Northwest Lower Peninsula June 10

Northwest Lower Peninsula

Manistee: Fishing was slower this week. Boat anglers caught a few Chinook salmon, lake trout, and a couple of steelhead in 120 to 220 feet of water while trolling spoons 50 to 70 feet down and near the bottom. Pier anglers targeting Chinook salmon reported a much slower bite this week. Only a couple of Chinook salmon were caught off the pier while casting and jigging spoons.

Ludington: Chinook salmon were caught at Big Sable point in 90 to 120 feet of water while fishing 45 to 70 feet down. Green spoons worked well. The piers slowed down, but bowfin were reported from anglers casting lures, spoons and night crawlers.

Charlevoix: Anglers targeting cisco reported slow fishing, with limited catches during the early morning and late evening hours. Casting and jigging with spoons and flies in the Pine River channel produced some results. The occasional smallmouth bass, walleye, and lake trout were also landed.

Boat anglers targeting lake trout found limited success while jigging in 150 to 200 feet of water.

Little Traverse Bay: Boat anglers reported surface water temperatures in the mid-50s, with temperatures slowly rising. Those fishing along the north edge of the bay reported slow smallmouth bass fishing while casting tubes and body baits. The occasional lake trout was also caught by anglers trolling near Petoskey and Harbor Springs.

West Grand Traverse Bay: Lake trout were caught by anglers jigging around the red 6 buoy in 50 to 80 feet of water. Anglers casting gold jigging spoons for cisco around Power Island had success in 15 to 40 feet of water. Smallmouth bass began to be caught in shallow water by anglers casting swimbaits. Water temperatures hovered between 55 to 58 degrees throughout the bay.

East Grand Traverse Bay: Smallmouth bass fishing picked up over the past week as water temperatures increased to 58 to 62 degrees. Anglers fishing the trench as well as in front of the state park caught good numbers of smallmouth bass on swimbaits and drop-shot rigs.

A few lake trout were caught around Deepwater Point in 80 to 100 feet of water. Anglers heading over to Old Mission also found a few lake trout in 60 to 80 feet of water. Smallmouth bass were caught in the Elk River as more fish entered the system.

Leland: Boat anglers targeting Chinook salmon reported fair catches in 150 to 200 feet of water near the crib and North Manitou Island. Fish were reported to be most active at depths of 80 to 120 feet. A few anglers reported success using meat rigs, while green and blue spoons seemed to produce the most fish. Anglers also reported seeing fewer baitfish in the area.

Lake trout fishing continued to produce high numbers of successful trips in various locations, particularly along the second bank on either a north or south troll. Smallmouth bass remained present in the harbor.

Frankfort/Lake Michigan: Alewife were still present in the area, though their numbers were reported to be declining. Chinook salmon were being landed out front and to the north in 100 to 160 feet of water, primarily 60 to 90 feet down, with spoons producing most of the catches.

Anglers trolling and jigging in Platte Bay reported good numbers of lake trout.

Pier anglers using alewife and casting spoons reported good activity during the very early morning and late evening hours, as Chinook salmon were moving in to feed.

Onekama/Lake Michigan: Chinook salmon and lake trout were reported in the barrel in the early mornings by anglers trolling spoons in 60 to 100 feet of water. Blues, greens were popular colors.

Martiny Chain of Lakes: Panfish fishing was great on all the lakes with multiple anglers catching limits of very large bluegills. Pike fishing continued to be slow.

Tri Lakes: Bass and panfish fishing was reported as good to great. Multiple anglers reported good bass fishing after the sun rose in the morning. Some limits of good bluegill were caught.

Muskegon River: Walleye fishing was good in the late evening. Muskie finished spawning and slowly moved into deeper water. Bluegill and rock bass were caught in good numbers below Rodger’s dam.

Newaygo: Limits of walleye were caught on Hardy Pond. Bluegills were on beds on most lakes.

Oceana: Spring Chinook salmon fishing slowed down on Lake Michigan in front of the Silver Lake Sand Dunes. Panfish began to move onto the beds on all lakes with warmer than average weather.