Saginaw Bay: It has been windy all week, fish are there if she stops blowing.
Saginaw River: Usually offers some good walleye fishing this time of year. Fish move up as far as the Tittabawassee River and beyond. Try jigs with minnows and wax worms. Boat anglers will want to try bouncing spawn off the bottom.
Outer Saginaw Bay:
Oscoda: Pier anglers have caught the most steelhead. Walleye have also been caught late at night or early in the morning. Try spoons or body baits.
Au Sable River: Steelhead are moving in and out between the pier and Foote Dam. Fish are being caught all hours of the day or night. The fish are healthy and putting up a good fight. Spawn has been the most productive, but small spoons, body baits and plugs are also taking fish. The better fishing was off the pier but those moving up into the river should start to see more fish holding in the deeper holes.
Tawas: Starting with the deer opener on Friday, anglers should be able to find some good catches of whitefish. Pier anglers will want to try ice jigs with a wax worm. A good number of walleye anglers were reported.
Weekly Fishing Tip: Will you be targeting steelhead this fall?
While many people are preparing to head into the woods for the next several weeks, others are taking advantage of another activity: fall steelhead fishing.
There are two great strategies to try when targeting steelhead this month, surf fishing the piers and beaches of the Great Lakes and/or river fishing.
If you choose to target the Great Lakes, consider using a slip sinker rig and live bait, such as spawn bags, night crawlers or shiners. You can also try casting small spoons, spinners or body baits with great success. Focus on depths of 12 feet or less as steelhead are hanging in the shallows looking for food.
If you choose to target the rivers, consider using wigglers, caddis or wax worms drifted under a slip bobber. The depth below the bobber should be set to present the bait just off the river bottom. Anglers can also be successful this time of year casting spinners and medium diving crank baits into holes or other holding water that provides steelhead with some depth for cover. The retrieve should be as slow as possible to get the lure down to the bottom without snagging up. Many anglers like a downstream cast for these techniques. For anglers looking for an added challenge, they can also use fly fishing techniques and see some great results!