| Weekly Fishing Report | |
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Thursday, December 2, 2004 Recreational Fishing Report
Fishing pressure has been light throughout the state due to deer hunting season. Currently, many anglers are waiting for the ice to form. The few anglers out have been getting a few nice catches of walleye at some ports. The inland lake fishing has been fair with some perch, walleye and pan fish caught.
Southeastern Lower Peninsula On Lake Erie, fishing has been slow to fair with morning and evening being the best time. Angler pressure has been light. At the River Raisin, pike fishing has been fair with a few nice catches coming from the mouth all the way up river to Dundee. Perch fishing has been fair off Stony Point near the rocks off Sterling State Park. A few smallmouth bass and walleye have been caught in the shallow waters. Steelhead fishing has picked on the Huron River. A few nice size steelheads have been caught between Ford Street and Huroc Park in Flat Rock. Most anglers have been using spawn, plugs and spoons. On the Detroit River, perch fishing has been slow. Anglers have been moving around to find the schools of fish. Walleye fishing has been fair near the Detroit Edison Plant discharge area with most being caught during the evening hours. A few steelheads have been caught on crankbaits near the thermocline. Walleye and musky fishing near the North Channel by Trenton has been fair during the afternoon and evening. Some musky and walleye have been caught near Peche Island when jigging minnows. On Lake St. Clair, light numbers of walleye have been caught on jigs with minnows by shore anglers. Bright colored jigs seem to work best. Fishing has been fair between Nine Mile and Twelve Mile Roads. Near the mouth of the Clinton River a few pike and walleye have been caught. Perch fishing has been fair around Grass Island in Anchor Bay area. On the north end of the lake a few bluegill, crappie and perch have been caught. Fishing has been slow on the St Clair River. Fishing has been slow on the outside of the thumb. A few pike have been caught in Sanilac Harbor and a few perch have been caught at Lexington. In Saginaw Bay, a few perch have been caught from Linwood to Caseville, when fishing in the cuts and canals with minnows or wax worms. Walleye have been caught in nice numbers on the Saginaw River from Zilwaukee to near Wicks Park. Anglers have been jigging in 14 feet of water on minnows. On the Tittabawassee River, fishing has been fair around Midland. Anglers have been jigging with minnows in the deep pockets on the river. Near the Irish Hills area, bluegill fishing has been fair to slow on Vineyard and Wamplers lakes. Anglers have been using wax worms and crickets. At Belleville Lake, crappie and walleye fishing has been fair with most being caught near the bottom. Southwestern Lower Peninsula Fishing has been good to fair near St. Joe and Benton Harbor ports. Anglers have been fishing the lower St. Joe River for steelhead with fair results. Most steelheads have been taken when drifting spawn. ** Note to anglers that the Berrien Springs and Niles Ladders will be closed as of December 1, 2004. Below the Berrien Springs Dam, anglers have been getting steelhead on gold and orange colored Hot-n-Tots. Angler pressure has been low on the river from Berrien Springs Dam to the Niles Dam. Few fish have been caught. Walleye fishing has been slow on the river. At the Dowagiac River, steelhead fishing has been slow with spawn doing the best. Fly anglers have been doing fair to good for brown trout when using egg patterns and stoneflies. At South Haven, fishing has slowed down on the piers and in the river for steelhead and walleye. Out of Holland, walleye fishing has been slow on Lake Macatawa. In the shallows, bluegill fishing has been good near Kollen Park. At the pier a few brown trout and steelhead have been caught. The Rogue River in Kent County has also been very slow. A few steelhead and brown trout have been caught. The anglers that have caught fish have been using spawn and flies. Since the rivers are somewhat high after the snow, rain and melt; anglers are reminded to take care when wading. Fishing on the Grand River out of Grand Rapids has been slow with the persistent anglers getting a few steelheads. Anglers have seen good results by the dam, and the Fulton Street Bridge. Spawn has been mainly used; however a few anglers have used yarn flies and crawlers. Along with the steelhead, anglers have been getting an occasional walleye during the early morning hours when jigging. On the upper Grand River fishing has been slow and angler pressure has been light. ** Note to anglers that the Webber Dam Ladder will be closed as of December 1, 2004. A few steelhead and walleye have been caught below the Lyons Dam on spawn sacks and crawlers. Further upstream at the Webber Dam, a few steelheads have been taken on spawn. Below the dam at Fitzgerald Park near Grand Ledge, a few smallmouth bass and pike were caught on minnows. At Moore’s Park, a few steelheads have been caught on flies. At Muskegon, fishing has been fair. Steelhead and brown trout have been taken off the break wall on Lake Michigan and on the Muskegon River. Along the Muskegon channel, whitefish have been caught with spoons when jigging during the evening. At Muskegon Lake, perch and