🎣 Buc’s Fishing Report — Thursday, October 23, 2025 Presented by Buc’s Aqua Farms Inc.
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🌅 BAIT MAN’S MORNING BRIEF
Bait Man here — it’s been another chilly, wet week across Northern Michigan. The steady rain has finally helped raise lake and river levels, and even though conditions have been rough, this will pay off big time going into the weekend.
Yesterday afternoon a few anglers got out between rain showers and found fish starting to respond. Todd from Buc’s caught a bright steelhead out of the Betsie River on a Hot-N-Tot, showing that chrome season is officially underway. I talked with a few guys up in Charlevoix who caught perch running 9–12 inches, while Torch Lake continues to produce solid numbers of perch and even a few Atlantics.
East Grand Traverse Bay remains strong for cisco and smallmouth bass, while West Bay (Northport, Suttons Bay, and Bowers Harbor) stays quiet on perch. The cold nights are pushing smallmouth and walleye into predictable fall patterns, and this weekend looks like one of the best windows we’ve had in weeks as rain moves out and pressure stabilizes.
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🌦️ INLAND WEATHER — NORTHERN MICHIGAN (TRAVERSE CITY AREA) • Today: Showers early, tapering to clouds and drizzle. High 49°F, NW 10–15 mph. • Tonight: Mostly cloudy, low 39°F. • Tomorrow (Fri): Partly sunny and cool, high 50°F with light winds. • Outlook: Rain clears out; stable weather returning for the weekend.
Manistee River (Tippy Dam): 1,750 cfs; salmon fading, but good steelhead and a few browns on beads and spawn sacks. Pere Marquette River (Baldwin): Chrome showing in the midsection, drift beads and spawn in clear water. Betsie River: Fair numbers of kings remain, plenty of steelhead in deeper holes; light pressure despite the rain. Boardman River: Early steelhead showing near the dam. White River (Hesperia): Chrome trickling in; a few late salmon at night. Bear Creek: Good color and steady flow; steelhead hitting spawn bags. Elk River: Few bright fish holding near the powerhouse. Platte River: Coho nearly done; scattered steelhead below the weir. Manistique River (U.P.): Coho thick, mix of early chrome steelhead. Hesperia-Browns active below the dam after the rain.
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🐟 PERCH REPORT
Torch Lake: Strong bite continues; minnows best, with shrimp as backup. Lake Charlevoix: Good fish near Ironton and Oyster Bay, 9–12 inch average. Big Glen Lake: Decent bite in 35–40 ft; perch pounders with minnows working well. Little Glen Lake: Slowed with cooling temps; try deeper humps. Lake Leelanau (South): Fair bite near the Cedar River mouth. Portage Lake: Steady; larger perch in 20 ft weeds. Crystal Lake: Fair at south end; jigging small minnows. White Lake: Best action near the channel in 18–20 ft. P.M. Lake (Ludington): A few quality fish near dusk. Manistee Lake (Manistee): Scattered bite, minnows best. Muskegon Lake: Bite in 40–50 ft on mud flats, electronics help. Burt & Mullett Lakes: Good perch off Maple Bay and Aloha. Grand Lake: Weed edges producing quality fish. Lake Skegemog: Steady off Torch River drop-offs. Drummond Island: Custeyes Charters reports steady perch and walleye in Scotts and Potagannissing Bays using wigglers, minnows, and shrimp.
Tip: Minnows and wigglers remain top baits — pack raw shrimp for tough bites.
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⚡ WALLEYE REPORT
Burt Lake: Good near drop-offs with minnows. Mullett Lake: Evening jig bite steady around Aloha. Lake Margrethe: Active along breaks on minnows. Manistee Lake (Kalkaska): Dusk bite improving. Lake Mitchell & Cadillac: Fish along shallow weeds at sunset. Hamlin Lake: Jigging spoons productive in 18–22 ft. Long Lake (Traverse City): Consistent late bite. Drummond Island: Walleye limits reported in Scotts Bay.
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🪣 SMALLMOUTH BASS REPORT
Torch Lake: Hot bite — fish up to 6 lbs on live suckers. East Grand Traverse Bay: Excellent numbers; fish 15–25 ft on drop shots. Elk Lake: Deep edge bite with tubes and plastics. Walloon Lake: Rocks and ledges best for bass and pike mix. Green & Duck Lakes (Interlochen): Consistent; jerkbaits and swimbaits.
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🐠 UPPER PENINSULA RIVERS — TOP 10
St. Mary’s River: Coho, steelhead, and walleye near the locks. Manistique River: Heavy coho run, first chrome showing. Two Hearted River: Early steelhead moving up. Tahquamenon River: Coho below the falls; light steelhead push. Carp River: Fair coho near the mouth. Chocolay River: Coho near the mouth; water stained. Escanaba River: Mix of coho and steelhead below dam. Ford River: Early chrome steelhead caught this week. Au Train River: Bright steelhead in the deep runs. Black River (Gogebic): Chrome steelhead appearing near the bridge.
