Inner Saginaw Bay: A few boat anglers managed to catch walleye in 17 feet of water when trolling out of Linwood.
Au Gres: Boat anglers were trying their luck for walleye in Au Gres, but catches were few and far between with 0 to 1 walleye per boat being caught. Anglers were beginning to head out of Au Gres targeting perch and were able to bring some home. However, there were not many limits caught. Catfish were reported to have been caught from the Au Gres pier. In Standish, out from the Pine River perch were caught along with a few walleyes that were still hanging around in the weeds. Those fishing off the shore at the Pine River caught perch, big and small, however not in large numbers. At Eagle Bay Marina, bluegill, a few crappies, and a few small perch were caught.
Outer Saginaw Bay: Windy conditions kept most anglers off the east side of the bay this past week and over the weekend. What few boats were able to make it out from Quanicassee for yellow perch reported 0 to 5 fish per person. Walleye fishing was also slow with only a few caught in the slot from 12 to 15 feet of water. Shore fishing around the east side of the bay was very slow.
Tawas: Windy conditions the last few days kept most boat anglers off the water. Anglers reported catches of Chinook salmon at the Tawas River mouth in the evening after dark. The best spot to fish was reported to have been right at the mouth, casting diagonally towards the lake. Anglers also reported that spoons and spinners seemed to have worked well.
Oscoda/Au Sable River: Anglers fishing the big lake had success catching lake trout in 140 feet of water. Those that were looking for salmon and steelhead found fish in 70 to 90 feet of water, 30 feet down, while trolling spoons and j-plugs. It appeared that the Au Sable River was starting to hold some coho and Chinook salmon. There were coho salmon along with a few Chinook salmon caught off the pier by anglers casting spoons such as Little Cleos KO wobblers, or moonshines in the early hours of the morning. A few salmon were also caught by anglers fishing spawn bags on the bottom. Some Chinook salmon were hooked on skein throughout the lower river and at the Foote Dam.
Fishing tip: Looking for some fun? Go fishing this fall!
Ask many anglers and they’ll tell you fall is a wonderful time to go fishing, as fish prepare for the colder months by ramping up their feeding efforts. Most will target salmon, walleye, perch, panfish and bass and see much success when doing so.
Salmon: Many fish will return very hungry to their natal streams throughout this month. Learn more about Michigan’s salmon here.
Walleye: Large schools of this species will move inland from the Great Lakes. By the end of September, these fish will really be biting. Visit our walleye page to learn more about techniques for targeting them.
Perch: Both Lake Michigan and Lake Erie provide great opportunities for perch fishing during the fall as large schools head to shallow water. Check out the perch page to find some great spots to fish for them.