Saginaw Bay perch fishing is picking up as walleye fishing winds down at least along the inner bay. While not as good as in years past, it appears they are getting enough nice ones to get people out looking for them. The key to success is finding shiner minnows for bait. Unfortunately, this is the hardest time of year to get shiners as most wholesalers have run out and the emerald shiners don’t move inshore until the middle of October. Perch have been caught at many locations including west of the Spark Plug (Buoys 11 and 12) in 20 feet, the sailboat buoys A and H off Linwood, near Spoils Island and in 10 to 12 feet straight out or slightly west of Quanicassee. Lots of sorting is necessary at all locations. Most of the fish were six to 11 inches and twenty to thirty fish per boat is a good catch right now. A few bass were caught off Bay Port.
Au Gres Area fishing was very slow with only a couple walleye taken from scattered locations. There were rumors of some perch taken off Pointe Au Gres in 25 feet and off the Saganing Bar and Pinconning Bar in 14 feet.
Outer Saginaw Bay
Grindstone City was producing trout and salmon including the occasional Atlantic.
Oscoda pier fishing was fair. Salmon anglers are starting to make their way out however there were no reports of any fish caught. Lake trout were scattered so boat anglers were having a hard time finding them. Walleye were north of the river and out from the Wurtsmith water tower in 15 to 25 feet.
- Au Sable River steelhead should be starting to make their way up into the river but warmer temperatures this week will slow movement.
Tawas Area pier anglers walking the wall and trolling fire-tiger rapalas in the deeper water at night or casting rapalas at night did pick up some walleye. Boat anglers caught walleye along the weed beds off Jerry’s Marina and some reported limit catches. They are trolling or casting Lindy Rigs, crawler harnesses or crank baits. Those trolling deeper in 30 to 55 feet off Tawas Point caught steelhead and walleye.