MIBowhunter
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Walleye season off to a slow start
Lower Peninsula
SOUTHEASTERN LP
Lake St. Clair
Muddy water has put a damper on fishing on Lake St. Clair. The action has been a little better in the Detroit River where walleye anglers jig-fishing report good success. Hand-liners have been doing well on the Canadian side of the river.
Lakeside Fishing Shops (586) 777-7003.
Jimmy’s Boat Livery (586) 468-6000.
Lake Orion
Fishing has been good, but angler pressure has been light in the Lake Orion area. Crappie action has been good on Lakeville Lake and Lake Orion. Anglers fishing a Pinkie jig tipped with a minnow in 15 to 18 feet of water, 4 to 5 feet down, report a hot bite. Bluegills are moving into the shallows. Pike have been “crushing chartreuse spinnerbaits” on Lakeville Lake. Turkey hunting has been slow.
Hook Line & Sinker (248) 814-9216
Pontiac Area
A fair number of walleyes are hitting on Pontiac Lake as are a few on Cass Lake. Crawler harnesses fished in 13 to 18 feet of water have been producing the best results in the evenings. Catfish action also has been good on Pontiac Lake with a few 10- to 12-pounders being caught. Turkey hunting has slowed.
KD Outdoors (248) 666-7799
SOUTHWESTERN LP
Coldwater Area
Pike fishing has been pretty good on Coldwater Lake. Anglers fishing with live suckers and chubs are reporting the best success. A fair crappie bite has also been reported on Coldwater. Turkey hunting has been slow. A few morels are being found, but they’re sparse, so far.
Dancing Bear Trading Post (517) 278-4626.
D’s Bait & Tackle (517) 639-3243.
St. Joseph Area
Fishing has been decent at St. Joes. Crappies and bluegills are hitting wax worms and wigglers on Long, Baldwin, Birch, and Corey lakes. Salmon fishing has been pretty good on Lake Michigan. Fish have moved into deeper water and are hitting spoons trolled in 100-foot-plus depths. Turkey hunting has been good, but has slowed in recent days. A few mushrooms are being found.
Halls Bait and Tackle (269) 641-2304.
Kalamazoo Area
Panfish action is picking up on Gull and Sugarloaf lakes. Anglers report a good crappie bite on both lakes and ’gills are moving in toward shore on Sugarloaf. Walleye fishing has been slow on the Kalamazoo River and Cedar Lake. Turkey hunting has been slow.
D & R Sports (269) 372-2277
CENTRAL LP
Saginaw Bay Area
Walleye action has been steady in Saginaw Bay. Anglers trolling Rapalas along shore just before dark and after dark have been reporting pretty good results. Turkey season has been pretty good, too.
Franks Great Outdoors (989) 697-5341.
Hoyles Marina (989) 697-4415.
Montague Area
Bluegills are moving into the shallows on White Lake, and anglers fishing with wax worms report pretty good success. Coho salmon are hitting on Lake Michigan with the best action coming in 300 feet of water. Turkey season has been pretty good, depending on the weather.
Johnson’s Great Outdoors Tackle Shop (231) 893-6688
Clare Area
Bluegills and crappies are hitting on some of the area lakes including Little Long Lake. Walleye action has been improving on Little Long, Lake George, and Shamrock Lake as well. Turkey hunting has been pretty good. Mushroom hunters are still finding morels.
Jay’s Sporting Goods (989) 386-3475
THE THUMB
Caseville Area
Walleye fishing has been good to excellent in Lake Huron off the buoy at Sand Point. Anglers trolling Hot ‘N’ Tots and drifting with crawlers in 6 to 17 feet of water are taking fish. Catfish and walleyes are hitting off the breakwall in Caseville. Turkey hunting has been very good. White morels are popping.
Walsh Gun & Tackle (989) 856-4465.
Harbor Beach Area
Steelhead and king salmon are keeping anglers busy on Lake Huron. The best bites are coming on spoons and plugs trolled in 60 to 80 feet of water. Turkey hunting has slowed.
Frank’s Place Bait & Tackle (989) 864-5634.
