IRON MOUNTAIN - Big fish are still biting, although not many anglers are trying to catch them.

"Fall fishing is going pretty good," said Don Ciochetto at The Sport Shop in Iron River, noting that muskie anglers in particular were enjoying success.

At Country Bait and Tackle in Iron Mountain, anglers were buying minnows to coax walleye from the Menominee River. Several anglers were landing good-sized fish, according to reports this week.

John Grier of Whispering Pines Outpost in Breitung Township noted a northern pike catch in excess of 30 inches.

At Crystal Bait in Crystal Falls, Tom Bean reported a declining interest in fishing, as did Patti Teske at Florence Sport & Bait in Florence, Wis.

Teske said a few anglers were finding rock bass and smallmouths.

With the leaf drop progressing rapidly, grouse hunters were finding more birds.

"Guys with dogs especially are doing very well," said Ciochetto.

"In spots, there's birds," echoed Grier.

The white-tailed deer rut is just starting, according to Teske. "They're starting to chase the does around now," she said.

While many hunters were still being picky, Teske noted that she registered two bucks on Friday morning.

With the Michigan bear season now ended, Grier reported 56 registrations for the year, down from 71 in 2008.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources reported the following fishing conditions across the Upper Peninsula:

Keweenaw Bay: Pier anglers in L'Anse have caught light numbers of coho and steelhead when casting Cleos or spinners. Gold, orange and green were good colors. Some lake trout were caught near the mouth of the Falls River, the pier in Traverse Bay and also by those trolling in 15 to 30 feet of water on Buffalo Reef.

Fall's River: Anglers have caught a few coho and steelhead.

Marquette: Anglers have caught lake trout, splake and whitefish off the lower breakwall when using spoons or spinners. Those targeting whitefish caught a few small splake. Boats trolling off the breakwall in 40 to 50 feet of water caught a few lake trout in the 3 to 5 pound range.

Dead River: Anglers were catching a few coho and chinook.

Chocolay River: Anglers were catching a few coho and chinook.

Menominee: A couple walleye were caught south of the Cedar River in 20 feet of water. Try rapalas and different colored stick baits.

Menominee River: Most anglers are wading or shore fishing near Stephenson and Boom Island, the Cat Walk or the platform near the Hattie Street Dam. Fishing did pick up for those targeting trout and salmon near the rocks on the Michigan side near the dam and under the bridge on the Wisconsin side. Chinook, steelhead and brown trout were caught on spawn, yarn and spoons. Walleye action was fair off the Cat Walk when jigging zip lures or casting rapalas at night or in the early morning.

Little Bay De Noc: Good numbers of fish were marked in the northern Bay however catch rates were slow. The better action remained off the Center Reef when trolling rapalas in 8 to 23 feet of water. Night anglers were fishing the same area including the Second Reef. Fair to good pike action off the coal piles in Kipling when trolling bucktails and large crank baits in 10 to 20 feet of water. Smallmouth bass were caught off Hunters Point on tube baits or minnows in 15 to 20 feet of water. Day's River: Some steelhead have been caught by those using spawn and yarn.

Big Bay De Noc: Fall bass anglers are doing well when drifting or casting sucker minnows along the break. Several limit catches were taken in 10 to 25 feet of water. Salmon season off Fairport is pretty much done.

Munising: Salmon were caught near the mouth of the Anna River when boats could get out. Pier anglers also caught fish when casting Cleos or floating spawn.

Grand Marais: A few salmon and some steelhead have been caught near the mouth of the Sucker River. Shore anglers caught steelhead when floating spawn near the mouth of the Sucker River or the creeks in and around the harbor.

De Tour: Did not have much activity. Anglers targeting smallmouth bass and pike should try the coal docks north of the city launch. Perch anglers might want to try fishing around James and Ashman Island.