Southwest Lower Peninsula
Grand Haven: Boat anglers found immature Chinook salmon and steelhead 40 to 90 feet down in 80 to 160 feet of water. A mix of orange, green, and blue spoons worked well. Pier anglers targeting salmon found the action to be slow.
Muskegon: When the weather allowed, boat anglers found steelhead and immature salmon in 70 to 140 feet of water. Orange spoons worked well.
Northwest Lower Peninsula
Manistee: Strong south winds and warm water made salmon fishing slow for boats trolling Lake Michigan and jigging in Manistee Lake. Most salmon activity was found in the Big Manistee River.
Ludington: Anglers trolling Lake Michigan reported very slow fishing. Warm waters in the area slowed down the salmon bite at Big Sable Point. A couple coho salmon were caught while trolling spoons in 100 feet of water, 80 feet down. There was no action to report from the piers. Most salmon were caught in the Pere Marquette River.
Fishing tip: Big smallmouth
Don’t overlook inland lakes for big smallmouth bass. As water temps drop into the 50s, smallmouth bass feed aggressively to bulk up for winter. Focus on rocky points, drop-offs, and the edges of dying weed beds using jerkbaits, tube jigs, or drop-shot rigs. Midday warmth can spark feeding activity, especially on sunny days.
Hunters and Anglers: Strange Sightings and Wildlife Shakeups
