Michigan U.P. report: Lake trout bite in the west, Marquette coho fading, and the DNR report pauses after Nov. 4

Lake trout carried the western Upper Peninsula in the Michigan Department of Natural Resources' latest weekly fishing report, published Oct. 30 by The Mining Journal. When the weather let boats out of Black River Harbor, trollers working about 120 feet of water reported high catch rates, while shore anglers on the breakwall had no luck. Out of Ontonagon, Silver City and Union Bay, lake trout came mostly by jigging in 70 to 90 feet, with similar results trolling a little deeper.

At Marquette, boats trolling the river mouths off the Lower Harbor caught fair numbers of coho and steelhead and an occasional Chinook, and a few lake trout and coho came off the end of the lower breakwall early and late in the day. The DNR said brown trout numbers in the rivers and river mouths were higher than in past years, and coho catches were strong most of the week before dropping off over the final two days as the water warmed. Steelhead were caught in the Carp River and a few in the Chocolay.

Elsewhere, the Manistique River Chinook run is nearly done, with the remaining fish in poor condition, but steelhead fishing there was fair on beads and egg patterns. Munising slowed, though the Anna River gave up a good splake bite, and the Sucker River mouth at Grand Marais was good for rainbow trout. Wind kept Little Bay de Noc rough much of the week, with fair walleye and perch for those who got out.

The DNR says its weekly fishing report will be temporarily suspended after Nov. 4 and will resume when it starts receiving more reports. Until then, it suggests checking with local sources such as DNR fisheries offices, bait shops and outfitters for current conditions.

This is a The Gillnet news desk summary, not a reprint.

Source: Michigan DNR weekly fishing report, via The Mining Journal (Oct. 30, 2026). Also: Michigan DNR weekly fishing report page.