Fishing Report

Buc's Northern Michigan Fishing Report

18 hours ago

Buc’s Fishing Report — 09-08-2025
Prepared by: BaitMan

ON-SITE UPDATE. Recent S–SW winds with gusts and wind-driven mixing have cooled surface water; salmon are staging thick outside pier heads from FRANKFORT down to WHITEHALL and fish are moving toward river mouths — check pier-heads and harbor mouths first light.

Moon & Solunar Bites. Waxing crescent (~43% illum). Major Bite Window (ET): 04:30–06:30 AM. Minor Bite Windows (ET): ~12:00–01:00 PM and ~10:15–11:15 PM.

Weather Brief — Northern Michigan. Rain and mist in spots this morning, breezy S–SW nearshore and light W–SW at Traverse City; expect gusts and building nearshore seas in exposed areas—check local marine text before heading out.

BAROMETER (sample ports & read). MANISTEE (KMBL): ~30.08 inHg; TRAVERSE CITY (KTVC): ~30.00 inHg; LUDINGTON (KLDM): ~29.95–30.10 inHg.
Barometer forecast & fishing read: pressures are steady-to-variable with pockets of falling pressure near the front — falling/unstable pressure plus gusty winds pushes salmon tight to pier mouths and into harbors; a steady rise tomorrow would signal a more even, predictable bite.

Hot Seven Bites
FRANKFORT. Pier mouths firing with salmon staging just outside the harbor.
MANISTEE. Strong jigging and pier reports; P-Line 2 oz (green/blue) and Luna 1 oz jigs working well — shout-out to Tangle Tackle.
LUDINGTON. Vertical jigging and pier-cast spoons producing action.
WHITEHALL. Salmon and steelhead 40–60 ft on glow spoons and herring.
HOUGHTON LAKE. Walleyes on crawler harnesses and drop-shot leeches near structure and the north weed bed producing perch.
LAKE CHARLEVOIX. Smallmouth and walleye on drop-shot crawlers around humps.
BURT LAKE. Walleye steady on crawler harnesses and drifted minnows.

TRANSITION. Trolling is winding down as salmon move into river mouths — focus shifting to river salmon tactics, pier/jig methods, and increased perch/inland coverage.

Salmon Lead — Pier Anglers & SKEIN Techniques
PIER ANGLERS. Pier anglers are casting spoons and chunking skein; for calm days use a slip-bobber with a quarter- to golf-ball-sized skein chunk on a stout hook, in wind run a sliding-pyramid bottom rig or mesh-bag skein, and in current drift a floated skein through the seam — use 2/0–4/0 hooks and check knots often.

Salmon Tactics (short)
• Pier / Casting: spoons or skein chunks in the seam.
• River: beads, spawn-sack/mesh presentations and short leaders in tailraces and lower runs.
• Small-boat jiggers: vertical jigging with P-Line 2 oz (green/blue), Luna 1 oz, or Mission Lures glow jigs tipped with a tiny skein piece.

Salmon Report — Charlevoix to Grand Haven
CHARLEVOIX. Chinook and lake trout 50–90 ft.
WEST GRAND TRAVERSE BAY. Kings and lake trout 40–70 ft on spoons and meat rigs.
EAST GRAND TRAVERSE BAY. Lake trout steady; kings on spoons 40–65 ft.
FRANKFORT. Pier mouths and harbor edges holding salmon thick.
MANISTEE. Chinook, coho and lake trout 80–150 ft; vertical jigging producing very well.
LUDINGTON. Kings and coho 30–100 ft with strong jig/pier reports.
WHITEHALL. Kings and steelhead 40–60 ft.
GRAND HAVEN. Kings 60–100 ft; check pier mouths at sunrise.

Perch Report: Slow but improving with cooler water; most fish small. MINNOWS on perch rigs or SLIP BOBBERS are the go-to and anglers are shifting from leeches to minnows as water cools; DROP-SHOT with a crawler chunk is the follow-up.

