Sport Fish Michigan Fishing Report

Sport Fish Michigan September 2016 Angler Magazine Report

Posted on September 3, 2016 by admin

Northwest Michigan Fishing Report

September’s fishing in northern Michigan is usually incredible, and this year should be no exception. With lots to fish for, the opportunities abound for anglers wanting to target a variety of species using multiple techniques. Most attention this time of year is on the mighty salmon, and this is the prime time to target them!

Out on Grand Traverse and Platte Bays, salmon and lake trout fishing are fantastic—a far cry from what it was the last couple of years. Quite a few king salmon are present, and they are running as true adults should-in the 20-25 pound range! Coho salmon are also present, and these silver salmon are a very respectable 8-9 pounds. There aren’t huge numbers like in years long past, but enough to have people once again excited to get out to target king and coho salmon. Trolling early in the day and later at dusk is the best option to get the most out of willing king salmon. Spoons and plugs are great options as are meat-rigs behind a flasher. Flies and smaller plugs are a great way to target the coho salmon on both Grand Traverse and Platte Bays.

For those wanting to vertical jig, early morning or right at dusk is prime time for king salmon using 2-3 ounce jigs like a Jonah Jig. For coho jigging out on Platte Bay, the middle of the day can also be productive, and Sport Fish Michigan captains prefer slightly smaller 1.5 or 2-ounce jigs to trigger biters.

Platte Bay in September can be a truly world-class place to target coho salmon in shallow water using light tackle. Spinners retrieved at a medium speed can lead to some awesome action, and Platte Bay is the place to do this. This is an absolute favorite way for several Sport Fish Michigan captains to fish in open water for these silver salmon. A 7 to 9-foot rod will help not only make long casts but will also help to cushion these fish when they run, jump and charge under the boat!

Targeting salmon is incredibly fun, and with many anglers out plying the waters, showing a little patience with other anglers is critical. We are all out trying to have fun and catch some fish. A little common sense and some etiquette will go along way to helping us all have fun while we’re on the water. Stay safe, and great fishing!

Grand Traverse Bay Fishing Report

Bass fishing in northern Michigan can be just as incredible as is the scenery in which we fish. With so many lakes to fish, there never seems to be time enough to hit them all! September is a fantastic month to get out to target northern Michigan bronzebacks as they are beginning their fall feed. With daylight hours shortening, the feeding windows are condensed, making for what can feel like a true feeding bonanza by our northern smallmouths. As the northerly fall winds descend upon us, the inland lake waters seem to experience smallmouths coming shallow more quickly than out on Grand Traverse Bays.

Many of the inland lakes are great places to not only find calmer waters during the north winds that come with fall, but they are also loaded with quality smallmouth options. Windy points and shallow flats adjacent to weed edges and drop-offs are prime spots to start looking for fish that are moving shallow to feed. As the water temperatures fall throughout September, power fishing options like crankbaits, umbrella rigs and spinnerbaits once again take hold. Drop shots and finesse style fishing is still a mainstay when the weather is warm and calm.

Grand Traverse Bays are slow to cool, and many of the bigger smallmouths are still down deep in 30 plus feet. Drop shot rigs are a great way to tempt these fish. As the month progresses, more and more fish will make the push shallow where they will be easier to target using a larger arsenal of techniques.

The Traverse City area is known for its amazing smallmouth fishing, and any given day can showcase just why its been so popular with television shows and well-known bass professionals. Stay safe out on the water, have fun, and tight lines!

Sport Fish Michigan August 2016 Angler Magazine Report

Posted on August 5, 2016 by admin

Northwest Michigan Report

Sport Fish Michigan has had terrific fishing this summer; water temperatures have gradually increased providing a consistent bite for most big water species. August is a great month for anglers to target some very willing trout and salmon in the Northwest region of Lake Michigan.

Grand Traverse Bay is fishing very well this August. Water temperatures have been varying with wind direction from 68-70 degrees on the surface. Anglers that have successfully found the thermocline have been producing good catches of Lake Trout in 80-100 feet of water. Jigging and trolling have produced good catches of trout. Ciscos have been feeding above the thermocline attacking higher in the water column. Both east and west bay have been blessed with a fairly high density of alewife over the course of the spring and summer. This has provided a fishable salmon population for anglers willing to troll. Most of the salmon being caught have been 2-3 years old with the occasional adult encounter. Flasher and fly combinations, lead core, spoons, and even cut bait rigs have been productive.

Platte Bay is setting up very nicely for this fall. With the warm temperatures in August, the thermocline will be found 80-100 feet depending on the wind direction. This provides an excellent depth range to target aggressive lake trout that have been biting very well all spring and summer. Larger dodgers, cowbells, and small spoons trolled at 1.9-2.4 mph have been best for most anglers. Pockets of baitfish have been found near and around the rocks and steep breaks.

