Saginaw Bay #walleyefishing is still very good. Limit catches are still not out of the question if you find an active school of fish. There are indications that the walleyes are starting to scatter off the tip of the Thumb to some extent, but fishing in the inner bay is still holding up pretty well. Walleye are still hitting in 16 feet off Linwood, two miles northwest of the Spark Plug (Buoys 11 &12), 8 to 9 feet off the end of Jones Road, 10 feet on the Callahan Reef, both sides of the Bar and especially in the Slot from Sunset Bay Marina all the way along the outside of the islands and into the narrows off the tip of Sand Point. The best crawler harness spinner colors were brass, silver, purple, chartreuse, fire-tiger, pink and orange. Lake trout are far offshore, possibly indicating that temperature in the deeper waters of the lake have been altered by the recent winds. Lake trout anglers were catching walleye in over 100 feet.
- Au Gres Area walleye trollers were crossing the bay to fish the Slot and the Charity Islands, heading to 30 to 40 feet around the bell buoys or fishing the outside edge of the weed beds off Eagle Bay Marina. Everyone had fish but limits were a little harder to come by. Fishing was slow in the Au Gres River.
Outer Saginaw Bay:
Oscoda anglers found good numbers of lake trout straight out from the river in 100 to 150 feet. Most were on the bottom but a few were suspended about halfway. Coho and steelhead were caught in the top 50 to 75 feet. Try spoons, spin-glo’s and meat rigs. A few walleye suspended 25 feet down in about 100 feet were caught but most were hitting stick baits in 30 to 40 feet. Pier anglers caught smallmouth bass, walleye, and freshwater drum when casting crank baits or still-fishing with crawlers. A few yellow perch and rock bass were caught on perch or crappie rigs.
- Au Sable River: A few walleye were caught when drifting crawlers or leeches through the deeper holes in Oscoda and up near the trestle bridge in the late evening but many were too small. Large and smallmouth bass or pike were taken on crank baits. Bluegills and rock bass were taken on crawlers.
Tawas Area boat anglers after walleye are going down off Alabaster to fish in 50 to 60 feet, around Tawas Point and a bit north in 50 to 70 feet or crossing the bay and fishing north of the Charity Islands. Pier fishing is summer-slow with a few bluegills and bass caught.
- Tawas River: Shore anglers were still taking a few catfish, smallmouth bass, carp and freshwater drum.
Fishing Tip: Great places to target muskellunge in Michigan
Are you interested in targeting muskellunge this summer? Many anglers would place the following water-bodies on a list of top spots to visit.
- Tahquamenon River in Luce County
From below Tahquamenon Falls all the way to Lake Superior produces great muskie fishing. - Thornapple Lake in Barry County
Muskies can be found on the east or west ends of the lake. Please note there’s a 50-inch minimum size limit on this lake. - Skegemog Lake in Kalkaska County
A good spot to focus on here is the edges of a deep hole that’s off of the entrance to Elk Lake. - Lake St. Clair in St. Clair County
Lots of inlets and outlets on this lake provide ideal conditions for muskies.
For more information on fishing for muskellunge, visit Michigan.gov/muskie.