walleye fishing has been fair. Anglers have been trolling with crankbaits during the evening hours to get a few walleye. Northeastern Lower Peninsula Walleye fishing has been fair to good on Mullet Lake and on the Cheboygan River. Anglers have been using Hot-n-Tots for the walleye. Also, perch fishing has been good on Mullet Lake. From Alpena near the Ninth Street Dam, whitefish have been caught on wax worms. Brown trout and steelhead fishing has slowed at the dam. Anglers have been getting fish on spawn and flies mainly. A few anglers have been casting with spoons. The key is to fish early in the morning or evenings. Near Oscoda, whitefish have been caught off the North Pier and while surf-casting. Anglers are using a single hook with an egg or wax worm and small spoons or plugs. A few walleye have been caught off the piers. Good numbers of fish have been caught near the mouth of the Au Sable River. Whitefish have been caught near the bottom on minnows and walleye with wax worms and rapalas. The better fishing has been on the overcast days. Rock bass and pan fish have been caught at Foote Dam pond. Anglers have been using minnows and leeches. A few walleye have been caught on night crawlers. Some northern pike has been caught with minnows and crayfish. Near Tawas, fishing has been spotty. A few walleye have been taken off the docks. Out in the bay, boat anglers have been getting steelhead, whitefish and brown trout. The better fishing has been on the overcast days when the waters are not so clear. On the inland lakes, perch fishing has been fair on Higgins Lake. Rainbow trout have been caught by the drop off when trolling. On Houghton Lake, walleye fishing has been fair during the late evening hours. Some bass and northern pike have been caught on minnows. At Van Ettan Lake, perch have been caught on minnows and night crawlers. Northwestern Lower Peninsula Near Alanson, walleye fishing has been fair on Crooked and Burt Lakes when using minnows. Some anglers have been getting perch on the lake. Near Boyne City on the Boyne and Jordan rivers, steelhead fishing has been slow; however the walleye fishing has been fair. Fishing pressure has been slow around East Jordan area. Steelhead fishing at Elk Rapids has been fair with most catches coming during the morning on spawn bags. Fishing on the bays at Traverse City has been fair to slow, when anglers can get out. A few perch have been caught on minnows and wigglers in 40 to 50 feet of water off of Deepwater Point. Steelhead fishing on the Boardman River has been fair on spawn bags and wax worms. At Long Lake and Lake Leelanau walleye fishing has been fair to good in 8 to 15 feet of water when using minnows. A few perch have been taken when fishing for walleye. Steelhead fishing has been slow to fair on the Betsie and Platte rivers. Fishing on the lower section of the Manistee River has been fair to good. From Bear Creek access site down to Manistee Lake has seen the most fish. Near the mouth of the river, anglers have been trolling mainly with plugs for steelhead. Steelheads and brown trout have been caught near the Tippy Dam. Shore anglers have been using spawn, flies and wax worms. Boat anglers have been using the same bait as shore anglers along with trolling plugs. Spawn and plugs have been the best bait. At Ludington, steelhead fishing has been slow. Along the Pere Marquette River, fishing has been slow. On Hamlin Lake, a few perch and bluegill have been taken on the lake. The area inland lakes have been doing fair on panfish, walleye and pike. On Lake Cadillac, perch and walleye fishing has been good to fair. A few anglers have been getting bass on the lake. Bluegill and crappie fishing has been fair to slow on lakes Cadillac and Mitchell. Some nice walleye have been caught on Lake Mitchell. Upper Peninsula With the firearm deer season underway in Michigan and Wisconsin, anglers have been in short supply this week. Fishing reports for the Upper Peninsula will be on the light side until conditions are right for ice fishing. Stream fishing has been fair on the Chocolay River at Marquette. Anglers have been getting steelhead, brown trout and late run salmon. Fishing at Portage Lake has been fair for walleye. On Little Bay de Noc, walleye fishing has been fair to slow due to warmer water temperatures. Boat anglers have been mainly fishing during the evening with 7:00pm to 8:00pm being the peak time. Night anglers have been trolling with crawler harnesses and crankbaits from the second reef north to Garth Point in 18 to 30 feet of water. Also a few anglers have been drifting and jigging out by the Escanaba Light House in 20 to 25 feet of water. Day anglers have been trolling crankbaits from the narrows north to the second reef in 30 to 40 feet of water. A number of fish have been marked through this area. Menominee whitefish have been caught in Lake Superior by shore angles. Steelhead fishing has been slow in most of the river systems, including the Au Train River near Munising, or the Sucker River and the Big Two-Hearted River between Grand Marais and Whitefish Point. A few northern pike and musky have been caught in the St. Mary’s River. Also, walleye and whitefish have been caught along the river. Angler pressure has been light. Fishing has been slow near Cedarville and Hessel. |
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