BAITMAN’s Morning Bite – Monday, July 20, 2026: Smoke Clearing, Bites Starting to Pick Up
There’s nothing quite like heading up north to these beautiful lakes, quaint towns, and friendly people. Don’t miss the ongoing summer fishing events and tournaments around Ludington and the Traverse City area — great time to get out and enjoy the water.
Good morning from Northern Michigan. Over the weekend we had very poor air quality with the wildfire smoke, and a lot of people didn’t come to work or just stayed in their houses — it was very, very bad. Saturday there was lots of wind, so many people couldn’t get out on Lake Michigan. Today things are improving. There’s still wildfire smoke, but it’s not as bad as it’s been — it’s manageable today. Fishing pressure on the big lake was low over the weekend, but the salmon bite has been excellent with lots of mature fish showing up. Familiar Bite Herring continues to be a star as it’s catching a lot of fish. Inland, things are steady with practical presentations paying off. Most fish have moved to the deeper holes — leeches and slip bobbers have been working excellent for walleye, drop shot with a crawler for bass, and slip bobbers with worms or wax worms for panfish. In the Grayling area, Margarita Lake (Lake Margrethe) has been doing fairly good with leeches and worms for panfish and leeches for walleye. Green Lake near Interlochen has been producing perch and smallmouth bass along with a few pike, and Duck Lake by Interlochen is showing similar action. East Grand Traverse Bay and West Grand Traverse Bay are producing smallmouth, salmon, and lake trout — the smallmouth are finally getting off their beds and heading to deeper water.
Hottest Ports on Lake Michigan for Salmon & Lake Trout (Charlevoix, East Grand Traverse Bay, West Grand Traverse Bay, Leland, Frankfort, Onekama, Manistee, Ludington, Whitehall, Muskegon; meat rigs and Familiar Bite Herring producing mature kings in many areas; improving air quality with lingering smoke, lighter winds today, waves 1-2 feet, no major small craft warnings posted for most northern waters today):
1. Charlevoix – Decent lake trout and some salmon; jigging or trolling near structure and deeper water with meat rigs and herring producing mixed results. Water temp ~71°F.
2. East Grand Traverse Bay – Producing smallmouth, salmon, and lake trout; smallmouth finally moving off beds to deeper water. Water temp ~71°F.
3. West Grand Traverse Bay – Producing smallmouth, salmon, and lake trout; smallmouth finally moving off beds to deeper water. Water temp ~71°F.
4. Leland – Kings and steelhead showing; focus on 60-100 feet with green/orange spoons, flashers, meat rigs, and herring. Water temp ~70°F.
5. Frankfort – Chinook salmon arriving in solid numbers (10-16 lb range common); trolling 40-100 feet down with spoons, meat rigs, and herring effective, lake trout jigging in Platte Bay 40-70 feet. Water temp ~68°F.
6. Onekama – Solid mixed salmon and lake trout action; good reports on spoons, meat rigs, and herring in typical summer depths. Water temp ~67°F.
7. Manistee – Strong mixed-bag fishing with kings, lake trout, and steelhead; trolling spoons, flashers, meat rigs, and herring in 50-100+ feet yielding consistent action. Water temp ~68°F.
8. Ludington – Big kings active and building; good mixed bag in 40-140 feet, fishing 30-70 feet down with spoons, flasher-fly combos, plugs, meat rigs, and herring catching mature kings. Water temp ~70°F.
9. Whitehall – Mixed salmon and trout action; good early reports on spoons, flashers, meat rigs, and herring in 40-80 feet. Water temp ~71°F.
10. Muskegon – Mixed salmon and trout action; good early reports on spoons, flashers, meat rigs, and herring in 40-80 feet. Water temp ~72°F.
Top 25 Lakes for the Day
We got good reports from these lakes today:
1. Burt Lake is producing walleye on crawler harnesses and jigs in deeper structure. Smallmouth bass are active on the drop-offs with plastics. Panfish are hitting worms and wax worms on slip bobbers.
2. Mullett Lake has strong walleye action on the north end with slip bobbers and leeches. Northern pike are taking crawlers in the weeds. Panfish are responding well to wax worms.
3. Crooked Lake is showing mixed walleye and bass in deeper summer spots. Drop shot with crawlers is working for bass. Panfish are taking worms on slip bobbers.
4. Torch Lake has lake trout and Atlantic salmon in the deep clear water. Smallmouth bass are on structure with drop shot crawlers. Panfish are hitting wax worms.
