Southeast:

All around Algonac a variety of fish are being caught in the channels. Sturgeon action is still good around Pearl Beach, and off of the St. Clair Light some really nice catches of perch and walleye are being reeled in. Some musky action is taking place on Lake St. Clair. Angling action around the firecracker and on Anchor Bay has slowed down.

From Wyandotte to Rockwood the perch action is hot on the Detroit River especially east of Celeron Island, both sides of the Cross Dyke, around Sugar Island and the Metro Park Marina. Perch activity is also great on the Huron River and south of Rat Island. Walleye activity is good on the Raisin River, the lower Trenton Channel of the Detroit River. Hot spots include in front of Humbug Marsh, south of the Detroit Light, all around Celeron Island, and between Toledo Beach and the Dumping Grounds.

Near the Monroe area, perch action is starting to pick up off of Bolles Harbor, Stoney Point, and the E-buoy in 26-28 feet of water.

A little further to the south, Lake Erie anglers will find the perch hitting around Turtle Island and Toledo Beach, as well as off of the Sputnik and McDonald buoys. Walleye activity is decent near Turtle Island and off of West Sister Island in 30-feet of water.

In the Fair Haven area, not much has changed from last week with walleye and perch still active around Grass Island. Crawlers remain the bait of choice for angling activity on Anchor Bay for nice quantities of small and large mouth bass.

In the St. Clair Shores area, walleye, bass, catfish and musky are abundant on Lake St. Clair in 70-80 feet of water. Best activity is taking place north of the St. Clair Light. Night crawlers, Hot-n-Tots, and River Warts are working well.

Information providers: Bluewater Bait-Fair Haven; Bottom Line Bait & Tackle-Flat Rock; Erie Party Shoppe-Monroe; Lakeside-St. Clair Shores and Mackie’s Bait & Tackle-Algonac.

East:

Around Essexville and the Bay City area, the walleye may not be biting, but the perch are hitting on minnows around the west and east side of the Spark Plug.

Around Linwood, the walleye have moved off to the deeper waters on Saginaw Bay. Perch action is good near the shipping channels. Lake Huron is starting to give up nice catches of salmon.

Off of Harbor Beach, Lake Huron is producing decent perch catches on shiners. Walleye are being caught further out in deeper waters, and salmon action is picking up.

Information providers: Frank’s Great Outdoors-Linwood; Michigan Sportsman-Essexville and Frank’s Place-Harbor Beach.

Click here for the entire fishing report:
http://www.autoclubgroup.com/michigan/fishing.asp?zip=48220

Upper Peninsula Forest Planning Process: Press Release
Calkins Bridge Dam on the Kalamazoo River: Press Release
Black Bear Management Plan: Press Release
Salmon Bag Limits: Press Release Frequently Asked Questions
Fishing Line Increase: Press Release Frequently Asked Questions
NLP/SLP Regional State Forest Management Plan: Northern Lower Peninsula Ecoregion
WUP Regional State Forest Management Plan: Western Upper Peninsula Ecoregion

Source: http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153--191030--,00.html

Lake Erie - Walleye fishing was good in recent days with fish caught off Bolles Harbor. Most anglers are slow trolling with bottom bouncers around the E Buoy. Perch fishing was fair with fish caught near Stony Point when using minnows. Some nice largemouth bass were caught on jigs near the mouth of the River Raisin.

Huron River - Smallmouth action has picked up over the last week. Anglers are using leeches and crayfish. Largemouth bass are hitting on crawlers. Carp and freshwater drum are still being caught.

Detroit River - Walleye fishing was fair in the Trenton Channel. Some are back to jigging with a worm or leech while others are still trolling or drifting a bottom bouncer with a crawler harness. Perch were caught in the weedbeds in the lower river.

Lake St. Clair - Continues to provide excellent muskie fishing.

Lexington - Boat anglers were marking perch around the weedbeds but no bite.

Grindstone City - Boats trolling for lake trout are heading out to waters 150 feet deep. Try spoons or plugs.

Port Austin - Walleye anglers are heading back west toward the reefs. Smallmouth bass were also caught. Those trolling for lake trout are doing best northeast of the port in 130 to 150 feet of water.

Saginaw Bay - Walleyes are still hitting east and northeast of the Spark Plug in 19 to 23 feet of water and north of Quanicassee in 13 to 15 feet of water. Very good walleye fishing was reported from 30 feet of water east of Eagle Bay Marina, formally known as Great Lakes Marina. Heading northwest off Sebewaing, a few walleye were caught over the Bar. Perch were hit-and-miss, but some were caught around the Black Hole northeast of Linwood and north of the Quanicassee River.

