MIBowhunter
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Michigan Recreational Fishing Report
Associated Press
River fishing is starting to improve in the Lower Peninsula, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources said Wednesday in its weekly fishing report. Warm temperatures forecast for the weekend are expected to produce some good fishing.
Anglers in the Upper Peninsula still are ice fishing. Caution should be used as warm weather can deteriorate ice conditions quickly.
Southeastern Lower Peninsula
Lake Erie is ice free, but the fishing has been slow, the department’s report said. Anglers have been fishing off the breakwalls at Luna Pier and catching some perch. Steelhead fishing in the Huron River has been slow, but should improve during the weekend with warmer temperatures and some rain in the forecast. A few suckers also have been caught.
Anglers are reminded that walleye season is closed on the Huron River and they may not take or attempt to take walleye during the closed season.
In the Detroit River, anglers continue to catch light numbers of walleye in the Trenton Channel. Water temperatures remain cold, so the catch rates have been slow. Most fish have been caught in the hot water discharge near Detroit Edison on a jig with a minnow. Perch fishing has been spotty.
Fishing has been slow in Lake St. Clair due to high winds and turbid waters. A few perch have been caught near the mouth of the Clinton River. No anglers have been out in Anchor Bay as the waters have been very turbid. No steelhead in the Clinton River yet.
In the St. Clair River, light numbers of salmon have been caught just west of Algonac in 65 to 70 feet of water. Walleye have been caught just east of Decker’s Landing in 65 feet of water. Anglers have been trolling or jigging with minnows in various sizes. A few salmon have been caught near the Blue Water Bridge at Port Huron.
Cold water temperatures have made for slow fishing in Saginaw Bay. A few whitefish have been caught off the breakwall near Caseville. Anglers have been casting for brown trout at Port Austin. No word on perch yet.
Suckers have started to run in the Shiawassee River near Chesaning. They also can be found in the Bad River, Flint River and Cass River.
Southwestern Lower Peninsula
A light number of brown trout have been caught off the piers at New Buffalo, the DNR said. At St. Joe, anglers have been fishing off the piers or surf casting off the beaches for brown trout. A few whitefish have been caught off the piers.
Boat anglers have just started to fish south of St. Joe. Fish have been caught in 30 to 40 feet of water about five miles north of Warren Dunes State Park.
Water levels in the St. Joe River have been good. Steelhead have been caught between the Buchanan Dam and the Berrien Springs Dam on a variety of bait including spawn and Wobble Glows. Water levels have been good in the Dowagiac River. Anglers have been catching fair to good numbers of steelhead when drifting flies.
Between Holland and Grand Haven, anglers have been trolling in shallow waters for brown trout near Port Sheldon. Fish have been caught on a variety of lures including Hot-n-Tots, crankbaits, and small spoons. Strong winds and wave action have made it difficult for smaller boats to get out.
Near Grand Rapids, water levels have been coming down and anglers have caught steelhead near the Sixth Street Dam. Suckers are just starting to run. Near Lansing, all the fish ladders on the Grand River including Webber Dam now are open. Fresh steelhead and some dark fish now are moving through the Webber ladder.
Boat anglers had better success between the Ionia Dam and the Webber Dam than those fishing from shore or wading, using jig heads, spawn or a variety of flies. Large catfish have been caught near the North Lansing Dam.
Near Muskegon, good numbers of fresh steelhead have been coming into the Muskegon River. Fishing has been fair in the morning hours near Croton Dam. Anglers have caught steelhead from Thornapple Road to Newaygo, but the fishing was spotty. Anglers fishing off the piers have been catching steelhead along with an occasional brown trout on spawn.
Northeastern Lower Peninsula
Near Alpena, anglers have continued catch steelhead and brown trout in the Thunder Bay River, according to the report. Most fish have been caught near the Ninth Street Dam on spawn, jigs or body baits.
Anglers have been fishing off the piers near the mouth of the Thunder Bay River as well. Warm temperatures this weekend may produce some good fishing for brown trout and walleye in the waters of Lake Huron.
Near Oscoda, steelhead fishing in the AuSable River has been fair. Anglers have been using a variety of bait and tackle including spawn, wax worms, body baits, small spoons and flies. Rain along with the warm temperatures should improve fishing conditions.
At Tawas, anglers still have been taking walleye inside Tawas Point and through the ice. Perch have been caught through the ice inside the State Dock. Anglers will need to use extreme caution as rain and warm temperatures will deteriorate the ice conditions quickly.
Brown trout and whitefish have been caught in open water near the dock and behind the State Police Post.
