There’s some debate among the Wolverine State’s fishing fraternity about which port is the Walleye Capital of Michigan. Some claim Monroe, Michigan is the walleye capital because of the incredible fishing available on Lake Erie. Others assert that Linwood, Michigan, on Saginaw Bay, is the titleholder hands down.
Without a doubt, there’s some wonderful walleye fishing to be had on the Michigan waters of Lake Erie. Several locations near Monroe provide great access to it. Brest Bay, Point Mouilee, Lake Erie Metropark, Detroit Beach, and Sterling State Park provide good access. Fishing is hot in the Michigan waters of Lake Erie in the spring, but tends to fizzle as the water warms and walleyes move east. The walleye limit on the Michigan waters of Lake Erie is five fish per person per day.
There are so many walleye in Saginaw Bay that the Michigan Department of Natural Resources upped the daily limit for walleyes a few years ago to eight fish per day and lowered the size limit to 13 inches. The burgeoning population of walleye in the Bay has the MDNR worried about the walleye eating themselves out of house and home. That’s a good problem to have if you’re an angler.
Fishing on the Bay several times this past year we never found it necessary to keep 13-inch walleyes. There were plenty of 17- to 19-inch ‘eyes to fill our limits and it wasn’t too difficult. Evidence of several strong year classes was apparent too so fishing on the Bay out of Linwood should be outstanding for years to come.
The author believes, if you can’t catch walleye on Saginaw Bay, there must be something wrong!
There are other species, too. Anglers this past year reported catching more northern pike than they can ever remember. Higher Great Lakes water levels in recent years have likely benefited pike. If you were pulling crankbaits, you typically caught one or two pike every trip and sometimes more. Most of the northerns measure between 24 and 32 inches, but there are bigger pike around.
Perch fishing has been down in recent years, which isn’t surprising considering the number of walleye in Saginaw Bay, but the ones that remain are good size. It’s not uncommon to box several 12- to 15-inch yellowbellies while walleye fishing. Anglers who target perch occasionally find schools of jumbos still, but they can be tough to find. Winter finds more consistent perchin’ in the shallows on first ice.
Bass are an underutilized species in Saginaw Bay and some of the best fishing is right out of Linwood. Great sport can be had by working the shallows of the Inner Bay with top-water lures in the cattails and vegetation for largemouths that will scare the heck out of 7 pounds and smallmouths that routinely touch 5 pounds. Hardly anyone fishes for them. All around the shoreline, from the mouth of the Saginaw River to Pinconning you’ll find bass waiting to jump on your lures right up until ice up.
Adding to the potpourri of species available out of Linwood, anglers commonly catch white bass, sheephead or drum, channel and flathead catfish. In the winter, lake trout and whitefish are frequent catches.
Whereas the walleye fishery on Lake Eire may only be hot for a few months, fishing out of Linwood on Saginaw Bay is a four-season fishery. Open-water fishing gets started right after ice-out and just gets better and better in terms of numbers of fish. There’s a rarely consistent ice condition on Lake Ere, but you can count on the ice on Saginaw Bay being safe in early January and Linwood offers quick access to the best fishing. You can’t go out without a GPS and a good dose of caution, but use your head and you’ll find consistent walleye fishing in the 17- to 22-foot depths off Linwood throughout a normal winter.
The open water season gets started off Linwood as soon as the ice goes out. “There are years when there’s still ice farther out on the bay, but the shorelines are open. As soon as you can get a boat in the water you’ll find walleye along the shoreline,” said avid Saginaw Bay angler Dave Militello. One of the best times to fish then is at night when walleyes move into the shallows to chase shiners. In-line boards pulling Rattlin’ Rogues, Live Target Smelt Minnows, and Yo-Zuri Crystal Minnows, and other stickbaits are the ticket. Drill a small hole in the top of the board to hold a light stick to keep track of boards. The entire shoreline from the mouth of the Pine River to Bay City State Park can be productive.
As near-shore waters warm walleye begin to move out. In May and June anywhere from 12 to 18 feet can produce hot fishing. Most anglers pull crankbaits like Flicker Shads or Flicker Minnows with good success. There’s no rhyme or reason when it comes to colors. A lot depends on water clarity or a lack of it. Lures can be run off in-line or standard planer boards. Experiment with drop-back lengths and colors until you hit on a productive pattern. Usually, by the time you figure out which colors are best, you’ll have your limit. Known locations are the pencil buoys, the sailboat buoys, the dumping grounds and the shipping channel.
If you couldn’t catch walleye on Saginaw Bay last year there was something wrong. I took my own 14-foot boat over to the Bay to experiment. Some motor issues cut the trip short, but we managed to catch a dozen walleyes and a decent pike.
