Curly's Photo and Fishing Blog
Fall Fishing Report
Salmon are starting up the rivers
Big Glen the perch are biting with wigglers being the best bet.
Skegemog Lake - A lot of bass anglers are still taking fish in the flat between the Torch River and the Baggs Road Access, off Fairmont Drive and near the Narrows. They are using lures and natural baits such as crawlers and leeches in waters 3 to 20 feet deep. Some nice 21 to 25 inch pike were caught and bluegills can be found in 10 to 12 feet of water.
Little Bay De Noc - Walleye were caught by those trolling from Gladstone Beach north to Garth Point. The First and Second Reefs produced a few fish when trolling crawlers in 10 to 22 feet of water and those jigging crawlers or minnows off the Narrows found fish in waters up to 28 feet deep. Action around the Black Bottom tapered off this week but a few limits of perch were still taken before daylight when drifting or trolling crawlers in 18 to 20 feet of water. Fair to good perch action off Kipling as reports have been mixed. Some are jigging minnows in 20 feet of water while others are jigging crawlers in 4 to 8 feet of water in front of Brach’s Cabins. Good pike action but many are small. No salmon were spotted in the river.Little Bay De Noc - Walleye were caught by those trolling from Gladstone Beach north to Garth Point. The First and Second Reefs produced a few fish when trolling crawlers in 10 to 22 feet of water and those jigging crawlers or minnows off the Narrows found fish in waters up to 28 feet deep. Action around the Black Bottom tapered off this week but a few limits of perch were still taken before daylight when drifting or trolling crawlers in 18 to 20 feet of water. Fair to good perch action off Kipling as reports have been mixed. Some are jigging minnows in 20 feet of water while others are jigging crawlers in 4 to 8 feet of water in front of Brach’s Cabins. Good pike action but many are small. No salmon were spotted in the river.
Big Bay De Noc - Most anglers have been after smallmouth bass when casting crank baits and tube baits just off the weeds in 11 to 14 feet of water. Garden Bay has good action along the pilings. Perch were caught south of the Ogontz launch in 7 to 10 feet of water. Off Fairport, the salmon season is winding down as most of the larger fish are migrating to the rivers. A few fish were still caught when trolling spoons 40 to 60 feet down in 80 to 110 feet of water.
Hamlin Lake - Panfish action is still good when fishing in 4 to 8 feet of water with worms. Hot spots have been around Wilson Hill Park as well as the Narrow and Sable outlet. Lots of largemouth bass have been caught and many were keepers.
Saginaw Bay - Walleye action slowed with the onset of cooler weather, heavy rain and strong winds but fish were still being caught in the vicinity of the Spark Plug and one or two miles east of the Plug in 19 feet of water. Some found fish near the Callahan Reef and in 15 feet of water over the Bar which is west of Sebewaing. Perch fishing is spotty with a few caught near the G Buoy, one or two miles east of the Spark Plug and about two and half miles north/northwest of the Quanicassee.
Whitehall - Fishing has been good. Pier anglers are taking salmon on small Cleo’s and megabaits. Salmon have moved into White Lake and the lower stretches of the White River.
Fishing Report
Upper Peninsula:
Sault Ste. Marie the angling action is good. The St. Mary??s River, just below the locks, is producing pink salmon for anglers wading and casting from shore. The average salmon is weighing in around 5-6 pounds. Pink Cleo??s are working well and pink Swedish Pimples are hot. King salmon are a bit spotty on the River but a few are being caught behind the powerhouse, and while trolling near the ferry dock. Walleye action remains good on the St. Mary??s river as well. Plenty of activity will be taking place on the St. Mary??s River Thursday through Saturday for the Optima/Berkley Pro-Am. Launch and weigh-in take place at Aune Osborn Park. A few small perch are being reeled in, common size around 13-14 inches, however the local anglers are waiting for the big perch run which is about three weeks away.
In the Manistique area, walleye are decent out of Indian Lake on minnows. Get out your waders, the Manistique River is starting to pick up nicely for good catches of steelhead and salmon on spawn and yarn.
Out of the Munuscong area the St. Mary??s River and Raber Bay are producing good numbers of walleye, perch and pike on wax worms and night crawlers.
Near St. Ignace the salmon activity has slowed a bit on Lake Huron. Small mouth bass seem to have turned off this week, maybe due to cold weather.
Around Drummond Island, a few perch are being pulled in on minnows out of Potaganissing Bay, while bass are biting on spinner bait and crawlers on Scott Bay.
Lake Gogebic in the Bergland area is giving up decent catches of walleye in 36-40 feet of water when using leeches or minnows, and some perch on night crawlers.
Off of Marquette, Lake Superior is producing salmon, but anglers will need to find the pockets of warmer water where the bait fish are plentiful to pull in good numbers. The Lake Superior shoreline is good for a variety of fish and walleye are good all over.
Escanaba anglers will find decent counts of walleye in the Bay spread out pretty much all over. Best bet for perch are off of Butlers Island on the north end of the Bay.