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🏞️ UPPER PENINSULA LAKES (20+)
Little Bay de Noc: Walleye bite strong in evenings. Big Bay de Noc: Smallmouth good, perch fair. Indian Lake: Steady perch in 10–14 ft. North & South Manistique: Perch and walleye active. Au Train Lake: Good minnow bite. Milakokia Lake: Decent perch on minnows. Muskallonge Lake: Pike and perch both active. Deer Lake: Walleye near rock bars. Baraga Lake: Good walleye after rain. Gogebic Lake: Big perch showing. Michigamme Reservoir: Walleye along points. Peavy Pond: Pike active in bays. Bewabic Lake: Panfish steady. Thunder Lake: Pike and perch mixed. Camp 7 Lake: Bluegill and crappie moderate. Drummond Bays: Walleye and perch limits on shrimp and minnows. Lake Independence: Perch fair; clear water. Bass Lake (Schoolcraft): Bluegill consistent. Skeels Lake: Pike steady. Au Train Bay: Coho staging near mouth.
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🌅 SAGINAW BAY & SAGINAW RIVER
Saginaw Bay: Perch fair from Linwood to Sebewaing in 15–18 ft; minnows best. Saginaw River: Walleye picking up at bridges and channels; vertical jigging best.
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🎯 HARRISON • CLARE • GLADWIN • MIDLAND COUNTY LAKES
Bud Lake (Harrison): Bluegill strong, bass slow. Arnold Lake: Crappie in deeper brush. Cranberry Lake: Bluegill excellent. Sutherland Lake: Pike and panfish active. Lake Thirteen: Consistent bluegill bite. Lancer Lake: Bluegill fair; crappie slow. Sugar Springs: Low water, but bluegill steady. Pratt Lake: Pike and bass active. Ross Lake: Walleye and crappie near dam. Secord Lake: Bluegill good near shore. Pleasant Lake: Bass shallow mid-day. Beaverton Lake: Crappie steady on small minnows.
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🧠 LIVE BAIT PRO TIP
As water cools, minnows are the go-to bait for perch, walleye, and bass. Wigglers work well on perch, and shrimp are your ace-in-the-hole when fish turn finicky. Slow down your presentation and match bait size to local forage for best results.
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Fish smart, fish hard, and tight lines — Bait Man out. … See MoreSee Less
🎣 Buc’s Fishing Report — Wednesday, October 22, 2025
Presented by Buc’s Aqua Farms Inc.
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🌅 BAIT MAN’S MORNING BRIEF
Bait Man here — the rain continues and so does the wind across Northern Michigan. Steelhead fishing is improving each day as river levels rise, but many anglers report so many leaves drifting downstream it’s tough to fish clean right now.
The inland lakes have been quiet — cold, windy, and wet conditions have kept most folks off the water. Still, this soaking rain is a good thing, recharging both rivers and lakes after a long dry spell. Once skies break and the water clears, the perch, walleye, and bluegill bite will pick up fast.
Few anglers are braving the elements this week, but it’s one of the best times of year to catch fish. The rut is starting, so many are chasing deer, but those who stick with a rod and reel will find some of the most rewarding fishing of the season.
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🌦️ INLAND WEATHER — NORTHERN MICHIGAN (TRAVERSE CITY AREA) • Today: Rain through midday, showers tapering late. High 51°F, NW 10–20 mph, gusts to 30 mph. • Tonight: Cloudy and cool. Low 42°F. • Tomorrow (Thu): Partly sunny, cooler, lighter winds. High 49°F, NW 8–12 mph. • Outlook: Cooler temps and stable pressure ahead — a great setup for steelhead and inland fishing by the weekend.
Barometer: 29.61 inHg and rising. Solunar Bite Windows: • Major: 10:45 AM – 12:45 PM • Minor: 5:20 – 6:20 AM and 5:30 – 6:30 PM
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🌊 RIVER FLOWS & CONDITIONS
(Rivers are up and stained with leaf drift — brighter beads, heavier shot, and short leaders are key.)
Manistee River (Tippy Dam). Flow ~1,610 cfs, stage 8.8 ft. A few late kings, but steelhead showing strong on beads and spawn. Pere Marquette River (Baldwin). 512 cfs and rising; early steelhead moving up behind salmon, best on pink/peach beads. Betsie River. Good color, plenty of leaves; kings thinning, steelhead holding in deeper holes from Homestead downstream. Boardman River (Traverse City). Pools fishing best with stain; some early chrome reported. White River (Hesperia). Leafy flow; a few steelhead below the dam, bright beads or skein. Bear Creek (Manistee). Decent steelhead action where water’s cleared; drift small spawn bags. Elk River. A few bright steelhead near the dam; salmon about done. Platte River. Coho mostly gone, some steelhead nosing in at the mouth. Manistique River (U.P.). ~790 cfs and rising; great color, mix of coho and early steelhead.
