Steelhead Fishing Menominee River

The Kewaunee second steelhead brood stream, with the C. D. Besadny Anadromous Fish building at Footbridge. Anglers enjoy good fishing below the building and upstream to the 3rd County Highway C bridge crossing. There are lots of deep holes and good cover on this stream. The Ahnapee River, which joins the lake at Algoma, attracts a decent run when there’s enough runoff. Some Door County streams support steelhead, again when there’s enough water. Among them are Stony, Whitefish Bay, Hibbards and Heins creeks. Outdoor writer and guide Kevin Naze operates a 24-hour hotline for all these streams at 1-800-626-3090. (gameandfishmag.com)

The mystery tour bus could head north from the great and find the Muskegon River inside an hour. Like most western Michigan rivers among the most stable on earth by ground flow, the Muskegon stays open and fishable all winter and spring. It s a pretty big river, two long casts from bank to bank on the wider pools, and the best fishing takes place from small jet boats. Big steelhead and browns are stopped by Croton Dam, about 50 miles inland from Lake Michigan as the crow flies, and the best fishing occurs from there down to Newaygo. Some number of parks and public landings in this stretch form access points for foot soldiers. (in-fisherman.com)

Little Bay picked up as water temperatures have dropped. Just catches of walleye were stated by those trolling or drifting crawlers in 18 to 30 feet of water between the ‘Narrows’ and the 3rd Reef. A good number of fish were marked around the Black Bottom but catch rates were just just when trolling crawlers or crank baits in 20 feet of water.   Perch were hitting on minnows in 20 to 30 feet of water in the ‘Narrows’ and 10 to 30 feet of water near Kipling. Northern pike have been active around the mouth of the Escanaba Yacht Harbor when trolling crank baits or casting from shore. (mlive.com)

Menominee River: some fish were caught between the mouth and the Hattie Street Dam by those jigging a minnow or trolling rapalas. Shore anglers were out between Stephenson Island and Hattie Street but catch rates for were walleye were slow. They were casting rapalas and stick baits or jigging with a minnow or plastic worm. Some fish were caught on a zip tempt with a minnow. A couple brown trout were caught by those drifting colored yarn or casting spinner baits. The number of suckers in the river is starting to increase. (nhregister.com)

. Anglers are fishing as far south as Portage Point, however open water starts around the Breezy Point so use caution in these regions. Ice conditions were good in the northern bay, however not as good near Portage Point. Saunders Point had a big area of open water that just froze over and was considered dangerous. Walleye catches were stated during the bay, however the southern waters were best. Anglers stated just action at the Escanaba ship docks or just south of the Escanaba River in 18 to 22 feet of water. Some number of big pike also were stated in this area. Just numbers of perch were being caught between the second and 3rd reefs. (outdoornews.com)

Ice conditions in the northern Bay remain good though pressure cracks have produced some problems. Anglers should use caution if taking vehicles on the ice. Saunders Point is open water so avoid the area. The most of anglers have fished from the Escanaba River north because of ice conditions in the southern Bay. Walleye anglers stated catches in Gladstone Bay when using minnows with tip-ups in 25 to 35 feet. The head of the Bay was best using tip-ups with sucker minnows in 8 to 25 feet. Perch anglers stated the best catches north of Butler Island with minnows or wigglers in 8 to 24 feet. (michigan.gov)

Saginaw Bay: Walleye season is open year round. Fish were caught at some number of places like White’s Beach, the Black Hole in 20 feet, Linwood in 17 feet, the 1st pressure crack off the Bay City State Park, five to six miles north of Callahan Road, or the Slot off Thomas Road and Sunset Bay Marina. Fish were also caught off the north end of Spoils Island but anglers have to use caution around the south end because snowmobiles have gone through the ice near the sand bar. Some perch were caught off Killarney Beach but Vanderbilt Park was slow. Bluegills and some nice crappie 9 to 12 inches were caught in the marina at Sebewaing. (bucsfishingreport.com)

The Menominee River is a big tributary of Green Bay and the Great Lakes. It also forms most of the border between NE Wisconsin and the UP. now, it’s in danger of being worked on into an open pit gold and zinc mine by Aquila Resources via their Back Forty Project. visit the link and sign the online petition to help preserve this great wilderness environment. The mine, if produced, could probably produce metallic sulfide that could damage the river. (trouterspace.com)

Betsie River: Inside the bay, ship anglers are trolling or jigging for chinook after new fish moved in. Chinook are moving up into the river with lots of activity noted at the Homestead Dam. Anglers are reminded that a part of the lower river and the eastern end of Betsie Bay aka Betsie Lake will close to fishing on October 10, 2012 and remain closed till more notice to protect the fall salmon run in the river. Low water levels in Lake Michigan have caused low levels in the east end of Betsie Bay, with sand flats becoming exposed. Due to very low water, chinook salmon are having a hard time entering the river to spawn. (macombdaily.com)

Burr, some cold weather here recently & some snowflakes in the air. In many regions of the Upper Peninsula the leaves are all off the trees and cold crisp mornings have a quite some frost on the pumpkins. This time of year is great, I can t get enough of the great opportunities that are available. It isn t easy fishing, however the rewards are phenomenal. Water temps have been cooling daily and many streams are running well above average w all the wet weather we have had this fall. Some nice Steelhead are now available, however some regions are missing in fish numbers while others seem to have around normal amounts. (fishhound.com)