The next day I was invited to fish with Mike Avery aboard his Anglers Quest pontoon with friend Gary Morgan. Mike’s boat is docked near the mouth of the river. It was a somewhat bumpy ride to where we wanted to start fishing north of Linwood, but I was surprised how well the Angler Quest pontoon took the waves and how comfortable it was to fish out of it. Once we hit 18 feet of water, Mike swung the rig around and we made a long downwind troll. We ran an assortment of Flicker Shads, Flicker Minnows and Yo-Zuri Crystal Minnows and a couple of Yeck spoons on a disk diver. It was what charter captains call “a steady pick” and Gary was the designated reeler. We made three drifts and when we took inventory we had 24 walleyes in the Angler Quest’s spacious live well.
Walleye spoons, like Yeck’s, Warriors and Silver Streaks, excel in the summer. Experiment with loud colors and more subdued colors until you find what they want. You can use downriggers, in-line weights or divers to get them down. They’re easier to fish than crankbaits or live bait and seem to catch just as many fish.
There’s little doubt that crawlers and crawler harnesses will catch Saginaw Bay walleyes, but why even fool with live bait when artificials are so easy to use. Hot fishing in the summer can be found near the Black Hole northeast of Linwood to the end of the shipping channel and beyond.
It’s common knowledge among most anglers that when Saginaw Bay’s surface temperatures reach 70 degrees or more walleyes begin a migration to deeper water. Or do they? Anglers assume water in the 70-degree range is too warm for walleyes, but changes in Saginaw Bay over the last decade or so have changed the way many walleye in Saginaw Bay behave. If you insist on running to the islands and deeper waters off AuGres and Port Austin you’re running by a lot of fish.
Changing conditions on the Inner Bay have made it possible, and even downright comfortable, for walleye to spend the entire year in the shallows. Weeds that didn’t grow in the 15- to 20-foot depths of the Inner Bay a decade or so ago now provide shade, cover and oxygen for walleyes. The weeds also provide a buffet for hungry walleyes. Aquatic insects that live in the weeds attract small perch, shiners and provide a home for gobies, sculpins and darters. Key to locating summer walleye on the Inner Bay is finding and then skirting patches of abundant weeds.
Walleye fishing remains hot on Saginaw Bay until ice starts to form. The biggest fish of the year are taken just before you have to pull the boat. With so many walleye in Saginaw Bay, big fish are uncommon, but 7- to 10-pound ‘eyes show up when most sportsmen are hunting.
There are several launches in the Linwood area. Linwood Beach Marina (linwoodbeachmarina.com; 989-697-4415) has an improved ramp with easy access to the bay via a dredged channel. They also offer camping and have a store for boating supplies.
The MDNR launch at the end of Linwood is not usable in spite of the Great Lakes high water levels according to our source, but it’s a great place to get on the ice. Gamble’s is a little known launch site at the end of Newburg Road near Nayanquing Point. Gamble’s charges a modest fee to launch. There’s a MDNR launch site at the mouth of the Pinconning River in Pinconning.
If you didn’t come to Linwood to fish there isn’t anything to do in Linwood proper. An angler’s got to eat though. Linwood Corners Café and the Village Inn offer outstanding home-cooked meals that won’t cost you an arm and leg. Plan to take home dessert at Judy’s Famous Pies.
Two tackle shops carter to anglers near Linwood. Frank’s Great Outdoors (franksgreatoutdoors.com) 989-697-5341 has everything a Saginaw Bay angler could want including live bait. Northwoods Wholesale Outlet (www.northwoodsoutlet.com) in Pinconning has great prices on tackle. When Northwoods and Frank’s Great Outdoors had their Flicker Shad war last year anglers benefitted.
If you’re up for a little culture, Bay City is a short drive away. There you’ll find a number of exceptional restaurants that feature everything from waterfront dining to outdoor patios. I haven’t eaten at the Real Seafood Company, but I’ve caught many a walleye in front of it!
Some of the best antiquing in Michigan is available in a collection of well-curated artisan boutiques in downtown Bay City. Plan a pub crawl or city tour on Sunrise Pedal Trolley’s 15-person, Dutch-made bike with a pause to capture the moment under the glow of the 3rd Street Star Bridge You can shop Michigan’s largest antique center comprising an entire city block and browse the many and varied vendors of downtown’s modern City Market
Bay City celebrates the return of the Tall Ship Celebration every few years and annual favorites like the Bay City Fireworks Festival, Hop Riot Beer Fest, and Hell’s Half Acre Film and Music Festival. Festivals in Bay City fill this waterfront city all year long. It’s home to one of the “30 Top Indoor Water Parks in The World”, a children’s zoo and a children’s museum. You can visit nearby Midland to take in a Great Lakes Loons minor league baseball game or visit Dow Gardens. For more information go to www.gogreat.com or call 800.444.9979/989.752.7164.
Fishing isn’t the only thing to do when you’re in Linwood, but it should be a priority.
Saginaw Bay Walleye Charter Captains information: Captain Rice Legend Killer Charters https://www.legendkillercharters.com., 810-259-8297. Captain Jeff Godi Michigan-X Charters captainjeff@themichiganexperience.com, 989-397-3184. Captain Lance Valentine Walleye 101 www.walleye101.com, 810-965-3960.
