Saginaw Bay: The inner bay is still pretty muddy and success was limited to the west side. Walleye fishing was very good around Spoils Island for those vertical jigging or trolling. Vertical jigging was more effective than trolling near the rocks. No reports from Linwood but chances are fish are being caught there as well. The east side is still very muddy so not much going on from Quanicassee to Caseville. Boat anglers will need to be careful throughout the area when launching because of shallow water at the ramps. Dredging will take place shortly at Bayshore Marina near Bay Port and at Caseville. Be sure to watch your depth gauge because not all the channel marker buoys were in place yet.
Kawkawlin River: Small boats trolling body baits down from the Euclid Avenue Bridge did very well for walleye. Rapalas and shad-raps were also good baits.
Saginaw River: Had very good walleye fishing during the opener.
Tittabawassee River: Fishing on the river was actually quite good as a lot of walleye stayed in the river after the floods. The launch ramps at Imerman Park, Center Road, and Rust Avenue were closed due to high water levels but they should all be open sometime this week as levels recede. The better fishing was about a mile downstream of Freeland. Anglers were trolling rapalas, shad-raps, walley divers or Hot-n-Tots. Fishing should be good for another two weeks or so.
Au Gres: Had lots of walleye activity off Point Au Gres including some limit catches coming from 10 to 20 feet of water. They were hitting on crawler harnesses and body baits. Some are trolling while others are drifting harnesses or jigs baited with crawlers, minnows or Gulp baits.
Au Gres River: Those surfcasting with body baits at night near the Singing Bridge have caught a few walleye.
Outer Saginaw Bay
Oscoda: Pier anglers caught some walleye at night. Try body baits and crawlers.
Au Sable River: Consumers Energy closed the public access site at Foote Dam on May 1. The company plans to rebuild the wall that provides the principal shore fishing access. The area will be closed for most of the 2013 construction season. Steelhead were coming out of the deep holes and making their way to the beds. Spawn, wax worm, spinners and body baits were all producing as the river was full of fish from the dam to the mouth.
Tawas: Boat anglers caught walleye off the mouth of the Tawas River when trolling body baits in 10 to 20 feet of water. Fire-tiger or blue and silver were the hot colors. Those jigging over the artificial reef were also taking a good number of walleye. Those trolling in deeper water off the tip of Tawas Point caught a few coho and brown trout. Pier anglers walleye fishing at night outside the breakwall managed to take a few limit catches when casting body baits.
Tawas River: Walleye have been caught in the lower river.
Weekly Fishing Tip: Northern pike season now open
This past Saturday marked the opening of the inland walleye, northern pike and muskellunge seasons in the Lower Peninsula – will you be getting out soon to try your hand at northern pike fishing?
Northern pike like to spend their time in the weedy shallows of both the Great Lakes and inland waters. In rivers they can be found around log jams or fallen timber. They are often taken with live bait (such as large minnows) or different kinds of artificial lures.
When fishing for northern pike, many anglers like to use a six to eight-inch wire or steel leader directly in front of hook or lure. Pike have large, deep mouths with extremely sharp teeth. They are known to engulf the entire bait or lure and sever the fishing line with their teeth when it is attached directly to the hook or lure. This leaves the angler watching as the fish swims away with their offering.