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🐟 PERCH REPORT
Torch Lake. Good numbers midweek; minnows best, try shrimp when bite slows. Lake Charlevoix. Larger perch near Ironton and Oyster Bay; minnows and wigglers. Big Glen Lake. Decent fish in 35–40 ft; perch pounders tipped with minnows. Little Glen Lake. Fish pushed deeper with cooling temps. Portage Lake. Steady bite on minnows and wigglers in 18–22 ft. Crystal Lake. Fair bite south end, off drops in 25–30 ft. White Lake. Perch active in weeds and near the channel. P.M. Lake (Ludington). Slow, but a few quality fish near dusk. Manistee Lake (Manistee). Light bite; use small minnows on slip rigs. Muskegon Lake. 40–50 ft; electronics help find roaming schools. Burt & Mullett Lakes. Stronger bites off Maple Bay and Aloha; larger fish. Grand Lake (Alpena). Weed edges and points producing. Lake Skegemog. Good catches off Torch River drop. Drummond Island. Custeyes Charters reports steady perch and walleye; wigglers, minnows, and shrimp working.
Tip: Minnows and wigglers are staples — pack raw shrimp as a backup bait when the bite slows.
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⚡ WALLEYE REPORT
Burt Lake. Harnesses and minnows near drop-offs, 15–25 ft. Mullett Lake. Evening jig bite steady near Aloha. Lake Margrethe. Good numbers along breaks, trolling slow. Manistee Lake (Kalkaska). Dusk bite improving; jig and minnow. Lake Mitchell & Cadillac. Fish shallow weedlines at sunset. Hamlin Lake. Jigging spoons in 20 ft producing. Upper Herring (Frankfort). Walleye starting to show, jigs and minnows best. Drummond Island. Walleye limits reported in Scotts Bay; weather-dependent.
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🪣 SMALLMOUTH BASS REPORT
Torch Lake. Strong bite on live suckers and minnows; fish up to 6 lbs caught. East Grand Traverse Bay. Consistent for 3–5 lb smallmouth; tubes, dropshots. Elk Lake. Deep edge bite with jerkbaits and plastics. Walloon Lake. Rocks and ledges; live bait and craw tubes. Green Lake & Duck Lake (Interlochen). Both steady for bass on jerkbaits and small swimbaits.
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🐠 UPPER PENINSULA RIVERS — TOP 10
St. Mary’s River. Coho, steelhead, and walleye near the locks. Manistique River. Coho thick, first steelhead hitting. Two Hearted River. Early steelhead showing in deep runs. Tahquamenon River. Coho below the falls; steelhead trickling in. Carp River (St. Ignace). Coho still in fair numbers. Chocolay River. Coho best near the mouth. Escanaba River. Bright coho early and late. Ford River. Coho and some steelhead below the dam. Au Train River. Steelhead in the deep holes. Black River (Gogebic Co.). First chrome steelhead of the season caught this week.
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🧭 UPPER PENINSULA LAKES — 20+ REPORTS
Little Bay de Noc. Walleye bite building on reefs at dusk. Big Bay de Noc. Smallmouth hot; perch fair. Indian Lake. Perch solid in 12–15 ft. North Manistique. Walleye and panfish mixed. South Manistique. Perch along weed edges. Au Train Lake. Minnow bite steady for perch. Milakokia Lake. Perch fair on minnows. Muskallonge Lake. Pike and perch active. Deer Lake. Walleye decent near rock bars. Baraga Lake. Walleye strong after rain. Skeels Lake. Pike steady on spoons. Bass Lake (Schoolcraft). Panfish steady. Portage Lake (Keweenaw). Trout/salmon mix, watch winds. Gogebic Lake. Big perch showing on mud flats. Teal Lake. Panfish fair. Michigamme Reservoir. Walleye on points. Peavy Pond. Pike and walleye mixed. Bewabic Lake. Panfish strong on small plastics. Camp 7 Lake. Clear-water bite for panfish. Thunder Lake. Pike and perch consistent. Drummond Island Bays. Walleye and perch limits with minnows and shrimp.
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🌅 SAGINAW BAY & SAGINAW RIVER
Saginaw Bay. Perch fair from Linwood to Sebewaing, 15–18 ft; minnows best. Saginaw River. Walleye action picking up at bridges and channel edges; vertical jigs with minnows producing.
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🎯 HARRISON • CLARE • GLADWIN • MIDLAND COUNTY LAKES
Bud Lake (Harrison). Bluegill solid, bass slow. Arnold Lake. Crappie decent in deeper brush. Cranberry Lake. Bluegill strong near shore. Sutherland Lake. Pike and panfish active. Lake Thirteen. Excellent bluegill action. Lancer Lake (Gladwin). Crappie light, bluegill fair. Sugar Springs. Low water; shore anglers still catching bluegill. Pratt Lake. Pike and bass on windy edges. Ross Lake. Walleye and crappie below dam. Secord Lake. Bluegill good; perch slow. Pleasant Lake (Midland). Bluegill and perch both fair. Beaverton Lake. Crappie consistent around structure.
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🧠 LIVE BAIT PRO TIP
As cold fronts roll through, minnows are the meal of choice for perch, walleye, and smallmouth. Wigglers draw bites from perch in deeper water also on Holton Lake they’ve been using medium golden to catch bigger perch and they’ve been real successful. Use bright beads and slow presentations when water color increases from rain.
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Fish smart, fish hard, and tight lines — Bait Man out. … See MoreSee Less
