Southwest Lower Peninsula
South Haven: Boat anglers continued to do well, with the best fishing occurring during the early morning and late evening hours. Spoons accounted for most of the catches, with the most productive depths ranging from 70 to 80 feet of water. Pier fishing slowed somewhat, although a few steelhead were still being caught. As the lake warmed, steelhead fishing continued to decline. Fishing for freshwater drum and perch also slowed. The best water depth for perch was reported to be around 50 feet.
St. Joseph: Salmon anglers had good fishing during the week. Boats caught a lot of coho salmon, with a few Chinook salmon and steelhead mixed in. The fish were moving frequently, but the most consistent water was between 65 and 75 feet of water. Dodgers and flies, along with spoons, accounted for most of the catches.
Pier fishing was excellent for freshwater drum, and steelhead fishing was decent. While fishing was not great overall, anglers still caught fair numbers daily. Shrimp produced most of the steelhead catches, although some were also caught while casting.
Perch fishing continued to improve, with fish moving slightly in to around 35 to 40 feet of water.
St. Joseph River: Anglers continued to catch decent numbers of walleye. Drifting crawlers was catching most of the fish.
Muskegon: Weather conditions during the past week made it difficult for boat anglers to get out on the water. When conditions allowed, anglers reported slower salmon fishing, with the best action occurring 60 to 120 feet down in 100 to 200 feet of water. Green and blue spoons produced the best results. Pier anglers reported catching a few freshwater drum while casting spoons.
Grand Haven: Salmon fishing was on the slower side during the past week. Anglers caught a few Chinook salmon 60 to 120 feet down in 100 to 220 feet of water. Green and blue spoons produced the best results. Some lake trout were also caught near the bottom while using yellow Spin-N-Glos. Pier anglers reported slow steelhead fishing, although a few were caught on shrimp. Freshwater drum action slowed slightly compared to the previous week. However, anglers continued to catch freshwater drum while casting spoons and crankbaits or while fishing with Ned rigs.
