Fishing Report

Buc's Northern Michigan Fishing Report

22 hours ago

🎣 Buc’s Fishing Report — Saturday, November 1, 2025

Presented by Buc’s Aqua Farms Inc.

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🌅 BAIT MAN’S MORNING BRIEF

Bait Man here — it’s a chilly morning across Northern Michigan. Yesterday stayed cold with a light wind, and only a few anglers were out. Those who went did well on perch and walleye.

At Houghton Lake, panfish are sliding into the canals, and the north-end weeds are producing nice perch. Around Gladwin County, anglers at Sugar Springs, Pratt, Wiggins, and Secord are finding steady bites. The cooler weather is pulling fresh steelhead into the rivers, and pier anglers are starting to connect with steelhead and a waiting for whitefishand walleye to show up steelhead fisherman using skein, casting hot and tots, spoonns and spawn.

East Grand Traverse Bay continues to give up cisco and smallmouth, while the Chain of Lakes, Torch, Elk, and Skegemog — are producing perch. With the full moon next week, expect the big daytime perch to turn on.

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🌦️ INLAND WEATHER — NORTHERN MICHIGAN (TRAVERSE CITY AREA)

Today — Partly cloudy and cool, high 49°F, NW 10–15 mph.
Tonight — Mostly clear, low 38°F.
Sunday — Sunny early then clouds late, high 52°F, light SW wind.

Barometer 29.66 and rising through the day.
Water temps: Inland lakes 44–47°F | Lake Michigan nearshore 52°F.

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🌕 MOON PHASE & BITE TIMES (EST)

Moon Phase: Waning Crescent – 26 percent illumination.
• Major: 10:55 AM – 12:55 PM
• Minor AM: 5:40 – 6:40 AM
• Minor PM: 5:48 – 6:48 PM

Best overall windows → late morning and again just before sunset.

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🌊 RIVER FLOWS & CONDITIONS

Levels are normal to slightly high with light stain and leaf drift. Brighter beads, short leaders, and heavier split shot help keep drifts clean.
• Manistee River (Tippy): A few late kings; steelhead steady at dawn and dusk on beads and spawn.
• Pere Marquette (Baldwin): Early steelhead in tailouts; pink and peach beads best.
• Betsie River: Kings thinning; steelhead holding in deeper bends.
• Boardman (Traverse City): Good color; chrome fish showing below Sabin Dam.
• White River (Hesperia): Fresh chrome below the dam on spawn bags.
• Bear Creek: Steelhead in mid-sections where water cleared.
• Elk River: Bright fish stacked below the dam.
• Platte River: Coho done; a few steelhead entering the lower river.
• Manistique River: Strong mix of coho and early steelhead this week.

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🐟 PERCH REPORT
• Houghton Lake: Perch moving into canals and north-end weeds on minnows.
• Lake Leelanau: Late-season bite off Pines Campground sandbar, down by the Cedar River
• Big Glen: Fish holding on 35–40 ft breaks using Perch Pounders.
• Little Glen: Deeper weed edges best midday.
• Torch Lake: Roaming schools biting minnows and wigglers.
• Elk Lake: Good action along weedlines in 20 ft.
• Skegemog: Drop off Torch River steady on minnows.
• Lake Charlevoix: Perch near Ironton and Oyster Bay.
• Portage Lake: Lots of smaller fish but steady bites.
• Crystal Lake: Fair off south end drops in 25–30 ft.
• Manistee Lake (Manistee): Picking up now that salmon are gone.
• PM Lake (Ludington): Evening bite building daily.
• Pentwater Lake: Decent when winds allow boats to anchor off edges.
• White Lake: Good on the west side and near the channel.
• Burt Lake: 8–12 inch fish at Maple Bay; minnows best.
• Mullett Lake: Perch steady around Aloha State Park.
• Grand Lake (Alpena): Weed edges and points holding nice fish.
• Green Lake (Interlochen): Perch in 10–14 ft weedlines biting on wigglers.
• Drummond Island: Steady perch and walleye bite in Scotts and Potagannissing Bays using minnows, worms, and wigglers.

