FROM WIRE REPORTS
Saturday is the opening day of bass season on the Detroit River, Lake St. Clair and the St. Clair River, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources said Wednesday in its weekly fishing report.
Panfish activity has started to pick up along with walleye, pike, bass and catfish, the DNR said. Mayfly hatches have just started in certain areas around the state.
Petoskey: Lake Michigan waters are still cold with surface temperatures in the 50 degree range.
Bear River: Bass fishing was a bit slow, however anglers were catching rock bass, freshwater drum and carp.
Charlevoix: Some anglers caught plenty of lake trout just off the bottom in waters up to 80 feet deep, but many were small. Anglers report plenty of baitfish in the area.
Lake Charlevoix: A fair number of walleye and smallmouth bass have been caught.
Lake Bellaire: Construction at the Fisherman's Paradise access site has been completed. The access site is now deeper and the dock extends farther out, so it should be much easier to launch a boat. Walleye anglers are taking fish in the early morning and late evening when trolling near the Grass River outlet, the northern drop-offs and the northwest arm from the Narrows to the Eckertly Road access site. Try crawler harnesses, jigs with leeches or rapalas. Fair to good smallmouth bass action along the west side of the lake, the flats on the north shore, and near the Grass River. Perch were caught in the northwest arm in four to 15 feet of water. Try leaf worms or crawlers. Rock bass are hitting in seven to 10 feet.
Leland: Boats out trolling have caught limits of lake trout just above the 45th Parallel when using blue spoons and flies in 50 to 60 feet of water. Chinook must be moving into the area as a few fish were caught on the north side of North Manitou Island.
Glen Arbor: Several chinook salmon including some weighing in at 12 to 15 pounds have been caught south of the Coast Guard Station. Nothing routine here, as one day they are 80 to 90 feet down and the next day they will only hit high lines trolled quite a ways behind the boat.
Glen Lake: Dredging at the access site has been completed. Lake trout were hitting in 50 to 70 feet of water. Perch fishing has slowed for now but a few fish were still caught near the marina.
Frankfort: Chinook have been caught along the outside edge of the Herring Hole in the early morning. Those trolling in the afternoon had better luck along the Shelf toward Betsie Point. Chinook and lake trout were caught on spoons in 100 to 140 feet of water. Orange, pink, green and blue were good colors.
Onekama: Good fishing for those trolling up near the Barrel. Chinook were caught on the north end of the structure in 80 to 130 feet of water. Meat rigs along with purple, green and blue spoons were catching the most fish.
Portage Lake: Fishing was slow due to the recent Mayfly hatch. Bass anglers are still taking fish in eight to 10 feet of water. Boat anglers trolling in the afternoon caught some prime pike along with the occasional large bluegill or perch. For walleye, anglers trolling near the channel at night have caught fish on small body baits.
Lake Missaukee: Pan fishing improved and many pike have been caught.
