Where the fish are biting this week, July 25 report

Here’s how fishing looks this week in the Northwest Lower Peninsula, Northeast Lower Peninsula and Upper Peninsula, according to the latest report from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

Northeast Lower Peninsula

Cheboygan: Lake trout anglers were trolling the east and south sides of Bois Blanc Island and Spectacle Reef. The most successful anglers trolled flashers and flies in 90 to 120 feet of water. Other anglers did well with spoons or Spin-n-Glos with cowbells. The best colors were blues, purples, oranges, whites, reds and chartreuse. In the river, pike anglers had the most luck using spoons and spinner baits that were red and/or white. Walleye were caught anywhere from the mouth of the river up to the dam. They were liking night crawlers and leeches on slip bobbers, or orange lures. Anglers caught bass, freshwater drum and perch using nightcrawlers. Good areas for anglers to focus their fishing efforts were by the DNR field station, the dam and the Cheboygan City boat launch.

Alpena: Pier anglers using crank baits caught a few walleye as well as smallmouth bass and northern pike. Catfish and freshwater drum were still plentiful for those using nightcrawlers and leeches. Boat anglers had mixed results targeting walleye in 17 to 25 feet of water. Purple, orange and copper harnesses worked best early and late in the day. Walleye were more plentiful in depths of 30 to 60 feet while using lead cores and snap weights with stick baits and mini spoons. Fish were found scattered in the top half of the water column between North Point and Scarecrow Island. Those making long runs to deep water had good catches of lake trout, steelhead, Chinook salmon and pink salmon. While trout were caught on dodgers and Spin-n-Glos fished near bottom, salmon were found 70 to 80 feet down over 110 to 130 feet of water on a wide variety of spoons.

Thunder Bay River: The Thunder Bay River had minimal fishing pressure. The few anglers who made it out targeted walleye between the 2nd Avenue Bridge and 9th Avenue. A few walleye were caught on deep-diving crankbaits as well as crawler harnesses, with purple, chartreuse and fire tiger being productive.

Rockport: Anglers out of Rockport did well on lake trout in depths of 120 to 150 feet of water when fishing the bottom 10 to 30 feet. The majority of trout fishing was east of Middle Island. A number of pink salmon and walleye were also caught on high set lines for steelhead. Anglers fishing Stoneport and north had good results on Chinook salmon, coho salmon, steelhead and pink salmon. Fish were scattered throughout the middle of the water column. Three- to six-color lead cores worked best for steelhead, with orange, gold and pink being the most productive colors. Green, white and watermelon spoons worked best for Chinook and coho salmon. Walleye anglers reported decent action, with fish being scattered from Stoneport to as far south as Potter Point. Spoons and crank baits were all productive in the top 40 feet of water. A few anglers reported good catches in False Presque Isle harbor in 20 to 30 feet of water while trolling deep-diving crank baits in natural colors.

Rogers City: Anglers were catching a mixed bag including lake trout, Chinook salmon, steelhead, pink salmon, walleye, and an occasional Atlantic and coho salmon. The best depths were in 65 to 120 feet of water. Anglers were spreading lines throughout the entire water column for best results. Anglers used spoons, attractors with flies and squids, and cut bait rigs. Dipseys were also said to have been effective. Good colors were greens, blues, black and white, purple, orange, and glow stuff early and late. The salmon bite was reported to have been best early before sunup and after sundown for the evening. The best depths for walleye were reported to have been in 15 to 30 feet of water using bandits, deep-diver body baits and nightcrawler harnesses in the evenings.

Hammond Bay: This port saw low angler pressure. Those who made it out to fish were going straight out of the harbor, to the trench, to Nine-Mile Point or south toward the biological station. The best depths were between 60 and 120 feet of water, and deploying lines throughout the water column worked best. Anglers found spoons to be a good choice. Good colors were greens, blues, yellow, orange, black and white, red and white, and glow stuff early and late.

