Lake Michigan Fishing Report 9/14/09

[Woody]

Southern Lake Michigan Fishing Report: September 14, 2009

Kenosha Co.

In Kenosha shore fishing and trolling have both been generally slow. A few browns and coho have been taken in the harbor on spawn sacs and white tube jigs. A few chinooks have been caught on by trollers off the mouth of the Pike River.

Racine Co.
Shore anglers fishing off the Racine piers and shoreline have been catching a few chinooks. Most fish have been taken before dawn on spoons. Trollers out of Racine have been finding mature chinooks and a few coho in front of the harbor, and J-plugs and crankbaits have produced the most fish. Trollers working offshore have been taking chinooks and lake trout in 100 to 140 feet of water as well as chinooks and rainbows in 275 to 325 feet of water. Cracked ice spoons or flasher & fly combinations have taken the most fish. Water levels on the Root River are very low, and there have been no signs of fish in upstream stretches.

Milwaukee Co.
In Milwaukee nearshore waters are warm, and shore fishing has been slow. Trollers out of Milwaukee have been catching a few chinooks, coho, and lake trout 60 to 80 feet down in 100 to 160 feet of water; and a few browns have also been taken by boaters in the harbor and around the gaps. Fishing on the Milwaukee and Menomonee Rivers and Oak Creek has been slow, and water levels are low in all area tributaries.

Ozaukee Co.

Shore fishing in Port Washington has been slow, but trollers out of Port have reported mostly chinooks and coho taken 100 feet down in 125 to 160 feet of water. Green or orange spoons have produced fish, as well as glow-in-the-dark J-plugs.

Sheboygan Co.
In Sheboygan anglers fishing on the piers have been catching a few chinooks and rainbows in the late night and early morning hours. Blue or silver spoons have been producing the most. Sheboygan trollers have been taking mostly chinooks along with a few coho and rainbows, and most fish have been found in 100 to 150 feet of water. Water levels are low on the Sheboygan and Pigeon Rivers, and there has been no sign of fish movement upriver.

Northern Lake Michigan Fishing Report: September 14, 2009

Manitowoc Co.

This past week anglers in the Two Rivers and Manitowoc area had a fair week of fishing. The weather was sunny and warm with light winds that allowed for a large variety of boats to troll the Lake Michigan shoreline. Some boaters targeting Chinook salmon were trolling around the piers and along the adjacent shoreline in 25 to 35 feet of water. Some good catches this past week came near sunrise using glow in the dark spoons or brightly colored J-plugs. Other boaters voyaged out to 200 to 300 feet of water targeting younger Chinook salmon. These anglers had some success, but fishing was slow. On the West Twin River, Chinook anglers had fair success this past week. By late in the week, a couple of anglers were able to land a few Chinook salmon by Shoto Dam but fish were scarce. In the Manitowoc harbor anglers were landing a few Chinook salmon this week. Anglers were fishing from the mouth of the Manitowoc River up to and around the first bridge. Most anglers were casting spoons or crank baits while others were using spawn with a bobber. On the piers, anglers had slow fishing. Although fishing was slow at times, the Chinook salmon that were harvested were large in size. Anglers that had the most success were casting spoons. Smallmouth bass anglers had a good week fishing around the north pier and along the break water of the marina. Bass anglers were using tube-jigs, spinners, crank baits, and worms on a bobber.

Kewaunee Co.

Some salmon have already begun to get darker as the fall spawning run gets closer, and there have even been some fish spotted up the Ahnapee and Kewaunee Rivers. Anglers have been reporting some success casting spoons for trout and salmon off of the piers in Algoma and Kewaunee. Most of the fish are being caught at sunrise and sunset, as well as in the middle of the night. Anglers that have been going out on the lake had a tough week of fishing this week. Kings accounted for most of the catch this week, but a few steelhead were also caught as well. Anglers are finding more salmon out farther this week due to warmer water. Water temperatures have risen on the surface this week to the upper 60s and even 70 degrees by the end of the weekend. Most fish are being caught in water depths between 75 and 125 feet with most anglers fishing over water that is in the 125 to 200 feet range. Some anglers have been going out to even deeper water up to 500 feet to try to locate fish, but not many fish were caught this last week. Anglers have been using a combination of J-plugs, spoons, dipsies, flashers, and flies in various color patterns.

Door Co. (Lake and Bay sides)

The salmon action on Lake Michigan was only fair this week. The bank reef north of the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal continued to produce a few fish. Anglers trolling spoons and fly and dodger combinations in the top 75 feet over 150 to 250 feet of water were having some success. A few fish were taken off the piers at the Coast Guard Station and in the canal. Further north anglers reported taking a few fish out of Baileys Harbor, Gills Rock and the waters around Washington Island. The smallmouth bass action was fair to good on Green Bay from Little Sturgeon all the way up to Washington Island. The reefs and points are all producing some smallies. Tube jigs, stick baits, grubs, Katelands fished in 15 to 25 feet of water all were producing a few smallies. Top water lures fished in 2 – 10 feet of water were also relatively productive. Look for structure to find the smallies. The walleye action continues to be fairly good throughout the county. Anglers trolling over Henderson Reef and Monument Shoals as well as around islands such as Chambers and the Strawberries reported some success, mostly on crankbaits and crawler harnesses fished in the top 25 feet of water. The perch action was good this week. The usual areas off of Chaudoir’s dock, the weed beds in Sturgeon Bay and Little Sturgeon Bay, the flats and the area between the bridges in Sturgeon Bay all were producing some perch; minnows and night crawlers remain the baits of choice.
The Northern Lake Michigan Fishing Report is updated once a week until October 31.

Green Bay Fishing Report: September 10, 2009
East Shore

Door Co.

In Sturgeon bay perch fishing has been fair over the last week with some limits being reported. Most perch, though, are running on the smaller side with fish averaging about 7 inches. Smallmouth bass fishing has been spotty over the last week. Most anglers have been trolling for musky and pike over the last week with limited success. In Little Sturgeon Bay fishing has been slow over the last week due to bad weather, but anglers that have been out are catching some very nice bass. The perch and the walleye fishing has been on the slow side. From Chaudiors Dock the perch fishing continues to be very productive with lots of very nice fish being caught. Some walleye are also being caught in this area by fisherman trolling for them.

Brown Co.

In Dyckesville the perch fishing has slowed down over the last week. Anglers are spending a lot of time targeting them but with limited success. Walleye fishing has been hit or miss over the last week with most anglers heading north of town to find fish.

West Shore

Oconto Co.

Stiles Dam bluegill production is ongoing with some nice limits being caught on both sides of the Dam. Slip bobbers and leaf worms with small hooks or ice fishing jigs are bringing some nice fish to hand. The big story is the perch bite. From the Pensaukee Landing to Oconto Park II, perch were being caught in 7 to 14 feet of water. Minnows are the bait of choice and some of the fish are over 15 inches. Walleye are being caught by the rock piles out of Oconto Breakwater Harbor using jigs tipped with minnows and casting twister baits. The recent warm weather has slowed down the salmon and trout bite in the early morning hours.

Marinette Co.

Smallmouth are putting on a good show at the mouth of the Peshtigo River. Fishermen are also reporting some nice catfish being caught towards evening. Some salmon and a few browns are being caught off the Light House pier, on the Menominee River, spoons in 3/4 ounce are working well. Some nice walleye are being caught in the river casting twister tails or slow trolling Rapalas, early morning and evenings are your best times.

[Cody Gruchow]