Fishing Report

Most of the fish are being caught out from the Ocqueoc River mouth or in front of the Biological Station, with most fishing early in the morning or in the evening past dark. Trolling with J-plugs or spoons is the most common method used, with green and silver or white being popular colors.

Chinook salmon are being caught from the Cheboygan River to the shallower waters of Lake Huron along the channel.

Slow perch action was noted off Buoys 2, 3 and 22, and near the Spark Plug. Most of the fish averaged 7 to 8 inches and were taken on minnows. Off Quanicassee, perch are starting to bite in shallow waters 5 to 6 feet deep in the early morning. Walleye have been caught in 10 to 12 feet of water off the Bar and in the Slot. Fish were also taken about four miles straight out in 12 feet of water.

Boat anglers are trolling just outside the pierheads in the early morning. Pier anglers have done well off the North Pier. Walleye can be found in 30 to 60 feet of water. Good yellow perch fishing continues straight out from the harbor in 40 feet of water. Emerald shiners seem to work best.

Walleye are stacking up at the mouth of the river. Boat anglers are hand-lining or vertical jigging right under the Blue Water Bridge. A few chinook salmon have been caught by those fishing off the Boardwalks. The fish are hitting on spoons and thundersticks and are averaging 8 to 12 pounds. Those casting spoons or spinners near the mouth of the Black River have caught some steelhead.

Good bass fishing continues off the weed beds. Fish are hitting on crawlers, tube baits and spinners. Those seeking walleye should try the weed beds off New Baltimore, around Grass Island, and near the mouth of the North Channel.

Walleye fishing in the central basin has also slowed down with anglers switching over to perch. A few walleye have been taken at the N end of the sand bar between Vermilion and Lorain, 7-9 miles NE of Geneva in 60-70‘of water and 7-9 miles NW of Ashtabula in 60 to 70’ of water. Fish have been caught on worm harnesses trolled with dipsy divers. Fish are suspended and anglers are fishing down 35 to 50'.

Yellow perch fishing is excellent in the central basin from 1-3 miles N of Huron to Lorain, 4 miles N of Euclid in 49’ of water, 2 miles NE of Rocky River in 38' of water, 2-3 miles N -NW of Fairport in 51’ of water, and 2 miles N of Ashtabula 45’ of water. Fish have ranged from 7 to 11 inches. Perch rigs with shiners fished near the bottom have produced the most fish.

Smallmouth bass fishing has been excellent along the shoreline from Fairport Harbor to Conneaut in 15 to 25’ of water. Fish have been caught on goby color tube jigs, goby color drop-shot rigs, jigs tipped with minnows or leeches, or by trolling crankbaits.

The best white bass fishing has been 1/2 mile N of Eastlake CEI power plant. Anglers are using agitators with white, yellow and green twister tails. Shore anglers are catching white bass at the Eastlake CEI, Mentor Headlands lighthouse, Wildwood State Park, Rocky River, Avon Lake and Lorain piers using agitators with white, yellow and green twister tails or small spoons.

Steelhead are beginning to move up into the rivers and creeks and anglers are catching fish in the Rocky River, Chagrin River, Grand River, Geneva State Park, Conneaut Creek and along the Conneaut west breakwall. Shore anglers are using small spinners and spoons, and jigs rigged with a split shot under a light bobber.

Fishing effort directed towards walleye has greatly decreased as western basin anglers are switching to perch fishing. Some success has been reported on Kelleys and Gull Island shoals, in Ohio waters near Middle Island, and to a lesser extent around Rattlesnake Island and “F†can on the Canadian border. Drifters are using mayfly rigs or weight forward spinners, while most trollers are using worm harnesses or spoons with jet or dipsy divers.

Yellow perch fishing is improving in the Western Basin. Over the past week the Toledo water intake, C and D cans of the Camp Perry range, Niagara Reef, Rattlesnake Island, Lakeside, Cedar Point, and Kelleys Island have all produced some limit catches. Perch spreaders with shiners fished near the bottom produce the most fish. Yellow perch are averaging 8" long.

Smallmouth bass should start moving shallower as water temperatures drop heading into fall. Fish rocky drop-offs and reefs around the Bass Islands and Kelleys Island along with nearshore areas from Catawba Island to Sandusky Bay to find active fish. Tube jigs and drop shot rigs with goby imitations are the most popular set-ups for smallmouth.

