Southwest Lower Peninsula
St. Joseph River: Steelhead fishing was pretty good up near the Berrien Springs Dam. Anglers were leaving the piers to go fish near the dam. Spawn worked best.
Kalamazoo River: Had a good number of anglers targeting steelhead below the Allegan Dam.
Rabbit River: Had steelhead anglers in Hamilton.
Grand River at Grand Rapids: Steelhead fishing continues up near the 6th Street Dam. The cold front will slow the bite but will also prolong the run and keep fish in the river a little longer. Anglers are using a little bit of everything including spawn, flies, crawlers, spinners or a jig and wax worm. A good number of suckers were caught.
Grand River near Lansing: A fair number of smallmouth bass were hitting on minnows near the North Lansing Dam. Crappie were caught in Eaton Rapids. No word on steelhead here however fish have been caught near Ionia in Prairie Creek. Sucker fishing has been good.
Muskegon River: Some nice steelhead were caught in the deeper holes. Good perch fishing was noted in Hardy Dam Pond though water levels were down which made it difficult to launch a boat.
Northeast Lower Peninsula
Cheboygan River: Those drifting spawn bags near the dam and walk bridge caught a couple steelhead up to 24 inches.
Sturgeon River: A couple anglers fishing spawn bags and worms at the park in town caught steelhead and brown trout. Anglers were also found off the Rondo Road Bridge and White Road.
Indian River: Those drifting spawn bags caught some steelhead behind McDonalds.
Au Sable River: The steelhead action picked up with fresh fish caught throughout the river. Anglers did well when drifting or floating spawn, wax worms, beads and flies such as small streamers and nymphs. Atlantic salmon were caught in the lower half by those drifting spawn and beads.
Tawas River: Shore anglers fishing at the mouth caught a couple of steelhead and brown trout. Night anglers caught a few walleye.
Au Gres River: Surf anglers down at Whitney Drain caught a couple steelhead and one odd brown trout when floating spawn bags off the mouth. Steelhead were caught further up in the river as well.
Northwest Lower Peninsula
Bear River: Those targeting steelhead reported very slow catch rates with only a few small fish taken. There was low angler activity at the dam.
Manistee River: The steelhead bite slowed with the colder weather. Try slow drifting over the deeper holes in the lower river.
Upper Peninsula
Chocolay River: Fishing was slow with only a couple steelhead or brown trout caught near the M-28 Bridge and down near the mouth. Most were floating spawn bags. Quite a few anglers were out however only a few caught fish.
Manistique River: Steelhead fishing is just getting started. Anglers reported steelhead and brown trout from the dam south to Dewey’s Bass Hole and over to the high dam spill over. Most were casting spawn bags or Berkley honey worms. The boat launch is open however you do have to watch for floating ice.