The holiday weekend should be filled with good fishing. The bite has been good for crappie and bass and bluegills are on the beds. This coming Saturday May 29th is the opening day of bass season on the Great Lakes and all the inland waters except Lake St. Clair, St. Clair River and the Detroit River which do not open until the 3rd Saturday in June. The early catch and release season has been very good so the opener should be strong.

Southeast Lower Peninsula

Lake Erie - Fishing continues to improve as the waters clear up. Walleye were caught off Stony Point by those trolling bottom bouncers or using mini disks with spoons in 18 to 23 feet of water. Purple was the hot color. The Banana Dike and Fermi Plant were also good areas for walleye in 14 to 16 feet of water.

Detroit River - Walleye are hitting on bottom bouncers with crawler harnesses or Hot-n-Tots. White bass slowed in the lower river but was good up near Wyandotte. Try shiners or jigs with twister tails. Shore anglers caught a few yellow perch but catch rates overall were spotty. Catfish are hitting on green crawlers or shrimp and carp have been caught on worms and corn.

Lexington - Success for lake trout, pink salmon, and the occasional steelhead has picked up for those trolling in 50 to 100 feet of water. Good numbers of smallmouth bass were caught in the harbor.

Harbor Beach - Fishing continues to be very good with limits of lake trout taken when using dodgers and spin glows right on the bottom. Downriggers with spoons also caught fish. Best results came from 80 to 105 feet of water. Hot colors continue to be glow in the dark, pink with white dots, silver, green, and black. Chinook, coho and pink salmon are also being caught. For steelhead try color lines with dodgers and spin glows, flies or spoons in bright colors. Walleye are still being caught off the north wall in the early morning or late evening when casting small spoons or body baits. Try perch, silver or green.

Port Austin - Boat anglers are catching trout and salmon in 50 to 100 feet of water. Some boats are heading west toward Caseville for walleye.

Saginaw Bay - Those trolling for walleye have done well. Most of the boating activity has been out near the Spark Plug in 20 to 22 feet of water or the Slot in 13 to 15 feet of water. Off Finn Road, anglers are fishing in 3 to 8 feet of water or deeper when the sun comes out. Most are relying on crawler harnesses off planer boards, but some did well with crank baits in deeper waters.

Tittabawasse River - Was providing good catch and release smallmouth bass fishing up near the Dow Dam. White bass have also started to show up.

Click here for the entire Michigan DNR Fishing Report: http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10364-34956--,00.html

More pictures will be coming!

Dear Friends:
 
As you may know, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS) in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has launched an initiative to educate sports fishermen and recreational boaters on how they can help stop the spread of fish and aquatic plant diseases. 
 
Diversity Marketing and Communications, is assisting the government with the Focus on Fish Health campaign, which uses a mix of media including print advertising, publicity development, special event participation and online activities to communicate its messages in the Great Lakes states.   Your input during the early research for this campaign was invaluable.  With the summer fishing and boating season upon us, your support and involvement would help us to reach our mutually targeted audiences with information vital to the containment of VHS and other diseases of fish.
 
We have developed some materials that we believe might be of use in spreading the word and we invite you to review and use them.  
 
Power Point Presentation
 A colorful and educational Power Point presentation on VHS along with the simple steps we hope people will take to protect and preserve the waterways where they enjoy fishing and boating.  It is an excellent tool to get discussion going at meetings and seminars.  You can download the presentation by clicking below.  Please let me know if you have any trouble downloading or if you need the Power Point in higher resolution.  .  
 
http://files.mrmworldwideprn.com/pickup/USDA_FishHealth_150.zip
  
FOFH Photo Contest
A photo contest that we hope recreational fishing and boating enthusiasts will participate in and enjoy.  Attached is a flier (in color and in black and white for print out and distribution) and a press release announcing the contest.  We want to encourage your constituents to get out their digital cameras and send in their photos to our website www.FocusOnFishHealth.org throughout the summer!  Perhaps this is something that the you and your organization can help us promote.
 
 FOFH Palm Cards
5” by 8” palm cards with compelling graphics and information on the steps fishing and boating enthusiasts should take to help prevent the spread of disease and invasive species. These can be distributed at fishing or boating events throughout the year.   Attached are samples of the cards available.  Please contact us to request the quantities you need and we will send them right away.
 
Please feel free to call or email me if you have any questions. 
 
Thank you!
 
 
Pam Goldstein
Pamela E. Goldstein, Partner
Diversity Marketing and Communications LLC
973.377-0300, Ext. 14
pgoldstein@diversitymc.com
www.diversitymc.com

Southeast Lower Peninsula

Lake Erie - Boat anglers are catching a few walleye when trolling harnesses near the Fermi Power Plant and the Banana Dike. Good largemouth bass fishing near Pte. Mouillee.

Huron River - Has good large and smallmouth bass fishing for those looking to participate in the catch and immediate release fishing. Most are floating minnows under a bobber. No word on walleye however muskie and pike can be found in the backwaters. Crappie anglers will also want to check the backwaters.

Detroit River - Walleye are heading for the lake so the better fishing has been in the lower river around Humbug Island, Grosse Ile, Calf Island and Celeron Island. Most are trolling harnesses with minnows and crawlers or jigging minnows in 13 to 16 feet of water. Good colors were brown, green, purple and black. White bass are in and have been caught in the Trenton Channel near the Edison discharge. Good largemouth bass action around Celeron Island and Gibraltar.

Lake St. Clair - Anglers have done well when vertical jigging or trolling planer boards. Look for panfish in and around the marinas.

St. Clair River - Catch rates for walleye were fair when vertical jigging or trolling.

Lexington - Those out trolling in 20 to 40 feet of water with spoons or body baits have caught a mix of lake trout, chinook, coho, steelhead, pink salmon and the occasional brown trout.

Port Sanilac - Had the same report as Lexington with boats taking fish in 20 to 40 feet of water.

Harbor Beach - Lake trout fishing continues to be good straight out, north and south of the port. Use medium spoons or body baits off downriggers and offshore boards in 30 to 60 feet of water. Best colors have been blue, silver, purple, and yellow. A few salmon were caught. For steelhead, try bright colors off the boards. Brown trout were caught in shallow waters on small spoons or body baits.

Port Austin - Shore and pier anglers are catching and releasing smallmouth bass.

Saginaw Bay - Had good catches of walleye on the calmer days in 16 feet of water off Linwood, 8 to 20 feet of water off the Bay City State Park, around Spoils Island, and on the Callahan Reef. Crawler harnesses are the popular bait. Walleye fishing near Quanicassee was hit-or-miss. Not much activity at Sebewaing however the channel buoys are now in place. Those heading out from Bay Port caught a few walleye out in the Slot. Boat anglers from Caseville are heading south to the Slot or fishing around the buoy off the end of Sand Point.

Tittabawasse River - Walleye fishing here is just about done. A few fish still remain, but most have headed back out to the bay. Anglers are catching and releasing a lot of smallmouth bass, and the white bass runs are starting.
Saginaw River - Some walleye are still being caught in the lower river near the Karn-Weadok Power Plant. Fish were caught on jigs with crawlers. This location is a good alternative to fighting the wind out on the bay.

Quanicassee River - A few channel catfish were caught by shore anglers.

Click here for entire fishing report: http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10364-34956--,00.html