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⚡ WALLEYE REPORT
• Burt Lake: Evening jig bite near drop-offs in 18–25 ft.
• Mullett Lake: Walleye steady near Aloha on jig and minnow.
• Lake Margrethe: Breakline bite slow but steady.
• Otsego Lake: State Park anglers taking a mix of perch and walleye on minnows.
• Long Lake (Traverse City): Evening fish in deeper edges.
• Manistee Lake (Kalkaska): Jig bite building each night.
• Lake Mitchell & Cadillac: Weedline edges best just after sunset.
• Saginaw Bay: Walleye building from Pinconning to Linwood; best at dawn and dusk with live minnows.

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🪣 SMALLMOUTH BASS
• Torch Lake: Large suckers and chubs producing trophy fish over 6 lbs.
• East Grand Traverse Bay: 3–5 lb bass steady on tubes and drop-shots.
• Elk Lake: Rock edges and deep transitions on jerkbaits.
• Walloon Lake: Ledges and rock bars on slow plastics.
• Duck & Green Lakes: Jerkbaits and swimbaits on windy points.

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🧭 UPPER PENINSULA RIVERS
• St. Mary’s River: Steelhead and walleye mix near the locks.
• Manistique River: Coho strong with first steelhead appearing.
• Two Hearted River: Chrome in deep holes.
• Tahquamenon River: Coho below falls; a few steelhead.
• Carp River (St. Ignace): Coho fading; some late fish remain.
• Chocolay River: Bright fish near the mouth.
• Escanaba River: Coho and steelhead below dam.
• Ford River: Coho with occasional chrome.
• Au Train River: Steelhead in the lower pools.
• Black River (Gogebic): First chrome caught this week.

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🧭 UPPER PENINSULA LAKES
• Little Bay de Noc: Walleye on reefs at dusk.
• Big Bay de Noc: Smallmouth hot; perch fair.
• Indian Lake: Perch steady in 12–15 ft on minnows.
• North Manistique: Walleye and panfish mixed bag.
• South Manistique: Perch along weed edges on wigglers.
• Au Train Lake: Perch consistent on minnows.
• Milakokia Lake: Pike and perch mixed action.
• Muskallonge Lake: Pike active; perch scattered.
• Deer Lake: Walleye steady on breaks.
• Baraga Lake: Perch improving with cooler water.
• Gogebic Lake: Big perch on mud flats near weed ends.
• Michigamme Reservoir: Walleye on points and bars.
• Peavy Pond: Mixed pike and walleye.
• Bewabic Lake: Panfish strong on small plastics.
• Camp 7 Lake: Clear-water panfish bite steady.
• Thunder Lake: Pike and perch consistent.
• Drummond Island Bays: Steady perch and walleye bite using minnows, worms, and wigglers.

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🌅 SAGINAW BAY & RIVER

Saginaw Bay: Perch spotty but improving from Linwood to Sebewaing in 15–18 ft; minnows working best.
Saginaw River: Walleye building below bridges and at mouth channels; vertical jigs with minnows taking fish each evening.

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🎯 HARRISON • CLARE • GLADWIN • MIDLAND COUNTY LAKES

Bud Lake (Harrison): Bluegill steady near shoreline weed edges.
Arnold Lake: Crappie fair in brush piles.
Cranberry Lake: Bluegill excellent on wax worms.
Sutherland Lake: Pike and panfish mixed.
Lake Thirteen: Strong bluegill bite continues.
Lancer Lake (Gladwin): Crappie light; bluegill fair.
Sugar Springs: Low water but shore anglers catching bluegill.
Pratt Lake: Bass and pike along windy edges.
Ross Lake: Walleye and crappie below the dam.
Secord Lake: Bluegill good; perch slow.
Pleasant Lake (Midland): Bluegill and perch fair.
Beaverton Lake: Crappie consistent around structure.

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🧠 LIVE BAIT PRO TIP

Perch bite best on minnows and wigglers — pack raw shrimp as a secret weapon when the bite slows. For walleye and smallmouth, live minnows like chubs and suckers outperform artificials as water temps drop. Move slow and let the bait work naturally.

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Fish smart, fish hard, and tight lines — Bait Man out. … See MoreSee Less

Buc's Northern Michigan Fishing Report

2 days ago

🎣 Buc’s Fishing Report — Friday, October 31, 2025

🎃 The Halloween Fishing Report
Presented by Buc’s Aqua Farms Inc.

