Northeast Lower Peninsula

Presque Isle: Thompson Harbor and North Bay had the most consistent catches of Atlantic salmon. Mini to medium sized spoons were taking the majority of fish. Trout were caught from North Albany Point all the way to North Bay. Those targeting 50 to 70 feet had the best luck with flashers and spin glows close to bottom. Anglers fishing 70 to 100 feet were finding lake trout all throughout the water column with spoons working best. White/orange, green/silver, blues, and watermelon colors in the middle of the column worked best. Bass anglers in North Bay had good luck with tube jigs and various plastics in 10 to 18 feet of water. A few large pike were also caught in the same waters.

Alpena: With the water temperatures warming, Chinook salmon were scattered a little and moved to deeper waters. Trolling from 9 Mile to Thunder Bay Island was productive in waters 40 to 80 feet. Spoons in the top half of the water column were catching majority of the silver fish. Orange, orange/gold, watermelon, and greens were the most productive.

Trout were caught in good numbers at all depths. White, green and yellow flashers with white and yellow spin glows near bottom and larger watermelon spoons in the middle of the water column were working best. Grass and Sulphur islands were giving up pike, bass and walleye. Pike and smallmouth bass were caught on spinnerbaits and swimbaits. Depths of 12 to 20 feet were good for walleye with crawler harnesses and medium diving crankbaits.

Waters around Scarecrow Island were also giving up walleye while jigging plastics and minnows being the preferred baits.

Thunder Bay River: The walleye bite slowed down, but fish were still caught below the 9th Street Bridge and around Mill Island Park. Smallmouth bass were found from the river mouth all the way to the 9th Street Dam. Good numbers of pike were caught throughout the river on large swimbaits and medium diving crankbaits with chartreuse being the best color.

Cheboygan: Lake trout were plentiful this past week. Anglers were having good success fishing the reefs in 40 to 70 feet of water. They were using spoons or bright flashy attractors with spin glos. Spoons were also catching fish. Smallmouth bass fishing was very good in Duncan Bay.

Cheboygan River: Walleye fishing had picked up. Boat anglers were drifting live bait leeches and night crawlers throughout the river. Anglers reported good smallmouth bass fishing as well. Anglers were jigging with tubes, artificial or live bait and did well. They were also casting body baits.

Rogers City: A mix of lake trout along with fair to good numbers of Atlantic salmon and the occasional Chinook salmon were caught. The best fishing was between the state park and past 40 Mile Point. Good depths were from 45 to 80 feet of water. Anglers were running lines all throughout the water column for best results. The Atlantic salmon were coming in the top 15 to 20 feet. Anglers were using smaller spoons and regular sized spoons. Good colors were oranges, orange/silver, and orange/green (UV on them also performed well). Lake trout were caught on spoons with lots of greens and some blues or white. Anglers were also using bright flashy attractors with spin glos.