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Lake Michigan
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Lake Michigan Fishing Reports
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Reports from all past years within a 60-day time frame
Species
Smallmouth BassSeason
Spring (Pre-Spawn)
Technique
Finesse Hair Jigs
Structure
Pilings
Forage
Insects
Water Temperature
50°
Species
TroutSeason
Ice
Technique
Ice Fishing Jigs
Structure
Baitfish
Forage
Alewife
A small hook with a small golden shiner was the key to generating bites. Putting the split shot a foot above the hook gave the minnow plenty of room to swim.
Species
TroutSeason
Spring (Pre-Spawn)
Technique
Finesse Hair Jigs
Structure
River Channels
Water Temperature
40°
Float hair jigs under a float tipped with a waxie. Drift the foam lines in the deeper runs.
Species
TroutSeason
Winter
Technique
Inline Spinners
Structure
Boulders
Forage
Alewife
Water Temperature
34°
Went out for steel head and caught a nice female brown trout on a spawn sack. I use inline spinners as well. Inline spinners do well for steel head as coho Salmon in Lake Michigan
Species
Lake TroutSeason
Summer
Technique
Trolling 20'+
Structure
Open Water/Basin
Forage
Alewife
Caught deep trolling with a spoon. Troll way down near the bottom on a summer day and you’ll be glad you did!
Species
Smallmouth BassSeason
Summer
Technique
Tubes
Structure
Boulders
Forage
Minnows
Late July was pretty tough in the way of finding larger smallmouth. We caught a lot of smallmouth on Ned rigs and dropshots, although most were one pound or less besides a couple 1.5 pounders. We were able to pull up two nice smallmouth over 2.5 pounds dragging tubes DEEP. I’m talking 20-30 feet of water dredging the bottom. Tubes were custom goby colors close to green pumpkin.
Species
Lake TroutSeason
Ice
Technique
Trolling 10-19'
Structure
Boulders
Trolling has been hot. Any shad shad cranks or minnow baits
Species
Largemouth BassSeason
Spring (Pre-Spawn)
Technique
Frogs/Toads
Structure
Boulders
It was tough. Had a couple hits. No keepers.
Species
Smallmouth BassSeason
Spring (Pre-Spawn)
Technique
Tubes
Structure
Boulders
Forage
Crawfish
Soon after Ice out, Lake Michigan smallies follow the warmest water they can find in search of spawning conditions. Typically this warmest water is in the tributaries to the lake. Fishing rocks and steel walls that attract the heat of the sun attract the smallies, as crayfish unbury themselves from the mud and become an easy meal. Tube jigs are an excellent bait in this situation, as well as some Ned rig baits. Fishing slow in the cold water is critical for getting bites. But don’t fear the cold water, there are numbers of big fish to be had!
