U.P. Weekly Fishing Report
This report is intended to give you an idea of what is going on around the state. Updates come from fisheries staff and conservation officers. With more than 11,000 inland lakes, the Great Lakes and thousands of miles of rivers and streams, not all locations can be listed. However, it is safe to say if a species is being caught in some waters in the area, they are likely being caught in all waters in that section of the state that have that species.
The Weekly Fishing Report will be temporarily suspended starting Nov. 8, until early next year when ice fishing picks up and we begin to receive more reports. For fishing reports, call your local bait shop to inquire about current conditions.
Lake Superior Surface Water Temperature Map
Michigan Stream Flow Conditions
Fishing tip:
When bottom bouncing and drift fishing for steelhead and salmon, you don’t always have to reel in your bait at the end of your drift. Allowing your bait to swing across the current and rise up occasionally will trigger strikes from salmon and trout as the bait moves away from the fish, much like a swung fly.
Little Bay de Noc
Anglers battled windy conditions; however, smallmouth bass anglers reported good fishing when casting tubes or dragging sucker minnows. Yellow perch anglers reported good fishing when they were able to access the lake. The most productive presentation for perch was still fishing minnows. Walleye anglers reported slow fishing. Anglers who fished after dark reported catching some; however, it was a very narrow bite window. Northern pike anglers reported fair to good fishing.
Big Bay de Noc
Smallmouth bass anglers had to battle hard north winds and could only fish in sheltered areas. Drifting sucker minnows along the bottom proved to be an effective way of catching smallmouth bass, as some quality-sized fish were reported.
Carp River
The Carp River was producing mostly steelhead and a few coho. Anglers reported that lures, flies and spawn were all catching fish.
Nunns Creek
Nunns Creek was producing decent numbers of Chinook salmon, but they were running on the smaller side. Lures, especially crankbaits, seemed to be the most popular choice among anglers. Skein and spawn were less popular but also effective.
Fairport
No report.
Marquette
High winds and rain prevented anglers from making it out on the water. The numbers of Chinook and coho salmon caught on the rivers were beginning to rise even more than the previous week. Individuals going out on the break wall did well at catching lake trout. There were also reports of steelhead being caught in the rivers. Using chartreuse, bright orange, and glow spinners all yielded good results.
Au Train
No report.
Manistique
No report.
St. Ignance
No report.
Keweenaw Bay/Huron Bay
Angling pressure from boats declined. Anglers who did make it out on the lake had luck trolling for trout. Some coho and steelhead were caught from shore in various locations around both bays. Anglers who caught fish were using spoons, stick baits, and flies. With the bay cooling off and fall in full swing, expect some fall-spawning species to be in shallower.
Les Cheneaux/Detour
Fishing activity was extremely slow at both ports. A few anglers in Hessel tried for salmon at the marina, as well as pike fishing off the outside wall, with little to no luck. There were a few Chinook and pink salmon spotted swimming in the marina in Hessel, but catching them was reported to be tough.
Big Traverse Bay/South Portage Canal
Anglers in boats mostly reported catching lake trout while trolling. A few anglers had some very mild success with coho as well. Anglers who were casting near shore also had luck with brown trout and northern pike. As the weather cools and fall continues, expect fall-spawning fish to move to their spawning locations.
Pine and Rivers
No report.
Munising Bay
High winds resulted in very low fishing pressure. A few anglers fished off the Anna River but had poor success. Anglers reported catching a few coho; however, they were mostly males who were pretty dark and ripe.
Grand Marais
No report.
Ontonagon River
Fishing on the river was reported to be very slow as a result of recent weather conditions. Anglers had some luck in finding walleye and the occasional rock bass. Successful trips occurred at all times of day when the weather permitted. The methods of jigging and trolling reportedly yielded similar results.
Ontonagon/Silver City/Union Bay
These ports have seen very little activity due to inclement weather. When the weather allowed, some anglers were able to make it out on the lake, bringing in good numbers of lake trout. Anglers had luck catching fish at all times of the day. Trolling artificial lures across a variety of depths yielded the best results, as the fish seemed to be dispersed randomly throughout the water column.
Black River Harbor
Strong winds and rain made the lake inaccessible. The few anglers that did make it out on the water were rewarded with a couple of lake trout. Successful trips occurred at all times of day as weather conditions permitted. Reports show that fish are being caught in a variety of depths when trolling artificial lures.
Escanaba
No report.