Curly's Photo and Fishing Blog
We Need A Warm Up Fishing Report
Cold temperatures and strong winds continue to hamper fishing efforts. Bass and bluegill are on the beds mainly in the southern sections of the state as the northern sections are still too cold. Anglers are catching walleye and northern pike. We need a warm-up but it sure looks like this weekend is not looking great for sumer weather
Sturgeon Joe at Otsego Lake is saying the perch and walleye fishing has been fair on Otsego Lake.
Dave at Four Season Party Store in Houghton Lake says off of Long Point the walleye bite is still good when they can get out.
Mullett Lake - Anglers are still heading out and looking for walleye, smallmouth bass and rainbow trout. Harvest rates were good for smallmouth bass where the average size was 14 to 20 inches. For walleye, anglers were heading over to Burt Lake where more fish were caught.
Lake Bellaire - The Fisherman’s Paradise Public Access site will be closed June 1st through June 4th and again June 8th through June 11th for construction. Walleye 16 to 20 inches were caught when trolling near the Grass River outlet, the Intermediate River or in the northwest arm from the Narrows to the Eckertly Road access site. Try 5 to 30 feet of water with crawler harnesses, jigs, leeches or rapalas. For bass, anglers are casting spinners, tube baits or grubs into waters up to 10 feet deep along the west side of the lake, the flats near the Grass River and the flats along the north shoreline. Pike were caught near the Intermediate River in 8 to 12 feet of water and in the northwest arm in 14 to 25 feet of water. Try spoons or live minnows. A few perch were found in the northwest arm.
Bluegills are still a week away from being on the beds.
Higgins Lake -Some perch have been caught around the Sunken Island and between the North State Park and the Conference Center. A few lake trout were caught but the fish were smaller. The brown drake fly hatch is underway.
Houghton Lake - Is producing some bass, pike, walleye and crappie.
Lake Charlevoix - Had good smallmouth bass action in the shallows. Try 6 to 12 feet of water with crank baits or minnow type plugs. Northern pike were also caught.
Long Lake - Walleye were caught at night when trolling a crawler harness or rapala.
South Lake Leelanau - Is producing some nice walleye. Try fishing shallow waters after dark. Look for smallmouth bass along the south end of the lake in the weed beds.
Traverse City - Things have been slow as high winds have kept most of the bays.
Saginaw Bay -Walleye fishing has been excellent when anglers can get out. Hot spots include the Spark Plug, Black Hole, sailing buoys G & H, off Jones and Finn Roads, the Callahan Reef and the mouth of the Saginaw River. Excellent walleye fishing off Quanicassee in 6 to 8 feet of water straight out from the river or in 9 to 14 feet if water on the Callahan Reef. Good walleye action in the slot off Sebewaing in 14 feet of water. Those fishing off Bay Port found walleye in 20 feet of water off the tip of Sand Point.
Tittabawassee River - The walleye run is pretty much over except for a few odd fish caught below the Dow Dam. Anglers are now catching good numbers of smallmouth bass, white bass and channel cats.
Portage Lake- Walleye have started hitting again in the evening. Fish were caught when trolling along the edge of the weed beds and out near the channel. Pike were caught during the day when casting on the east side or trolling spoons and body baits along the drop-offs. Bass have been caught in the shallows when casting crank baits. A few nice rock bass and bluegills were caught.
Manistee -The better fishing continues to be near the Ledge when using blue or green spoons 50 to 100 feet down.
Ludington - Boat anglers are catching fish in 80 to 160 feet of water between the Bath House and Big Sable Point.
Lake Cadillac - Panfish were caught near the M-115 causeway and the City Dock.
Little Bay De Noc - Walleye catches were fair with only one or two fish per boat. Strong south winds produced fair to good catches from Portage Point south to Breezy Point when trolling crank baits just off the break in 10 to 30 feet of water. Fair catches reported in the deep water off the Second Reef when trolling crank baits in 30 to 40 feet of water. Night anglers fishing shallow waters on the Second Reef caught walleye when drifting crawlers in 10 to 20 feet of water. Several nice fish were caught in 2 to 8 feet of water south of Garth Point. Lots of smallmouth bass were caught in 6 to 10 feet of water south of the Ford River and near Garth Point. Some jumbo perch were caught in 6 to 10 feet of water around Strawberry Island.
