U.P. weekly fishing report
Little Bay de Noc
Anglers reported slow to fair fishing for walleye. Trolling cranks or crawler harnesses produced some success. Anglers in search of larger fish were leaving the upper bay and fishing the outer bay and offshore areas.
Big Bay de Noc
Smallmouth anglers fishing out of Nahma reported good smallmouth fishing after a mayfly hatch earlier in the week.
Fairport
Anglers fishing for Chinook salmon reported fair fishing. Anglers were trolling flasher flies and spoons near Point Detour, and along drop offs and deep-water structure near the island chain. Some steelhead were reported.
Manistique
Salmon anglers reported contacting Chinook salmon and steelhead. Anglers trolled near the can, Wiggens Point and Point Aux Barques. Some lake trout were harvested in deeper water.
Keweenaw Bay/Huron Bay
Anglers had some luck trolling for lake trout and some salmon during this last week. A few anglers caught some whitefish while the weather was favorable. Some reports coming off the water suggested water temperatures were quite high during the last week. Successful fishing trips during these warmer days included trolling spoons and flies around 50 feet. Anglers should try trolling during the early and late hours while fish were feeding up in the water column.
Les Cheneaux/Detour
Anglers were catching a few perch in Hessel and Cedarville, but they really had to work for them. Anglers were also catching a good number of pike in Hessel, along with a few splake while trolling. There's a lot of smallmouth bass sightings but anglers were having a tough time getting them to bite. Mayflies started hatching however the herring have yet to show in either place. In Detour, anglers were picking up a few lake trout and Chinook salmon while trolling with spoons around the lighthouse and in the flats. Fishing was slow and tough for most.
Big Traverse Bay/South Portage Canal
Anglers were mostly trolling near the mouth of the Portage Canal and out a few miles from the mouth on Big reef. Successful anglers caught lake trout and some occasional salmon including coho and Chinook salmon. Anglers were fishing in around 150 feet of water and fish were found throughout the water column. Anglers should try mixing lines of muddy and clear water after this rain for fish feeding on the edge of the muddy water.
Pine River
Walleye fishing was fair while catches of perch varied from day to day. Occasionally, anglers targeting walleye would catch pike, bullhead or bowfin.
Munising Bay
Boat anglers continued to do well for coho although catches were not as good as in previous weeks. Quality size was still running around 2 to 3 pounds. A few Chinook were caught up to 15 pounds. Lake trout anglers reported good catches near Wood Island and Grand Portal. Water temperatures offshore were in upper 60s and nearshore low 70s.
Grand Marais
Boat anglers were targeting lake trout with limits being reported. Most anglers were fishing off Five Mile reef and towards AuSable Point. Lake trout were averaging around 3 to 4 pounds. Anglers were trolling or jigging with both methods being productive. Big Reef anglers were also doing well.
Ontonagon River
Anglers were consistently catching walleye and the occasional rock bass in the river. While fish were being caught by those trolling and jigging, it seemed that jigging was the most productive method over the past week. Fish were caught at all times of the day, but early mornings seemed to yield the most successful trips. Recent rains dirtied the river waters and slowed down the bite.
Ontonagon/Silver City/Union Bay
Fishing was slow over the past week. Anglers reported a sparse bite and random dispersion of fish in shallow and deeper waters. A few determined boat anglers were able to find some lake trout and the occasional coho salmon. These successes were the result of long days on the lake spent trolling artificial lures in a variety of depths. Recent storms in the area also resulted in limited fishing opportunities.
Black River Harbor
Fishing pressure was low, possibly due to the recent inclement weather conditions. Anglers who were on the lake had little luck apart from finding the occasional lake trout. Long days spent trolling artificial lures in a variety of depths was necessary for those hoping to find fish. Rain in the area had significantly dirtied the water of the river which caused low visibility for those fishing from the shores and docks of the harbor.
