Michigan DNR Fishing Report for August 29, 2018

Southwest Lower Peninsula

St. Joseph River: Despite the warm weather, a light number of steelhead were moving through the fish ladders but no salmon yet. Anglers caught steelhead at the mouth of Townsend Creek into Lake Chapin.

Muskegon: Boats reported slow salmon fishing with only a few caught 55 to 120 feet down in 100 to 180 feet with orange spoons and green meat rigs. Pier anglers caught large and smallmouth bass.

Whitehall: Changing water temperatures made for inconsistent salmon fishing. Boats trolling 35 to 80 feet down in 50 to 130 feet caught Chinook, lake trout, and the occasional steelhead on flashers and green flies, green plugs, and green or purple spoons. Boats trolling glow-spoons and plugs well before sunrise in 50 to 90 feet caught better numbers of mature salmon. Pier anglers using casting jigs or spoons in the early morning or late evening caught the occasional Chinook.

Northwest Lower Peninsula

Petoskey: Boat anglers had varying success for Chinook salmon. The few caught were taken 50 to 100 feet down in 100 to 130 feet between the breakwall and the waste treatment plant when trolling spoons, flies, plugs and meat rigs. Lake trout were caught anywhere from 70 to 130 feet down. A few coho and cisco were also caught. Pier anglers caught a couple salmon. Water levels in the Bear River increased with the rain and a couple salmon were caught on spawn, flies or yarn.

Traverse City: Lake trout were caught north and south of the M-37 launch in the East Bay. Fish were also caught around Deepwater Point when trolling or jigging and straight out from Elk Rapids. Evenings were good for salmon fishing on the west side and along the south bank when trolling spoons and flies. Chinook up to 27 pounds were caught. A few nice bass were caught anywhere from 12 to 35 feet down. A couple cisco and lake trout were caught jigging north of Old Mission and a few small perch were taken in Old Mission Bay near the launch. The Elk River was slow with only a few smallmouth bass caught at the dam and off the first dock. In the West Bay, salmon fishing was hit-or-miss however a few big ones were caught on spoons and flies in the early morning. Fish were taken north of Elmwood and south of the M-22 launch. Lake trout were caught when trolling south of the M-22 launch. Perch fishing was slow. On the Boardman River, a few salmon were spotted at the dam and reportedly caught at the mouth.

Frankfort: Strong winds and heavy rain pushed the Chinook salmon into Betsie Bay with some moving up into the river. Those trolling or jigging between the pier head reported good numbers and good size fish taken. Coho were reported in Platte Bay but the bite was hit-or-miss when trolling spoons. The launch at Platte is accessible for smaller boats.

Manistee: Dredging continues, so boat anglers are asked to watch for the buoy and not make a wake. Good number of Chinook salmon moved into the harbor and just outside the pier heads. Anglers had success trolling spoons and J-plugs. Pier anglers caught a few when casting spoons and thunder-sticks. One angler managed to catch a 32-pound Chinook off the north pier.

Manistee River: There was some movement or fish last week and anglers were catching them. Now the river is high and muddy so it is difficult to say what conditions are like, but the rain should have pushed more fish up into the river.

Ludington: Chinook salmon were pushed into the harbor and around the pier heads when the water rolled over. Those using spoons and J-plugs did best.

Pere Marquette Lake: Those jigging and trolling caught salmon however those jigging did best. Pier anglers caught a few when casting spoons.

Pere Marquette River: The heavy rain should have pushed more salmon up into the river however fishing conditions may be a little more difficult with high muddy water.

Pentwater: Inconsistent water temperatures have the salmon scattered from the dunes down to Little Sable Point. While catches were inconsistent, boats trolling from Juniper Beach down to Little Sable Point caught chinook and coho along with steelhead 35 to 70 feet down in 70 to 150 feet. Glow spoons fished early in the morning caught the most chinook salmon while green spoons and meat rigs fished well later in the day. Lake trout were caught on spin-glo’s near the bottom. Pier anglers caught smallmouth bass in the early morning when jigging soft-plastic minnow imitations or when drifting minnows and crawlers in the channel.

Upper Peninsula

Fox River: Trout anglers had success when using worms or spinners.

Two Hearted River: Trout anglers had moderate success.

Comments are closed.

Proudly powered by Tight Lines Digital

Up ↑