Port Huron
Walleye fishing has been great in the St. Clair River from Port Huron to Marysville. Anglers pulling pencil plugs are reporting good success. Salmon fishing has slowed, but a few brown trout are still being caught. Turkey hunting has been slow, but morel hunters report good success.
Anderson’s Pro Bait (810) 984-3232.
NORTHWESTERN LP
East Jordan Area
Walleyes are finally hitting in the south arm of Lake Charlevoix and on Crooked Lake. Turkey hunting has been good, and a few gobblers are still falling to the gun. White morels are everywhere.
Tom’s Bait & Tackle (231) 536-3521.
Kalkaska Area
Anglers are enjoying pretty good pike and crappie fishing on Crawford Lake. Floating Rapalas are taking crappies, including a couple over 13 inches. Crappies are hitting jigs in the shallows of Manistee Lake. Stream fishing has been so-so with high water hampering success. Trout fishing has been decent on the Manistee River at the CCC bridge where sulphur duns and dark Hendricksons have been hatching. Turkey hunting has slowed since the second season, when several 20-pound-plus gobblers were taken. Good numbers of white morels are being found.
Jack’s Sport Shop (231) 258-8892.
Wellston Area
A few steelhead are still hitting in the Big Manistee River. The best action is coming on flies, wax worms, and fresh spawn. Brook trout fishing has been slow with too much water in the smaller streams. Morels have been few and far between. Turkey season has been pretty good.
Pappy’s Bait & Tackle (231) 848-4142.
NORTHEASTERN LP
Alpena Area
Lake trout fishing has been pretty good in Lake Huron’s Thunder Bay. The best action is coming on Spin-N- Glows fished in 20 to 25 feet of water. A few steelhead are hitting at the 9th Street Dam with spawn, flies, and wax worms all taking fish. Turkey hunting has been pretty good. Morel hunting has been spotty.
Clem’s Live Bait & Tackle (989) 354-2070.
Oscoda Area
Walleye fishing has been good in the Au Sable River and off the mouth of the river in Lake Huron. Lake trout action also has been pretty good with the best fishing occurring in 40 to 60 feet of water. Turkey hunting remains very good with lots of gobblers in the area. White and grey morels are popping.
Wellman’s Sport Center (989) 739-2869.
Houghton Lake Area
Panfish action has been pretty good on Houghton Lake. Crappies and ’gills are hitting wax worms and minnows, respectively, in 8 feet of water along the south shore weedbed. Walleye action has been good in the morning and evening. Jig-and-minnow combos and crawler harnesses both have been producing good results.
Lyman’s on the Lake (989) 422-3231.
Sportsman’s Resort and Marina (989) 366-5471.
Hillman Area
Panfish action on Fletcher Floodwater has been slow. A few pike are being caught, but not in any great numbers. Turkey hunting has slowed, and gobblers are slow to respond. Mushroom hunting has been hit or miss.
Floodwater Canteen (989) 742-4357.
Upper Peninsula
EASTERN UP
Cedarville Area
A few pike and an occasional splake are being caught in Lake Huron. Pike are hitting at Hessel and Cedarville, and splake are hitting around Hessel. A few salmon also are being caught in the DeTour Passage. A few morels are popping.
Great Outdoors Sport Shop (906) 484-2011.
Drummond Island Area
Walleye and pike fishing have been pretty good around Drummond Island. Pike anglers report good action on chubs, Dardevles, and spinners on Whitney and Maxton bays. Walleyes have been hitting crawlers in Scotts and Maxton bays in 4 to 5 feet of water. A few blacks and an occasional white morel are being found.
Johnson’s Sport Shop (906) 493-6300.
St. Ignace Area
Anglers reported a pretty good walleye opener on Brevoort Lake. Anglers fishing with jigs and minnows or crawlers said the best action was coming at the west end of the lake. Fishing has been slow in the Straits of Mackinac. A few white morels are popping.
Ace Hardware (906) 643-7721,
CENTRAL UP
Curtis Area
The walleye bite has been slow, but anglers report decent success on South Manistique Lake. Anglers are fishing deep water with minnows and nightcrawlers during the day, and moving to 8 feet of water in the evenings. Pike fishing has been good with two brutes over 40 inches being caught last week on Big Manistique. Perch fishing is just getting started. A few white morels are being found.
