Saginaw Bay is producing walleye in a number of places including 21 to 24 feet around the Spark Plug (Buoys 11 & 12), 21 feet near the Dumping Grounds, eight feet off the Pinconning Bar, 14 feet east of Spoils Island, and 14 to 16 feet in the Slot between Quanicassee and the tip of Sand Point. Most anglers are using crawler harnesses with purple, green or brass blades. Catch rates were good from most access points including Sebewaing and Bay Port. Fishing at Caseville was slow but will pick up as the water gets warmer.
Saginaw River anglers trolling the lower river between the mouth and the Coast Guard Station have caught quite a few walleye including some limit catches on silver and blue crank baits.
AuGres has had a lot fishing pressure and a lot of walleye caught. With over 150 boats out, more than half of those checked had limit catches. Good fishing in 25 to 35 feet between Point Lookout and Pointe Au Gres. Some were heading as far south as Pinconning.
- AuGres River fishing was slow with only a few channel cats caught.
Outer Saginaw Bay:
Grindstone City those wading caught smallmouth bass in Eagle Bay and the Grindstone City harbor.
Oscoda most anglers are targeting walleye near the mouth and in the river. Pier fishing was good in the early morning and throughout the night. Some are targeting catfish but few were caught. Wait for water temperatures to come up.
- Au Sable River steelhead are still making their way up into the river. Those fishing the Boy Scout Camp, High Banks and up near the dam had good success.
Tawas Bay only a few were trolling for walleye as most of the locals were trailering their boats down to Au Gres. A couple fish were caught out past Buoy #2 in 35 feet. Pier anglers caught a mixed bag of smallmouth bass, rock bass, crappie, catfish and carp.
Tawas River shore anglers caught bluegills, smallmouth bass, freshwater drum and channel cats.
Weekly Fishing Tip: It’s AIS Awareness Week! What can you do to help? 
June 7 – 15 is Aquatic Invasive Species Awareness Week, an effort to raise awareness about the need for citizens to take action to stop new introductions and control the spread of AIS.
There are many things citizens can do to help prevent the introduction of new aquatic invasive species and the spread of those already here. This includes things like monitoring your bait and disposing of it properly at the conclusion of your fishing trip and cleaning your boat and trailer before transporting it to another water body.
In addition, it’s a good idea to be on the lookout for species of concern and to report anything that seems odd to you. A good tool for doing so is the Midwest Invasive Species Information Network smartphone app – available for free for iPhone or Android users.