Northeast Lower Peninsula

Alpena: Boat anglers targeting walleyes have had decent results trolling 10 to 16 feet of water. Low light conditions have been most productive while trolling shallow diving crank baits in black/gold, purples, and chartreuse. Those jigging have reported hit or miss action while using blade baits and plastics. Anglers seeking lake trout had good success in depths of 40-60′ from north point to Thunder Bay Island. Orange, green/gold, and white spoons worked well through the water column. Orange and gold spoons ran high and accounted for a few Atlantic salmon in the same waters. Pier anglers reported a mixed bag of bass, pike, walleye, and a few Atlantic salmon while casting spoons and crank baits. Blue/silver, black/gold, and chartreuse were all productive.

Thunder Bay River: A few steelhead remain in the river and were caught while drifting beads near the 9th Street dam. A handful of Atlantic salmon were also caught while casting orange spinners. Those targeting northern pike had success while casting spinnerbaits in white, chartreuse, and yellows, while walleye anglers reported the fishing as slow. A good number of smallmouth bass were caught while jigging plastics and casting swim baits.

Rockport: Lake trout fishing was reported as very good with a few Atlantic salmon being caught. Short lead core lines with spoons in 20-40′ were productive. Watermelon, orange, and green colored spoons worked best from stone port to middle island. A few northern pike were taken on spoons from shore anglers.

Cheboygan: All boat launches are available for use, but the cleaning station is closed. Steelhead anglers still had some luck with drifting beads at the Cheboygan Dam spillway. Walleye anglers had the best luck when drifting live bait or jigging soft plastic minnows. Good spots to target walleye were at the Cheboygan Dam spillway, the drawbridge nearby the DNR field station, and nearby the pedestrian walkway bridge. Pike, smallmouth bass, and suckers were caught in the mix as well. Lake trout anglers were running lines all over the water column while trolling dodgers or dipseys with spoons. Greens and silvers produced the best results.

Oscoda / Lower Au Sable River: Anglers targeting walleye on the pier caught a handful of fish while casting deep body baits along with 3/8-1/2oz jigs tipped with plastics or crawlers. Boats trolling outside the pier heads have also been catching walleye while trolling deep body baits (bandits and thunder-sticks). A few Atlantic salmon have also been caught this week by anglers casting orange/gold spoons and floating minnows a few feet under the surface. The steelhead bite has been hit or miss but there are a lot of steelhead in the river. Bottom bouncing beads and flies is what has been taking most fish. 10mm yellow/orange beads and black stone flies have been popular choices when bottom bouncing.

Tawas/Au Gres: Walleye fishing seems to have slowed down with not many fish being taken from the pier nor from the Tawas River. Not many boats have been able to get out on the water due to high winds, and those that were able to get out reported slow fishing. Only a few walleye, northern pike, and occasional smallmouth bass have been caught. Not many boats have been going out from Au Gres or Standish due to weather. Perch fishing has slowed. Smallmouth and largemouth bass, bowfin, and carp are being caught by shore anglers.

Au Sable River: The Hendrickson hatch is in full swing across the Au Sable River, both above and below Mio Dam — thus signaling the unofficial kickoff to prime dry fly season. If you have been waiting for surface action, now is the time. Trout are starting to rise consistently in the afternoons, especially on warm, overcast days. Keep an eye out for spinner falls in the evening and have your go-to Hendrickson patterns ready.