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

Southeast:

Around the Algonac area small mouth bass continue to hit in Lake St. Clair and Anchor Bay on live bait. Perch action remains slow for anglers fishing Anchor Bay. Sturgeon action is good, while only a few walleye are hitting in the Middle, North and South Channels.

Around the Fair Haven area, walleye and perch are active near Grass Island and the walleye are biting on crawler harnesses. Anglers fishing anywhere on Anchor Bay are coming up with great catches of small and large mouth bass. Crawlers are working very well.

Around the Downriver area, the Detroit River is really starting to pick up for catfish from the lower end all the way up to the St. Clair Shores area. A variety of bait is working on catfish. Walleye activity is decent from the lower Trenton channel, mouth of the Detroit River and off of the Monroe and Flat Rock areas. Bottom bouncers, night crawlers and glow in the dark lures seem to be working best. Perch action on minnows is good on the lower Trenton Channel, around Celeron Island, throughout Gibraltar in most cuts and channels, off of Metro Park, the south side of the cross-dyke and off of Rat Island.

Off of the Monroe area, windy conditions and rough waters curtailed some anglers from getting out this week. Walleye activity has slowed a bit, but anglers can still reel in a few from out in front of the Fermi Power Plant in waters averaging 24-feet. Steady action for perch this week, best locations include near the Sputnik buoy, E-buoy, Luna Pier, Stony Point, and off of Toledo Beach in 16-17 feet of water and lined up with the water towers as well as right on the Michigan/Ohio line.

Information providers: Bluewater Bait-Fair Haven; Bottom Line Bait & Tackle-Flat Rock; Erie Party Shoppe-Monroe; and Mackie’s Bait & Tackle-Algonac.

East:

In the Linwood area, Saginaw Bay is giving up some walleye on a variety of baits and anglers are finding best results in deeper waters. Perch remain constant again this week in the shipping channels in 19-21 feet of water, south of the Black Hole. Salmon action on Lake Huron is picking up particularly for anglers fishing off the wreck, around Presque Isle, and off of Rogers City.

Around Bay City, Callahan Reef is giving up a few walleye and perch action is decent around buoy’s 18 and 19 and near the Black Hole.

Salmon activity around Harbor Beach is picking up especially south of the wall and when fishing down 20-30 feet.

Information providers: Frank’s Bait shop-Linwood; Frank’s Place Bait & Tackle-Harbor Beach, and Michigan Sportsman-Bay City.

Click here for the entire fishing report:
http://www.autoclubgroup.com/michigan/fishing.asp?zip=48220

It's back to schools on Lake St. Clair
BY ERIC SHARP • FREE PRESS OUTDOORS WRITER • AUGUST 7, 2008

It's testimony to the amazingly increased water clarity in Lake St. Clair since the zebra mussels arrived about 20 years ago.

The jerkbaits we're using are running about six or seven feet down in 17 feet of water. The smallmouths are hanging out just above the cabbage weed on the bottom.

Yet the fish are able to see those lures coming and rocket up 10 feet to intercept them with strikes that feel like the lure has hit a wall.

"I think that most of the fish out here have never seen a lure," Dearborn bass guide Gerry Gostenik said as he watched Windsor angler Dave Isley work a four-pound smallmouth to the side of Gostenik's 21-foot Triton bass boat.

Reaching over the side to lip the fish and remove the hooks before releasing it, Gostenik said, "You can still catch smallmouths in the shallow water off the mile roads (at St. Clair Shores), but this time of year the big fish are roaming out here in deep water.

"I call these bass the Cabbage Patch Kids because that's where you find them. They're schooled up, but they're not everywhere. You sometimes have to move around some to find them, but when you do you can usually catch 20 or 30 before the bite stops."

Click here for entire article:
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080807/SPORTS10/808070409/1058

Lake Erie - Has fair walleye fishing with most boats bringing in two or three fish per trip. Trolling bottom bouncers in 25 feet of water near the Fermi Plant and Stony Point was producing most of the fish. Perch were being caught in 18 feet of water off Stony Point and Bolles Harbor near the E Buoy. A few smallmouth were caught.

Huron River - Fishing has been slow. About the only thing biting is catfish, carp and freshwater drum. A few pike were caught on bluegills in the backwaters.

Detroit River - Catfish action continues to be good and a few perch have been caught. Walleye fishing has been fair to good. Anglers are using bottom bouncers with crawler harnesses in the Trenton Channel. Good colors were chartreuse, purple or anything that glows.

Lake St. Clair - Nice muskie have been caught when anglers can find clear waters to fish. The muskie is a sight feeder so the cleaner the water the better.

