Hook & Hunting: October 11 Weekly Fishing Report - Northern Michigan's News Leader

Cheboygan River:   Chinook continue to move in with the better fishing up at the dam. Anglers are using little cleo's, rapalas, shallow runners and spawn. Use something with glow in the evening.  

Rogers City:  Salmon have returned to the weir so boat anglers casting in Swan Bay are picking up a few fish. Try bombers, cleo's or rattle traps. Boats are targeting young salmon and steelhead 50 feet down in 60 to 120 feet of water. Good colors were blue, green, purple, glow, orange and silver or black and white. The fish had their bellies full of smelt and alewife.  

Presque Isle:  Boats after trout and salmon are fishing summer patterns in the top 50 feet of waters up to 120 feet deep. Try Stoneport, straight off the red can or off the big lighthouse.   

Rockport:  Had little boat activity but pier anglers casting rapalas, spinners or rattle traps have caught Chinook.  

Alpena:  Boats able to get out caught a few Chinook when trolling Hot-n-Tots. Yellow perch were caught in the harbor using worms and minnows.

Thunder Bay River:  Chinook and pink salmon are still being caught up near the 9th Street Bridge and dam. Try spawn, rapalas, and rattle traps. Hot colors were orange and green. A couple steelhead were caught.  

Harrisville:  Salmon are making their way into and around the harbor. Most anglers are not venturing outside the harbor walls. Spawn seems to be the most productive but spoons and body baits are still producing fish. Steelhead are following the salmon but in small numbers. Walleye are still being caught out and around the harbor wall on small spoons and body baits. 

Oscoda:  As weather permits, small boats are making their way out around the pier. The fish caught are silver and healthy.   

Au Sable River:  Large numbers of salmon have not yet made their way into the river. Fish are there and are hitting on spawn, spoons and body baits. Steelhead are making their way up the river and the number of fish increases as the weather cools.  

Tawas:  Pier anglers were taking some good catches of seven to nine inch perch in the early morning. Many were averaging 15 to 20 fish per angler. Chinook and brown trout were caught off the pier.     

Tawas River:  Continues to produce Chinook salmon. Angling pressure was high.  

Au Gres:  Boat anglers have done well for perch when they can get out. While most boats stayed between Point Lookout and Pointe Au Gres, a few ventured as far as eight miles to the south to fish the opposite side of the shipping channel.  

Au Gres River:  Boats trolling in the lower river caught caught a few salmon. Those still-fishing caught a few smaller perch ranging six to nine inches. Those surfcasting in the lower Whitney Drain at the Singing Bridge are catching Chinook.

Petoskey:  Had a large push of salmon trying to spawn everywhere. Those surfcasting off the beach or near the breakwall were getting fish. Those fishing off the breakwall did well with tiger patterns or bright colors like blue, orange and green. Along with Chinook, anglers caught a couple brown trout and some nice steelhead. No coho or pink salmon.     

Bear River:  Had lots of fish after a large push of salmon came in. Chinook were caught in the pool near the dam or between the dam and the footbridge downstream. Anglers are still using skein, spawn, artificial eggs and yarn. Steelhead were caught down from the mouth when casting a red and white spoon.  

Charlevoix:  Anglers are still bringing in silver Chinook and coho. Those casting inside the breakwall caught a few fish near the Cement Plant. Those fishing near Medusa Creek which is open 100 feet from the mouth caught fish in the early morning or late evening. Most fish were caught on spoons or crank baits instead of spawn. Green and orange were good colors. Salmon were caught off the North Pier before daybreak and coho were caught after dark when using blue or glow spoons.   

Traverse City:  Few boats were out fishing in either bay. Those able to get out did catch a couple smallmouth bass in 35 to 45 feet of water.  

Elk River:  Chinook and coho were hitting on spawn bags near the power dam. A couple small steelhead were also caught. Hot colors were pink and chartreuse.  

Boardman River:  Is producing Chinook and coho along with the occasional steelhead or lake trout. Drifting skein under a bobber was best but those fly fishing also caught fish. Try a single egg or an egg-sucking leech pattern.    

Betsie River:  Anglers are reminded that a portion of the lower river and the eastern end of Betsie Bay (also known as Betsie Lake) closed to fishing on October 10, 2012 and remain closed until further notice to protect the fall salmon run. Extremely low water levels are the reason behind the closing. The fish are having a difficult time entering the river to spawn. Additional information regarding the closure can be found at http://content.govdelivery.com/bulletins/gd/MIDNR-538d7e.

Manistee:  Had windy weather. Those able to get out during a window of opportunity found trout and salmon in more than 300 feet of water. Try 40 to 90 feet down with orange or green spoons. Pier fishing was slow.  

Manistee River:  Salmon and steelhead can still be found below Tippy Dam. Most are fly fishing or drifting a single egg in the deeper holes and along the gravel.   

Ludington:  A few trout and salmon were caught 50 to 100 feet down in 200 to 400 feet of water. Try orange or greens spoons along with green flies. Slow pier fishing.    

Pere Marquette River:  Salmon have been caught throughout the river, but the fish are turning dark. Steelhead action has picked up as more fish move in.    

