COVERING LAKE ERIE, DETROIT RIVER, LAKE ST. CLAIR, ST. CLAIR RIVER, SAGINAW BAY & SOUTHERN LAKE HURON. ALSO, COVERING NORTHERN LAKE MICHIGAN, BENZIE INLAND LAKES, MANISTEE INLAND LAKE AND GRAND TRAVERSE INLAND LAKES
Northwest Michigan Spring Fishing Report: March 1, 2026
The "Big Thaw" is currently transforming the Northwest Lower Peninsula. With the recent warming trends and rain, river levels are rising, and the Great Lakes' nearshore waters are finally shedding their ice. This is a premier window for steelhead in the tributaries and brown trout along the Lake Michigan shoreline.
1. The Rivers: Benzie & Manistee Counties
The Report: We are in the "Waking Up" phase. The Big Manistee is flowing at approximately 2200 CFS and 35°F. While the water is slightly stained from snowmelt, it’s a "good" stain that gives the fish confidence to move into shallower runs. The Betsieand Boardman are warming faster than the big water, pushing fresh spring chrome toward the staging areas below the dams.
• Target: Steelhead (Spring Run) and Resident Brown Trout.
• Hotspots: * Manistee: Below Tippy Dam to Suicide Bend.
• Betsie: Homestead Dam area (be prepared for crowds) and the lower "woodsy" sections.
• Tackle Box:
• Beads: 8mm to 10mm in "Mottled Orange," "Creamsicle," and "Dead Egg."
• Flies: Black Stoneflies (size 8–10) are becoming active. Alevin (Salmon Fry) imitations are a secret weapon right now as the fall spawn starts to hatch.
• Hardware: Small silver or gold Blue Fox spinners (size 3) or Steelie Stix in high-vis colors for triggered strikes in stained water.
2. Lake Michigan Nearshore: Frankfort & Leland
The Report: The "Mud Line" is your best friend. As the rivers dump warm, stained water into the cold, clear Lake Michigan, Brown Trout and Steelhead congregate right at that temperature break.
• Target: Brown Trout and Steelhead.
• Strategy: Trolling shallow (8–20 feet) parallel to the shoreline or the pier heads.
• Tackle Box:
• Body Baits: Rapala Husky Jerks (HJ10) in "Silver/Blue" or Smithwick Perfect 10s in "Clown" or "Table Rock Shad."
• Spoons: Small Stinger Spoons in "Lemon Ice" or "Orange Crush" run behind planer boards.
• Pier Fishing: Fresh spawn bags (peach mesh) or heavy cleos (blue/silver) cast from the Frankfort North Pier.
3. Grand Traverse Bay: East & West
The Report: The Bays are transitioning from ice to open water. While some protected pockets still have shelf ice, the main basins are open. Lake Trout are the most consistent bite, though Yellow Perch are starting to group up in staging areas.
• Target: Lake Trout and Yellow Perch.
• Strategy: Deep-water vertical jigging for Lakers; shallow weed-edge searching for Perch.
• Tackle Box:
• Lake Trout: 1.5 oz to 2 oz Bondy Baits or heavy Swedish Pimples (white/glow) worked in 80–130 feet of water.
• Perch: Tungsten jigs tipped with a wax worm or minnow head in 15–25 feet of water near drop-offs.
4. Inland Lakes: Crystal & Long Lake
The Report: "First Ice-Off" is a magical time. Panfish are moving toward the northern, sun-soaked shorelines where the water is 2–4 degrees warmer than the rest of the lake.
• Target: Crappie, Bluegill, and Northern Pike.
• Tackle Box:
• Panfish: 1/64 oz jig heads under a sensitive slip bobber.
• Pike: Large suspending jerkbaits (Lucky Craft Pointer 100) worked slowly over emerging weed beds.
Michigan Walleye In-Depth Report: The Spring Push (March 2026)
March 2026 has arrived with a classic "mixed bag" start. While Lake Erie still holds some floating pack ice, the major river systems—the Detroit, St. Clair, and Saginaw—are shedding their winter shells and inviting the largest walleye migration on the planet. This is the time for "verticality" in the rivers and "breadth" in the bays.
1. The Detroit River: World-Class Verticality
The Current State: The run is currently in its early "Trophy Phase." Millions of walleye are pushing up from Lake Erie. While the total volume of fish will peak in mid-April, the largest females (10+ lbs) are being caught right now.
• Hotspots: Focus on the Wyandotte and Trenton channels. Look for "current seams" where fast water meets slower eddies near the mid-river islands.
• Technique: Vertical Jigging. You must keep your line perfectly vertical to feel the "tick" of a bottom-hugging walleye. If your line is at an angle, you are out of the strike zone.
• Tackle Selection:
• Jigs: 5/8 oz (shallow/low flow) to 1 oz (deep/fast flow) round-head jigs.