St. Clair River - Anglers are catching some walleye when trolling crawler harnesses with bottom bouncers.

Saginaw Bay - Walleye fishing has slowed considerably for the time being. Strong winds have stirred up the bay and floating weeds and algae were causing some problems with lines. Experienced anglers are reporting large quantities of forage fish showing up on their fish finders, and this may help account for the bite slowing down. A few perch were caught out near the Spark Plug and on the edge of the Black Hole.

Saginaw River - A few walleye are still being caught in the lower river by those trolling the edge of the shipping channel.

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

Southeast:

Algonac anglers are catching plenty of bass in the channels and the perch fishing is on fire all over the lake. Some walleye are coming up on the lines while fishing for perch as well. Sturgeon activity is good in the evening hours throughout the channels however the fish are small and most anglers are catching and releasing.

Anchor Bay in the Fair Haven area is giving up some really nice quantities of small, large, and rock bass on spinners and golden shiners. Walleye and perch remain sporadic this week with anglers doing best when using minnows or small crawlers.

Off of the St. Clair Shores area, Lake St. Clair is producing good catches of walleye around the south channel and near the Canadian side.

Good action for perch In the Downriver area, hot spots include the south side of the cross-dyke, in front of Metro Park Marina, and on the Detroit River between Humbug Marsh and Celeron Island. Minnows are working well. Walleye action remains good in the lower Trenton Channel. Some decent perch action is taking place between Grosse Ile Yacht Club and Sugar Island.

Near the Monroe area, good walleye activity taking place in front of the Fermi Power Plant in 21-22 feet of water. Perch are hitting around the E-buoy and the dumping grounds on shiners and minnows. A little further south perch are active around Rat Island, the Sputnik buoy, and near the Michigan/Ohio line of the shipping channel; and walleye action is decent as well, but anglers are having to really work for them. Worms are working best on walleye.

Ford and Belleville Lake is giving up nice catches of blue gill, crappie, and catfish, with only a few walleye being caught. Leeches are doing the trick near the Township Park, all of the bridges, and near Huron River Drive near Ford Lake.

Information providers: Bluewater Bait-Fair Haven; Bottom Line Bait & Tackle-Flat Rock; Erie Party Shoppe-Monroe; Lakeside-St. Clair Shores; Mackie’s Bait & Tackle-Algonac, and South Street Tackle-Belleville.

East:

Around the Linwood area, the walleye fishing remains strong and steady on Saginaw Bay. The fish have moved to deeper waters, and all types of baits are working well. Perch are active in the shipping channels in 19-21 feet of water south of the Black Hole. Salmon are decent on Lake Huron near Presque Isle.

In the Bay City area, on Saginaw Bay the walleye action has slowed a bit and fish are moving to deeper waters. Perch are just starting and the hot spot is near the Spark Plug. Saginaw River is giving up good catches of catfish and bass however fish are small in size.

In the Bay Port area, windy conditions are keeping anglers off the water for the most part. Anglers that are getting out are finding scattered catches of walleye and catfish.

In the Harbor Beach area good activity for walleye, steelhead and lake trout in front of the beach area on orange and pink lures. Anglers are finding that the perch are very scattered.

Information providers: Frank’s Bait shop-Linwood; Frank’s Place Bait & Tackle-Harbor Beach; Michigan Sportsman-Bay City, and 1st & Main-Bay Port.

Click here for the entire fishing report:
http://www.autoclubgroup.com/michigan/fishing.asp?zip=48220

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Do you own or sell exotic pets such as lizards, turtles, frogs, snakes, or iguanas?  If so, why don't you try feeding them fresh worms from Mackie's Bait?

Right now, we have night crawlers, green worms, and baby crawlers in stock.  If you own or manage a pet store and would be interested in bulk delivery of these items, please call 586-615-2889 for more information.  Remember, night crawlers are also an excellent and natural food source for birds, fish, koi, turtles and reptiles.

Lake Erie - Fishing has been slow with most anglers bringing in one or two walleye per trip. They are using bottom bouncers with crawlers in 23 to 25 feet of water near the Fermi Power Plant however anglers were catching more fish in Ohio waters. A few largemouth bass were caught near Bolles Harbor and the yellow perch action picked up with 20 fish per trip when fishing near Stony Point in 20 feet of water.

Huron River - Is still producing smallmouth bass, catfish, carp, freshwater drum and panfish. No word on steelhead for the past week.

Detroit River - Walleye were hitting with the warmer weather but may slow by the weekend. Bass fishing continues and some big carp have also been caught.