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🌅 BAIT MAN’S MORNING BRIEF

Bait Man here with your Halloween Fishing Report. It’s the final weekend of October, and even with cooler weather, anglers are still getting out. Perch and walleye are the top targets right now.

Burt and Mullett Lakes had a solid bite last week, and other perch lakes are holding their own. Torch Lake, Elk Lake, and Lake Skegemog continue to produce fish. Big Glen has been fair, and Lake Leelanau usually heats up later in November with a strong perch bite off the Pines Campground sandbar.

Portage Lake is full of smaller perch. Manistee Lake is picking up now that salmon have moved out. P.M. Lake (Ludington) gets better every day, and White Lake has been productive on the west side. A few perch are coming off the pier there too, but no whitefish reports yet.

The salmon run is nearly finished. A few stragglers are still around, but the steelhead are starting to show up behind them. With this weekend’s cooler weather and stable barometer, rivers should really start to come alive.

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🌦️ WEEKEND WEATHER OUTLOOK – NORTHERN MICHIGAN

Friday (Oct 31): Cloudy early with a few light showers, highs near 51, lows around 41. Northwest winds 10 to 20 mph. Breezy early, improving later in the day.
Saturday (Nov 1): Partly sunny and crisp, highs near 48, lows around 37. Light northwest wind 6 to 12 mph. Ideal fall fishing weather.
Sunday (Nov 2): Mostly sunny early, clouds late, highs near 52, lows near 38. Southwest breeze 5 to 10 mph. Calm and clear morning — best fishing day of the weekend.

Barometer: 29.62 and slowly rising.
Water Temps: Inland mid 40s °F; Lake Michigan nearshore 51–53 °F.

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🌕 MOON PHASE AND BITE TIMES (Eastern Standard Time)

Moon Phase: Waning Crescent – 29% illumination

Friday Major: 10:52 AM to 12:52 PM
Friday Minor: 5:31 to 6:31 AM and 5:48 to 6:48 PM

Saturday Major: 11:35 AM to 1:35 PM
Saturday Minor: 6:20 to 7:20 AM and 6:30 to 7:30 PM

Sunday Major: 12:20 PM to 2:20 PM
Sunday Minor: 7:00 to 8:00 AM and 7:15 to 8:15 PM

Fish activity strongest mid to late morning and again near sunset each day.

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🌊 RIVER FLOWS AND CONDITIONS

Rivers are up from last week’s rains and carry some stain. Steelhead are starting to show behind the remaining kings.

Manistee River (Tippy): 1,580 cfs, stage 8.7 ft. Late kings fading, chrome steelhead hitting beads and spawn.
Pere Marquette River (Baldwin): 505 cfs. Early steelhead in tailouts; pink or peach beads working well.
Betsie River: Deeper bends below Homestead producing; mix of dark kings and first chrome.
Boardman River: Good color, scattered steelhead near deeper holes.
White River (Hesperia): Fresh chrome below the dam; brighter beads or spawn.
Bear Creek (Manistee): Steelhead moving into mid sections.
Platte River: Coho mostly gone; a few steelhead nosing in near the mouth.
Manistique River: 780 cfs and rising; coho strong, early steelhead mix.

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🐟 PERCH REPORT

Torch Lake – Steady bite, larger fish mixed; minnows, wigglers, or shrimp.
Lake Charlevoix – Bigger perch at Ironton and Oyster Bay.
Lake Leelanau – South end showing life; look for peak bite near Pines Campground later in November.
Big Glen – First break lines in 35–40 ft with Perch Pounders.
Portage Lake – Action steady but smaller fish.
White Lake – Good on west side; minnows or wigglers.
Manistee Lake – Picking up now that salmon are gone.
Burt and Mullett Lakes – Quality perch in Maple Bay and Aloha.
Crystal Lake – Mixed sizes, 25–30 ft off south end.
Drummond Island – Scotts and Potagannissing Bays steady for perch and walleye using minnows, worms, and wigglers.