Near AuGres, anglers have been catching perch at Palmer Road, but the ice is gone now. Suckers are just starting to show up in the AuGres River. Steelhead can be found on the East Branch of the AuGres River near Whitney Drain. Anglers have been catching suckers in the Rifle River near the US-23 Bridge, but the run is just getting started.
There still was ice on Higgins Lake as of the report, but anglers need to use caution and watch for pressure cracks. Smelt still can still be found in 14 feet of water near Big Creek. Only a few perch have been caught. Rainbow trout and brown trout have been found when fishing in shallow waters near springs.
Anglers fishing Houghton Lake have caught panfish along the south shore.
Northwestern Lower Peninsula
Near Traverse City, anglers fishing the East Bay have been catching steelhead near Mitchell Creek and Acme Creek on spawn, the department said in its report. Boat anglers have been catching whitefish in 200 feet of water near Elk Rapids.
In the West Bay, anglers have been catching steelhead along with a few whitefish off the pier. Fair to good catches of steelhead have been reported in the Boardman River on flies or jigs.
Anglers continue to catch steelhead and brown trout at Frankfort. Fish have been caught off the piers or when surf casting. Warm temperatures should produce some better fishing in the Betsie River.
While the fishing has been good on Green Lake, anglers have not been out in recent days. Warm temperatures this weekend likely will take the remaining ice off the lake.
At Manistee, water levels in the Big Manistee River have dropped a bit and the water clarity is much better. Anglers have been catching steelhead on spawn or plugs. Those fly fishing are finding success because of the clear water from Tippy Dam down to Rainbow Bend. Shore anglers have been catching fish on spawn, wax worms and wigglers. Some fresh fish have been caught which is a good sign that the steelhead are moving up from the lake.
The Little Manistee River will reopen to fishing on April 1. There is no fishing allowed within 300 feet above or below the weir. A new regulation this year prohibits campfires on state property below the weir near the eagle’s nest. Both camping and campfires have been banned to protect the nesting eagles.
At Ludington, anglers have been catching steelhead off the piers. Brown trout fishing has been slow, but should pick up with warmer temperatures.
In the Pere Marquette River, the suckers have started to run and anglers have been catching some steelhead. A handful of anglers are fishing the Muskegon River. Anglers fishing the Big Sable River have caught some steelhead near the State Park.
Upper Peninsula
Anglers fishing for perch or coho salmon in Keweenaw Bay have reported slow catch rates, the DNR said. Spearing or jigging for lake herring had fair success. Lake trout fishing has been spotty.
Anglers have been ice fishing off Sand Point and near the marina in Baraga. The ice is breaking up in the waters north of Sand Point. Dangerous conditions have been reported because of the large chunks of ice in the Bay.
Warm temperatures and rain are in the forecast so anglers will need to use caution and check ice conditions before venturing out. Trout activity has been good. Try fishing Squaw Lake, Lake Ellen and Beatons Lake for some good trout fishing opportunities. Panfish can be found in the Thousand Island Chain-of-Lakes, King Lake, Cowboy Lake, and Lake Gogebic.
Near Menominee, anglers have been taking some large perch in Green Bay. Anglers have been jigging minnows in 35 feet of water east of the Menominee Marina. An occasional steelhead and brown trout have also been caught. In the Menominee River, brown trout have dominated the catch this past week followed by steelhead.
Most fish have been caught from the U.S. 41 Bridge upstream to the First Dam, where there has been open water with some shore ice present. Water temperatures have been near 31 degrees.
Little Bay De Noc still is covered with heavy wet snow. Anglers continue to catch whitefish when jigging minnows or spawn in 65 to 80 feet of water near the Escanaba Yacht Club. Good numbers of smaller perch have been caught near Kipling. The large perch have been caught when jigging minnows in waters 20 to 25 feet deep. For those anglers looking for steelhead, rivers in the area have started to open up.
At Marquette, fishing remains good for those in small boats when fishing the Upper Harbor, which has been ice free when there is a north wind blowing. Coho along with an occasional chinook or splake have been caught in the mornings or afternoon.
Coho and brown trout have been caught off the Coal Docks in the Lower Harbor. The marina still is iced in. At Munising, coho and splake fishing was fair, with some limits of coho taken in Trout Bay. A few lake trout along with a couple of burbot also have been caught. Ice conditions have been deteriorating and anglers need to use caution.
Closer to Newberry, anglers have been catching 7- to 9-inch perch in Big Manistique Lake. Anglers still have been ice fishing, but the warmer weather expected this weekend will cause the ice to deteriorate quickly, so use caution.
At Munuscong, anglers still have been catching large perch in 3 to 5 feet of water around Grassy Island. Most fish have been caught on minnows or wigglers in the early mornings or late afternoons.
Near Cedarville, anglers still have been ice fishing and catching trout, splake and perch in shallow waters 6 to 11 feet deep.
