By JIM ANDERSON

News Editor

IRON MOUNTAIN — Warm weather isn’t deterring bear hunters, with 11 registered as of Friday at Whispering Pines Outpost in Breitung Township.

“The biggest was close to 300 pounds,” said shop owner John Grier, who reminded hunters that propping a stick in the jaw at the time of harvest makes it easier to collect a tooth for research.

Wisconsin hunters have registered four bear at Whisler Outdoors in Florence, including one more than 400 pounds, Doug Whisler said.

Archery deer hunters seem to be waiting for cooler days, although an eight-pointer was taken in the first week, he said. “There’s been a lot of musky action,” he added. “They’re using live bait, mostly.”

Catches have been on the small side, with some fish approaching without striking, he noted.

Grouse hunters have reported some flushes, but cover is very thick, Grier said.

Both shore anglers and boat anglers were fishing sturgeon this week for the catch-and-release season on the Menominee River.

“They’ve also been fishing on the river for bass,” Grier said.

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

Copper Harbor: Anglers caught a couple splake when trolling body baits, small spoons or drifting natural baits however most were sub-legal.

Keweenaw Bay: Splake and salmon were being caught and a few lake trout were caught in Huron Bay when the weather permits. Traverse Bay was producing some lake trout and salmon in shallower water.

Marquette: Had no updates due to weather conditions. Anglers were starting to see a few salmon in the rivers. Chinook were caught in the Dead and the Carp Rivers while coho were in the Carp and Chocolay Rivers. Overall numbers were low for how many anglers were trying. Most were using spinners, worms or spawn. With another warm-up this week, it will be a couple more weeks before large numbers of fish move up into the river.

Little Bay De Noc: Fewer walleye catches were reported as the action was spotty at best along the reefs at Kipling, south of the Ford River near the “Fingers” and near Round Island. Near Kipling, anglers were still working the weed beds when trolling, drifting or jigging crawlers or stick baits. In the southern waters, most were trolling stick baits or a crawler harness in 10 to 25 feet along the “Humps”. Perch catches were down, however the better action was near Kipling with crawlers or minnows in 8 to 20 feet. Good smallmouth action at Garth Point in 4 to 10 feet, Butler Island in 3 to 6 feet and from Hunters Point to Squaw Point in 8 to 14 feet when casting plastics along the weed lines and rocky points. Although few anglers were targeting pike, many were caught throughout the bay.

Manistique River: Salmon numbers in the river were still quite low but fish were caught. Boat anglers trolled the river channels with rapalas or drift and cast at the staging areas. The area below the spill-over was fished the most by shore anglers casting skein in the pools. The area at the “Bass Hole” had shore anglers and although few salmon catches were reported, several nice brown trout were caught in the area. No pink salmon to report. The weather has been all over the place and the water is still quite warm. Hopefully more fish will move in soon.

Munising: The few boats out reported slow fishing with only a couple coho caught. Shore fishing was slow at the Anna River with very few coho and splake caught.

Grand Marais: Did not have much activity. The few fishing the mouth of the Sucker River had no luck.

Two Hearted River: Salmon catches were slow though a few fish were picked up near the mouth on Lake Superior. Only a couple fish were caught in the river using spawn or silver spinners. Water temperature was still in the mid-50’s. We need north winds and cooler temperatures.

Drummond Island: Fair catches of yellow perch were taken from Scott Bay in 14 to 18 feet and between Peck Island and Rutland Island with shiners and worms.

Detour: When they can get out, boat anglers should continue to catch Atlantic, Chinook and pink salmon near the Detour Reef and lighthouse. Try 80 to 100 feet. Salmon were caught on flashers and spin-glo’s near Fry Pan Island.

Cedarville and Hessel: There was fair yellow perch fishing at Connors Point and Shepard Bay when slow trolling and casting into the weed beds with shiners and worms in 6 to 8 feet. Both large and smallmouth bass were hitting chrome spinners in Shepard Bay in the early morning or evening.