Coho salmon proving elusive: DNR weekly fishing report (5/22/24)

MARQUETTE, Mich. (WJMN) — Anglers have been spotted out on the water in numbers, according to the Department of Natural Resources. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about coho salmon.

In their weekly fishing report, the experts over at the DNR break down where fish are biting, and what types of bait and lures appear to be working. Here’s their full breakdown:

Little Bay de Noc: Walleye anglers reported mixed results. Those fishing the head of the bay had limited success, with most anglers catching undersized fish, as well as some eater-sized fish. Anglers fishing in the Escanaba River and by the mouth reported fair fishing, with anglers catching a few, generally in the 15- to 18-inch range.

The bite window was short, often right at first and last light. Successful tactics anglers reported included trolling crawler harnesses or small crank baits as well as jigging with worms. Smallmouth anglers reported good fishing and were contacting fish near spawning areas.

Manistique: Some steelhead remained in the river, with anglers able to catch a few each trip. Anglers were getting bites when drifting beads and nymphs.

St. Ignace: Since opening day of walleye and pike season, boat anglers were reported to be actively fishing at the Pine River. Pike anglers were successful when using crankbaits just outside the river’s mouth in the lake. Walleye anglers were either trolling orange/red nightcrawler harnesses or drifting slip bobber setups with leeches.

Perch were also caught with these setups. At the Carp River, anglers using slip bobbers with leeches in the early morning were bringing walleye home. A steelhead was caught while fly fishing at the Carp, and there may still be a few roaming around further upstream from the concrete footing by the mouth.

Ontonagon River: Fishing efforts on the river greatly increased as expected. Recent rains kept some anglers off the water and caused increased turbidity and low water visibility. Reports show that respectable numbers of walleye were caught by those trolling and jigging alike.

Ontonagon/Silver City/Union Bay: These ports stayed relatively busy over the past week. Spotty rain showers slightly hindered sensible lake access on multiple days. Angler reports show that coho salmon, brown trout and lake trout were caught in shallow waters while trolling.

Black River Harbor: Fishing efforts from the harbor were reported to be average. Recent storms limited lake access on occasion. Anglers reported catching coho salmon, brown trout and lake trout, all in low numbers. The fish that were being caught were found in shallow waters while trolling. Anglers described the bite as slow and sporadic.

Lex Cheneaux/Detour: Anglers in Hessel were trying for Atlantic salmon but had no luck; however, the perch were slowly starting to come into the marina. There were a few smallmouth bass caught at the marina as well. Hill Island Bridge was producing a good number of small pike and bass, along with plenty of rock bass. In the Detour area, anglers reported catching a mixed bag of Atlantic salmon, coho salmon and Chinook salmon, as well as lake trout and walleye from Scott’s Bay.

Keweenaw Bay/Huron Bay: Anglers found success not only during trolling trips but with jigging trips as well. Jigging anglers caught lake trout and whitefish with both artificial and natural baits. Fish were caught mostly on bottom in depths ranging from 70 to 230 feet of water. Trolling anglers were able to catch lake trout, coho salmon, Chinook salmon, brown trout and rainbow trout. During these trips, trout and salmon bit on a variety of presentations including spoons, flasher flies and stick baits, and most large salmon were caught during slightly windy days before noon!

Traverse Bay/South Portage Entry Canal: Anglers had successful fishing trips while both trolling and jigging, with the focus being on salmon. Most of these trips returned with healthy catches of lake trout. Fish were found in shallow and deep water and were filled with smelt regardless of depth. Jigging produced more fish when anglers were using cut bait; however, lake trout were biting on both natural and artificial presentations.

Marquette: Boats that made their way out in the lower harbor caught only a few coho salmon but found much better numbers of lake trout and Chinook salmon. Upper harbor anglers had good success when fishing for lake trout as long as the wind cooperated. Anglers fishing for salmon and brown trout did well in around 40 feet of water from the Chocolay River out to Shot Point.

Cow bells with sucker bellies seemed to work well. Trolling chartreuse or hot pink crankbaits or green multicolor moonshine glow spoons was good for salmon at higher trolling speeds. Try around 2.8 to 3 mph for a while around bait balls if looking for salmon in 30 to 40 feet of water.

Jigging white plugs did well for lake trout northeast of White Rocks as well as trolling between White Rocks and Granite at lower speeds, 1.8 to 2.2 mph, in around 80 to 120 feet of water.

Au Train: Very few coho salmon were being caught, and steelhead were reported to be done for the season. Anglers reported that Chinook salmon, brown trout and lake trout were now in full swing. Most fish were caught in around 40 feet of water on the coast of Scott Falls Honey Hole to 5-mile Point, or around 100 feet north to northwest of the Au Train Island trolling toward the Clay Banks. Hot pink and chartreuse crankbaits or spoons were good colors.

Munising: Fishing was reported to have picked up over the past week in the bay of Munising. Anglers had increased luck with Chinook salmon while trolling Rapalas and spoons. There were reports of Chinook salmon that weighed just over 8 pounds being caught. Coho salmon fishing was fair, but most anglers were targeting Chinook. The best fishing occurred in early mornings while trolling the bay.

Grand Marais: Fishing in Grand Marais continued to be hit or miss. There were anglers who caught their limits of whitefish off the lighthouse pier, with almost all these fish caught in the early hours of the morning. Anglers were still fishing spawn for the best luck with the whitefish. The coho salmon bite has been slow, with no large numbers being caught.

Fishing tip: Want to find fish? Use sonar!
Avid anglers are constantly looking for tips and tricks to have more successful fishing trips. Many turn to sonar technology to achieve this goal.

Although a bit of an investment (units start at $100 and go up), sonar products offer a variety of benefits on the water. Most units can provide anglers with readings on temperature, vegetation and structure in the water, type of bottom below you, fish in the area, depth, current speed of the vessel, GPS navigation and waypoints for future trips. Some even allow you the opportunity to purchase nautical charts.

Need help, besides using sonar, in planning your next fishing trip? Visit Michigan.gov/Fishing.

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