Hook & Hunting: November 1 Weekly Fishing Report - Northern Michigan's News Leader

NORTHEAST LOWER PENINSULA


Inland lakes are producing catches of perch and walleye.

Cheboygan River: Still has a few Chinook salmon up at the dam. Look for the number of steelhead to increase by the weekend. Try spawn, yarn or small spinners in orange, pink or chartreuse.

Weber Lake: In Cheboygan County is a good bet for inland trout fishing for brook trout and brown trout.

Black Lake: Should be good for walleye as this is the time of year the fish tend to get aggressive as they prepare for winter.

Rogers City: No anglers have been out on the lake. Brown trout are showing up in and around the marina and those fishing off the wall before the storm caught fish on a regular basis. They were casting cleos, bombers and spoons in the early morning or late evening.

McCormick Lake: In Montmorency County is a good inland lake for trout fishing. If offers brown trout, brook trout and rainbow trout.

Heart Lake: In Otsego County is a good lake for inland trout fishing.

Long Lake: Should be good for walleye.

Hubbard Lake: Should also be good for walleye. Try the south end of the lake when trolling or drifting.

Thunder Bay River: Has salmon and steelhead being caught near the 9th Street Dam. Try floating spawn or casting rapalas and small spoons.

Harrisville: Salmon are still in the harbor, but they are few and far between. Walleye are just outside the harbor wall. Early morning and late evening were the best time to fish with body baits and crawler harnesses.

Au Sable River: Salmon are slowing down but a fair to good number of steelhead are in the river and on the beds. Fish can be found from the mouth all the way up to the dam. Most are using spawn of small spoons. A few walleye are making their way into the river. The fish caught appear to be bigger than those caught in the spring and summer. Anglers are floating crawlers under a slip bobber or casting body baits.

Tawas River: A few salmon were caught by those drifting spawn. Look for more steelhead to move up in the next week.

Au Gres River: Had reports of anglers catching Atlantic salmon, brown trout, steelhead and the occasional dark king salmon. Anglers are surfcasting near the Singing Bridge or fishing in the lower end of Whitney Drain. Some nice Atlantic salmon have been caught on assorted spoons or plugs. The fish were aggressive.


NORTHWEST LOWER PENINSULA


Petoskey: When the weather allows, those surfcasting have caught coho, pink salmon and the occasional Chinook. Most were using spawn or small spoons.

Bear River: Coho and pink salmon were caught on spawn, skein or yarn. More steelhead were moving up into the river.

Elk River: Is producing coho and steelhead. Try floating spawn and skein or casting small spoons and spinners.

Bear Lake: In Kalkaska County produces brown trout and rainbow trout. Try fly fishing in the southeast corner or along the west shore.

Starvation Lake: Located in northern Kalkaska County is another good spot for inland trout fishing. The lake is up to 47 feet deep and sustains a population of brown trout and rainbow trout. The lake offers year-round fishing with a minimum size limit of 8 inches for rainbow and brown trout.

Boardman River: Is producing coho and steelhead. Fresh steelhead should be moving up into the river as they search for salmon eggs. Anglers will want to use skein, spawn bags or a single egg on a hook.

Betsie River: Is producing steelhead.

Manistee: Pier and surf anglers are catching steelhead when the winds allow. They are using spawn or casting orange spoons. Anglers are reminded that the piers can be very dangerous this time of year.

Manistee River: The steelhead action is underway. Water levels were low and clear so rain should help push more fish up into the river. Some are fly fishing with eggs while others may try casting small spoons or spinners. Good colors to try would be orange, pink, chartreuse, blue and silver along with orange and silver.

Ludington: Is producing steelhead for shore and pier anglers. Most were caught on spawn however a few were also taken on orange spoons.

Pere Marquette River: Water levels were low and clear. The remaining salmon are dark. Fresh steelhead continue to enter the river. Some nice steelhead and brown trout have been caught.

Pentwater: Pier anglers were floating spawn but no steelhead were caught. Those surfcasting had better luck with spawn or small orange spoons.


UPPER PENINSULA


Lake Gogebic: Was producing some limit catches of walleye.

Keweenaw Bay: When they can get out, boat anglers managed to catch a couple lake trout, Chinook and coho.

Fall's River: Is producing coho and steelhead for those casting spoons and spinners or drifting crawlers and spawn bags. Try orange, pink or chartreuse.

Huron River: In Baraga County is producing coho.

Menominee River: The few out fishing were targeting trout and salmon near the Hattie Street Dam. They are drifting yarn and spawn or casting small spoons, spinners or twister tails.

Little Bay De Noc: Walleye anglers did well all night long when trolling stick baits in eight to 20 feet of water off the reefs. Fair catches were reported off the lighthouse in Escanaba in 25 to 35 feet and off the north end of Butler Island when still-fishing crawlers or minnows in 10 to 20 feet. Day anglers caught fish near the Second and Third Reefs as well as the Black Bottom.

Escanaba River: A few salmon were seen but none were caught.

Big Bay De Noc: A few walleye were caught on crawler harnesses in 20 to 30 feet of water near Ansell's Point. Perch anglers in Garden Bay reported good catches of small fish over by the "Fish House", out to the middle of the bay and over to Ansell's Point. Try eight to 12 feet of water with crawlers. Good smallmouth action between Garden Bluff and Snail Shell Harbor for those drifting crawlers or minnows 35 to 50 feet down in the deeper water.