Saginaw Bay yellow perch were caught in the old shipping channel and out in front of Gambils Campground in 15 feet of water. Yellow perch were also caught three miles east of Spoils Island. On the eastern side of the bay, walleye were caught between Quanicassee and Finn Road in 10 to 12 feet of water, the bottom of the slot in 14 to 16 feet of water, between Sunset Marina and Sebewaing in 12 to 14 feet of water and off of Oak Point.
Au Gres Area boat anglers were catching a few walleye north of the bell buoy in 40 to 50 feet of water off crawlers and body baits. Perch anglers were getting good catches of 8 to 10 fish and a few 12 inch fish in front of the Pine River and near the Saganing and Pinconning bars in 10 to 15 feet off minnows. A few largemouth bass were caught in and near the weed beds along the shore of the Pine River using body baits, spinners and crawlers.
Outer Saginaw Bay
Grindstone Lake trout and steelhead were caught in 120 to 140 feet of water straight out from the harbor and to the north while trolling with leadcore, downriggers and copper wire.
Port Austin walleye were caught west of the harbor and around the lighthouse in 20 to 30 feet while trolling with artificial lures and crawler harnesses. Artificial lures performed the best. Some smallmouth bass were caught from the breakwall and from boat anglers casting inside and around the harbor wall.
Oscoda anglers were mostly catching lake trout, steelhead and walleye. Pier anglers were catching mostly bass with a few occasional walleye and catfish. Trolling spoons of various colors around 80 to 140 feet of water was the popular method when targeting salmon and trout. Off the pier, common methods for targeting bass, walleye and catfish were floating leeches and nightcrawlers, casting stick or body baits, and using drop-shot rigs for catfish.
- Au Sable River anglers were seeing success with bass, pike, panfish, and some catfish. Various methods were seeing success. Most commonly was the use of casting or trolling body baits. While catfish and panfish anglers were using perch rigs tipped with night crawlers around dusk.
Tawas Area boat anglers were catching walleye, steelhead, coho, Atlantic salmon and lake trout out past buoy 2 and south towards the Alabaster area in 50 to 70 feet off spoons, body baits and crawlers. Some walleye were caught inside the bay near the weed beds off buoys 4 and 6 in 15 to 20 feet of water, mostly off crawlers and some Hot ‘N Tots. Pier anglers were catching a few smallmouth bass, rock bass and small perch off crawlers and minnows. Shore and dock anglers were catching a few bluegill, rock bass, small perch and largemouth bass off crawlers, body baits and tube jigs.
Fishing Tip: When fishing for trout in Michigan’s rivers and streams – cast into the seams
A “seam” is area where two currents converge, and it looks like a line or bubble trail in the water. Trout like seams because the joining currents create feeding lanes that collect drifting food – insects and larvae.
Before casting, take a moment to read the river and observe structures in the water such as rocks and logs, then locate any seams. With some experience, you’ll be able to detect seams as subtle lines along the surface where slower current meets with fast current, and in the seam is one of the places you’ll find trout!
Visit Michigan.gov/TroutTrails to learn about lesser-known sites for excellent trout fishing.