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⚡ WALLEYE REPORT

Burt Lake – Jig and minnow near points in 15–25 ft.
Mullett Lake – Evening jig bite near Aloha and channel.
Lake Margrethe – Slow trolling minnows along breaks.
Manistee Lake (Kalkaska) – Dusk bite steady.
Lake Mitchell and Cadillac – Weedline bite at sunset.
Otsego Lake – Perch and walleye both hitting minnows from State Park access.
Long Lake (Traverse City) – Walleye showing on deeper edges.
Saginaw Bay – Perch fair, early walleye bite building near Pinconning.

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🪣 SMALLMOUTH BASS REPORT

Torch Lake – Suckers and large minnows producing trophy fish.
East Grand Traverse Bay – Consistent 3–5 lb fish on tubes and drop shots.
Elk Lake – Deep rock edges on jerkbaits.
Walloon Lake – Rock bars; slow plastics or craw tubes.
Duck and Green Lakes – Smaller fish, steady near weedlines.

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🧭 UPPER PENINSULA RIVERS

St. Mary’s, Manistique, and Two Hearted – Coho still strong, steelhead starting to arrive.
Escanaba and Ford Rivers – Coho with a few steelhead below dams.
Au Train and Chocolay – Chrome beginning to show.

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🧭 UPPER PENINSULA LAKES

Indian, North and South Manistique, Deer, Milakokia, and Muskallonge – Fair for perch and walleye.
Big Bay and Little Bay de Noc – Walleye improving on reefs.
Gogebic Lake – Big perch showing on mud flats.
Drummond Island Bays – Steady perch and walleye on minnows, wigglers, and shrimp.

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🎯 MID-MICHIGAN LAKES

Bud, Arnold, Cranberry, Sutherland, Lake Thirteen, Lancer, Sugar Springs, Ross, and Beaverton – Strong bluegill and panfish bite. Perch slower but still taking minnows and waxworms.

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🧠 LIVE BAIT PRO TIP

Late fall is all about patience and natural bait. Bring minnows and wigglers first, but keep raw shrimp ready — it can outfish live bait when perch and walleye get picky. For walleye at dusk, slow down your jigging and let the fish load the rod before you sweep.

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Fish smart, fish hard, and tight lines — Bait Man out. … See MoreSee Less

Buc's Northern Michigan Fishing Report

3 days ago

BUC’S FISHING REPORT — THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2025
Presented by Buc’s Aqua Farms Inc.

BAIT MAN’S MORNING BRIEF
Yesterday was windy across Northern Michigan with steady northwest gusts keeping most boats near shore. A few anglers braved it and found perch and walleye on protected waters. Portage Lake produced fish but many were small. Manistee Lake is now clear of salmon and producing a fair perch bite along the channel edges. PM Lake in Ludington is slowly improving and Pentwater Lake has been fair. White Lake anglers found perch on the west side weedlines with minnows. Hesperia, Baldwin, and Tippy all report the salmon run winding down and the first steelhead showing up behind them. River levels are healthy and color is ideal for beads and spawn sacks. Burt Lake gave up perch in the eight to twelve inch class to anglers who kept moving.

Photo above is from torch Lake yesterday
Torch Lake was slow but steady for those who covered water. The full moon coming next week should improve the bite. Steelhead are also beginning to show below Elk Rapids Dam. East Grand Traverse Bay continues to produce cisco and smallmouth bass near elk Rapids . Water temps are now in the upper forties and fish are feeding ahead of the next front.

INLAND WEATHER — TRAVERSE CITY AREA
Today: Mostly cloudy with scattered showers. High 49, northwest winds 15 to 25 mph.
Tonight: Chilly, clouds breaking late. Low 36.
Friday: Partly sunny with lighter northwest winds 8 to 12 mph. High 52.
Weekend outlook: Cooler, highs in the 40s to near 50. Stable pressure returning for better weekend fishing.
Barometer: 29.82 and rising.

MOON AND BITE NOTES
First quarter phase. Expect best bite windows around midday, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.

RIVER FLOWS AND CONDITIONS
Manistee River near Tippy Dam – Flow about 1520 cfs. Late kings thinning, first steelhead appearing, good color, fish beads or small spawn sacks.
Pere Marquette River near Baldwin – Flow around 490 cfs. Early steelhead showing, best fishing deep pools with beads and small bags.
Betsie River – Flow near 155 cfs. Water up with leaf drift, stray kings and early steelhead.
White River below Hesperia Dam – Flow near 275 cfs. Bright fish under the dam, skein and spawn best.
Boardman River near Traverse City – Flow around 95 cfs. Pools fair, leaves moderate.
Elk River – A few chrome fish below the dam, salmon finished.
Platte River – Flow near 110 cfs. Coho mostly gone, early steelhead at the mouth.
Bear Creek near Manistee – Decent steelhead where water clears.
Manistique River – Flow near 810 cfs. Good color with coho and early steelhead moving.

