Saginaw Bay catch rates slowed with the storms and cold front. A few walleye were still being caught west of the Spark Plug, west of Buoys 1 and 2 in 25 feet of water, off Pinconning in 23 feet, off Finn Road in eight to 10 feet and along the Saganing Bar. Fishing on the east side of the bay was slow.
Saginaw River: A few walleye were caught by those trolling between Weadock and the Coast Guard Station. Some caught smallmouth bass. Those fishing at Smith Park caught channel catfish and freshwater drum.
Shiawassee River: Walleye were caught at the spillway off Main Street in Owosso and at the Corunna Dam.
Au Gres: Fishing was difficult. Baitfish were abundant and catch rates were low. Head out to the islands or straight out from the harbor and try 20 to 35 feet of water.
Au Gres River: Is producing a good number of catfish and some freshwater drum.
Outer Saginaw Bay:
Oscoda: Catch rates were hit-or-miss for those heading straight out, north or south of the river. Steelhead could be found near the surface along the scum lines in 65 to 85 feet. Salmon were caught but the fish were small at six to 10 pounds. Walleye were hitting on spoons in 80 to 140 feet of water. Lake trout are top to bottom. Hot colors were blue and silver, orange and silver, or black.
Tawas: Anglers are still catching walleye beyond and near the Charity Islands when using Hot-n-Tots or crawler harnesses. Fish were also caught near Buoy 2, inside the bay near Buoys 4 and 6 in 10 to 20 feet or near Alabaster in 15 to 20 feet. Some caught the incidental steelhead or brown trout. Pier fishing was slow with only a few small perch taken.
Weekly Fishing Tip: Catching bass on top of the water
Many anglers would agree there’s an excitement that comes when you’re using topwater techniques to target bass. There’s something to be said for seeing a bass strike your lure with your own two eyes.
But how do you fish for this species on top of the water? It mostly comes down to location and lure selection.
Target areas that provide good cover for the bass that have a few feet of water over them, such as weedbeds, logs, big rocks, etc. Cast a floating lure next to the cover and play with a bit before reeling it in.
When it comes to lures, select those that float and are designed to resemble the favorite foods of bass, such as frogs.
Also, top water fishing for bass works best in low-light conditions such as early in the morning or late in the evening.