DNR Fishing Report – 8-20-2009
Alpena – A few walleye were caught in 20 to 30 feet of water around Thunder Bay Island. North Point is also producing some fish. Reef runners seem to work best.
Alpena – Thunder Bay River – More anglers are fishing the river and taking home walleye, smallmouth bass and catfish. Most everyone is fishing with crawlers and leeches. Night fishing is best for catfish and walleye. A good number of walleye have been caught around the mouth in 20 to 30 feet of water.
Au Gres – Had very good walleye fishing in 30 to 35 feet of water off the mouth of the Au Gres River, out around the Charity Islands, and south of the port.
Harbor Beach – Boat anglers trolling in 100 to 130 feet of water are getting lake trout near the bottom and steelhead near the surface. A few chinook salmon were also caught and walleye were hitting in 25 to 45 feet of water.
Lexington – Lake trout are still being caught. Perch anglers are doing well on the various weed beds but anglers will need to move around to locate fish. Pier fishing at all the Thumb ports slowed with only the occasional bass and panfish being caught. Channel catfish are hitting at night.
Oscoda – Au Sable River – Fly fishing has been real good this summer. The North Branch and the mainstream have excellent hatches of tiny olives and trico. White flies are starting below Mio and catch rates are very good for rainbow trout.
Port Austin – Lake trout are hitting 6 to 7 miles north of the lighthouse in 110 to 120 feet of water. Walleyes continue to hit on the reefs west of the port and east to Grindstone City in 25 to 45 feet of water.
Port Sanilac – Lake trout and steelhead have been caught in 100 to 125 feet of water. Perch fishing continues on the various weedbeds north of the port.
Presque Isle – Anglers are catching chinook, lake trout and walleye in 65 to 110 feet of water between the lighthouses or straight out from the Red Can at the harbor. Use anything that glows in the top half of the water column. Find structure and baitfish.
Rogers City – Bigger chinook salmon are being caught. Most are averaging 10 to 15 pounds however some are bigger. Most were caught south between Calcite and Adams Point when trolling the top half of the water column. Some are shallow while others could be found in 70 to 110 feet of water. Good colors were green and silver, blue and silver, watermelon, black and white, green or blue. The bite was best right at sun up or right after sunset when using anything that glows.
Saginaw Bay – Walleye fishing is still good around the end of the shipping channel, the dumping grounds west of the shipping channel, the Callahan Reef, and the Slot. If fishing around weedbeds, try trolling crawler harnesses without bottom bouncers in order to keep the bait above the weeds. This works best in 8 to 10 feet of water where the weedbeds are thickest. All ports are still producing fish, but early morning is the most productive. A few perch are starting to show up about a mile west of the Spark Plug in 20 feet of water. Perch were running 7 to 9 inches for the most part, with a few up to 13 inches. Those trolling for walleye were picking up the occasional large perch on crawler harnesses.
Saginaw River – Some walleye are still being caught in the lower river mostly by bait anglers seeking other species. Good catches of channel cats were still coming from the Hot Pond channel.
Tawas – Walleye have been caught near the Steeples, 50 to 70 feet of water off Tawas Point, the reefs northeast of Big Charity Island and down towards Alabaster. Crawler harnesses caught the most fish. Pier and river fishing remains slow, with a few perch, smallmouth bass or rock bass caught.
UPPER PENINSULA
St. Mary’s River – A few muskie were caught in Raber Bay when trolling large double bladed spinners with black bucktail hair. Due to the cool water temperatures, the walleye are scattered.
Drummond Island – Yellow perch are being caught in the early morning until 10 A.M. off the Yacht Haven Dock. Most are using worms or minnows. Warmer weather improved the walleye bite in Scott Bay. Anglers did well trolling bottom bouncers and crawler harnesses on the northwest side of Peck Island.
Cedarville – Hessel – Pier anglers at Hessel are still taking some nice pike while those trolling or casting have caught pike, smallmouth bass and perch. Snows Channel and Musky Bay are still good for pike. Warmer water in Cedarville Bay caused an increase in catch rates for perch, but the pike fishing slowed. Those trolling for trout and salmon are still heading out towards Goose Island.
St. Ignace – Those trolling from the old fuel tanks across the bay to the Coast Guard and in front of Bois Blanc Island have caught chinook and lake trout 30 to 70 feet down. Try green combination spoons.