Locally produced 'Hardcore Pursuit' to debut Tuesday on Sportsman Channel

IRON MOUNTAIN - It was another good week of fishing for local anglers, especially those seeking panfish.

"The fishing has been pretty good,"said John Grier at Whispering Pines Outpost in Breitung Township. "I'm getting good reports on panfish and a couple of good reports on walleye too.

"Fishermen are starting to use crawlers a little more than minnows, except for the crappie anglers."

Tom Bean at Crystal Bait of Crystal Falls said the week's 90-degree heat kept some anglers away, but those who fished did OK.

"But there were some doing good on bluegills," he said. "Walleye and northern were pretty slow."

Don Ciochetto at the Sport Shop in Iron River agreed that the warm weather deterred some fishermen, but there was good action to be had.

"Bluegill, panfish and bass are going really good right now," he said.

Dean Lindblom at Country Bait and Tackle in Iron Mountain suggested early morning or late evening for the best catch rates.

"Panfish is just taking off," he said. "It's really, really good. Pike and bass were biting on artificial lures. Brook trout fishermen were having luck with brown and black beaver tails."

Pattie Teske at Florence Sport and Bait in Florence, Wis., reported good fishing, including some walleye action on the river when using leeches.

"Guys were getting bluegill in about 20 feet of water this week," she said, noting the heat might have caused the fish to move deeper. "I also had someone stop in with a 21-inch largemouth bass caught on a plastic worm."

Mike Pelletier of Iron Mountain and Ryan Cousineau of Kingsford are co-hosting an outdoors show that debuts Tuesday on the Sportsman Channel (digital 164, Charter).

The "over-the-shoulder reality" show, "Hardcore Pursuit," will air for 13 weeks, focusing on hunting and fishing in the upper Midwest and Canada.

Program times are 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, 11:30 p.m. Friday and 8 a.m. Sunday (July 5).

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources reported the following fishing conditions across the Upper Peninsula:

Copper Harbor - Splake fishing has slowed but fish were still caught around the docks in the harbor with live bait or stick baits.

Eagle Harbor - Is producing a mixed bag of lake trout, steelhead and splake when trolling in 75 to 120 feet of water.

Lac La Belle - In Keweenaw County has good smallmouth bass action for those casting artificial crawlers. The walleye and crappie bite was slow.

Keweenaw Bay - Anglers trolling for salmon caught some limits between Sand Point and Carla's Restaurant. Try spoons just off the bottom in 30 to 80 feet of water. Good lake trout action in Traverse Bay when trolling spoons in 130 to 150 feet of water. Good colors were green and brass. Some are jigging in 220 to 240 feet of water near Big Louie's.

Marquette - Surface water temperatures are ranging from 48 to 51 degrees. Lake trout action has been fair to good off the White Rocks and Shot Point in 140 to 180 feet of water. A few coho were caught but no reports of any chinook. Catch rates were moderate around Stannard Rock when jigging cut bait in the morning.

Menominee - Walleye here are out deeper in waters 25 to 30 feet deep. Anglers are trolling both in the Michigan and Wisconsin waters. Strong winds have stopped anglers from fishing near Green Island. Up near the Cedar River, walleye fishing slowed from where it was but a few were still caught when trolling in 7 to 10 feet of water both north and south of the river. The fish caught had alewife in their bellies. Boats trolling for chinook have marked fish however none were caught.

Menominee River - Those fishing from the mouth upstream to the first dam have caught good numbers of catfish and freshwater drum. A lot of small walleye are in the river but a few bigger ones were caught when trolling a crawler harness or jigging with crawlers. Smallmouth and rock bass were also caught. A couple muskie were caught by those trolling the deeper holes with large spoons.

Cedar River - Those fishing from the mouth to the first rapids were mainly catching smallmouth bass and most were sub-legal. A few channel cats were caught.

Little Bay De Noc - Walleye catches were still down in the upper parts of the Bay but getting better south of the Ford River. Those trolling at night near the Second Reef caught fish, but the better fishing was the area around the "Fingers" when trolling crank baits and crawler harnesses in 14 to 38 feet of water. Smallmouth bass were caught near the Ford River, Garth Point and the Terrace Inn. Most were casting crank baits or tube baits in 4 to 8 feet of water.

Big Bay De Noc - Fish are starting to become more active and walleye anglers are catching them from the "Boot" south to Ansell's Point. They are trolling or drifting crawlers in 14 to 30 feet of water. Good smallmouth action around the Bay when casting crank baits and jigs along the weeds. At Fairport, the better fishing has been in the evening when trolling artificial cut bait about 85 feet down in waters 125 feet deep. They have caught chinook and steelhead.

Au Train - Has fair lake trout fishing in 70 to 300 feet of water, as the fish seem to be scattered. A few lucky anglers did manage to catch their limit.

Munising - Limits of lake trout have been caught but it appears the salmon have headed out to deeper waters.

Grand Marais - Catch rates for whitefish were sporadic with a few caught in the early morning and at night. Lake trout action was good with limit catches reported.

St. Mary's River - Those fishing upstream have caught walleye at the Bell Buoy when trolling. Good walleye fishing in the lower river on the north side of Lime Island and near Round Island. Most are trolling bottom bouncers with a 28 inch crawler harness in 8 to 12 feet of water.

Munuscong Bay - Walleye are in the Bay, upstream in the channel and south of the launch in Raber Bay. Try crawler harnesses in black, purple, silver and orange.

De Tour - Water temperatures are improving and so are catch rates. Lake trout and the occasional chinook or atlantic salmon have been caught just off the bottom.