WHITE LAKE. Perch on shallow flats and weed edges in 6–12 ft; minnows on perch rigs or slip bobbers.
PENTWATER LAKE. Perch around docks and weedlines 6–15 ft; minnows on slip bobbers.
PM LAKE. Perch in coves and docklines 6–14 ft; minnows on perch rigs.
MANISTEE LAKE. Perch and bluegill taking minnows, worms or waxworms; small perch rigs and slip-bobbers working.
PORTAGE LAKE (ONEKAMA). Perch being caught around docks and coves; minnows working best.
CRYSTAL LAKE. Perch on rocky drop-offs and weed edges 8–18 ft; minnows or small jigs.
BIG GLEN. Perch being caught on the first break around 40 ft; biting on wigglers and minnows on Perch Pounders but many small fish — some sorting occurring.
NORTHPORT. Perch around slow flats and docks 4–10 ft; tiny perch rigs with minnows.
BOWERS HARBOR. Perch around the launch and breakwall 6–12 ft; minnows on short leaders.
SKEGEMOG LAKE. Perch on weed edges and narrows 6–15 ft; slip-bobber minnows.
TORCH LAKE. Perch on structure and ledges 10–25 ft; minnows or short drop-shot.
BURT LAKE. Perch on weed edges and humps 8–18 ft; minnows on slip floats.
BLACK LAKE. Perch on flats and weed cuts 6–12 ft; slip-bobber minnows.
OTSEGO LAKE. Perch near shallow bays 8–15 ft; minnows on perch rigs.
MULLETT LAKE. Perch on weed edges 8–18 ft; slip-bobber minnows.
LAKE CHARLEVOIX. Perch along rockpiles and docklines 6–14 ft; minnows on short leaders.
LAKE LEELANAU (SOUTH END / CEDAR RIVER). A few small perch on the south end by the Cedar River; minnows best.
LONG LAKE (TRAVERSE CITY). Some perch on small rigs and minnows.
GREEN LAKE (TRAVERSE CITY). Perch on minnows, small worms or crawler chunks; perch rigs and small slip bobbers work best.

Inland & M-1 Lakes — Top 20 Report
HOUGHTON LAKE. Walleyes on crawler harnesses and drop-shot leeches at dawn and north weed bed producing perch.
HIGGINS LAKE. Rock bass on minnows and worms; lake trout showing on vertical jigs.
LAKE ST. HELEN. Pike, bass and some walleye — bite picking up.
OTSEGO LAKE. Walleye near drop-offs on crawler harnesses.
LAKE CHARLEVOIX. Walleye and smallmouth on crawlers and drop-shot rigs.
BURT LAKE. Walleye and perch on crawler harnesses and slip floats.
MULLETT LAKE. Walleye and perch on minnows and crawler rigs.
BLACK LAKE. Perch and early walleye bites on live minnows.
PORTAGE LAKE (ONEKAMA). Perch and panfish on minnows around docks and coves.
CRYSTAL LAKE. Bass and panfish on small jigs and minnows around rock edges.
LONG LAKE (TRAVERSE CITY). Smallmouth and panfish on drop-shot rigs and minnows.
GREEN LAKE (TRAVERSE CITY). Panfish and perch on minnows and small worms.
LAKE CADILLAC. Walleye and perch on crawler harnesses near humps.
LAKE MITCHELL. Bass and panfish on small plastics and worms.
LAKE MISSAUKEE. Bluegill and bass on small baits and slip-bobbers.
ELK LAKE. Deep smallmouth and lake trout on drop-shot minnows and vertical jigs.
GRAND LAKE (ALPENA). Smallmouth and walleye along points on crawlers and small spoons.
LAKE MARGRETHE (GRAYLING). Walleye and smallmouth on leeches and crawlers near structure.
LAKE GOGEBIC. Perch and walleye in the morning on minnows and drop-shot presentations.
SPIDER / SKEGEMOG CHANNELS. Panfish and bass on live bait along channels and weed edges.

Top 10 UP Hotspots — Clean & Simple
1. Little Bay de Noc — Walleye & perch; troll crawlers, micro jigs (8–20 ft).
2. Munising / Grand Island — Lake trout on reefs & ledges (60–150 ft).
3. Marquette. Lake trout on steep drop-offs.
4. Keweenaw / Copper Harbor. Trout & salmon on rocky points.
5. Escanaba / Big Bay de Noc. Walleye & smallmouth near river mouths.
6. St. Marys River / Sault Ste. Marie. Salmon & steelhead in current seams.
7. Portage Entry / Grand Marais. Lake trout & salmon around entries/islands.
8. Tahquamenon Bay / River mouths. Walleye & panfish on weedlines.
9. Drummond Island / Les Cheneaux. Smallmouth & walleye on rocky points.
10. Au Train / Ford River area. Trout, walleye & perch on points/narrows.

River Update — Salmon & Steelhead focus
BETSIE RIVER. Notable numbers of salmon moving into the river — upriver action increasing.
BOARDMAN RIVER. Fish staging in deeper pools; expect runs to pick up with recent cool/windy conditions.
BETSY RIVER. Low–moderate flows; eggs and spawn under a float effective.
MANISTEE RIVER. Fish moving toward the Tippy Dam area; spawn sacks and beads working.
TIPPY DAM (WELLSTON). Tailrace and lower pools holding fish; drift spawn and small jigs producing.
PENTWATER RIVER. Low/clear flows; small jigs and spawn presentations near riffles.
WHITE RIVER. Pockets and cut banks holding steelhead; eggs and nymphs productive.
BEAR CREEK. Fish tight to cover; short leaders and egg patterns best.

Live Bait Pro Tip. As water cools switch from leeches to minnows on perch rigs and slip-bobbers; tip vertical jigs with a tiny skein piece for added scent when jigging salmon or lake trout.

Tight lines and Baitman out
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