Milwaukee Fishing Lake Michigan Salmon Report 6/30/09
By Capt. Jim Hirt
The fish are scattered on Lake Michigan out of Milwaukee. Action is in 76 to 270 feet. Set up at 50 feet and run spoons every 10 feet from top to the bottom. Magnum spoons have been my best producer for the last five days.
Patterns and program under 45 feet
The west wind has moved the warm water out and near shore fishing should pick up for shore anglers and boat anglers around the harbor break wall gaps. I fished this area for about an hour on Sunday and picked up one Chinook about twenty pounds 27 down on a Magnum Reaper Peacock spoon. West wind is forecasted for the next two days and this spot is worth a look if you are coming out soon.
Patterns and program 70 to 270 feet
Out in the deeper water northeast of Milwaukee is the best fishing for Chinook, Rainbow, Lake Trout and Coho. I start off the Water Filtration Plant in 50 feet of water and work north and east.
Our fish came on Magnum Reaper spoons for Chinook and Lake Trout on downriggers or leadcores 35 to 90 down or OO dodgers or 6-inch flashers and medium blue or green flies for Coho. Experiment with lengths of the fly leader to the dodger or flasher. Start with 2 times the length of the attractor. I use Church Walleye Planner Boards for all my lead cores.
The water is very clear and you must run the spoons 50 to 100 behind the downrigger weight 50 to 120 down to get Lakers. The Rainbows have been 15 to 45 down in 240 feet of water on regular size Vulcan or Reaper spoons.
Some of our best producing spoons have been Reaper Magnum Peacock Silver and Magnum Fish n Chip on sunny days. Try the Reaper Magnum Glow spoons on overcast cloudy days. For small spoons the Vulcan Dolphin Green Silver and combinations of silver spoons with green or blue accent colors. Run the boat speed at 1.9 to 2.3 MPH. Vulcans, Nestor Wobblers and Reapers are sold only on the web at http://www.badgertackle.com Have a great fishing season. Let’s go fishing!! Jim charters out of Milwaukee, WI. with Blue Max Charters. He can be reached at 414-828-1094 or visit his web site at http://www.bluemaxcharters.com Copyright© 2009, James J. Hirt, All Rights Reserved.