Saginaw Bay perch fishing was pretty much all anyone was doing. The hot spot was between the Saganing and Pinconning Bars in 14 to 16 feet. Boats were launching at either Eagle Bay or Gambil’s Marina. Other good spots included the Black Hole, Sailboat Buoys A, B, D, or G, along the shipping channel at Buoy 22 and the two buoys past Spoils Island. Most fish were 8 to 10 inches.
Au Gres Area those trolling for walleye found a few fish north of Big Charity Island. Perch fishing has taken center stage with some good catches in 31 feet around the Steeples, 40 to 59 feet near the NOAA Weather Buoy and 40 to 50 feet south and southeast of the hotel on Point Au Gres.
Au Gres River some perch were caught in the lower river however anglers were doing a lot of sorting.
Outer Saginaw Bay:
Grindstone City those heading straight north found lake trout, steelhead, walleye and pink salmon in 100 to 140 feet. The lake was stirred up because of windy conditions so there was no specific thermocline and the fish were scattered. One boat traveled 35 miles north to the Yankee Reef and caught lake trout when vertical jigging large silver or chartreuse spoons instead of trolling.
Tawas Area had very good walleye and steelhead fishing with spoons and crank baits in 50 to 60 feet off the Crib at Alabaster and lakeward of Buoy #2. Fishing was slow for both pier and river anglers.
Fishing Tip: Fall crappie fishing…difficult, but not impossible
Although plentiful and easy to fish for in the summer, crappie can be difficult to target as the weather cools off. Difficult…but not impossible.
One thing anglers should do is look for good water as crappie can be found in areas with higher oxygen content. For instance, target spots where streams dump into the lake or areas where the lake has yet to turn over. You could also head towards locations where the wind and waves are strongest.
Another thing for anglers to remember is to pay attention to the weather. When it’s very sunny out crappie will stick close to the bottom, but when it’s cloudy they’re likely to be within a few feet of the surface.
And lastly, try a variety of baits when you’re out crappie fishing. These should include bright, flashy lures during poor visibility and live bait during periods of lake turnover. It’s hard for crappie to turn down a jig tipped with a minnow.
To learn more about fishing for crappie in Michigan, check out their page on the DNR’s Michigan Fish & How to Catch Them website.