Associated Press
River fishing is starting to improve in the Lower Peninsula, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources said Wednesday in its weekly fishing report. Warm temperatures forecast for the weekend are expected to produce some good fishing.
Anglers in the Upper Peninsula still are ice fishing. Caution should be used as warm weather can deteriorate ice conditions quickly.
Southeastern Lower Peninsula
Lake Erie is ice free, but the fishing has been slow, the department’s report said. Anglers have been fishing off the breakwalls at Luna Pier and catching some perch. Steelhead fishing in the Huron River has been slow, but should improve during the weekend with warmer temperatures and some rain in the forecast. A few suckers also have been caught.
Anglers are reminded that walleye season is closed on the Huron River and they may not take or attempt to take walleye during the closed season.
In the Detroit River, anglers continue to catch light numbers of walleye in the Trenton Channel. Water temperatures remain cold, so the catch rates have been slow. Most fish have been caught in the hot water discharge near Detroit Edison on a jig with a minnow. Perch fishing has been spotty.
Fishing has been slow in Lake St. Clair due to high winds and turbid waters. A few perch have been caught near the mouth of the Clinton River. No anglers have been out in Anchor Bay as the waters have been very turbid. No steelhead in the Clinton River yet.
In the St. Clair River, light numbers of salmon have been caught just west of Algonac in 65 to 70 feet of water. Walleye have been caught just east of Decker’s Landing in 65 feet of water. Anglers have been trolling or jigging with minnows in various sizes. A few salmon have been caught near the Blue Water Bridge at Port Huron.
Cold water temperatures have made for slow fishing in Saginaw Bay. A few whitefish have been caught off the breakwall near Caseville. Anglers have been casting for brown trout at Port Austin. No word on perch yet.
Suckers have started to run in the Shiawassee River near Chesaning. They also can be found in the Bad River, Flint River and Cass River.
Southwestern Lower Peninsula
A light number of brown trout have been caught off the piers at New Buffalo, the DNR said. At St. Joe, anglers have been fishing off the piers or surf casting off the beaches for brown trout. A few whitefish have been caught off the piers.
Boat anglers have just started to fish south of St. Joe. Fish have been caught in 30 to 40 feet of water about five miles north of Warren Dunes State Park.
Water levels in the St. Joe River have been good. Steelhead have been caught between the Buchanan Dam and the Berrien Springs Dam on a variety of bait including spawn and Wobble Glows. Water levels have been good in the Dowagiac River. Anglers have been catching fair to good numbers of steelhead when drifting flies.
Between Holland and Grand Haven, anglers have been trolling in shallow waters for brown trout near Port Sheldon. Fish have been caught on a variety of lures including Hot-n-Tots, crankbaits, and small spoons. Strong winds and wave action have made it difficult for smaller boats to get out.
Near Grand Rapids, water levels have been coming down and anglers have caught steelhead near the Sixth Street Dam. Suckers are just starting to run. Near Lansing, all the fish ladders on the Grand River including Webber Dam now are open. Fresh steelhead and some dark fish now are moving through the Webber ladder.
Boat anglers had better success between the Ionia Dam and the Webber Dam than those fishing from shore or wading, using jig heads, spawn or a variety of flies. Large catfish have been caught near the North Lansing Dam.
Near Muskegon, good numbers of fresh steelhead have been coming into the Muskegon River. Fishing has been fair in the morning hours near Croton Dam. Anglers have caught steelhead from Thornapple Road to Newaygo, but the fishing was spotty. Anglers fishing off the piers have been catching steelhead along with an occasional brown trout on spawn.
Northeastern Lower Peninsula
Near Alpena, anglers have continued catch steelhead and brown trout in the Thunder Bay River, according to the report. Most fish have been caught near the Ninth Street Dam on spawn, jigs or body baits.
Anglers have been fishing off the piers near the mouth of the Thunder Bay River as well. Warm temperatures this weekend may produce some good fishing for brown trout and walleye in the waters of Lake Huron.
Near Oscoda, steelhead fishing in the AuSable River has been fair. Anglers have been using a variety of bait and tackle including spawn, wax worms, body baits, small spoons and flies. Rain along with the warm temperatures should improve fishing conditions.
At Tawas, anglers still have been taking walleye inside Tawas Point and through the ice. Perch have been caught through the ice inside the State Dock. Anglers will need to use extreme caution as rain and warm temperatures will deteriorate the ice conditions quickly.
Brown trout and whitefish have been caught in open water near the dock and behind the State Police Post.
Near AuGres, anglers have been catching perch at Palmer Road, but the ice is gone now. Suckers are just starting to show up in the AuGres River. Steelhead can be found on the East Branch of the AuGres River near Whitney Drain. Anglers have been catching suckers in the Rifle River near the US-23 Bridge, but the run is just getting started.
