Good fishing in forecast for holiday weekend

IRON MOUNTAIN - Angling pressure may be higher than normal today, thanks to the long holiday weekend, a pleasant forecast and widespread reports of success.

Fishing has been good for trout in western Iron County, for bass in Florence County and for bluegills most everywhere.

"Everyone's saying the bluegills aren't on the beds yet ... they're catching quite a few," said John Grier at Whispering Pines Outpost in Breitung Township.

"They're getting bass and crappies as well," Grier continued. "We're selling a lot of bait."

In western Iron County, trout fishing has been very good, said Don Ciochetto of The Sport Shop in Iron River.

"There's lots of fly fishermen this year," Ciochetto said. "We're starting to get our share of summer people."

Panfishing is "still pretty good," Ciochetto added. "Bluegills, especially, are doing quite well."

In Florence County, Wis., anglers were using artificial worms, live worms and leeches to land a fair number of bass at area lakes.

"The bass are biting really well right now," said Patti Teske of Florence Sport & Bait. "A few walleye have been caught on the Brule (River), along with a few perch and crappies," she added.

Teske reported a couple of muskie catches, as did Tom Bean at Crystal Bait in Crystal Falls.

"Walleye fishing is only so-so," Bean said. Leeches and walleye suckers seem to be the best baits, he said.

Eastern Iron County anglers were also landing bluegills and crappies, mainly on perch and crappie minnows, Bean said.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources reported the following conditions this past week across the Upper Peninsula:

Menominee: A few walleye have been caught between Hattie Street and the mouth in the evening. Good smallmouth action at the lighthouse when using a white or bumble bee colored Mr. Twister or crawlers. Freshwater drum, smallmouth bass, channel cats and rock bass have all been caught near the Hattie Street Bridge.

Cedar River: Walleye fishing has slowed but fish are still being caught in the shallows during the evening hours when trolling or drifting a crawler harness. Smallmouth bass are still hitting on spinners and crank baits and a good number of freshwater drum have been caught. No word on salmon.

Little Bay De Noc: Mayfly hatches did cause fishing to slow however walleye are still being caught off Breezy Point when trolling or drifting crawlers in 8 to 14 feet of water. Fair walleye action was noted from the mouth of the Escanaba River to the Black Bottom. Several nice catches of perch were taken in 15 to 20 feet of water when jigging worms. Smallmouth bass were caught near the mouth of the Ford River when casting crank baits and spinners along the rocks.

Escanaba River: Northern pike fishing has been fair to good from the mouth up to the dam. Try casting crank baits or spinners.

Big Bay De Noc: Walleye anglers marked good numbers of fish in 20 feet of water off Ansell's Point but catch rates were slow. Bass fishing slowed however some nice fish have still been caught outside South River Bay or the weed beds off Ogontz when casting crank baits and spinners in 8 to 14 feet of water. Action off Fairport is a bit slow this year as water temperatures are still on the cool side in the low 40's. Light numbers of salmon have been caught 40 to 50 feet down in 100 to 105 feet of water when using various colored spoons.

Marquette: Good numbers of lake trout have been caught when anglers can get out. Most fish were taken in 140 to 180 feet around Granite Island and east of the white rocks.

Munising: Those able to head out to the big reef have caught lake trout and some reported limit catches. Chinook fishing is pretty much done. A few yellow perch were caught off Murray's Bay.

Grand Marais: Limits of lake trout are still being bought in from 120 to 300 feet of water in the shipping channel and over off Sable Point. Whitefish action seemed to slow with the warm up.

Nawakwa Lake: Jigs tipped with leeches under a bobber or when casting a Mr. Twister with a leech has produced a fair number of walleye. Target the drop offs and the weed. A few big perch and a pike were also caught.

Black River Harbor: Fish have been caught on spoons in 100 to 150 feet of water.

Ontonagon: Boats are heading out early in the morning before the wind picks up. Some nice lake trout were caught 25 to 30 feet down in 40 to 50 feet of water.

Lake Gogebic: With the water warming the walleye are less active during the day so try fishing in the early morning or evening with leeches or crawlers under a slip bobber. Smallmouth bass fishing has been exceptional for those casting along the rocky shoreline or the weeds.

St. Mary's River: Good numbers of Atlantic salmon are showing up at the Edison Power Plant.

Cedarville and Hessel: From Hessel, herring are in the bay, and salmon are present in the outer bay toward Goose Island in 35 to 40 feet of water.

St. Ignace: Boats are still trolling toward Mackinac Island for chinook and lake trout.