Oscoda/Au Sable River: Anglers fishing high lines and spoons in 110 to 125 feet of water had success in catching Atlantic salmon, coho salmon and steelhead, with the occasional walleye mixed in. Hot spoon colors were orange and blue/silver. Freshwater drum and channel catfish were abundant and still being caught from the lower Au Sable River using crawlers and cut bait on the bottom with a pyramid sinker to keep the bait in place. Anglers floating the lower river had success catching good numbers of smallmouth bass. A few nice bluegill were caught off the rocks along the pier in Oscoda using nightcrawlers and a bobber.

Harrisville: Anglers looking for salmon and steelhead caught good numbers of fish in 100 to 120 feet of water using three, five and seven colors of lead core. There were decent numbers of pink salmon reported to have been around, and the Atlantic salmon fishing was strong. Bright/vibrant spoons seemed to be the most effective, with orange being the hot color. There were also reports of Chinook salmon being caught in 70 to 90 feet off the shelf by the water towers south of the marina. Most Chinook salmon came off downriggers and spoons fished 15 to 25 feet off the bottom. Lake trout fishing also remained strong, with fish being caught using green Spin-n-Glos fished near the bottom in 90 to 130 feet.

Tawas: Anglers reported increased numbers of walleye being caught. Crawlers were the go-to, but plastics were also effective. Anglers were catching them off the point, going out to the second 70, and also out to Charity. Steelhead and the occasional lake trout were also caught.

Au Gres: Limits of walleye were caught in around 30 feet of water. Crawlers seemed to be most effective, but anglers were also able to get some on flicker minnows and spoons. Many anglers were heading out to Charity and catching them in shallower waters. Walleye, the occasional northern pike, freshwater drum and white bass were caught from the Pine River. Shore anglers at Eagle Bay Marina caught some panfish and northern pike.

Black River: Atlantic salmon were caught by anglers fishing 5 miles out from the Black River launch using long lines and crank baits. The Atlantic salmon were reportedly high in the water column and were seen surfacing to feed on bugs. Anglers fishing the lower stretch of the Black River had luck catching a few perch using slip bobbers and crawlers right above the bottom. A couple yellow bullhead were also caught using crawlers and perch rigs while targeting catfish.

Northwest Lower Peninsula

Manistee: Chinook salmon, along with a few steelhead, coho salmon and lake trout, were caught along the shelf both north and south of the port in 80 to 200 feet of water while fishing 40 to 75 feet down. Spoons, flasher/fly combinations, plugs and meat rigs all worked well, and blue, green and glow colors were reported to be good colors.

Ludington: Chinook salmon, coho salmon, steelhead and lake trout were caught to the northwest and at Big Sable Point in 120 to 200 feet of water when fishing 50 to 80 feet down. They were also caught straight out in 50 to 90 feet of water and south in 70 to 130 feet of water when fishing 40 to 60 feet down. Spoons and flasher/fly combinations worked best; however, plugs and meat rigs also did well. Orange, green and blue were reported to be good colors. The piers were slow, although a steelhead was reported to have been caught while casting.

Frankfort: Anglers reported that the size of the Chinook salmon catches were starting to pick up, but numbers were holding in the low to moderate averages. Trolling in 150 to 220 feet of water and working the top 50 feet seemed to work best, as the thermocline had moved up. Meat rigs were reported to have landed the larger Chinook salmon. Platte Bay was still producing good lake trout numbers, as anglers were bottom-bouncing with cow bells.

Charlevoix: Boat anglers reported relatively slow numbers of lake trout and salmon throughout the past week. Anglers reported the temperature break at roughly 90 to 100 feet down at 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Trolling anywhere between Medusa Point and North Point produced results in varying depths of water. Lake trout anglers reported larger-sized trout throughout the past week near North Point. Smallmouth bass anglers in the channel and on the piers reported moderate numbers of undersized fish, with the occasional keeper.

