Upper Peninsula Weekly Fishing Report – Oct. 28, 2020

Marquette: Has seen a major cold front bringing snow to the area over the last few days, including some areas receiving over a foot of snow. Access points were ice- and snow-covered, but a few boats were still out and caught a couple lake trout at the end of the Lower Harbor breakwall and trolling to the green can. Those out for Menominee reported spotty catch rates. Pier anglers are targeting lake trout that are closer to shore for spawning. While some are getting no fish and others managed to get their limit, they are putting in a lot of time to do so. This is the time of year that many anglers continue to fish the breakwalls as well as the Carp and Chocolay rivers as they target lake trout through deer season. Some also fish late into November, targeting Menominee.

Little Bay de Noc: Angler participation has been low for several weeks. Most walleye anglers were targeting the reefs near Kipling when trolling a crawler harness or stick baits. Fish were found in and around 20 feet or deeper up to 35 feet. The “Black Bottom” was also producing fish when jigging crawlers or minnows along the weed beds by the east bank.

Manistique River: The Chinook run should be just about done. Any remaining fish were quite dark and in rough shape. The steelhead are there, and anglers have reported an increase in catches. Most are casting beads or flies near the rapids. The area closest to the dam is closed and posted “no trespassing” so most anglers have only gone as far up as the ORV bridge. Walleye catches tapered off a little, but fish were still being caught when casting crawlers and drifting the current.

Munising: The weather turned the past few days and was much colder, with highs in the 30s and snowfall. A few anglers fishing off the Anna River dock had no luck.

Raber Bay: Musky were caught along the north shore when trolling a large black and yellow bucktail spinner. Fish can also be found when trolling bucktail spinners from Point Aux Frenes west to the back corner of Raber Bay.

Detour: No anglers were fishing near the lighthouse or reef. Fair walleye catches were reported north of Detour around Sweets Point. Most were trolling crankbaits behind planer boards in 8 to 12 feet with baits 2 to 4 feet off the bottom. Chrome and blue or black and white were good colors. Bass anglers reported good smallmouth action around Sweets Point when jigging an orange and brown speckled tube jig in 4 to 6 feet off the rock piles and points.

Cedarville and Hessel: There were no reports of yellow perch being caught in Cedarville Bay or in and around the Les Cheneaux Islands. There has not been any effort for pike or walleye throughout the islands. Hessel had no fishing effort at the finger docks in the marina.

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Fishing Tip: Bottom bouncing and drift fishing for steelhead and salmon

When bottom bouncing and drift fishing for steelhead and salmon, you don’t always have to reel in your bait at the end of your drift. Allowing your bait to swing across the current and rise up occasionally will trigger strikes from salmon and trout as the bait moves away from the fish, much like a swung fly.