Big Bay De Noc - Walleye fishing was fair as not many boats have been able to get out. Most are fishing the head of the Bay but catch rates were only fair when trolling or drifting crawlers in 6 to 12 feet of water. Anglers reported excellent smallmouth action throughout the Bay. Ogontz was a hot spot for those trolling or drifting along the weeds in 6 to 8 feet of water with crank baits, spinners or crawlers. Fish Dam, Porcupine Point, Garden Bay and South River Bay were also good spots to target smallmouth bass. Small perch were caught in Garden Bay when jigging in 8 to 12 feet of water. Bass fishing around Summer Island was good.
Drummond Island - The walleye and pike opener was slow with only a few pike taken in Paradise Point Bay when drifting frozen smelt in 4 to 8 feet of water. Smallmouth bass were caught near the mouth of the harbor when fishing in 6 feet of water around the rock piles. Though water levels are higher this year, caution still needs to be used around the rock piles and reefs.
De Tour - A few boats are beginning to head out from the city launch. They were marking fish but catch rates were slow. A couple steelhead can still be found in Albany Creek.
Cedarville and Hessel - The northern pike action was good for those trolling or casting stick baits in waters up to 10 feet deep. Try the Moscoe Channel, Hessel Bay, Cedarville Bay or Musky Bay. Those fishing off the pier at Hessel were targeting yellow perch. No anglers were targeting splake however they are present in the deeper waters on the west end of Hessel Bay.
White Lake - Catch rates for panfish were very good especially for bluegill and crappie. Anglers did well in front of the City Park and Armstrong’s Bait and Tackle.
AAA Fishing Report
Upper Peninsula:
Warmer weather last week made a huge difference on Lake Gogebic. The walleye bite has been very consistent during the early mornings and evenings. Anglers are using a jig with minnows or leeches in 10 to 12 feet of water. In water 20 to 25 feet, crank baits are working well fishing 15 to 18 feet down from the surface. Smallmouth bass fishing has been excellent using sucker minnows in five to six feet of water.
Anglers have had to use the wind to find the best fishing areas near Escanaba. Walleye numbers remain good when trolling crank baits near the steep drop-offs. The Ford and Escanaba rivers are giving up good numbers of Smallmouth bass. The perch bite is fair to good south of Gladstone on Little Bay De Noc when there is a south wind.
Fishing activity around Marquette and Munising has been slow due to weather conditions. However, for diehard anglers, a fair amount of walleyes is being caught using a windy rig.
Cold weather has slowed the walleye fishing for anglers on Indian Lake near Manistique.
The best fishing around Sault Ste. Marie is for whitefish in the upper end of the St. Maryâ??s River.
Fair amounts of walleye are being caught in the Munuscong Bay area, when using a jig head with night crawlers and leeches.
Choppy water around Maxton and Scott bays has limited fishing activity. Anglers are still able to produce some fair numbers of bass, pike and walleye using a crawler harness or stick baits. The same can be said near St. Ignace where persistent anglers are catching a few walleye and bass.
Northwest:
Even though the weather has not cooperated, Lake Charlevoix near Boyne City is giving up good numbers of walleye and bass along the south arm. Another great place to cast a line is near the mouth of the Boyne River on the north arm of Lake Charlevoix. Stream and river fishing across the region has slowed significantly in the area.
Pre-spawn bass fishing is great in the Traverse City area. Long Lake is producing good amounts of walleye using minnows and Suttons Bay anglers are catching a few Lake Trout.
In the Frankfort area, the up and down weather has slowed fishing activity. Smaller lakes across the region are producing fair amounts of large and smallmouth bass, rock bass and pan fish. Anglers on Crystal Lake are taking good numbers of whitefish with wigglers being the preferred bait. The lake is also producing fair numbers of perch using minnows.
