Fishing Month by Month on Lake Michigan #2
By Capt. Jim Hirt
A common question I have received is what’s biting each month of the Lake Michigan season. The key to success to fishing is to target the most active species. Please allow me to give you and overview month by month July thru October. Article #1 covered April, May and June. There are opportunities for late Fall and Winter however I do not get a chance to fish at that time.
July all species are finding their summer homes.
The water temperatures will change day to day so your focus should be on finding the correct temp for your target. The good news is all five Lake Michigan fish are active this month. Locate the temps and you will catch fish. The most common and best action is on large Chinook. Vulcan Spoons trolled in or near the thermocline are the way to go for trophy kings. Work the shallow water for Browns and deep water for Lake Trout and Rainbows. Surface presentation is my first choice for surface feeders like Rainbows. Lake Trout are deep water fish found on or near the bottom. You must fish the temp breaks. My go to bait for July is Vulcan Spoons in bright colors or glow in the dark.
August aah!! Warm Weather lots of fish
A very predictable month for all species. There will be a lot of fish each in there own zone based on temperature. Your best friend will be your temp gauge. Here are the temps by target species. Brown Trout are the upper end of the spectrum with the highest preferred temp of 62 degrees. Rainbows also like 60 degree water frequenting the surface over deep water most of the time. Coho can be a large part of the catch in August when you fish 55 degree water. Chinook start the month in 52 and colder water and as they come closer to maturity will move into the warmer water of the harbors and rivers. When action is slow on the other types of fish work the bottom in 50 degrees or colder water for Lake Trout. Follow the temperature break for some of the most exciting action of the season.
September fish in or fish out?
This month is a month of decision. Spawning Chinook are in the harbor and just outside the harbor gaps. Mature Coho will light up the rods when fished in the same area later in the month. Two and three year old Chins will be active in the cold water off shore along with Lake Trout. Rainbows will also keep you busy but a long ride over 12 miles off shore may be needed. A staple to fall fishing and predictable target is the Brown Trout. We see these fish in excess of 15 pounds. A true trophy and many of our customers will hang one of these monsters on the wall. If eaters are your goal run small spoons. The Vulcan and Reaper in the regular size are all you need for great action.
October wrap up on big and small fish.
There are some similarities of fishing action from October to September. The big spawning Chinook have now become inaccessible to boat trollers and off the map. Browns are still available to shore and boat anglers when fished near shore. My first choice are the tasty fish in the 5-10 pound size you will find in good numbers just a short ride off shore. Most of these fish will be 2 and 3 year old Chinook with an occasional Brown or Lake Trout.
Wow! Another exciting year has come to and end.
For those of you that have not enjoyed the excitement of the big waters of my favorite, Lake Michigan I urge you to give it a try. I would recommend a charter trip to get a feel for this sport. All months offer exciting fishing on charter or with your boat. Remember to work the most active fish and follow good fundamentals. You may want to join on of the many Great Lakes fishing clubs. I have been a member of the Milwaukee Great Lakes Sport Fisherman for over 20 years. Invaluable information is exchanged and camaraderie is had by all, come join us. Please visit http://www.glsfclub.net/ for meeting location and times. You may find the lures discussed in this article at http://www.badgertackle.com Good Luck let’s go fishing!! Come back to this Website often to read all my articles. Jim charters out of Milwaukee, WI. with Blue Max Charters. He can be reached at 414-828-1094. Summer I will be out on the lake fighting fish, however, I would appreciate a call over winter to chat about whatever questions you may have or just call and say hello. You may also visit my web site at http://www.bluemaxcharters.com Copyright© 2008, James J. Hirt, All Rights Reserved.