ~46°F at 60 ft depth. • Ludington charters report: landed multiple Chinook kings and steelhead using copper rigs, divers, and Dreamweaver meat rigs. 8 bites resulted in 8 fish including lake trout and kings .Mid-Week Highlights (Statewide & Great Lakes)Big Rapids area • Excellent panfish action (bluegills, sunfish) in Rogers’ Pond using cane pole, worms, and small jigs. Deep-water action via drop-shot rigs yielded ~25 fish sessions .Manistee & Ludington (Lake Michigan shoreline) • Chinook, coho salmon, and lake trout being caught offshore: • Manistee: in 120–220 ft using spoons, early morning best; bass action from piers on spinners and soft plastics . • Ludington: coho and Chinook in 120–220 ft, 70–120 ft deep fish—variety of spoons, flies, meat rigs; pier bass also productive .Onekama & Rogers City • Onekama: Chinook and lake trout trolling in 90–120 ft; • Rogers City: inconsistent but still sees lake trout, Chinook, coho, steelhead in 65–100 ft depths .July 9–10, 2025 – Inland & River ReportsIonia County (Grand River near Weber Dam) • Largemouth & smallmouth bass, plus flathead catfish are biting .Washtenaw County (South Lake) • Solid bluegill action—one group landed 31 fish .Monroe County (Lake Erie tributaries) • Walleye in 22–25 ft; crawlers effective. Bass along Pointe Mouillee and Crystal Waters using soft plastics .Southwest Lower Peninsula (South Haven, St. Joseph, Muskegon, Grand Haven) • South Haven: a few king & coho in ~100 ft offshore; pier perch in 30 ft . • St. Joseph: coho, Chinook, steelhead in 75–100 ft; catfish & drum on piers with shrimp/nightcrawler . • Muskegon: a few salmon and steelhead in 80–150 ft; pier drum on bright spoons . • Grand Haven: slight increase in salmon (50–90 ft); pier drum also noted .Northeast Lower Peninsula (Cheboygan, Tawas, Oscoda, Harrisville, Rogers City) • Cheboygan: lake trout on spin‑n‑glos at reefs; river walleye, bass, panfish on crawlers/crankbaits . • Tawas/Au Gres: walleye limits near Charity Island (10–15 ft); catfish, bass, drum mixed in . • Oscoda/Au Sable: walleye, catfish off piers; offshore lake trout, steelhead, coho, occasional salmon . • Harrisville: lake trout limits in 110–150 ft, spin‑n‑glos best; steelhead, coho, pink salmon in 70–120 ft . • Rogers City: still catching lake trout, Chinook, steelhead, Atlantic salmon; best depths around 65–100 ft .📌 Key Hot Spots Summary • Rogers’ Pond, Big Rapids – excellent panfish action. • Manistee & Ludington shorelines – salmon and lake trout in deep water; bass from piers. • Grand River near Weber Dam (Ionia) – bass & catfish. • South Lake (Washtenaw Co.) – bluegill bonanza. • Charity Island (Tawas) – great walleye fly-and-nightcrawler fishery. • Cheboygan reefs – lake trout. • Harrisville waters – lake trout and steelhead mix.Insights & Tips • Deep waters & early starts are key on Lake Michigan—salmon and trout found between 70–220 ft. • River/shore bite remains strong on bass, walleye, and panfish across inland systems. • Panfish anglers doing well across small inland lakes and ponds—worms, jigs, drop-shots are working.See MoreSee Less

Here’s a comprehensive Michigan fishing report covering July 4–10, 2025:

⸻

🎣 July 4, 2025 – Lake Michigan (Ludington area)
   •   Tough bite early in the day. Surface temps ~66°F and ~46°F at 60 ft depth.
   •   Ludington charters report: landed multiple Chinook kings and steelhead using copper rigs, divers, and Dreamweaver meat rigs. 8 bites resulted in 8 fish including lake trout and kings  .