Area lakes around Kalkaska are giving up fair to good numbers of bass and walleye. A great place to through a line is East Lake where anglers are catching a good amount of bass on a variety of baits. Lake Bellaire has the best walleye action using minnows. Fly fishing has slowed but a few fish are still being caught around the Elk Rapids Dam.
River fishing has slowed a bit, in the Gaylord area, with a fair to good amount of steelhead being caught on the Jordan, Pigeon, Manistee, Sturgeon and Black rivers. Baits of choice are Sulphurs, Grey Drakes, Isoâ??s and Mottled Caddis flies.
The pike action in the Cadillac area is excellent. Varieties of baits are working well including spinners, sucker minnows and Rapalas. Lakes Mitchell and Cadillac are producing good amounts of large mouth bass on Yamamoto Senko baits. The lakes are also producing fair to good amounts of pan fish using live baits.
West:
In the Baldwin area, bass fishing is slow this week due to the weather. Perch fishing on Big Bass Lake is producing nice numbers of perch using minnows as bait. For the best blue gill and sunfish action Howes Lake is providing very good numbers of fish. Anglers are also catching a few pike using sucker minnows on area lakes. The weather has even slowed river and stream fishing. Fair to good amounts of trout are being taken using a variety of baits.
Fishing on Muskegon Lake is good with the limited amount of anglers on the lake. Blue gills are roaming the shallows in search of bedding areas. The bite has been very good using worms. In Lake Michigan, salmon and steelhead fishing has been good. During the day, try fishing in 100 to 140 feet of water about 30 to 60 feet down from the surface using blue or green Dolphins. At night, fishing in 250 feet of water, steelhead are staying near the surface, while the King Salmon are located about 90 to 100 feet down. Fishing around Spring Lake is producing good numbers of Crappie around the bridge in Ferrysburg.
Chippewa Lake is seeing fair to good numbers of blue gills for anglers who battle the cold and windy conditions.
Bass fishing is very good in the Grand Rapids area. For the best action try Englewright and Hess lakes. Good salmon and perch fishing on Lake Michigan for those able to handle the choppy water. Perch are being caught in 60 to 80 feet of water using soft-shelled crayfish or minnows. Trolling spoons in 100 to 150 feet of water is working well for salmon.
Northeast:
The cold, wind and rain are slowing anglers from getting out on the water around Alpena. Anglers are catching a few walleye on Thunder Bay River. Perch fishing on Grand Lake is fair to good using minnows.
Bass season is in full swing near Oscoda. Cooke Dam and Foote Dam ponds are seeing the best bass action using leeches, minnows and the occasional Hula Popper. The ponds are also giving up good amounts of perch and pike with minnows as the bait of choice. Anglers can still catch a few steelhead, walleye and suckers using a variety of baits. In Lake Michigan, a few King Salmon can be found.
In the Grayling area, spawning bass are being caught on all area lakes with live leeches working best as bait. For the person seeking blue gill, try using a popper for the best results. Lake Margrethe is the best place to cast a line when looking for walleye. Leeches work best in about 18 feet of water. The Manistee and Au Sable rivers are producing a few Brook, Brown and Rainbow trout using a Sulphur Dun or Hendrickson flies.
Crappie have moved out of the canals around Houghton Lake and into water about six to eight feet deep. Trolling, drifting and using bobbers with leeches are working well for those in search of walleye.
Higgins Lake has been choppy over the past few days but for anglers trolling Rapalas, fair to good numbers of trout are being taken. Rain and wind is not hampering the Rock bass fishing with night crawlers working well as bait.
Fishing activity in the Au Gres area continues to produce fair to good numbers of fish. Out on Saginaw Bay the walleye action is good using minnows. Trout fishing in the east branch of the Au Gres River and around the Singing Bridge are getting good results using spinners, small Cleoâ??s and crawlers.
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