Traverse City Record-Eagle

Outdoors

October 13, 2011

Perch not entering rivers quite yet

FROM WIRE REPORTS

LANSING -- Anglers in boats on Saginaw Bay have found the search for perch excellent, but it's still too early for the popular fish to enter rivers, cuts and marina basins, according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

Numbers of trout and salmon look good and the coming colder weather should improve prospects for anglers fishing along shorelines.

Traverse City: Perch and whitefish have been caught in the East Bay. For perch, try still-fishing with minnows or worms. For whitefish, try jigging in waters up to 100 feet deep. Bass anglers caught a few fish. In the West Bay, boat anglers had limited success for perch when still-fishing with wigglers or shrimp.

Boardman River: Shore anglers are still catching salmon. A lot of fish were in the river but it looks like the run may be coming to an end.

Petoskey: Look for steelhead action to start picking up inside the pier and around the mouth of the river in the next few weeks.

Bear River: Anglers can find plenty of salmon in the river and down near the mouth. A cold front coming to the area by the end of the week should fill the river up one more time before the salmon run starts to wind down.

Charlevoix: Salmon fishing is coming to an end as most of the fish are now spawning in the rivers. Perch action should start picking up in the next few weeks.

Pine River: Had fair to good smallmouth bass fishing.

Elk River: Shore anglers continue to catch salmon below the power dam when using skein or spawn bags. A few lake trout were also caught.

Frankfort: Has good fishing for boat, pier and shore anglers. Boat anglers are taking limits of chinook, coho and steelhead. The salmon are hitting on spoons 70 to 90 feet down while steelhead are hitting anything orange in the top 40 feet. On the north pier, try between shore and the elbow when using fresh spawn. Several fish over eight pounds have been caught. Those surf-casting are starting to catch fish.

Onekama: Steelhead and coho anglers are heading straight out from the pier in 250 feet of water or trolling north in 35 to 55 feet of water. Several 10 to thirteen pound coho were landed with females still holding their eggs.

Manistee: Boat anglers are still catching chinook, coho and steelhead. Some of the better fishing was found in the top 50 to 60 feet in waters up to 100 feet deep.

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