Northwest:
Great fishing in Frankfort, the salmon are running on the Betsie River and anglers are doing well using egg flies, spawn, and small spinners which are legal in the River. Local anglers expect the next three weeks to be great for salmon fishing thanks to the cooler weather and water. Crystal Lake is producing good numbers of lake trout and pan fish. Arcadia, Portage and Big Platt are giving up nice catches of bass, walleye and blue gill.
Boyne City anglers are pulling in good salmon catches from Lake Michigan off of Petoskey and Charlevoix in 40-60 feet of water, as well as near the piers. A variety of glow spoons, flies and J-plugs are working well. Lake Charlevoix off of Porter Creek is also a great location for nice salmon catches. Some salmon activity is taking place on the Jordan and Black rivers with spawn and using 3/8? single hooks. Walloon Lake and Lake Charlevoix are decent for walleye, bass, and good numbers of perch.
Around the Cadillac area, fishing is very good on both Mitchell and Cadillac lakes. Mitchell Lake is giving up plenty of blue gill on wax and leaf worms. The crappie action is great on Lake Cadillac in the 8-10 inch range, but plenty of sorting is necessary. Both lakes are giving up trophy size rock bass, nice size sunfish, a few walleye and some good counts of large mouth bass. Pike are on the slow side.
Alanson anglers are getting good numbers of salmon on the Bear River and Little Traverse Bay. Perch and walleye are hit or miss on crawlers, but picking up.
Around the Kalkaska area, some good action for lake trout is taking place on Torch Lake. Bass activity is picking up on Lake Skegemog with anglers using rubber worms and spinner baits, and walleye are biting on glow in the dark crawler harnesses. Salmon is just starting on the Manistee River, good results using tail wobblers.
In Gaylord area, anglers are Dry fly fishing on the Pigeon, Sturgeon and Black rivers for trout during the afternoon hours with pretty good luck. Opal, Turtle and Otsego lakes are good for some nice walleye and bass catches.
Action around Traverse City is good on Lake Leelanau for walleye particularly in the evening hours, trolling in 12-18 feet of water and using rattle leafs and jerk baits. Big Glen Lake is fair to good for perch at the north end and on the west Bay the perch are hit or miss. The Betsie River just had a major salmon run with plenty of activity. Kings and good quantities of salmon are staging at the mouth of the Boardman River and around the Frankfort piers. Anglers are casting and trolling.
West:
Around the Ludington area, salmon fishing is good on Lake Michigan off of the pier heads in the early morning and late evening hours. Anglers are casting with spoons. Pere Marquette River is ranging fair to good for salmon between Ludington and Baldwin with anglers using thunder sticks and spawn bags with decent results.
Out of the Muskegon area Lake Michigan is giving up nice counts of steelhead, Coho, young salmon, and lake trout. Most of the action is in 80-200 feet of water. Popular baits include white and blue flies, flashers, spoons and plugs. Perch action is good at times on Lake Michigan in 16-25 feet of water. As a reminder, it is illegal to anchor in the shipping lanes, Coast Guard are ticketing. Muskegon Lake is also giving up good numbers of salmon on J-plugs, sonic plugs, green, silver and pearl spoons.
Near Baldwin salmon are on the way, the water is high and has cooled off. Anglers are anticipating a great weekend fishing salmon. Blue gill activity has slowed due to recent rain.
Not much improvement in the Chippewa Lake area where the activity is sluggish. A few pike are being reeled in.
Northeast:
Houghton Lake continues to produce nice counts of walleye. Anglers are getting best results in the evening hours versus the morning hours, and fishing the weed line in waters 6-10 feet deep. Crank bait and crawler harnesses work best. A cold front has changed the fish patterns and blue gill are spotty.
In Grayling, perch are biting on leech??s one crank off the bottom, and blue gill can be found in the canals. Walleye action is fair and anglers are slow drifting with crawlers in 10-feet of water. Manistee Lake is giving up nice catches of blue gill and walleye. Otsego Lake is also producing some decent walleye numbers.
Around Alpena, anglers are finding good fishing for walleye on Hubbard Lake. Lake trout are active at the mouth of Thunder Bay in 100-feet of water and spoons are working well. Grand Lake is decent for perch biting on minnows.
Near the Oscoda area, salmon activity has slowed a bit off of Lake Huron, a few have been caught while trolling and off of the piers. Local anglers expect the salmon to really start picking up as the days get shorter. Van Etten Lake is giving up decent perch, walleye and pike on minnows. Blue gill remain active on Cooke Dam Pond with leaf and wax worms working well. Fishing on Foote Dam Pond is good for several varieties of bass, and some crappie, perch and pike.
Au Gres anglers are going after good numbers of perch 35-feet straight out on Saginaw Bay, minnows are best. Walleye activity is sluggish.
On Higgins Lake, minnows seem to be working fair on perch in 20-40 feet of water, and lake trout are biting on big Swedish Pimples and jigging in 100-feet of water.
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