These were some of the nicest fish I’ve seen this summer–real tournament fish! Crawler harnesses behind two-ounce inline sinkers run 100 feet back behind planer boards were getting the job done.
The shallow waters south of AuGres really produced some excellent walleye fishing all weekend. Ten to 13-feet was magic, but some anglers fished even shallower. It wasn’t hard finding fish as the large numbers of boats in a given area was a dead give away! We ran Rattle Tots on one side of the TERMAR and Wally Pops on the other, both producing equally well. Purple and chartreuse Wally Pops’ ….

Manistee area resident Tom Healy caught the 41-pound, 7.25 ounce monster on a crankbait while fishing the Manistee River. It is the new record hold for Michigan. Upon the second weighing with the scales leveled, the weight was determined to be 1 pound, .75 ounces heavier than originally determined. The fish was 43.75 inches long.

The fish is 1 pound, 3.25 ounces heavier than the reigning world record German brown trout, a 40-pound, 4-ounce fish caught in Arkansas in 1992 by Howard “Rip” Collins who used an ultralight rod and 4-pound test line to catch that fish. Healy will have to apply for certification to be declared the world record holder.
The state record German brown trout until today weighed 36.81 pounds and was caught in Lake Michigan in Benzie County in 2007. The next three places in the state record books were held by Lake Michigan browns caught in Manistee.

Capt. Ken Deaton of J-Lyn Charters reports from Harbor Beach:

Steelhead action has been good, find those color lines and you should do good, continue to troll those bright color pinks, yellows, and orange lures for best results back 150 feet off the Offshore Boards, downriggers, or dipseys. Remember if they are on a slow bite, try speeding up more than usually, it usually works! Top 50 to 60 feet of water has been best.

The fishing on the point is heating up as the temps get back to normal. We are taking fish in the skinny water (less than 100 ft). The bait of choice is J-Plug type baits, Gloe’s and Supergloe’s early and then the old standbyes after the sun gets up. The fish are at the pierheads also and in Pere Marquette Lake.

Capt.Eric Andersen from Andersen Charters located at Arcadia and Frankfort – Fishing this last week was pretty good for Coho and King Salmon with fish being caught in 30 to 50 ft of water.

Mini planerboards with 3 and 4 color lead core lines are working great in the shallow waters along the Arcadia and Frankfort shorelines.
Most charter Capt.s are using Grizzly,Silver Hordes and J Plugs off both planerboards and downriggers .Pearl and Silver colors is our best colors for us on most days.

Fishing is good around the pier heads, it is better early and then again late in the evening. On the shelf the water is cold. The fish are scattered.

They did get fish in  115ft-120 ft of water, fishing 50 ft. down. Plus and big white paddle flashers are the best.

The Grey Ghost J [...]