Lexington - For perch, drift in 18 to 25 feet of water to locate active schools of fish, then anchor. Inside the harbor, pier and shore anglers have caught northern pike, rock bass and bluegill.

Port Sanilac - Perch are still being caught by those drifting perch rigs with minnows or still-fishing with minnows.

Harbor Beach - Some perch were caught around the lighthouse and along the inside of the breakwall. Lake trout, steelhead and salmon have been caught in 80 to 100 feet of water.

Grindstone City - The experienced anglers are catching a lot of walleye and some smallmouth in 30 feet of water.

Port Austin - Anglers are taking walleye in 25 to 40 feet of water. Lake trout can be found in 80 to 100 feet of water north and northeast of the lighthouse. Pier anglers and those in small boats have caught a few perch inside the harbor.

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

They are catching Sturgeon in the channels. Most people are catching them at night, but there are reports of a some being caught during the day.

Southeast:

Fair Haven is a hot spot for very good catches of bass all around Anchor Bay. Perch action is spotty around Grass Island and near the B-Buoy. The North Channel is decent for catfish.

In the St. Clair Shores area, anglers are finding the bass fishing very good in the early morning hours or just before dark. Lake St. Clair is giving up a few musky near the Canadian side. Perch action is good on crawlers again this week around Grosse Pointe Yacht Club, 9 Mile, Metro Beach and buoy’s 29 and 30. Fair to good activity is taking place for walleye on the Detroit River around Peche Island and up to Belle Isle. Anglers are jigging and hand lining.

In the Downriver area the Trenton Channel of the Detroit River is giving up good catches of walleye on jigs with a worm. Anglers are getting best results fishing near the edges of the weeds. Perch action is good on minnows off of Celeron, Rat and Sugar Islands when fishing in waters 8-15 feet deep. Throughout the cuts and channels around Grosse Ile the bass activity is good. Near the Flat Rock area, the Huron River is decent for catfish and bass when shore fishing and the mouth of the Detroit River is fair.

Off of the Monroe area, the walleye activity is rated fair on Lake Erie near buoys 26 and 29 and using crawler harnesses and spoons. Minnows are working well on perch near buoys 12 through 17 and near Toledo Beach.

Belleville Lake is good for blue gill on wax worms and fair for walleye when trolling with crank baits.

Information providers: Bluewater Bait-Fair Haven; Bottom Line Bait & Tackle-Flat Rock; Erie Party Shoppe-Monroe; Lakeside-St. Clair Shores; Mackie’s Bait & Tackle-Algonac, and South Street Tackle-Belleville.

East:

In the Linwood area, walleye fishing is good in the deeper waters on Saginaw River and Bay. Crawlers and Hot-N-Tots are working well. In the channel and around the Black Hole, the perch action is good when using minnows.

Bay City anglers are finding good fishing activity four miles out from Quanicassee and around Thomas Reef using crawlers and Hot-N-Tots. Perch action is good on Saginaw Bay around buoy 18 and 19 when using minnows.

Near the Bay Port area, walleye activity has slowed a bit but persistent anglers using crawlers, minnows and Hot-N-Tots will reel in a few especially near the “gap”.

Around Harbor Beach the angling activity is very good for perch, particularly in 15-feet of water and when fishing the weed beds with minnows. Fair action is taking place for kings and lakers in waters up to 100-feet and decent action for walleye on crawler harnesses and jigs.

Around the St. Clair area, fair activity taking place for perch and walleye on minnows and crawlers while all other species seem to have slowed down.

Information providers: Angler’s Rod & Sport-St. Clair; Frank’s Bait shop-Linwood; Frank’s Place Bait & Tackle-Harbor Beach; Michigan Sportsman-Bay City, and 1st & Main-Bay Port.


Click here for the entire fishing report:
http://www.autoclubgroup.com/michigan/fishing.asp?zip=48220

Summer surprise comes after heavy rains, snow
BY TINA LAM • FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER • AUGUST 4, 2008
After a parched summer last year that left docks stranded and boat propellers scraping sandy shallows, the Great Lakes are blissfully -- and surprisingly -- full again this year.

Heavy snow and rains since last winter have made the lakes rise. Scientists aren't sure whether this will last, but they're hopeful. The temperatures, moisture and ice cover next winter will be critical.

"If we get two more good, normal winters with normal precipitation, then we'd have a turnaround," said Cynthia Sellinger, deputy director of the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory in Ann Arbor, part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Lake Superior, which beat its 1926 record low last fall, rebounded to within 4 inches of its long-term average in July. Lakes Erie and Ontario are 2 and 4 inches, respectively, above their July averages.

Click here for the entire article:
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080804/NEWS05/808040343