J.R. Sport Shop (906) 586-6040.
Marquette Area
The walleye opener was slow around Marquette, and anglers are still reporting mixed results. A handful of steelhead are being caught in the Chocolet River, but that fishery is winding down. Post-spawn pike fishing also has been slow. The good news is that trout fishing is picking up now that the streams have gone down a little. Fly-fishers report a few hatches of caddis and blue-winged olives. White morels are popping
Gander Mountain (906) 226-8300
Escanaba Area
Walleye season is off to a slow start on Lake Michigan’s Little Bay de Noc. A lot of small walleyes are being caught off Gladstone Beach in 25 to 30 feet of water, but anglers are having to sort through them to find a keeper. Anglers at the north end of the bay are taking a few fish off Center Reef. Jigheads and crawler harnesses have been producing the best results in both areas. A few splake are still being caught here and there, but action is winding down. Stream fishing has been slow. A few morels are being found, but not in any great numbers.
Bay View Bait & Tackle (906) 786-1488.
BayShore Resort Bait & Tackle (906) 428-2950.
WESTERN UP
L’Anse Area
The walleye opener was good with lots of fish being caught on area lakes. A few steelhead still are being caught in the local streams, but the best action has passed. Stream anglers report brook trout fishing has been pretty good. Water levels are in good shape, and a few hatches are beginning to occur. Salmon fishing has been fair in Keweenaw and Huron bays, and the action is expected to improve. A fair number of morels are being found.
Indian Country Sports (906) 524-6518.
Bergland Area
Walleye fishing has been fair on Lake Gogebic. Fish are hitting jig-and-minnow combos fished tight to the bottom throughout the lake. Pike fishing has been pretty decent, too. Crappies are spawning and action has been good. Morels are popping.
Maple Ridge Bait & Tackle (906) 575-3545.
Crystal Falls Area
Walleye fishing has been fair around Crystal Falls. Anglers fishing Peavy Pond report a pretty good bite on jigs and minnows and jigs and leeches. Mushroom hunting has been slow.
DJ’s Sport Shop & Marine (906) 875-3113.
Lower Peninsula
SOUTHEASTERN LP
Lake St. Clair
Muddy water has put a damper on fishing on Lake St. Clair. The action has been a little better in the Detroit River where walleye anglers jig-fishing report good success. Hand-liners have been doing well on the Canadian side of the river.
Lakeside Fishing Shops (586) 777-7003.
Jimmy’s Boat Livery (586) 468-6000.
Lake Orion
Fishing has been good, but angler pressure has been light in the Lake Orion area. Crappie action has been good on Lakeville Lake and Lake Orion. Anglers fishing a Pinkie jig tipped with a minnow in 15 to 18 feet of water, 4 to 5 feet down, report a hot bite. Bluegills are moving into the shallows. Pike have been “crushing chartreuse spinnerbaits” on Lakeville Lake. Turkey hunting has been slow.
Hook Line & Sinker (248) 814-9216
Pontiac Area
A fair number of walleyes are hitting on Pontiac Lake as are a few on Cass Lake. Crawler harnesses fished in 13 to 18 feet of water have been producing the best results in the evenings. Catfish action also has been good on Pontiac Lake with a few 10- to 12-pounders being caught. Turkey hunting has slowed.
KD Outdoors (248) 666-7799
SOUTHWESTERN LP
Coldwater Area
Pike fishing has been pretty good on Coldwater Lake. Anglers fishing with live suckers and chubs are reporting the best success. A fair crappie bite has also been reported on Coldwater. Turkey hunting has been slow. A few morels are being found, but they’re sparse, so far.
Dancing Bear Trading Post (517) 278-4626.
D’s Bait & Tackle (517) 639-3243.
St. Joseph Area
Fishing has been decent at St. Joes. Crappies and bluegills are hitting wax worms and wigglers on Long, Baldwin, Birch, and Corey lakes. Salmon fishing has been pretty good on Lake Michigan. Fish have moved into deeper water and are hitting spoons trolled in 100-foot-plus depths. Turkey hunting has been good, but has slowed in recent days. A few mushrooms are being found.
Halls Bait and Tackle (269) 641-2304.