There still was ice on Higgins Lake as of the report, but anglers need to use caution and watch for pressure cracks. Smelt still can still be found in 14 feet of water near Big Creek. Only a few perch have been caught. Rainbow trout and brown trout have been found when fishing in shallow waters near springs.
Anglers fishing Houghton Lake have caught panfish along the south shore.
Northwestern Lower Peninsula
Near Traverse City, anglers fishing the East Bay have been catching steelhead near Mitchell Creek and Acme Creek on spawn, the department said in its report. Boat anglers have been catching whitefish in 200 feet of water near Elk Rapids.
In the West Bay, anglers have been catching steelhead along with a few whitefish off the pier. Fair to good catches of steelhead have been reported in the Boardman River on flies or jigs.
Anglers continue to catch steelhead and brown trout at Frankfort. Fish have been caught off the piers or when surf casting. Warm temperatures should produce some better fishing in the Betsie River.
While the fishing has been good on Green Lake, anglers have not been out in recent days. Warm temperatures this weekend likely will take the remaining ice off the lake.
At Manistee, water levels in the Big Manistee River have dropped a bit and the water clarity is much better. Anglers have been catching steelhead on spawn or plugs. Those fly fishing are finding success because of the clear water from Tippy Dam down to Rainbow Bend. Shore anglers have been catching fish on spawn, wax worms and wigglers. Some fresh fish have been caught which is a good sign that the steelhead are moving up from the lake.
The Little Manistee River will reopen to fishing on April 1. There is no fishing allowed within 300 feet above or below the weir. A new regulation this year prohibits campfires on state property below the weir near the eagle’s nest. Both camping and campfires have been banned to protect the nesting eagles.
At Ludington, anglers have been catching steelhead off the piers. Brown trout fishing has been slow, but should pick up with warmer temperatures.
In the Pere Marquette River, the suckers have started to run and anglers have been catching some steelhead. A handful of anglers are fishing the Muskegon River. Anglers fishing the Big Sable River have caught some steelhead near the State Park.
Upper Peninsula
Anglers fishing for perch or coho salmon in Keweenaw Bay have reported slow catch rates, the DNR said. Spearing or jigging for lake herring had fair success. Lake trout fishing has been spotty.
Anglers have been ice fishing off Sand Point and near the marina in Baraga. The ice is breaking up in the waters north of Sand Point. Dangerous conditions have been reported because of the large chunks of ice in the Bay.
Warm temperatures and rain are in the forecast so anglers will need to use caution and check ice conditions before venturing out. Trout activity has been good. Try fishing Squaw Lake, Lake Ellen and Beatons Lake for some good trout fishing opportunities. Panfish can be found in the Thousand Island Chain-of-Lakes, King Lake, Cowboy Lake, and Lake Gogebic.
Near Menominee, anglers have been taking some large perch in Green Bay. Anglers have been jigging minnows in 35 feet of water east of the Menominee Marina. An occasional steelhead and brown trout have also been caught. In the Menominee River, brown trout have dominated the catch this past week followed by steelhead.
Most fish have been caught from the U.S. 41 Bridge upstream to the First Dam, where there has been open water with some shore ice present. Water temperatures have been near 31 degrees.
Little Bay De Noc still is covered with heavy wet snow. Anglers continue to catch whitefish when jigging minnows or spawn in 65 to 80 feet of water near the Escanaba Yacht Club. Good numbers of smaller perch have been caught near Kipling. The large perch have been caught when jigging minnows in waters 20 to 25 feet deep. For those anglers looking for steelhead, rivers in the area have started to open up.
At Marquette, fishing remains good for those in small boats when fishing the Upper Harbor, which has been ice free when there is a north wind blowing. Coho along with an occasional chinook or splake have been caught in the mornings or afternoon.
Coho and brown trout have been caught off the Coal Docks in the Lower Harbor. The marina still is iced in. At Munising, coho and splake fishing was fair, with some limits of coho taken in Trout Bay. A few lake trout along with a couple of burbot also have been caught. Ice conditions have been deteriorating and anglers need to use caution.
Closer to Newberry, anglers have been catching 7- to 9-inch perch in Big Manistique Lake. Anglers still have been ice fishing, but the warmer weather expected this weekend will cause the ice to deteriorate quickly, so use caution.
At Munuscong, anglers still have been catching large perch in 3 to 5 feet of water around Grassy Island. Most fish have been caught on minnows or wigglers in the early mornings or late afternoons.
Near Cedarville, anglers still have been ice fishing and catching trout, splake and perch in shallow waters 6 to 11 feet deep.