PERCH REPORT
Portage Lake – Lots of small fish, weed edges best on minnows.
Manistee Lake – Fair perch near the channel.
PM Lake, Ludington – Picking up with better size at dusk.
Pentwater Lake – Moderate bite along 12 to 15 foot weedlines.
White Lake – Fair on west side weeds using minnows.
Crystal Lake – Slow but steady on south flats.
Big Glen and Little Glen – Perch deeper after recent wind.
Lake Leelanau – Mid depth bite in 14 to 20 feet.
Torch Lake – Bigger fish scattered, expect better bite near full moon.
Lake Charlevoix – Consistent 18 to 25 feet, minnows and wigglers best.
Burt and Mullett Lakes – Decent perch off Maple Bay and Aloha.
Grand Lake near Alpena – Edges and points good for keepers.
Lake Skegemog – Steady perch off Torch River drop.
Drummond Island – Steady fall bite for perch and walleye as season winds down.
Top baits are minnows, worms, and wigglers. Bring shrimp as a backup when fish slow down.

WALLEYE REPORT
Burt Lake – Drifting minnows on drop-offs at dusk.
Mullett Lake – Evening bite near Aloha Bay.
Long Lake near Traverse City – Crawler harnesses and jigs along breaks.
Lake Margrethe – Slow-trolled minnows in twenty feet.
Manistee Lake in Kalkaska – Jig bite steady near sunset.
Hamlin Lake – Jigging spoons in twenty feet.
Houghton Lake – Shallow evening bite on windy shores.
Drummond Island – Steady walleye in Scotts Bay using live bait.

SMALLMOUTH BASS REPORT
East Grand Traverse Bay – Tubes and dropshots around Deepwater Point.
Torch Lake – Live suckers and minnows producing up to six pound fish.
Elk Lake – Jerkbaits and plastics along edges.
Walloon Lake – Craw tubes on rock and ledges.
Green and Duck Lakes near Interlochen – Swimbaits and jerkbaits steady.

UPPER PENINSULA LAKES
Little Bay de Noc – Walleye on reefs at dusk.
Big Bay de Noc – Smallmouth strong, perch fair.
Indian Lake – Perch solid in twelve feet.
North and South Manistique – Mixed panfish.
Muskallonge Lake – Pike and perch active.
Baraga Lake – Walleye snapping after rain.
Portage Lake, Keweenaw – Trout and salmon mix.
Gogebic Lake – Big perch on mud flats.
Thunder Lake – Pike and panfish steady.
Drummond Island Bays – Perch and walleye steady on minnows, worms, and wigglers.

SAGINAW BAY AND RIVER
Saginaw Bay – Fishing slow. Reports from Linwood show light catches despite good weather. Walleyes scattered, perch fair in fifteen to eighteen feet near Sebewaing.
Saginaw River – Walleye starting to move in near bridges and channel edges.

HARRISON, CLARE, GLADWIN, MIDLAND COUNTIES
Bud Lake – Bluegill good, bass slow.
Arnold Lake – Crappie fair in deep brush.
Cranberry Lake – Bluegill active near shore.
Sutherland Lake – Pike steady.
Lake Thirteen – Excellent bluegill action.
Lancer Lake – Bluegill fair.
Sugar Springs – Shore anglers catching bluegill.
Pratt Lake – Bass and pike along windy edges.
Ross Lake – Walleye and crappie below the dam.
Secord Lake – Bluegill steady.
Pleasant Lake – Perch fair.
Beaverton Lake – Crappie strong around structure.

LIVE BAIT PRO TIP
Cold fronts make fish finicky. Slow down and use fresh bait. Minnows, worms, and wigglers are key right now for perch, walleye, and steelhead. Bright beads help in stained water, and raw shrimp can save the day when fish turn off.

Fish smart, fish hard, tight lines — Bait Man out. … See MoreSee Less