Southeast Lower Peninsula
Lake Erie - Due to high winds and sedimentation churned up by wave action, fishing will be slow for the majority of the week.
Huron River - Looks like steelhead fishing is starting to drop off. Water levels are getting back to normal. Suckers continue to take wax worms and flies. A few bluegills were also hitting on waxworms at Huron Park. Remember walleye season opens on inland rivers and lakes the last Saturday in April.
Detroit River - Walleye are in the river but recent storms have churned things up and the water is muddy, making it hard to catch fish. Walleye fishing should be great if the storms hold off, the water clears up and the water temperature climbs. Wait for 2 to 3 days to fish after heavy winds and rainstorms have left the area. This gives the river time to clear up and the walleye can see the bait better.
Clinton River - Water levels should be coming down and the river should be clearing up. Steelhead fishing remains good up near Yates Dam using spawn.
St. Clair River - Near constant high winds have deterred walleye fishing this past week. Fishing should improve with more normal calm conditions.
Saginaw Bay - Fishing is really slow in the inner bay this week. At Hoyle's marina, a lot of little perch are being taken but almost no keepers. Most anglers are using minnows, but a few are using tiny tube jigs under slip-bobbers. Trolling anglers are getting some walleye in 10 feet of water off the mouth of the Saginaw River out by Spoils Island. Use the brightest colored rapalas you have, as the water is reported to be the color of hot chocolate.
Southwest Lower Peninsula
St. Joseph - Pier fishing is slow but boat anglers are picking up some coho while trolling with artificial baits in 25 to 35 feet of water.
St. Joesph River - Sucker fishing is over in the river and only an occasional steelhead has been taken.
Saugatuck - A few steelhead and brown trout have been taken off the pier.
Kalamazoo River - The river is high and fishing is slow.
Holland - Good brown trout fishing along the shoreline in 6 to 20 feet of water. Pier fishing is slow.
Grand Haven - Fishing for brown trout off the piers has been slow but anglers are still trying with spawn. Trolling for brown trout has also been slow. Perch fishing is slow.
Grand River at Grand Rapids - The spring steelhead run is still on. There are a lot of fish in the river but not many fishermen. Those fishing are using spawn bags, yarn, wobble glows and chartreuse flies. Crappie are being caught along the walls in the slow eddies.
Cranberry Lake -Has good fishing for crappie and bluegill on the northwest side of the lake.
Reeds Lake- Should start producing good catches of crappie and bluegill with warm weather on the way.
Grand River at Lansing - Steelhead are still in the river at Moores Park and at Portland. Try using spawn, crawlers or spinners. Some crappie are being taken at the Waverly Bridge on spec minnows. Catfish are still active.
Lake Ovid -Is producing good catches of catfish and bullhead. Good baits are night crawlers, live bluegill, frozen minnows or smelt.
Muskegon -Pier anglers fishing off the south pier have caught a few brown trout using spawn. Trolling in shallow water has produced few brown trout.
Northeast Lower Peninsula
Rogers City - It appears things are beginning to turn around with the slow warm up. This past weekend was the first opportunity for anglers to fish from shore or from a boat. The ice is almost completely out of the marina; however, there is still some floating shore ice along Lake Huron. The breakwall rocks are still full of ice and traversing them is dangerous. Fishing remains slow due to the cold water. A few brown and lake trout have been taken, but the water is barely 34 degrees. The best bet for any fish right now is to find the brown river water in hopes that it's a degree or two warmer. A limited number of boats are trolling in front of the harbor, Swan Bay or Calcite Harbor looking for brown water. Common lures are body baits like rapalas, bombers, rattling rouges and small spoons. Colors include fire tiger, chartreuse, green and silver, blue and silver, and clown. Those traversing the breakwall are casting, with one angler landing a 20 pound brown trout this past weekend. They are casting crocodiles, cleos and body baits in chartreuse with silver prism tape, green and silver, blue and silver and fire tiger.
