Lake MIchigan Fishing Report

[matthothand]

First off, a big thanks to Capt. Tom at the Fishin Magician for extending a few timely tips mid trip. We got back on Sunday and minus the trip to Sturgeon Bay Hospital at 3:30 am on our last morning we did pretty good. Went 11 for 17. Two nice steelhead. Start of the trip spoons were hot in 70 fow then we did better in 105 fow with ff combos. Our bites then went back to spoons. Boards were key, snap weights, leadcore, and dipsies on the boards were hot. Overall, the best sets were size 1 dipsies over the side. Number 2 producer was the "naked lady spoon" blue holograpgh with glow ladderback and disco flipside. We added the disco tape to a few other spoons and they all went off. Green ladderback with black and disco was good. For flashers and flies white flasher with chrome and bloody nose or blue glow fly on dipsies at 100 fol. Bloody nose spoon went off a few times on starboard stacked rod at 40 feet. Riggers were otherwise unproductive. Miscellaneous other sets produced but white flashers and glow flies or spoons were really key. During daylight the disco sticker really added to the productivity of our spoons. Rasberry carbon was another spoon that got a few fish at lowlight periods. All fish were high in the water column. We didn't get a single bite deeper than 40 down. I lost a money fish on a crome glow flasher and bloody nose fly 100 feet out on a clear size 1 dipsy on the 3 setting. After a few dozen trips on the waters of L michigan I can safely say that was the biggest fish I've hooked into. After landing a few 20-23# fish I am scared of what I was temporarily latched onto. After 20 minutes of clearing lines and backing down on it (like a marlin) it sheared off the 50# power pro in the rocky depths and was forever gone. We caught some of the fight on tape along with the other half of the double. My partner landed his 18 lber in 5 minutes. I lost $40 in tackle and got the fight of my freshwater life. Where will I be this time next year? Take a guess.

[matthothand]

ADD:

SWR was key in the past but was all too quiet this trip. It's a 3 color setup that was moved to the board and was active thrice with black/purple spoon (similar to harley) and also bloody butt spoon (blue glow head and red 'butt'). 100' behind board. Heard from many small boats that spoons were best but the charters dominated with ff combos. Until the fish go deep just get whatever you are running away from the boat. Good luck!

[TroutYammer]

We were out with the FishinMajicians two weekends ago and had a great trip. I was truely amazed at seing these guys deploy 18 rods and not get any of them tangled up with the fish we brought in! My only question is: What brand of dodger were on the FishinMajician rods. They were almost all silver and green but I want to know what the brand was. I would like to try experimenting with them for cool water muskies this fall back here in Minnesota!

[Joe]

post your current fishing report here.

[chaffmj]

Went out of Gill's rock last Friday and went 11 for 12. Here are some pics.

[Jim Almquist]

Chaff looks like you did great with some real nice size fish. Time to get out the cedar planks

[chaffmj]

Thanks Jim. I love salmon on the weber and I am going to smoke some too. I did fail to mention in the report above that after a storm moved thru early Sat we got out late and went 0 for 2 but it was still great to be on the big water again.

[Eastwind]

Has anyone been fishing out of Kewaunee lately? I haven't been out for two years and am curious how the bite has been. Any King action. Are people still going way out later in the morning for Steelhead? Any information would be appreciated. Thanks.

[tunrevir]

Kewaunee-They have been in shallower for the most part with 80-130 being a good range to look at. The fish have been mostly in the top 60' of water and have been taken on ff, j-plugs and spoons. North of the can was better then south earlier this month. Check the noaa site and see what the temps are running that should give you some insight where to start fishing.

Tunrevir~

[81watson]

Thinking about heading to Lake Mich out of Algoma the weekend of Sept 12th. I know it's never too late to fish, but any thoughts on how things are this time of year?

Thanks,

Chris

[Eastwind]

Thanks for the reply.

[81watson]

Also, I heard that some of the Salmon that are coming in are starting to have the meat turn dark. Can you still eat them if they are turning? Is it only the spawners that turn? Or all? I would hate to head out there and have our catch go to waste.

[TroutYammer]

You can always eat the dark, mushy meat...but you may not like it very well.

[tunrevir]

Not all of the fish are dark this time of year. I have a friend that takes the darks early on and smokes them. Usually this is the second week of September.

Tunrevir~

[81watson]

Can anyone comment on how the fishing is mid-sept? We are thinking about make run out to Algoma the Weekend of Sept 12th.

Chris

[tunrevir]

81Watson, the fishing is good right through September. Depending on water temps the fish will tend to be in shallower this time of year and it isn't unusual to get fish in 20' or less. The bows are still active and you may pick up a brown or two which look like overstuffed footballs. Talk to fishing magician and see what depths they have been targetting. Harbor patrol starts later in the month with guys dragging stick baits and casting spoons, rattle raps and such for staging kings in shallow water near the river mouth. If the fish are this shallow it can really be a hoot!

Tunrevir~

[kenais]

We are heading over to Algoma on Friday on a charter and them plan to do some shore fishing if they are in on Saturday. It will be my first time fishing there.

Any recent lake reports?

What should we bring for fishing from shore/piers and where should we go? Looking for some tips.

[10,000 Casts]

My wife and I went out of Sturgeon Bay on the "leprecaun" Saturday Morning 8-22-09

We went 10 for 19 with some nice fish. We had a blast!

[mrklean]

nice job, my girlfriends family lives up there and i have been lucky enough to go out a few times and fish for salmon, really fun time, we got a few close to 20 this year.

[jerad_s]

Im headed out of Sturgeon Bay over Labor Day weekend. Do you mind sharing what was working for you, spoons, FF, or J's? Were you fishing out on the bank reef?

Thanks,

Jerad

[10,000 Casts]

Sturgeon Bay-yep, out on the back reef, we fished pretty much the whole thing. Just about everything we caught were on dipsys and flies. We didn't pull any spoons. We had 12 lines out total, 4 down riggers, 4 dipsys, 2 leadcores and 2 coppers. It helped having a good captain.

[kenais]

Algoma-The bite has slowed due the warm water being blown in. We did manage to catch a few browns though. Didn't sound like anyone was having much luck off the pier so we didn't bother trying.

[ElyFishing]

My Dad and I are heading to Bailey's Harbor Oct. 9-12. We are planning to fish off the breakwall. Is fishing this time of year better from shore or trolling in the harbor? I could bring my 18' crestliner, it is rigged for fishing Superior, typically out of Duluth. Any suggestions on which is better shore fishing or trolling, or type of bait would be helpful. How has the fishing been?

[Crusty old Swede]

The fishing off of the Bailey's harbor wall is probably only perch & smallies. If you're thinking along the salmon/trout lines, the Sturgeon bay, Algoma and Kewaunee walls are the better bets. If you get good weather your boat would be useable for open water or near the harbor trolling. Open water would be for non-spawning salmon and just off the harbors would be for mature fish making the run. Spoons and plugs would work. I don't know that people troll Bailey's harbor bay for spawners but both Algoma and Kewaunee have rivers that pull in salmon. Which is better, that's a toss up.

[fishgutz77]

Somebody post a report for petes sakes.