IRON MOUNTAIN — Hunting and fishing are both on the weekend agenda, with Michigan’s ruffed grouse, fall turkey and small game seasons opening today, while bear hunters continue to hit the woods during the season’s first week.

“If you’re fishing from shore, you need to wear orange,” advised Bob Kennard at Midtown Bait & Tackle in Channing.

Warm weather may have contributed to a sluggish start to the bear hunt, with Kennard registering four bruins so far.

At Whispering Pines Outpost in Breitung Township, John Grier counted six bear registrations. “Fishing has slowed a little … people are getting ready for hunting seasons,” he said. Turkey permits have sold out, and some big crappie catches were the highlight of the past week, he added.

Doug Whisler at Whisler Outdoors in Florence, Wis., said trout fishing has picked up with a few big catches. “Walleye are being caught on leeches, but they’re pretty small,” he said.

Muskie action has been fair and several northern pike in the range of 35 inches have been caught, Whisler added. “Bass fishing is slower … live baits are working best,” he said.

Wisconsin’s small game and fall turkey hunts also opened today, along with the archery/crossbow deer hunt. Whisler has registered just two bear since the Sept. 5 opener.

“Grouse drumming surveys were down again this year but grouse are still reported in localized populations and have been continually flushed in certain locations,” the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources said.

Michigan’s Liberty Hunt, a firearm deer season for youths and hunters with disabilities, is the weekend of Sept. 22-23. Wisconsin’s firearm youth deer hunt is Oct. 6-7.

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

Lac Vieux Desert: Muskellunge anglers are finding a few fish along the edge of the weed beds and up in the shallows early or late. The pike action is heating up as well with reports of 24-30-inch fish common. Walleye fishing remained slow with only a few legal fish taken. Perch anglers are staying active however there are still a lot of smaller fish being caught. Those chasing bluegills and sunfish had similar results. Finding the larger schools of fish has been difficult. Bass fishing remains good.

Little Bay De Noc: Walleye action was a bit slower because of the strong east winds. Best areas were Kipling in 22 to 30 feet, the “Black Bottom” in 18 to 25 feet and Garth Point in 12 to 20 feet. Garth Point was best at night when trolling stick baits or crawlers. A few good perch catches were taken in 22 to 30 feet near Kipling. Try minnows or crawlers. Pike were active in the Escanaba Yacht Harbor. Best catches were around the mouth of the harbor and out from the beach when trolling crank baits, spoons or spinners. Smallmouth anglers caught fish along the southern end of the “Black Bottom” with plastics or spinners in 16 to 20 feet or near Round Island in 10 to 16 feet.

Big Bay De Noc: Had mostly smallmouth bass anglers in the southern waters. Good catches were reported between Martins Bay and St. Vitals Island in 10 to 18 feet with plastics. Garden Bluff had fair catches in 15 to 25 feet. Some were targeting perch in Garden Bay but few fish were caught.

Manistique River: Was producing some walleye and salmon.

Marquette: Lake trout fishing continues to be good. More anglers are starting to target both the Carp and the Dead River but most had no luck.

Au Train: Lake trout fishing is still very good just north of Au Train Island when trolling or jigging. Some were starting to troll up high for salmon near the mouth of the Au Train River but very few had any luck.

Munising: Very slow fishing in general with only a few small splake caught by those trolling for coho. Surface water temperatures dropped to the low to mid 60’s. Lake trout anglers continue to do well towards Wood Island and near Big Reef with most fish averaging around five to six pounds. Rivers were high and turbid.

Grand Marais: Good lake trout fishing continues towards Au Sable Point and Five Mile Reef. The few trolling for salmon caught a couple fish.

Detour: A few Chinook and pink salmon were caught further upstream of the lighthouse on the Drummond Island side of the river. Good walleye action with fish 17 to 24 inches were reported up near Swedes Pointe when trolling bottom bouncers and crawler harnesses with red and gold smiley blades.