WEEKLY MICHIGAN FISHING REPORT FOR FEBRUARY 26, 2024

Lakes open up as temperatures warm around the state. Anglers are unwrapping their boats and heading out to inland lakes, rivers, and the big water. Here’s the latest fishing report:

INLAND LAKES:

Warm temperatures last week continuing into this week cause inland lakes to open up, with water temperatures in the mid 30’s.

BASS/PIKE: Anglers fishing for Bass and Pike are having success fishing shallow black bottom bays and canals on warm sunny days, as well as fishing drop offs and deep weed beds. As a general rule, anglers are trying to find the warmest water on their lake. Bass anglers are fishing with skirted jigs, rattl’ traps, ned rigs, blade baits, and spinnerbaits. Pike anglers are fishing live bait such as suckers or golden shiners on a bobber, as well as large spinners, spoons, and rattl’ traps.

CRAPPIE/BLUEGILL: Anglers fishing for Crappie and Bluegill have been doing well around shallow structure such as docks and laydown trees, as well as drop offs and the last remaining weed beds. Bluegill anglers are fishing small jigs with waxworms off bobbers, and Crappie anglers are fishing jigs tipped with minnows or plastics off bobbers.

This time of year, fish tend to school up near the warmest water or the tightest cover. Search your lake for warm water areas.

EAST SIDE PIERS:

STEELHEAD: Anglers fishing for steelhead of Michigan’s Lake Huron piers are having success fishing jigs tipped with waxworms or spawn off bobbers, as well as glow and UV spinners, spoons and jerkbaits.

Anglers tend to do better on low-light days, or during low-light hours of the morning.

On mornings below freezing, inside the harbors might be locked up with ice, so plan trips accordingly.

STEELHEAD RIVERS:

STEELHEAD: Anglers fishing for steelhead on a variety of Michigan rivers are having success to varying degrees. When rains come and water level rises, fish push to upper sections of river and have even been reported to make beds and start spawning. However, when water level drops fish tend to push back from the gravel flats and push back to their deeper haunts in the lower stretches of river.

Anglers are catching steelhead at a few places, reporting better catches at barriers to fish passage like 6^th Street Dam in Grand Rapids, Tippy Dam on the Manistee River, and Yates Dam on the Clinton River.

Anglers tend to fish bobber rigs with beads, jigs and waxworms, or spawn bags, as well as glow and UV spinners, spoons, and jerkbaits.

DETROIT RIVER

WALLEYE: Anglers fishing for walleye on the Detroit river have been having success near the mouth fishing places like Peche Island and Belle Isle, as well as lower sections like the Ambassador Bridge and Mud Island. Anglers have been fishing 1 oz. jigs tipped with a minnow style plastic/Wyandotte worm, an Emerald Shiner, and a stinger hook.

SAGINAW RIVER

WALLEYE: Anglers are catching good limits of Walleye in the Saginaw River fishing ¼-1/2 oz. jigs tipped with a minnow style/Wyandotte worm plastic, an Emerald Shiner and a stinger hook. Anglers are catching fish near the Zilwalkee, at the mouth in Bay City, and in the upper tributaries like the Dam at the Tittabawassee.

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BIG WATER TROLLING

WALLEYE: Anglers are trolling for Walleye on St. Clair, Erie, and Saginaw Bay in water temperatures ranging from the mid 30’s to even pockets in the low 40’s. Anglers tend to fish mainly Bandits, but anglers fishing Flicker Shads and Smithwick P-10’s are also having success. Anglers report a variety of water depths, with some anglers catching larger than average fish in depths shallower than 10 feet.

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