Little Traverse Bay: Boat anglers reported slow numbers of salmon throughout the week and limited numbers of smallmouth bass. Those fishing for salmon reported fishing the temperature break at roughly 90 to 100 feet down produced the most consistent numbers of Chinook salmon. Spoons and the occasional meat rig produced results. Lake trout were reported in higher numbers northwest of Harbor Springs, fishing on bottom anywhere between 70 to 150 feet down.

Leland: Boat anglers were reporting decent numbers of Chinook salmon being caught earlier in the week around the Manitou Islands. They were catching these fish on spoons and meat rigs with a variety of colors. Lake trout fishing seemed to be slower than the Chinook bite. There were reports of a few caught throughout the surrounding areas, with cow bells and laker takers being the successful bait.

West Grand Traverse Bay: Anglers were targeting lake trout this week and were overall very successful. Boats headed out to 150 feet of water in front of Mission Point and found luck using orange-colored spoons. Other anglers were catching lake trout successfully by whitewalls with the color “bloody nose” by Beaver’s Lures. Anglers also reported a fair number of Chinook salmon being caught in the bowl. These fish were caught on laker takers in 110 to 150 feet of water.

Upper Peninsula

Keweenaw Bay/Huron Bay: Anglers were quite successful in the last week. Those trolling found lake trout and salmon in waters above and below 100 feet, with most big catches being above the 100-foot mark. Anglers who went out and jigged were also quite successful with lake trout. Some anglers spent mornings in Huron Bay successfully jigging for whitefish as well.

Traverse Bay/South Portage Entry Canal: Anglers were very successful in the last week while trolling and jigging. Jigging trips mainly produced lake trout, while trolling anglers found lake trout, Chinook salmon, coho salmon and brown trout. Fish were caught throughout the water column, with most of the kept fish being caught from above 120 feet.

St. Ignace: Lake trout anglers were trolling spoons and Spin-n-Glos off the northeast and west sides of Mackinac Island between 100 and 140 feet of water. Good colors to use were blues, purples, oranges, yellows and chartreuse. At the Carp and Pine rivers, walleye anglers were using nightcrawlers and leeches on slip bobbers when drifting or casting. Good colors to use when trolling nightcrawler harnesses were reported to be oranges, golds and chartreuse.

Little Bay de Noc: Walleye anglers reported a slight uptick in action. Anglers had some luck trolling crawler harnesses, pitching jigs or casting reaction-style snap lures and were fishing the bottom of the drop-offs. Perch anglers reported slow fishing. Smallmouth anglers reported fair to good fishing and had success casting baits that resemble gobies.

Manistique: Anglers reported good salmon and steelhead fishing. Trolling spoons and flasher/fly combinations was reported to have worked best. Anglers reported success with green and blue color combinations. Some anglers fishing for walleye in the river had limited success.

Grand Marais: Fishing pressure was low, but when anglers did get out on the water, they were catching their limits of lake trout. Anglers were trolling the shipping channel in 150 to 300 feet of water. A combination of spoons and body baits was producing fish. Anglers who were jigging also caught good numbers of fish. Good colors to use were chartreuse, orange, blue and silver.\

Munising: Low numbers of lake trout were caught in 150 to 250 feet of water. Body baits were producing the best results. There were reports of coho salmon being caught in Bay Furnace in 80 to 150 feet of water. Anglers trolling the Grand Island Harbor near the mouth of the Anna River were catching low numbers of splake. Good colors to use were chartreuse, blue, yellow and silver.

Fishing tip: How to help prevent the introduction and spread of invasive species

Anglers and boaters can do their part to help make sure Michigan’s rivers, lakes and streams are protected against invasive species by following these some simple steps:

• CLEAN boats, trailers and equipment.
• DRAIN live wells, bilges and all water.
• DRY boats and equipment.
• DISPOSE of unwanted bait in the trash.

Want to learn more about how you can help? Visit Michigan.gov/Invasives .