Traverse City Record-Eagle

Outdoors

September 15, 2011

DNR: Salmon snagging is illegal

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LANSING — As the salmon action increases in the river systems, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources reminded anglers that snagging in Michigan waters is unlawful, contrary to websites and rumors that say the law has changed. The warning came Wednesday in the department's weekly fishing report.

Traverse City: The East Bay had good lake trout action for those jigging Swedish pimples. Salmon fishing was slow with only a few fish taken near Elk Rapids and the launch at M-37. In the West Bay, salmon have been caught off the mouth of the Boardman River when using spoons or plugs. Green and blue were the hot colors.

Frankfort: Is still producing several chinook salmon off the breakwall, the old car ferry landing, or in Betsie Bay. A large number of coho were caught in the same areas when trolling, drifting or jigging. Baitfish are in the bay.

Betsie River: Is still producing salmon.

Onekama: North winds blew cooler water into the area so those trolling caught fish 22 to 35 feet down in 190 to 250 feet of water.

Manistee: Chinook were caught in the harbor and the channel when using glow plugs. Boat anglers are doing very well for trout and salmon when trolling orange or green spoons in the top 80 feet of water. Pier anglers using glow spoons have caught salmon.

Manistee River: Is still producing salmon. Anglers are reminded that the Little Manistee River is closed to fishing from the weir downstream to Manistee Lake.

Rogers City: Is producing a mixed bag of chinook, coho, steelhead, brown trout and even some walleye for those fishing south toward Swan Bay, Adams Point and Calcite. Try halfway down in 35 to 80 feet of water with spoons, plugs and attractors with squid, cut bait or flies. Fish early before the sun comes up or just before it gets dark. Hot colors were green, blue, silver, orange, black or white. Forty Mile Point also had salmon.

Au Sable River: Water temperatures are still very warm so fish are slowly making their way into the river. Chinook were caught early in the morning and later in the evening. Fish can be found upstream in the holes however those fish have been there for a while so they are in bad shape.

Tawas: Pier anglers fishing off the very end in the early morning have caught some perch however they are sorting out a lot of small ones. Only a few boats have been able to get out and they caught some perch off Jerry's Marina in 15 to 25 feet of water. The odd pike and bass were also caught.

Au Gres: Perch anglers are doing well on the right day in 40 to 50 feet of water out near the shipping channel between Pointe Au Gres and Point Lookout. Many are throw backs but the keepers were running 7 to 10 inches. Bass fishing is good.

UPPER PENINSULA

Keweenaw Bay: Catch rates were starting to pick up with lake trout caught in 270 feet of water. A few chinook were caught on orange spoons and green flies in the early morning. In Traverse Bay, chinook and coho were caught when trolling in 40 to 50 feet of water off Buffalo Reef or 60 to 140 feet of water off Five and Seven Mile Reefs. Those trolling spoons in 130 to 185 feet of water off Big Louie's and Gay Point caught fish but those jigging in 170 feet of water caught the bigger fish 10 pounds or more.

Marquette: Surface water temperatures were in the upper 50's north of the White Rocks. Limits of lake trout were caught north of the White Rocks, around Granite Island, Little Presque Isle and along the Clay Banks. The fish averaged 3 and 4 pounds but a couple fish over 20 pounds were also caught within 10 feet of bottom in 160 to 180 feet of water. Most were caught on spoons. Salmon fishing was slow with only a couple chinook and coho taken.

Carp River: Anglers caught a few small menominee and coho when using crawlers.

Menominee: Walleye were caught near Green Island when jigging minnows or trolling crawler harnesses and stick baits.

Menominee River: Is still producing freshwater drum, rock bass and smallmouth bass. Perch were caught in the early morning when jigging with crawlers or minnows off the breakwall and the marina however most were small. Walleye fishing picked up however many were too small to keep. Anglers are trolling stick baits, rapalas and crawler harnesses over the deep holes in the early morning and evening. Those wading on both sides of the river with a big glob of crawlers have caught sturgeon. Anglers are reminded that sturgeon fishing is catch and release only from the Hattie Street Dam to the end of the breakwalls in Green Bay.

Little Bay De Noc: Walleye anglers are anticipating the fall run and though they are marking and catching fish, they are still waiting for that big push. From the east bank "Narrows" south to the Escanaba River; fish were caught when trolling or drifting crawlers along the weeds in 10 to 20 feet of water but many were sub-legal. Portage Point was best when trolling or drifting crawlers 15 to 25 feet down along the break. Fair to good perch fishing in 10 to 25 feet of water at Kipling, along Gladstone Beach or the Escanaba docks in 25 feet of water. Anglers are catching a lot of freshwater drum this year. No salmon in the rivers yet.

Big Bay De Noc: Most anglers are targeting smallmouth bass. Ogontz, Porcupine Point, Garden Bluff and Ansell's Point were all reporting fair to good catches when casting crank baits, tube baits or plastics in 6 to 15 feet of water. Some have switched to live bait such as minnows.

Au Train: Lake trout anglers were averaging two to five fish per trip just east of Au Train Island and near the Wood Island Reef with spoons in 120 to 140 feet of water.

Manistique: Chinook were caught at the mouth of the river and just past the breakwall when trolling small spoons or rapalas.

Manistique River: Bluegill, rock bass, and smallmouth bass were caught off the docks near the city launch when using crawlers or leeches. Boat anglers are trolling spoons, stick baits or rapalas. Smallmouth bass and pike were caught near the mouth. A few salmon were caught up near the first dam when drifting yarn.

St. Mary's River: In Raber Bay, walleye and pike were slow. A few walleye were caught in the shipping channel off 15 Mile Road when using bottom bouncers and crawler harnesses.

Detour: Some nice 8 to 9.5 inch perch are being caught in 8 to 12 feet of water on south side of Boulanger Island when using minnows. The island is west of Ashman Island in Scott Bay. Salmon are still present so anglers are trolling the shipping channel to the (hash)3 Green Can and the lighthouse with purple and cream glow or hammered silver and red spoons with flashers and flies. Use caution as there are gill nets in the area.

Cedarville and Hessel: Good pike fishing from the Hessel pier for those still-fishing with minnows or chubs. Splake are back in the Hessel Marina as they prepare to spawn. Perch fishing is fair to good, depending on the weather. Anglers are fishing Middle Entrance, Musky Bay, and Cedarville Bay in 6 to 12 feet of water with crawlers or minnows. Smallmouth bass opportunities have picked up along the rocky points in Hessel Bay, Musky Bay and Snows Channel.

Carp River: Pink and chinook salmon are starting to show at the mouth but anglers need to use caution due to gill nets in the area.

St. Ignace: More anglers were heading out off the Coast Guard Station and the Edison Water Plant for chinook, lake trout and steelhead. They are fishing high in the water column with silver and green or gold and green J-plugs or fire-tiger spoons.

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