5. Long Lake (Grand Traverse area) is productive for walleye on leeches and slip bobbers. Bass are taking drop shot crawlers. Panfish are active on worms.
6. Elk Lake has a consistent mixed bag with smallmouth bass and lake trout. Walleye are on leeches in deeper holes. Panfish respond to wax worms on slip bobbers.
7. Lake Leelanau has good smallmouth bass on drop shot crawlers. Occasional walleye on slip bobbers and leeches. Panfish on worms.
8. Walloon Lake has walleye and bass in typical summer depths. Drop shot crawlers for bass. Panfish on slip bobbers with wax worms.
9. Higgins Lake has lake trout and smallmouth bass active. Walleye on leeches. Rock bass and panfish on worms.
10. Houghton Lake has walleye on harnesses but is not hot right now. Bass on drop shot crawlers. Panfish on worms.
11. Hamlin Lake is excellent for walleye on leeches and slip bobbers. Northern pike and bass on drop shot crawlers. Panfish on wax worms.
12. White Lake has strong walleye on slip bobbers and leeches. Pike and bass on drop shot crawlers. Panfish on worms.
13. Lake Cadillac has walleye on leeches. Largemouth/smallmouth bass on drop shot crawlers. Panfish on wax worms.
14. Lake Mitchell has walleye on slip bobbers and leeches. Pike and bass on drop shot crawlers. Panfish on worms.
15. Intermediate Lake has bass on drop shot crawlers. Pike on leeches. Panfish on wax worms.
16. Bellaire Lake has mixed bass on drop shot crawlers. Pike on leeches. Panfish on worms.
17. Charlevoix Lake has smallmouth bass on drop shot crawlers. Perch and walleye on leeches. Panfish on wax worms.
18. Betsie Lake has bass on drop shot crawlers. Pike on leeches. Panfish on worms.
19. Clam Lake has walleye on slip bobbers and leeches. Bass on drop shot crawlers. Panfish on wax worms.
20. Missaukee Lake has walleye on leeches. Pike on slip bobbers. Panfish on worms.
21. Manistee Lake area has mixed walleye on leeches. Bass on drop shot crawlers. Panfish on wax worms.
22. Grand Traverse Bay inland connections have smallmouth bass on drop shot crawlers. Walleye on leeches. Panfish on worms.
23. Black Lake has walleye on slip bobbers and leeches. Bass on drop shot crawlers. Panfish on wax worms.
24. Otsego Lake has walleye on leeches. Bass on drop shot crawlers. Panfish on worms.
25. Margrethe Lake (near Grayling) has good walleye on leeches. Panfish on worms and wax worms. Bass on drop shot crawlers.
Top 15 Hottest Lakes in the Upper Peninsula (UP) (divided by region for better variety and coverage – verified species and recent bite data):
Eastern UP (5):
1. DeTour (DeTour Passage) – Strong walleye and mixed species action near the St. Marys River.
2. Sault Ste. Marie area inland lakes – Walleye, pike, and perch.
3. Drummond Island area lakes – Mixed walleye, pike, and perch.
4. St. Ignace / Mackinac area inland lakes – Walleye, bass, and trout action.
5. Munuscong Bay / area – Walleye and mixed fishing.
Central UP (5):
1. Little Bay de Noc – Strong walleye and mixed fishing, especially east side.
2. Big Manistique Lake – Steady walleye, pike, and panfish.
3. Munising area inland lakes – Lake trout and occasional salmon reports.
4. Lake Michigamme – Pike, walleye, smallmouth, and whitefish.
5. Marquette area inland lakes – Lake trout and mixed species.
Western UP (5):
1. Lake Gogebic – Classic walleye, jumbo perch, and smallmouth.
2. Fortune Chain of Lakes – Connected system with good mixed species.
3. Lake Antoine – Easy access for bass, walleye, and panfish.
4. Ontonagon area lakes – Walleye and mixed species.
5. Gogebic County inland lakes – Walleye, bass, and panfish.
Fishing Tip of the Day: With the smoke still hanging around like an unwelcome guest at a campfire, the savvy angler slips out at dawn or dusk when the air is a little kinder. And with most fish tucked into those deeper holes, leeches and slip bobbers are working like magic for walleye, drop shot with a crawler for bass, and slip bobbers with worms or wax worms for panfish. Just don’t forget the Bimini Top—unless you enjoy looking like a smoked ham. The fish won’t care about your foggy glasses, though!
A verse to carry you through the day: “The Lord is my shepherd; I lack nothing.” Psalm 23:1 (NIV)
Tight lines. BAITMAN. OUT.
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