Pentwater:  When boat anglers can get out, look for steelhead as they are moving in closer to shore. Try the top 40 feet of waters 100 to 150 feet deep. Pier anglers have caught Chinook and steelhead when still-fishing with shrimp.  

Keweenaw Bay:  Was producing coho for those trolling or fishing off the rock dock. Anglers caught a few coho near the bridges at the head of the bay.  

Fall's River:  Is producing coho for those casting spoons and spinners or drifting crawlers and spawn bags.    

Marquette:  When boats can get out, they caught a few coho along with small lake trout. Those fishing off the end of the Lower Harbor breakwall had poor results.    

Carp River:  Is producing coho and steelhead for those casting stick baits or wobblers near the mouth.  

Dead River:  The pink salmon run is almost done. Chinock action was poor with only a few fish observed in various pools below the dam. Salmon are spawning at various stages. Those using fly rods or casting small spinners and spoons did best but still most anglers averaged zero to one salmon in two hours.    

Menominee:  A few walleye were caught by those following the shoreline and fishing the drop off in 20 to 30 feet of water. There was some effort near Green Island but few fish were caught. Pier anglers at the marina and lighthouse caught salmon but the fish were already dark. Walleye fishing is slow.        

Menominee River:  Boat anglers caught small walleye, rock bass and smallmouth bass down from Stephenson Island. Those fishing upstream of the island caught the occasional Chinook, pink salmon or brown trout. The Hattie Street Dam was slow for those drifting yarn, spawn, crawlers or casting spoons.  

Little Bay De Noc:  Walleye action improved with some fishing well into the evening.  Try the reefs off Kipling, the "Narrows" and out by the Terrace Bay Inn when trolling crawler harnesses or stick baits in 20 to 35 feet of water. Night anglers are using stick baits in 10 to 20. Fish were caught near the Black Bottom or south to the coal docks in 20 to 30 feet. Breezy Point offered mixed results for those trolling stick baits. Perch fishing was fair to good off the mouth of the Escanaba River when still-fishing with crawlers in 20 to 30 feet of water. Those fishing crawlers off the pier at the North Shore launch reported fair catches of perch.  

Days River:  Many fish have already moved to the upper stretches.  

Escanaba River:  Had fair to good salmon catches at the 1st Dam. Shore anglers are casting spawn, spoons and various crank baits between the Hwy-41 Bridge and the Dam. Low water levels make it easier for those wading.

Big Bay De Noc:   Had a lot of duck hunters which have done very well this year. A few bass were caught between Garden Bluff and Snail Shell Harbor when using crawlers or minnows in 10 to 45 feet of water. Perch reports were limited. Good numbers of small fish in Garden Bay. Anglers are fishing between the nets which are clearly marked in the middle of the Bay. No walleye to report.  

Munising:  Boat anglers are staying in the bay when targeting coho. Catch rates improved but overall results were still spotty. Most are fishing along the eastern shoreline. Pier fishing was steady with catch rates fair to good for coho and splake. Catches were a fairly even mix of male and female fish though most of the males were turning dark. Reports of steelhead have slowed but splake numbers increased for those casting bright colored spinners and spoons or floating spawn bags. Orange was a very good color. Those surfcasting caught a few coho.  

Grand Marais:  A few boats trolling in the bay caught coho and steelhead on bright colored spoons or spinners. Shore anglers had little success when using spawn bags or crawlers. Shore fishing tactics inside the bay have been impacted a little bit by the new breakwall. Pier fishing was slow. Smaller lake trout were caught in 180 to 220 feet of water when boats can get out.  

St. Mary's River:  A few walleye were caught by those trolling from the dock at Lime Island east to Round Island. Try crawler harnesses with bottom bouncers in 12 to 14 feet of water just off the weed beds. Smallmouth bass are hitting crank baits and twister tails. Try the rocky ledges in six to eight feet of water off Lime Island and Rocky Point in the early morning. Walleye were caught at the north end of Munuscong Bay when trolling harnesses and bottom bouncers in 12 to 14 feet of water around Moon Island. A few perch were taken up in the Rock Cut at the red buoy which is a quarter mile south of the Neebish Island Ferry lane. Try minnows or popcorn shrimp in 12 to 18 feet of water.  

Detour:  Walleye anglers are doing well trolling bottom bouncers and crawler harnesses in 12 to 18 feet of water at Swedes Pointe. For those that like still-fishing, casting slip bobbers works well. Even a few Chinook salmon are being caught by walleye anglers. Warm southern winds and low water levels have water temperatures up to 57 degrees around Drummond Island. This has slowed the yellow perch bite but fish were still caught near Bald Island and just out from the Yacht Haven Marina in 12 to 14 feet of water. Perch were also reported near Ashman Island and just north of Maxton Bay. Good smallmouth action for those casting or jigging brown or dark green tube jigs off Bruce Point and the north end of Scott Bay.  

Cedarville and Hessel:  Have great fishing opportunities for largemouth bass, pike and smallmouth bass. The perch bite is heating up in Musky Bay.  

Carp River:  Those fishing the mouth report fewer pink salmon but Chinook continue to trickle in.  

St. Ignace:  Salmon are gathering around the docks and launches.