DNR Report
August 19, 2010
As the warm weather continues, fish remain in deeper waters. Look for cooler water temperatures.
Keweenaw Bay - Angler participation was low but the fish bite seemed to pick up at South Portage Entry over the past week. A combination of lake trout, coho and rainbow were taken in 40 to 80 feet of water off Big Reef, Farmers Reef and Newton's Reef.
Marquette - Action has been good with limits of lake trout reported. The best success has been north of White Rocks and the Sand Hole in 180 to 200 feet of water, with most fish being caught 20 to 30 feet from the bottom. Spoons are providing the best action with choice colors of silver/gold and orange/melon combination. Good catches of lake trout at Stannard Rock with fish averaging 5 to 28 pounds. If you catch a tagged fish, return it to the address located on the tag or contact your local DNRE office for more information.
Au Train - Good fishing action has been reported for lake trout, with fish averaging 3 to 5 pounds. The best areas have been north of the Wood Island Reef and north of Au Train Island.
Munising - Reports relatively slow fishing activity. Fishing within the bay has been poor though there are some scattered reports of decent fishing in Trout Bay. Anglers fishing the Big Reef are seeing good catches of nice sized lake trout. Trolling assorted color spoons remains the most popular method.
Grand Marais - Lake trout fishing has been good when the weather permits, with some limits being reported 5 to 7 miles north of the bay in the shipping channel. Most are fishing in 150 to 200 feet of water using an assortment of spoons. Good catches of lake trout at the Big Reef. Shore angling remains slow.
St. Mary's River - Walleye fishing is still good by the powerhouse to Raber Bay using crawler harnesses and jigs.
Indian Lake - Most fishing effort was on the north end of the lake. The wind has been high, which made still fishing difficult. Yellow perch were being taken on the north end and near the rock pile in the center of the lake on crawlers. Anglers drifted or trolled with crawler harnesses or drifted gulp minnows for walleye and a few smaller fish were caught. Smallmouth bass were also caught using the same method.
De Tour - Salmon and trout anglers are still trolling both sides of the shipping channel to the red can on the Drummond Island side, to the number 3 green can and to the lighthouse. Chinook, Atlantic and pink salmon, along with lake and rainbow trout are being taken fishing white, black/white combination or green glow spoons, or green, silver flashers with flies. Walleye are hitting upstream in Raber Bay in front of the launch or Karens Resort. Changing colors frequently seems to be assisting the harvest, with pink or yellow/red crawler harnesses being a favorite.
Cedarville and Hessel - Anglers are fishing from the Hessel Marina pier for perch, pike and bass. The perch catch is excellent with fish averaging 9 inches. Fishing the early morning hours with crawlers or minnows is best. Boat anglers are fishing in front of Haven Island, the south shore of Hessel Bay and Snows Channel. Perch can also be picked up in the east end of Cedarville Bay and in Moscoe Channel casting stick baits in 8 to 12 feet of water. Dredging has begun at the Cedarville launch, which means the launch will be closed for about 3 months. Anglers may use the public access off Four Mile Block on Musky Bay or the tribal launch on Mckay Bay.
St. Ignace - Anglers are tolling for trout and salmon on the bay flats from the old fuel tanks to the Coast Guard Station and to the Edison Plant fishing a green spoon with white and yellow scallops, orange crush or flashers and flies. At the Pine River mouth, catfish are being taken on leeches and rock bass on crawlers.