Kalamazoo Area
Panfish action is picking up on Gull and Sugarloaf lakes. Anglers report a good crappie bite on both lakes and ’gills are moving in toward shore on Sugarloaf. Walleye fishing has been slow on the Kalamazoo River and Cedar Lake. Turkey hunting has been slow.
D & R Sports (269) 372-2277
CENTRAL LP
Saginaw Bay Area
Walleye action has been steady in Saginaw Bay. Anglers trolling Rapalas along shore just before dark and after dark have been reporting pretty good results. Turkey season has been pretty good, too.
Franks Great Outdoors (989) 697-5341.
Hoyles Marina (989) 697-4415.
Montague Area
Bluegills are moving into the shallows on White Lake, and anglers fishing with wax worms report pretty good success. Coho salmon are hitting on Lake Michigan with the best action coming in 300 feet of water. Turkey season has been pretty good, depending on the weather.
Johnson’s Great Outdoors Tackle Shop (231) 893-6688
Clare Area
Bluegills and crappies are hitting on some of the area lakes including Little Long Lake. Walleye action has been improving on Little Long, Lake George, and Shamrock Lake as well. Turkey hunting has been pretty good. Mushroom hunters are still finding morels.
Jay’s Sporting Goods (989) 386-3475
THE THUMB
Caseville Area
Walleye fishing has been good to excellent in Lake Huron off the buoy at Sand Point. Anglers trolling Hot ‘N’ Tots and drifting with crawlers in 6 to 17 feet of water are taking fish. Catfish and walleyes are hitting off the breakwall in Caseville. Turkey hunting has been very good. White morels are popping.
Walsh Gun & Tackle (989) 856-4465.
Harbor Beach Area
Steelhead and king salmon are keeping anglers busy on Lake Huron. The best bites are coming on spoons and plugs trolled in 60 to 80 feet of water. Turkey hunting has slowed.
Frank’s Place Bait & Tackle (989) 864-5634.
Port Huron
Walleye fishing has been great in the St. Clair River from Port Huron to Marysville. Anglers pulling pencil plugs are reporting good success. Salmon fishing has slowed, but a few brown trout are still being caught. Turkey hunting has been slow, but morel hunters report good success.
Anderson’s Pro Bait (810) 984-3232.
NORTHWESTERN LP
East Jordan Area
Walleyes are finally hitting in the south arm of Lake Charlevoix and on Crooked Lake. Turkey hunting has been good, and a few gobblers are still falling to the gun. White morels are everywhere.
Tom’s Bait & Tackle (231) 536-3521.
Kalkaska Area
Anglers are enjoying pretty good pike and crappie fishing on Crawford Lake. Floating Rapalas are taking crappies, including a couple over 13 inches. Crappies are hitting jigs in the shallows of Manistee Lake. Stream fishing has been so-so with high water hampering success. Trout fishing has been decent on the Manistee River at the CCC bridge where sulphur duns and dark Hendricksons have been hatching. Turkey hunting has slowed since the second season, when several 20-pound-plus gobblers were taken. Good numbers of white morels are being found.
Jack’s Sport Shop (231) 258-8892.
Wellston Area
A few steelhead are still hitting in the Big Manistee River. The best action is coming on flies, wax worms, and fresh spawn. Brook trout fishing has been slow with too much water in the smaller streams. Morels have been few and far between. Turkey season has been pretty good.
Pappy’s Bait & Tackle (231) 848-4142.
NORTHEASTERN LP
Alpena Area
Lake trout fishing has been pretty good in Lake Huron’s Thunder Bay. The best action is coming on Spin-N- Glows fished in 20 to 25 feet of water. A few steelhead are hitting at the 9th Street Dam with spawn, flies, and wax worms all taking fish. Turkey hunting has been pretty good. Morel hunting has been spotty.
Clem’s Live Bait & Tackle (989) 354-2070.
Oscoda Area
Walleye fishing has been good in the Au Sable River and off the mouth of the river in Lake Huron. Lake trout action also has been pretty good with the best fishing occurring in 40 to 60 feet of water. Turkey hunting remains very good with lots of gobblers in the area. White and grey morels are popping.