Frankfort has offered some spectacular fishing all spring and summer. Warm August temperatures have brought heavy south winds forcing most of the fish deep with the thermocline ranging from 80-120 feet. Lake trout fishing has been very consistent with most schools of fish gathering along the steep breaks and under water points. Anglers that have fully committed to salmon fishing have been producing some nice fish. Salmon numbers have fluctuated with the wind direction; however most anglers are reporting a very fishable population.

Grand Traverse Bay Report

Summer time bass fishing in and around the Traverse City area is in full swing now that we are in August, and that means fishing deeper water. With the incredible amount of wind that we experienced in July, the water temperatures aren’t super hot, which is helpful in keeping oxygenated water and fish active.

For those fishing on Grand Traverse Bays, the smallmouth fishing has been excellent at times, and spotty at times. For the most part, anglers should target deep structure in 20 feet or more. A good sonar graph will help to pinpoint these structures. Deep weed beds will also hold fish, as this is where baitfish, crayfish and bugs will all congregate. Drop shots are a staple for us here at Sport Fish Michigan and Traverse City Bass Guide Service. When there is wind, a spinner bait fished on the shallower flats can lead to some thunderous bites! For the early-morning risers, a top water fished early in the day or late in the evening can be a great way to target fish orienting on the shallow side of deep drop-offs.

For inland waters, the bass are relating to deeper water that also have weed edges associated with them. Top waters are a great way to locate fish early in the day, or again later in the evening, although smallmouth will readily bite top waters all day if there are slick overcast conditions. A soft plastic jerk bait can be another fantastic option this time of year.

While the bass fishing may be in its summer patterns, the opportunities to have a great day on the water still abound. With lots of summer boating traffic to contend with, make sure to have the necessary safety equipment onboard. Have lots of fun, and just as important is to stay safe!

Sport Fish Michigan July 2016 Angler Magazine Report

Posted on July 2, 2016 by admin

Bass fishing in Northern Michigan can be wonderfully rewarding. The smallmouth bass are in a summer pattern during this time. On inland lakes, early morning and dusk are prime times to target bass using topwater lures. Toppers and walking baits are the primary go-to choices for topwater action at this time of the year. As we experience the Mayfly hatch early in the month, and then tapering off as the month progresses, most bass action on the inland lakes will revolve around these insect hatches. Deeper weeds and sharp break lines will hold fish all throughout the month.

Grand Traverse Bay has excellent smallmouth fishing in July, as most of our fish are in a post-spawn and early summer pattern. Rocky flats adjacent to deep water will be key areas in which to look for smallmouth bass this month. Spinnerbaits and crankbaits on windy days can be very effective. On calmer days, drop-shot rigs and soft plastic jerkbaits are excellent options. As the month progresses, bass will transition deeper in the water to their summer locations. A drop-shot rig is a great option for targeting deep-holding bass.

Boat ramps are more crowded this time of year, as are the waterways. Patience and courtesy with other boaters should be taken. We are all out trying to have a good time on the water. Stay safe, have lots of fun, and enjoy our beautiful Northern Michigan waters.

Sport Fish Michigan June 2016 Angler Magazine Report

Posted on June 6, 2016 by admin

June is a great time to get out on the Grand Traverse Bays and Platte Bay to target lake trout, whitefish, and cisco (or lake herring). Typically these three species spend most of the year in water deeper than 90 ft. With the waters in the bays reaching that magical 50-degree mark, the baitfish will begin to congregate in that 40-50ft range, and will stay there through most of the month.

Ciscos were the first to load up and become active on the drop offs and flats of each bay, and fishing was absolutely phenomenal in May. Anglers can catch ciscos using standard vertical jigging techniques with presentations such as Swedish Pimples, S-Jigs, Jonah Jigs and Squirrel Jigs. If anglers would like to try casting in the shallows, gold or silver colored blade baits have been working very effectively when worked in a yo-yo fashion close to the bottom. In June, the white fish can be found in the same areas as ciscos using the same techniques. That is the best thing about fishing in June; you never know what is going to attack your bait next!

As the water approaches the mid 50’s the lake trout population will begin to become very active, showing up in large schools mainly in depths from 30-60ft. Some trout may even venture much shallower, being caught in water as skinny as 2-3 feet! This is a very exciting depth for all different techniques and anglers. Anglers will have great success casting and jigging with light action rods using fluorocarbon leaders and use the baits for cisco and whitefish mentioned earlier in the report for targeting hungry trout, with the addition of crankbaits or weighted streamers for those casting the super skinny water.

For those anglers that are more into the trolling game, here are a few helpful tips. Fishing shorter lead cores from 3-8 colors with fluorocarbon leaders will be a must. Smaller spoon presentations will also be very helpful, such as Stinger, Warrior, and Silver Streak brands. This style spoon should be presented using slide divers dialed to a 2.0-3.0 angled setting. Most slide divers should be rigged with nothing less than a 60ft fluorocarbon leader. Anglers will find that slide divers can be the only thing going for them in a shallow water situation and are a very effective tool for this specific application.

June looks like it will be an excellent month to get out on the water with friends and family to take advantage of some spectacular fishing opportunities. As always, be safe and we hope to see you on the water.

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