• Colors: "Anti-freeze" (neon yellow/green), Purple/Gold, and Black.
• Plastics: 4" Wyandotte Worms or Finn-S Fish.
• Pro Tip: Use a stinger hook (a small #8 or #10 treble on a 2" leader) attached to the main jig hook. Early season bites are often "short," and the stinger will double your hook-up rate.
2. Saginaw Bay & Saginaw River
The Current State: The ice is rapidly deteriorating. In the lower river (near the YMCA in Saginaw), boats are already finding success. In the Bay, fish are staging in the "Slot" (10–14 feet) and out by the Sparkplug (22–24 feet).
• Technique: A mix of jigging and slow trolling. If the water is muddy from runoff, vibration is more important than color.
• Tackle Selection:
• Trolling: Flicker Shads (#5 or #7) or Bandits run 30–50 feet back behind planer boards. Target speeds of 1.1–1.4 mph.
• Jigging: Jigging Raps (Blue/Chrome) or Moonshine Spoons (the "shiver" action triggers lethargic fish).
• Plastics: Split-tail minnows in "Firetiger" or chartreuse.
3. Lake St. Clair & St. Clair River
The Current State: Lake St. Clair is offering a fantastic "Pre-Spawn Trolling" window along the Michigan shoreline. The St. Clair River is seeing a steady push of fish near Algonac and Marine City.
• Technique: Trolling shallow flats (6–10 feet) on the lake, or "slipping the current" (drifting at the same speed as the water) in the river.
• Tackle Selection:
• Trolling (Lake): Deep Husky Jerks (DHJ12) in "Glass Minnow" or Deep Walleye Bandits. No weights are needed; just run them straight back.
• Jigging (River): Heavy jigs are mandatory here--1 oz to 1.25 oz to stay pinned to the bottom in the 4–6 mph current.
• Rigging: 6'6" to 7'0" Medium-Heavy rod with 10 lb high-vis braided line.
4. Western Basin: Lake Erie (Monroe/Luna Pier)
The Report: The "pre-spawn staging" is occurring on the reef complexes. Fish are schooling heavily before they make their final move into the Raisin and Detroit Rivers.
• Strategy: Find the "Stained Water." Walleye love the edge where murky river water meets clear lake water.
• Tackle Selection:
• Blade Baits: SteelShads or Silver Buddies in silver or gold. Rip them up 2 feet and let them flutter back down.
• Hair Jigs: Old-school purple hair jigs tipped with a minnow are a secret weapon for Erie's early spring "cold-water" walleye.
The "Big Thaw" is currently transforming the Northwest Lower Peninsula. With the recent warming trends and rain, river levels are rising, and the Great Lakes' nearshore waters are finally shedding their ice. This is a premier window for steelhead in the tributaries and brown trout along the Lake Michigan shoreline.
1. The Rivers: Benzie & Manistee Counties
The Report: We are in the "Waking Up" phase. The Big Manistee is flowing at approximately 2200 CFS and 35°F. While the water is slightly stained from snowmelt, it’s a "good" stain that gives the fish confidence to move into shallower runs. The Betsieand Boardman are warming faster than the big water, pushing fresh spring chrome toward the staging areas below the dams.
• Target: Steelhead (Spring Run) and Resident Brown Trout.
• Hotspots: * Manistee: Below Tippy Dam to Suicide Bend.
• Betsie: Homestead Dam area (be prepared for crowds) and the lower "woodsy" sections.
• Tackle Box:
• Beads: 8mm to 10mm in "Mottled Orange," "Creamsicle," and "Dead Egg."
• Flies: Black Stoneflies (size 8–10) are becoming active. Alevin (Salmon Fry) imitations are a secret weapon right now as the fall spawn starts to hatch.
• Hardware: Small silver or gold Blue Fox spinners (size 3) or Steelie Stix in high-vis colors for triggered strikes in stained water.
2. Lake Michigan Nearshore: Frankfort & Leland
The Report: The "Mud Line" is your best friend. As the rivers dump warm, stained water into the cold, clear Lake Michigan, Brown Trout and Steelhead congregate right at that temperature break.
• Target: Brown Trout and Steelhead.
• Strategy: Trolling shallow (8–20 feet) parallel to the shoreline or the pier heads.
• Tackle Box:
• Body Baits: Rapala Husky Jerks (HJ10) in "Silver/Blue" or Smithwick Perfect 10s in "Clown" or "Table Rock Shad."
• Spoons: Small Stinger Spoons in "Lemon Ice" or "Orange Crush" run behind planer boards.
• Pier Fishing: Fresh spawn bags (peach mesh) or heavy cleos (blue/silver) cast from the Frankfort North Pier.
3. Grand Traverse Bay: East & West
The Report: The Bays are transitioning from ice to open water. While some protected pockets still have shelf ice, the main basins are open. Lake Trout are the most consistent bite, though Yellow Perch are starting to group up in staging areas.
