Lake Michigan Fishing Report 10/15/09

[Woody]

Southern Lake Michigan Fishing Report: October 15, 2009

Kenosha Co.
In Kenosha a few chinooks and browns have been taken in the harbor on skein under a slip bobber. Water levels remain relatively low on the Pike, and fishing has been slow.

Racine Co.
Shore anglers fishing in the Racine harbor have been catching a few browns on spawn. Trollers fishing off Racine have been catching lake trout and a few coho 20 to 40 feet down in water 100 feet deep. On the Root River good numbers of chinooks, along with a few steelhead and coho, can be found below the Root River Steelhead Facility all the way down to the Main Street bridge. Spawn and skein have taken fish as well as large black or purple flies. In Colonial and Quarry Lake Parks, fish have been scattered and more difficult to locate, but there is a small concentration of chinooks below the Horlick dam. The Root River Steelhead Facility is now running. Join us at the Facility on Saturday, October 17, for an Open House from 9 AM - 3 PM. DNR crews will be giving tours of the facility and spawning demonstrations, and volunteers from local fishing clubs will be teaching kid’s casting, knot tying, fly casting, fly tying and more.

Milwaukee Co.
In Milwaukee trollers fishing in the harbor and around the gaps have been catching a few chinooks and browns. Shore anglers have been catching chinooks on spoons behind the Summerfest grounds and in the lagoon at Lakeshore State Park. Fishing has been slow in the Menomonee River and Oak Creek, but chinooks have been caught in the Milwaukee River in Kletzsch and Estabrook Parks. Black flies and spawn have both been productive.

Ozaukee Co.
Shore anglers in Port Washington have been catching a mixed bag of chinooks, coho, and browns near the power plant, and in the north slip anglers have been catching chinooks and coho. Spawn and skein have taken the most fish. Fishing on Sauk Creek has been slow, and water levels are low.

Sheboygan Co.
In Sheboygan shore anglers have been catching a few chinooks off the piers and in the marina. Spawn and crankbaits have both been effective. Water levels have come up somewhat on the Sheboygan and Pigeon Rivers, but levels are still low overall. In the Sheboygan anglers have been catching fair numbers of chinooks between Taylor Avenue and the Kohler dam. Most fish have been taken on flies, but spoons have caught some as well.
The Southern Lake Michigan Fishing Report is updated twice per week from March 1 to December 1 each year. This report is a copy of the fishing report we post on our fishing hotline at (414) 382-7920.

Northern Lake Michigan Fishing Report: October 14, 2009

Manitowoc Co.
Although the weather was cold for most of the week, fishing was good at times and some nice fish were harvested from the lower Manitowoc River and harbor. In the harbor and around the marina, anglers had mixed success catching mostly Chinook salmon, although several anglers landed a few small rainbow trout. Most anglers were fishing with spawn just off the bottom. On the Manitowoc River, anglers had the most action fishing near Manitowoc Rapids (near Highway R). Successful anglers were casting spoons or spinners or using spawn sacs just off the bottom. Further upriver near Lower Cato Falls County Park, fly fishermen were working the river but success was low. On the Branch River fly fishermen were starting at the Union Road crossing and fishing downstream toward the Manitowoc River. Although catch rates were slow here as well, some large Chinook salmon were landed. Anglers fishing the East and West Twin Rivers were concentrated around the dams at Shoto and Mishicot this week. Fishing was only fair despite a large number of anglers trying their luck. Most anglers were casting spoons or spinners or using spawn sacs.

Kewaunee Co.
Weather this past week was much cooler with the winds hanging around most days, but the rains did hold off this past week. Strong winds out of the north and west for most of the week helped to bring in the cooler weather. King salmon are really moving up the rivers now as the salmon run is in full force. Many fish are being caught in the Ahnapee and Kewaunee Rivers from the mouths all the way up to the fish refuges below the dams. Many anglers have been reporting successful trips this last week. Anglers have also been having some success casting spoons for salmon from the piers and the shore areas in Algoma and Kewaunee for trout and salmon.

Door Co. (Lake and Bay sides)
Action off the piers at the Coast Guard Station was poor; the high winds and cold temperatures seemed to keep most anglers off of the piers. Some kings were reportedly taken by anglers trolling spoons and crank baits in the canal, and by anglers fishing from the canal shore. Further north, anglers continued to report taking a few fish out of most of the ports. There was a report of a nice brown trout taken out of the marina at Baileys Harbor. Again this week there was not a lot of action on the other species, probably due to high winds and waves on Green Bay.
The Northern Lake Michigan Fishing Report is updated once a week until October 31.

Green Bay Fishing Report: October 14, 2009
East Shore

Door Co.
Chaudiors: The perch fishing has slowed over the last week with fewer (but larger) perch being reported. The weather has played a big factor at Chaudiors over the last week, not allowing many people out. Little Sturgeon Bay: Perch fishing has been fair over the last week with most fish being found inside the bay in 10 feet of water. Also, smallmouth bass fishing has improved over the last week with some nice fish being caught. Sturgeon Bay: Anglers have been targeting bass and pike with limited success over the last week. They have been getting a few perch as well.
Brown Co.
Fox River: Walleye action has been good over the last week with some nice walleye caught in the river and in the lower bay. Most anglers have been trolling for walleye with crank baits. Many anglers are targeting musky as well, with limited success. Anglers have also been catching a few walleye from shore at the metro landing. Bayshore: Perch fishing has been slow, but there have still been some people out trying to find them. Best action for perch has been south of the park. Walleye anglers have been doing well out of Bayshore, weather permitting. Most anglers fishing walleye have been jigging or trolling cranks.
West Shore

Oconto Co. -no report
Marinette Co. -no report