LANSING – The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has released its area fishing update for Northeast Lower Peninsula. below are a brief description of fishing condiitons.

Alpena: Walleye anglers reported fish scattered throughout the bay. Near Scarecrow Island, anglers had success trolling crankbaits in 18 to 30 feet of water. North Point was also productive, with crankbaits and spoons producing fish in 20 to 30 feet of water. Anglers had mixed results while trolling crawlers in 17 to 22 feet of water near Sulphur Island and Squaw Bay. Pier anglers reported that walleye fishing was slow. Good numbers of freshwater drum and smallmouth bass were caught while using leeches.

Thunder Bay River: Decent numbers of catfish were caught near the Armory and behind the Holiday Inn while using crawlers. Freshwater drum, bullhead and smallmouth bass were also caught throughout the river. Anglers trolling for walleye had success using crawlers as well as deep-diving crankbaits. Near the 9th Street Bridge and Lamar Park, leeches and crawlers produced walleye, smallmouth bass and the occasional catfish.

Rockport: Lake trout fishing remained good, with anglers targeting fish in 50 to 100 feet of water. Dodgers with spin-n-glos worked well near the bottom, while spoons produced fish throughout the water column. Steelhead, Atlantic salmon and a few Chinook salmon were also caught between Stoneport and Middle Island. Orange, chartreuse and gold spoons produced the best results for steelhead and Atlantic salmon in the top 20 feet of the water column.

Cheboygan: Boat anglers filled their coolers with lake trout at Reynolds Reef while trolling spoons in 25 to 45 feet of water. Downstream of the Cheboygan Dam, anglers caught walleye, bass, northern pike, rock bass and freshwater drum. Walleye anglers caught up to three walleye per trip and released several freshwater drum. Boat anglers targeting walleye had success drifting hook-and-worm rigs in the morning and trolling nightcrawler harnesses at night between the pedestrian walkway bridge and the State Street drawbridge. Shore anglers primarily used drifting jig-and-worm presentations. A mixed bag of smallmouth bass and northern pike was reported at the Cheboygan Dam, river mouth and Duncan Bay. Tube baits, stick baits, body baits and spinner baits all produced fish. Rock bass and freshwater drum were caught while drifting jig-and-worm rigs or nightcrawler harnesses on both sides of the river near the Cheboygan DNR field station.

Harrisville: Anglers trolling in 70 to 90 feet of water off the harbor reported catching steelhead and Atlantic salmon, along with a few Chinook salmon. Green and orange spoons produced the best results. Anglers targeting lake trout fished in deeper water, around 120 to 150 feet, and found lake trout.

Rogers City: Lake trout fishing continued to be good, with anglers reporting limit catches when weather conditions allowed. Anglers fished straight out at the hump, south toward Adams Point or north toward 40 Mile Point. The best depths were 60 to 120 feet of water, with lines being run throughout the water column to locate fish. Spoons remained the primary bait, though anglers also found success using cowbells with spin-n-glos, as well as flashers with spin-n-glos. Productive colors included green, yellow, blue, chartreuse and UV patterns. Larger lake trout were generally caught in deeper water. Many smaller lake trout just above or below the 15-inch minimum size were also being caught, with some anglers releasing up to eight fish per trip. Some steelhead began showing up, with fish being caught in the top 20 feet of the water column. Orange-colored, standard-sized spoons produced the best results. Anglers found success trolling faster speeds, with the best speeds reported between 2.8 and 3.5 mph.

Presque Isle: Lake trout fishing continued to be excellent, with anglers reporting limit catches. However, many smaller fish were caught, resulting in a high number of released fish. The larger lake trout moved into deeper water but were suspended. Productive areas included straight out and south toward Stoneport, as well as off North Bay. The best depths were 60 to 120 feet of water, with anglers running lines throughout the water column for the best results. Spoons remained the most effective presentation, though anglers also found success using cowbells with spin-n-glos, as well as attractors paired with spin-n-glos. Productive colors included green, orange, blue, yellow, chartreuse and UV patterns. The occasional silver spoon also produced while targeting lake trout. Steelhead began to show up, with anglers catching them in the top 20 feet of the water column. Orange-colored regular or smaller-sized spoons were effective. Anglers reported the best results while trolling faster speeds, reaching up to 3.5 mph, with faster speeds producing better results.