Thunder Bay River - The 9th Street Dam continues to be the location with the most fishing effort. Anglers are drift fishing with spawn, wax worms and artificial flies. Few steelhead have been taken. Sucker numbers and sizes are increasing as the week progresses. Other fishing activity on the river has been occurring from shore downstream below the dam. At Mill Island, anglers are casting stick baits and spoons and trolling the lower river using spoons, rapalas and body baits targeting steelhead, brown trout and walleye. The fish cleaning station is still closed for the season.
Au Sable River - A few steelhead are in the river below Foote dam. A warm rain will bring in the main run.
Tawas - Boats anglers are catching a few walleye off Jerry's Marina, Tawas Point, and the mouth of the Tawas River. Few brown trout are showing up. At the State pier, occasional fair catches of perch, and the odd brown trout and walleye. Shore anglers casting at the mouth of the Tawas River are getting a few walleye.
Au Gres - Boat anglers are taking a few walleye trolling off the mouth of the river and off Point Au Gres, Point Lookout, and Whitestone Point.
Au Gres River - Anglers fishing steelhead in the East Branch of the river up near M-55 are reportedly doing well. The fish seem to have shot up the river without stopping to be caught by the surf anglers. Action at the Singing Bridge remains slow.
Rifle River - Is still full of suckers and they're just starting to bite again.
Caseville - Has a lot of small perch in the harbor and several nice whitefish being taken off the end of the breakwall on perch minnows. Early morning is best.
Higgins Lake - Panfish are beginning to frequent the shallows and canals. Warm weather will bring in the crappie.
Northwest Lower Peninsula
Traverse City - Fishing has slowed due to the cold weather and should start to improve as the weather warms. A few perch have been taken at Suttons Bay.
Boardman River - Is still producing good steelhead fishing.
Frankfort - Fishing for steelhead and brown trout has remained steady. Fish are being caught off the piers and shore in the early morning and early afternoon hours on spawn. Anglers trolling in and around the harbor, as well as up near Platte Bay, have also caught fish in 10 to 35 feet of water. Good lure colors were orange, lime green, and white.
Betsie River - Fishing has started to slow but fair numbers of steelhead are still being caught below the dam on spawn, egg flies, and streamers.
Onekama - Anglers trolling between Onekama and Arcadia have been catching some steelhead and brown trout in 15 to 30 feet of water.
Manistee - Pier anglers have had luck catching steelhead and brown trout from both piers. The south pier has been more productive before the elbow, and the north pier about half way up. Anglers have been using spawn. A few casting anglers have also had some luck catching a few bass. Boating anglers have had luck to the north and out in front of the pier heads trolling body baits and catching brown trout and a few steelhead.
Big Manistee River - Is still producing good catches of steelhead and brown trout.
Little Manistee River - Steelhead fishing remains good.
Ludington - Fishing from both piers has been slow. Some steelhead were taken on spawn. Boating anglers have had better luck trolling both north and south of the harbor with good fishing in close. The catch has been mainly brown trout with an occasional steelhead.
Upper Peninsula
Marquette - Boat anglers had fair to good success for coho, with an occasional brown trout, chinook or splake being taken. Most anglers are jigging in the bubblers at the Upper Harbor or trolling spoons and bodybaits. Anglers fishing off the breakwall have reported slow to fair success for coho and whitefish.
Menominee River - Walleye fishing is on-fire on the river. Anglers can keep only one fish until the first Saturday in May due to the boundary water regulations. Then the limit goes to 5 fish. A lot of big fish are being caught throughout the river.
Little Bay De Noc - Anglers started boating over the weekend and most still reported breaking skim ice on their way out. Temperatures should be warmer this week. Anglers are targeting perch and catches were fair. Gladstone Beach area was producing the best catches jigging minnows in 10 to 25 feet of water.
Munising - There was still ice at the head of the bay but it should be open now. All launches are currently inaccessible. Shore and boat fishing should be good for coho and splake once the ice moves out.
Article Source:
http://justnorth.com/Articles/tabid/105/articleType/AuthorView/authorID/12/justnorth.aspx