Bait-shops in Roscommon, Alger, and Ogemaw County

Roscommon County has the Largest inland lake in Michigan Houghton Lake. This lake is one of the best producers of panfish in the state of Michigan. It also has a good population of walleye and pike. Higgins Lake is the King for ice fishing when it freezes in the middle of January. The target fish are perch and smelt which they catch by the bucket on Hali’s. This lake has a huge population of lake, brown, and rainbow trout, it is the place to be in the late winter when the shallow lakes are not producing. Ogemaw County Main lakes are Peach, Sage, Clear, Lake George, Rifle, and Hardwood lake. Lots of fisherman head to Lake St. Helen which is just across the line in Roscommon as it produces lots of fish in the winter.

6560 W Houghton Lake Dr. Houghton Lake Mi 48629
989-422-3231

Full line of live bait and tackle

H&H Fireworks 

  7511 West Houghton Lake Drive, Houghton Lake, MI 48629 

(989) 366-0126

Full line of live bait and tackle

Sports Barn
East Higgins Lake Dr. Roscommon, Mi 48653
989-821-9511

Full line of bait and tackle

Angelo’s Party Store
2506 N. Old 27 N. Houghton Lake Mi 48629
989-202-4422

Full line of bait and tackle

PaPa’s Bait

127 Windemere, Houghton Lake, MI

(989) 429-5780 

full line of bait some tackle

Higgins Lake Hardware
 
 4521 West Higgins Lake
Dr.Roscommon, MI 48653
989-821-6677

Full line of bait and tackle

Evergreen Party Store

9961 N Higgins Lake Dr, Roscommon, MI 48653

(989) 821-5425

 

Full line of bait and tackle

Saint Helen Bait and Tackle

1727 North St. Helen Road

989-808-1814

Full line of bait and tackle

Dean’s Bait & Tackle
2260 M-33 Alger, Mi 48610
989-836-2460

Full line of bait and tackle

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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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