⸻

Mid-Week Highlights (Statewide & Great Lakes)

Big Rapids area
   •   Excellent panfish action (bluegills, sunfish) in Rogers’ Pond using cane pole, worms, and small jigs. Deep-water action via drop-shot rigs yielded ~25 fish sessions  .

Manistee & Ludington (Lake Michigan shoreline)
   •   Chinook, coho salmon, and lake trout being caught offshore:
      •   Manistee: in 120–220 ft using spoons, early morning best; bass action from piers on spinners and soft plastics  .
      •   Ludington: coho and Chinook in 120–220 ft, 70–120 ft deep fish—variety of spoons, flies, meat rigs; pier bass also productive  .

Onekama & Rogers City
   •   Onekama: Chinook and lake trout trolling in 90–120 ft;
   •   Rogers City: inconsistent but still sees lake trout, Chinook, coho, steelhead in 65–100 ft depths  .

⸻

July 9–10, 2025 – Inland & River Reports

Ionia County (Grand River near Weber Dam)
   •   Largemouth & smallmouth bass, plus flathead catfish are biting  .

Washtenaw County (South Lake)
   •   Solid bluegill action—one group landed 31 fish  .

Monroe County (Lake Erie tributaries)
   •   Walleye in 22–25 ft; crawlers effective. Bass along Pointe Mouillee and Crystal Waters using soft plastics  .

Southwest Lower Peninsula (South Haven, St. Joseph, Muskegon, Grand Haven)
   •   South Haven: a few king & coho in ~100 ft offshore; pier perch in 30 ft  .
   •   St. Joseph: coho, Chinook, steelhead in 75–100 ft; catfish & drum on piers with shrimp/nightcrawler  .
   •   Muskegon: a few salmon and steelhead in 80–150 ft; pier drum on bright spoons  .
   •   Grand Haven: slight increase in salmon (50–90 ft); pier drum also noted  .

Northeast Lower Peninsula (Cheboygan, Tawas, Oscoda, Harrisville, Rogers City)
   •   Cheboygan: lake trout on spin‑n‑glos at reefs; river walleye, bass, panfish on crawlers/crankbaits  .
   •   Tawas/Au Gres: walleye limits near Charity Island (10–15 ft); catfish, bass, drum mixed in  .
   •   Oscoda/Au Sable: walleye, catfish off piers; offshore lake trout, steelhead, coho, occasional salmon  .
   •   Harrisville: lake trout limits in 110–150 ft, spin‑n‑glos best; steelhead, coho, pink salmon in 70–120 ft  .
   •   Rogers City: still catching lake trout, Chinook, steelhead, Atlantic salmon; best depths around 65–100 ft  .

⸻

📌 Key Hot Spots Summary
   •   Rogers’ Pond, Big Rapids – excellent panfish action.
   •   Manistee & Ludington shorelines – salmon and lake trout in deep water; bass from piers.
   •   Grand River near Weber Dam (Ionia) – bass & catfish.
   •   South Lake (Washtenaw Co.) – bluegill bonanza.
   •   Charity Island (Tawas) – great walleye fly-and-nightcrawler fishery.
   •   Cheboygan reefs – lake trout.
   •   Harrisville waters – lake trout and steelhead mix.

⸻

Insights & Tips
   •   Deep waters & early starts are key on Lake Michigan—salmon and trout found between 70–220 ft.
   •   River/shore bite remains strong on bass, walleye, and panfish across inland systems.
   •   Panfish anglers doing well across small inland lakes and ponds—worms, jigs, drop-shots are working.

⸻

This Saturday! Come on out! See MoreSee Less

Photos from NWMI Fishing Club’s post See MoreSee Less

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Happy Father’s Day take your son or daughter Fishing See MoreSee Less

Happy Father’s Day take your son or  daughter Fishing
Happy Flag Day

Photos from NWMI Fishing Club’s post See MoreSee Less

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