Has good salmon fishing at Longbridge Road and the adjoining state land.

A few chinook and coho have been caught in the river, but the action was slow. Steelhead are just starting to show up.

Reported slower fishing as the fish are really scattered. Salmon were caught in waters anywhere from 30 to 200 feet deep. Pier anglers have caught a few chinook salmon on spoons off the North Pier. Shore anglers did well when casting by the State Park.

Salmon are making their way up to Tippy Dam. Anglers have managed to catch a few fish when drifting spawn or flies.

Reported slow fishing as the fish are scattered. Salmon were caught in the harbor and out on the Shelf. Most of the fish caught have been chinook and coho. Pier anglers had some luck casting spoons off the North and South Piers.

Those trolling are still taking decent catches of chinook along with a few coho. Try fishing out deep in 80 to 160 feet of water or in the Barrel which is just north of the port. Best lures have been green or white squid, any glow spoon, and white, gold, or purple flies. Pier anglers have caught a few chinook when colder waters can be found close to shore.

A fish kill occurred in the river below the Homestead Dam during a U.S. Fish & Wildlife lampricide treatment last Friday. Not all the chinook salmon were killed during the treatment as the Betsie River hosts a large annual run of chinook salmon because of the excellent habitat for natural reproduction. A fresh run of chinook salmon were reported entering the river and moving upstream, and these fish are safe to eat. Fishing at the M-22 Bridge has been really good this week as most anglers are catching fish. Further upstream, the Homestead Dan has fish below it, but the better fishing has been along the middle stretch of the river.

Reported good catches of chinook, coho, and steelhead out in front of the piers. Some can be found in deep waters 100 to 250 feet deep while others have been close to the piers in 35 feet of water. A good bait to use this week whether you are on the pier or in a boat has been anything that glows.

Fishing was excellent this past week as Sleeping Bear Bay was very cold from the surface to 100 feet. Limit catches of chinook salmon were reported off Pyramid Point and the mouth of the Crystal River where salmon have started staging.

Has very good salmon fishing off the First Bank and on the north side of North Manitou Island. Lake trout catches were down because anglers are focused on chinook. J-plugs, flies and spoons are working best. Look for colder water down deep, at least 80 feet.

The Weir was put into place on September 5th as salmon were beginning to enter the river. Anglers reported good success when surfcasting at the mouth in the early morning or late evening. Try casting glow spoons or still-fishing with spawn bags.

Salmon fishing on both Bays has been fair to good with 2 to 3 fish per boat. On the East Bay, try the Walls, the South Bank, off Yuba and Elk Rapids. Hootchie Mama's or Spin Doctors with green flies produced the better catches when trolling 30 to 60 feet down in 90 to 130 feet of water. On the West Bay, anglers are trolling in the Hole and around Red Buoy 8 at first light and just before dark.

Salmon are still being caught between Whiting Point and the old Power Plant, in the Ironton Channel, near the mouth of the Boyne River and near the Coast Guard Station at Charlevoix. Trolling spoons and J-plugs 22 to 80 feet down in waters 25 to 100 feet deep has produced fish in the 10 to 15 pound range. Walleye fishing was slow with only a couple boats trolling crawler harnesses in 30 to 40 feet of water in the Ironton Channel and Horton Bay. Perch anglers continue to do well in Oyster Bay, Two Mile Bay, and near the Yacht Club using minnows and crawlers in 10 to 25 feet of water.

Salmon fishermen are finding fish in 20 to 60 feet of water. The better fishing is in the early morning with J-plugs, spoons, and dodgers with flies or squid. Super glow colors are indeed paying off. Use dipsey divers and planer boards, but pay close attention and do not cut behind other boats as long lines are being used by many. Pier and shore anglers have seen some action, but no big numbers of fish.

Is currently reporting good pier fishing right now as there are a lot of salmon at the pier heads, in White Lake, and heading up the White River. Fishing in Lake Michigan has slowed down quite a bit as most of the fish are in close to shore and staging, or the non-spawning fish are still out quite deep as waters temperatures are still in the mid 60's.

More fish have moved up into the river system, but no word yet on whether the fish have made it to the dam.

Boat anglers are trolling in 25 feet of water on the north end of the lake near the North Branch and the South Branch of the river. Just before dawn and last light are the best times to fish when trolling, jigging or casting spoons that glow. Those surfcasting can be found in 4 to 5 feet of water when casting rapalas and glow spoons.