Wellman’s Sport Center (989) 739-2869.
Houghton Lake Area
Panfish action has been pretty good on Houghton Lake. Crappies and ’gills are hitting wax worms and minnows, respectively, in 8 feet of water along the south shore weedbed. Walleye action has been good in the morning and evening. Jig-and-minnow combos and crawler harnesses both have been producing good results.
Lyman’s on the Lake (989) 422-3231.
Sportsman’s Resort and Marina (989) 366-5471.
Hillman Area
Panfish action on Fletcher Floodwater has been slow. A few pike are being caught, but not in any great numbers. Turkey hunting has slowed, and gobblers are slow to respond. Mushroom hunting has been hit or miss.
Floodwater Canteen (989) 742-4357.
Upper Peninsula
EASTERN UP
Cedarville Area
A few pike and an occasional splake are being caught in Lake Huron. Pike are hitting at Hessel and Cedarville, and splake are hitting around Hessel. A few salmon also are being caught in the DeTour Passage. A few morels are popping.
Great Outdoors Sport Shop (906) 484-2011.
Drummond Island Area
Walleye and pike fishing have been pretty good around Drummond Island. Pike anglers report good action on chubs, Dardevles, and spinners on Whitney and Maxton bays. Walleyes have been hitting crawlers in Scotts and Maxton bays in 4 to 5 feet of water. A few blacks and an occasional white morel are being found.
Johnson’s Sport Shop (906) 493-6300.
St. Ignace Area
Anglers reported a pretty good walleye opener on Brevoort Lake. Anglers fishing with jigs and minnows or crawlers said the best action was coming at the west end of the lake. Fishing has been slow in the Straits of Mackinac. A few white morels are popping.
Ace Hardware (906) 643-7721,
CENTRAL UP
Curtis Area
The walleye bite has been slow, but anglers report decent success on South Manistique Lake. Anglers are fishing deep water with minnows and nightcrawlers during the day, and moving to 8 feet of water in the evenings. Pike fishing has been good with two brutes over 40 inches being caught last week on Big Manistique. Perch fishing is just getting started. A few white morels are being found.
J.R. Sport Shop (906) 586-6040.
Marquette Area
The walleye opener was slow around Marquette, and anglers are still reporting mixed results. A handful of steelhead are being caught in the Chocolet River, but that fishery is winding down. Post-spawn pike fishing also has been slow. The good news is that trout fishing is picking up now that the streams have gone down a little. Fly-fishers report a few hatches of caddis and blue-winged olives. White morels are popping
Gander Mountain (906) 226-8300
Escanaba Area
Walleye season is off to a slow start on Lake Michigan’s Little Bay de Noc. A lot of small walleyes are being caught off Gladstone Beach in 25 to 30 feet of water, but anglers are having to sort through them to find a keeper. Anglers at the north end of the bay are taking a few fish off Center Reef. Jigheads and crawler harnesses have been producing the best results in both areas. A few splake are still being caught here and there, but action is winding down. Stream fishing has been slow. A few morels are being found, but not in any great numbers.
Bay View Bait & Tackle (906) 786-1488.
BayShore Resort Bait & Tackle (906) 428-2950.
WESTERN UP
L’Anse Area
The walleye opener was good with lots of fish being caught on area lakes. A few steelhead still are being caught in the local streams, but the best action has passed. Stream anglers report brook trout fishing has been pretty good. Water levels are in good shape, and a few hatches are beginning to occur. Salmon fishing has been fair in Keweenaw and Huron bays, and the action is expected to improve. A fair number of morels are being found.
Indian Country Sports (906) 524-6518.
Bergland Area
Walleye fishing has been fair on Lake Gogebic. Fish are hitting jig-and-minnow combos fished tight to the bottom throughout the lake. Pike fishing has been pretty decent, too. Crappies are spawning and action has been good. Morels are popping.
Maple Ridge Bait & Tackle (906) 575-3545.
Crystal Falls Area
Walleye fishing has been fair around Crystal Falls. Anglers fishing Peavy Pond report a pretty good bite on jigs and minnows and jigs and leeches. Mushroom hunting has been slow.
DJ’s Sport Shop & Marine (906) 875-3113.
