Cool weather slows fishing in many areas

FROM WIRE REPORTS

July 09, 2009 06:45 am

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Walleye fishing in Saginaw Bay continues to be good, but has slowed considerably since the arrival of a cold front, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources said Wednesday in its weekly fishing report.

Cooler weather has slowed fishing in many areas, the DNR said, but fishing should pick up as the weather warms.

Traverse City: Smallmouth bass can be found in the shallows throughout the East Bay with fish being taken on plastic baits and crank baits. Lake trout have been suspended over deep water with spoons being the most productive. Angler activity has been slow in the West Bay.

Elk River: Smallmouth bass and freshwater drum are being caught between the dam and the mouth using leeches or crawlers.

Boardman River: Carp and smallmouth bass can be found below Union Street Dam to the mouth of the river.

Leland: Lake trout fishing is still good trolling the lakeshore in 70 to 90 feet of water.

Glen Arbor: Early morning anglers are having the most success picking up chinook around the points fishing the slopes. Lake trout are also going strong. Trolling the 45th parallel seems to be the spot in 70 to 80 feet of water.

Frankfort: Salmon were being caught 60 to 120 feet down in 25 to 35 feet of water.

Petoskey: Anglers continue to fish for lake trout at Bay Harbor fishing 55 feet down in waters 85 to 95 feet deep.

Charlevoix: Lake trout continue to provide the majority of the action. Anglers are using spoons or cowbells and spin glos, with green being the best color. Look for fish from 55 feet down to the bottom in 85 to 95 feet of water off Harbor Point and straight out from Charlevoix's light house.

Lake Bellaire: Walleye fishing in the evening and early morning is producing 13- to 24-inch fish. Anglers have been trolling with crawler harnesses, spoons and rapalas or jigging leaded and floating jigheads with leeches in 10 to 60 feet of water near the Grass River outlet and in the northwest arm narrows.

Manistee: Boat anglers are catching trout and salmon off the Shelf fishing 60 to 80 feet down. Try blue dolphins and blue whales. Steelhead were caught on orange spoons near the surface.

Au Sable River: Walleye seem to be in and out of the river. Varied reports are coming from the pier head and mornings seem to be producing more catches.