Michigan Weekly Fishing Report; November 12, 2015

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Weekly Fishing Report

November 12, 2015

Southeast Lower Peninsula  Southwest Lower Peninsula  Northeast Lower Peninsula  Northwest Lower Peninsula  Upper Peninsula  Great Lakes Temperature Map  Weekly Fishing Tip The report this week is much shorter as most anglers now have their sights set on hunting season. After a relatively dry week, rain is needed to bring water levels up and improve steelhead fishing in the rivers. Those fishing the inland lakes have caught bluegill and crappie and this is also the time of year when pike go on a feeding frenzy. The season to take frogs, toads, salamanders and mudpuppies will close onNovember 15, 2015.     Southeast Lower Peninsula Lake Erie:  Shore anglers were catching yellow perch off the docks in the Metro Park Marina but many were small.  Bluegills were also caught.  This is the time of year when walleye anglers start to wade out from the beaches of Sterling State Park.  They usually cast bombers at night.   Huron River:  Anglers were catching a fair to good number of large and smallmouth bass between the Mast Road Bridge and Barton Pond.  Those fishing below the Ford Lake Dam at North Hydro Park caught bass and a few walleye.   Detroit River:  Boat anglers were catching perch.  Shore anglers caught perch around Grosse Ile.   Lake St. Clair:  Had cleared up but with rain and strong winds in the forecast Thursday and Friday, anglers should expect muddy conditions for the end of the week.  Perch fishing improved but muddy conditions will not help.  Muskie fishing has been good for those casting, trolling or jigging.    St. Clair River:  Lake sturgeon fishing remains very good in the North Channel. Walleye fishing was good with fish caught both night and day when jigging, casting or whipping.  Water temperatures at Algonac were 51 degrees.   Port Austin:  Still had one dock in at the boat launch.   Saginaw Bay:  Boat anglers were still heading out for perch.  It won’t be long before anglers start finding a few perch up in the cuts, canals and rivers.   Back to Top Southwest Lower Peninsula St. Joseph:  Pier anglers and those surfcasting continue to catch some steelhead.   St. Joseph River:  Had good steelhead movement with a fair to good number of fish moving through the fish ladders.  Expect continued movement of steelhead through the ladders until the water temperature is consistently below 45 degrees.  Smallmouth bass and a few walleye were caught near the dam at Three Rivers.     Kalamazoo River:  Is producing steelhead.  Try using spawn with light line.  A few walleye were taken below the Allegan Dam.  Try crank baits, stick baits or spoons.   Grand Haven:  Is still producing steelhead for pier anglers and those surfcasting.   Grand River at Grand Rapids:  Water levels are down some.  A couple of steelhead were caught by those floating spawn.  Very few walleye were caught.     Rogue River:  Anglers caught the occasional steelhead up near the Rockford Dam.  Some big brown trout were caught and released because the season is closed.   Muskegon:  Has some whitefish starting to show up around the piers.  Try putting a single egg right on the bottom.   Muskegon Lake:  Was producing a few walleye and perch.   Muskegon River:  Has steelhead but the fish seem to be scattered.  Try fishing the deeper holes until we get more rain.      Back to Top Northeast Lower Peninsula Otsego Lake:  Was producing some panfish.  West Twin Lake:  In Montmorency County was producing a few walleye.  Try crank baits, stick baits, small spoons or leeches.     Alpena:  Whitefish are most likely on the reefs however it is rare to see anyone on the big water this time of year.  Colder weather is needed before whitefish will come into the shallows to spawn.     Thunder Bay River:  Had light fishing activity up at the Ninth Street Dam where anglers are targeting fall run steelhead, Atlantic salmon and the odd Chinook salmon.  Some have caught walleye or whitefish.    Au Sable River:  Should have steelhead especially in the lower river.  Look for more fish to start moving in after the rain this week.    Tawas:  Walleye were starting to become active in the shallows of Tawas Bay.  The fish move in closer to shore when chasing the baitfish.   Back to Top Northwest Lower Peninsula Traverse City:  Cisco were caught in the East Bay.  Anglers were using primarily Swedish Pimples.   Frankfort:  Had little boat traffic.  Depending on the day and the weather conditions, pier anglers were still getting some steelhead.  Most are using spawn.  Some are surfcasting with spawn or small spoons.     Portage Lake:  Was producing some large perch.   Long Lake:  In Missaukee County was producing some crappie.     Manistee:  Pier fishing and surfcasting for steelhead was still good on certain days, depending on wind and waves.  Spawn was still the best bait.   Manistee River:  Dry weather caused water levels to drop once again.  The low and clear water makes steelhead fishing much more difficult.  Fish are around but anglers will need to be patient and use light line.   Ludington:  Steelhead were caught by pier anglers and those surfcasting.  Catch rates were dependent on wind and wave action.  Most are using spawn.    Pere Marquette River:  Has steelhead but the water was low and clear.  The fish will spook easily so use light line.  Anglers are reminded that possession limits are put into place for a reason and to help prevent overharvest.         Back to Top Upper Peninsula Menominee River:  Fishing pressure increased at the Hattie Street Dam. Whitefish were caught from the fisherman’s walkway to the dam. Evenings were best. Fish ranging 16 to 22 inches were caught by those floating a jig and minnow in the current. Some walleye and pike were caught by boat and shore anglers in the lower stretches when using jigs tipped with live bait or stick baits.   Little Bay De Noc:  Walleye anglers reported results similar to last week.Those fishing during the day had fair catches when trolling stick baits in 35 to 40 feet at Kipling or 20 to 30 feet near the Black Bottom. Night anglers did best trolling stick baits along the edge of the First and Second Reefs in ten to 22 feet. The best perch catches were taken by those fishing off the dock in the Escanaba Yacht Harbor. The boat slip docks were a good place to try jigging minnows and worms. A lot of walleye anglers reported incidental pike catches throughout the bay.   Back to Top Fishing Tip: Using spawn to catch steelhead Steelhead, a migratory strain of rainbow trout, are considered one of Michigan's premier game fish and are exciting to catch on conventional fishing tackle. Reaching weights of 15 pounds or more, these fish ascend Great Lakes' tributaries in the fall each year beginning in late September and continuing through December.   A popular method of fishing for steelhead involves using spawn bags for bait, as spawn (loose eggs from other fish species) is a natural food item for them. Spawn bags placed on a hook can be casted and drifted through runs and holes in rivers or below barriers or dams where migratory steelhead are congregated.   Knowing how to "read" a river is key to finding the spots where steelhead are. Anglers fishing from a boat also can anchor in the river and cast their line out behind the boat, letting the spawn bag sit in the current as steelhead move upstream.     Anglers can either tie their own spawn bags by placing loose salmon eggs into brightly colored netting material (sold in most bait stores) and cinching them closed with thread, or they can purchase spawn bags that are already tied and preserved in liquid.   Back to Top

The Weekly Fishing Report is intended to give anglers an idea of what is going on around the state. Updates come from DNR Fisheries seasonal and field staff, and DNR Conservation Officers. With more than 11,000 inland lakes, the Great Lakes and thousands of miles of rivers and streams, not all locations can be listed. However, it is safe to say if a species is being caught in some waters in the area, they are likely being caught in all waters in that section of the state that have that species