• Target: Lake Trout and Yellow Perch.
• Strategy: Deep-water vertical jigging for Lakers; shallow weed-edge searching for Perch.
• Tackle Box:
• Lake Trout: 1.5 oz to 2 oz Bondy Baits or heavy Swedish Pimples (white/glow) worked in 80–130 feet of water.
• Perch: Tungsten jigs tipped with a wax worm or minnow head in 15–25 feet of water near drop-offs.
4. Inland Lakes: Crystal & Long Lake
The Report: "First Ice-Off" is a magical time. Panfish are moving toward the northern, sun-soaked shorelines where the water is 2–4 degrees warmer than the rest of the lake.
• Target: Crappie, Bluegill, and Northern Pike.
• Tackle Box:
• Panfish: 1/64 oz jig heads under a sensitive slip bobber.
• Pike: Large suspending jerkbaits (Lucky Craft Pointer 100) worked slowly over emerging weed beds.
Michigan Walleye In-Depth Report: The Spring Push (March 2026)
March 2026 has arrived with a classic "mixed bag" start. While Lake Erie still holds some floating pack ice, the major river systems—the Detroit, St. Clair, and Saginaw—are shedding their winter shells and inviting the largest walleye migration on the planet. This is the time for "verticality" in the rivers and "breadth" in the bays.
1. The Detroit River: World-Class Verticality
The Current State: The run is currently in its early "Trophy Phase." Millions of walleye are pushing up from Lake Erie. While the total volume of fish will peak in mid-April, the largest females (10+ lbs) are being caught right now.
• Hotspots: Focus on the Wyandotte and Trenton channels. Look for "current seams" where fast water meets slower eddies near the mid-river islands.
• Technique: Vertical Jigging. You must keep your line perfectly vertical to feel the "tick" of a bottom-hugging walleye. If your line is at an angle, you are out of the strike zone.
• Tackle Selection:
• Jigs: 5/8 oz (shallow/low flow) to 1 oz (deep/fast flow) round-head jigs.
• Colors: "Anti-freeze" (neon yellow/green), Purple/Gold, and Black.
• Plastics: 4" Wyandotte Worms or Finn-S Fish.
• Pro Tip: Use a stinger hook (a small #8 or #10 treble on a 2" leader) attached to the main jig hook. Early season bites are often "short," and the stinger will double your hook-up rate.
2. Saginaw Bay & Saginaw River
The Current State: The ice is rapidly deteriorating. In the lower river (near the YMCA in Saginaw), boats are already finding success. In the Bay, fish are staging in the "Slot" (10–14 feet) and out by the Sparkplug (22–24 feet).
• Technique: A mix of jigging and slow trolling. If the water is muddy from runoff, vibration is more important than color.
• Tackle Selection:
• Trolling: Flicker Shads (#5 or #7) or Bandits run 30–50 feet back behind planer boards. Target speeds of 1.1–1.4 mph.
• Jigging: Jigging Raps (Blue/Chrome) or Moonshine Spoons (the "shiver" action triggers lethargic fish).
• Plastics: Split-tail minnows in "Firetiger" or chartreuse.
3. Lake St. Clair & St. Clair River
The Current State: Lake St. Clair is offering a fantastic "Pre-Spawn Trolling" window along the Michigan shoreline. The St. Clair River is seeing a steady push of fish near Algonac and Marine City.
• Technique: Trolling shallow flats (6–10 feet) on the lake, or "slipping the current" (drifting at the same speed as the water) in the river.
• Tackle Selection:
• Trolling (Lake): Deep Husky Jerks (DHJ12) in "Glass Minnow" or Deep Walleye Bandits. No weights are needed; just run them straight back.
• Jigging (River): Heavy jigs are mandatory here--1 oz to 1.25 oz to stay pinned to the bottom in the 4–6 mph current.
• Rigging: 6'6" to 7'0" Medium-Heavy rod with 10 lb high-vis braided line.
4. Western Basin: Lake Erie (Monroe/Luna Pier)
The Report: The "pre-spawn staging" is occurring on the reef complexes. Fish are schooling heavily before they make their final move into the Raisin and Detroit Rivers.
• Strategy: Find the "Stained Water." Walleye love the edge where murky river water meets clear lake water.
• Tackle Selection:
• Blade Baits: SteelShads or Silver Buddies in silver or gold. Rip them up 2 feet and let them flutter back down.
• Hair Jigs: Old-school purple hair jigs tipped with a minnow are a secret weapon for Erie's early spring "cold-water" walleye.
Tight lines,
Captain Dan Stewart
Chromeseeekers Sportfishing Charters
(248) 229-7226
Captain Dan Stewart
Chromeseeekers Sportfishing Charters
(248) 229-7226
