Michigan DNR Fishing Report for October 24, 2018

Northwest Lower Peninsula

Bear River: Water levels were back to normal. Angler pressure continues to be low at the dam and down at the mouth. Catch rates were slow with only one coho and one Chinook caught. Anglers are drifting spawn and flies at the dam. Most are waiting for the steelhead to show up. Down near the mouth, a Chinook, coho and one lake trout were taken on spawn, spinners, spoons or crank baits.

Traverse City: Steelhead fishing was slow in the Boardman River.

Manistee River: Boat anglers in the lower river are catching steelhead but there has been no word on fish up near Tippy Dam. The Little Manistee River is low and clear which makes steelhead fishing more difficult.

Pere Marquette River: Water levels are low and clear. We need some rain to get the steelhead moving.

Southwest Lower Peninsula

Black River: Boat and shore anglers reported slow steelhead fishing.

Kalamazoo River: Some steelhead were caught up near the Allegan Dam. Look for more fish to move in with rain in the forecast.

Grand River at Grand Rapids: Any leftover salmon are in rough shape. Anglers are getting some steelhead up near the dam but no big numbers yet.

Grand River at Lansing: The coho action is pretty much done for this year. A few scattered steelhead have been caught in the area however there are no big numbers by any means.

Muskegon River: Is producing the occasional steelhead however some rain by the weekend should help bring more fish into the system. A small number of salmon can still be found.

White River: Water levels are low and clear. A few salmon are still being caught however we need some rain to get the steelhead moving.

 

Northeast Lower Peninsula

Cheboygan River: Water flow had been high and fast, and the dam had four chutes open. Chinook salmon fishing slowed however a couple were still being caught at the dam. Most were using real and artificial spawn or crank baits. Some steelhead have been caught on spawn bags and trout beads.

Ocqueoc River: Had very few anglers. Those floating artificial spawn bags and trout beads had no hits.

Black River: Had a few anglers targeting trout and salmon while casting body baits and spoons or still-fishing with spawn but no fish were caught.

Au Sable River: Atlantic salmon are preparing to spawn so many were unwilling to bite. Anglers caught a few by coaxing reactionary strikes with streamer flies, spoons, spinners, and small jigs or by targeting pre-spawn fish with spawn bags and beads. A few remaining Chinook were caught but the fish are very dark. A couple steelhead were caught on spoons, spawn and beads. The water temperature dropped to the low 50’s.

 

Upper Peninsula

Marquette: Had another slow week. Very few boats are going out. Rumor has it those fishing off the end of the breakwall in the Lower Harbor caught lake trout and the odd steelhead. Some boat anglers were going upstream in the Chocolay River. Higher water levels made fishing more difficult however coho and brown trout were still being caught. Water levels in the Carp River dropped but fishing was slow with only a few coho and small rainbows caught. A fair number of Chinook were caught in the Dead River, but the majority were dark and were no longer desirable. A couple coho and steelhead were also caught but the action was hit-or-miss. Most were using spinners or floating spawn bags.

Munising: Had few anglers. Fishing was slow with only a couple coho caught. To date, no major salmon runs have occurred in this area.

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