Lake Michigan Salmon fishing-Milwaukee 7/23-4

Weather on Fri and Sat made for a late start. However it seems the cloud cover kept them from their night time feeding binge and we had a great daytime bite. Friday launched at Bender around noon with lines set in 30fow trolling south on that contour. First to go was Brad’s Lady Bug on a 5 color. Action was pretty much constant for the next 4 hours. We tried to stay in the clean water fishing close to the off color line. The bait was suspended in balls surrounded by hooks. The screen looked like a simulator. Temp down 24 ranged from 47.5 to 50.5. Speed on the Depth Raider 1.9-2.1.

Things that fired White Opti/LBB down 24, SWR Brad’s Wonderbread down 18 fired 8 times. Brad’s Shamrock SWR down 20 fired 3 times. Brads Wonderbread 3 set dipsy 50loc 3 times. White Opti/LBB 1.5set Wire Dipsy 45loc 2 times. 3 color and Red Hook double orange crush, 5 color Red Hook Dbl Purple Spook, 6 color blue/silver/white # 4 Andy Reeker. Lost track of hits and misses on what going about 16 for 24 by 415PM. We did not expect such good action that time of the day and were out primarily to check for water temps and bait for the next mornings Cash on the Line contest. We were excited by the prospect of fishing that area south of the power plant the next morning.

Next AM more of the same bad weather. They delayed the start to 6 AM. About ½ hr later more lightning in the area and the contest was cancelled. Our 14mi round trip sucked up some gas and had only 5 minutes of all the lines out. Went to breakfast and headed back to Bender and launched after 10. Had a 7 color wrap with a nice king on Silver Streak Michelle Pfeiffer that my little buddy Shane snuck out. We had to pull one side to get it in. Then mistakenly trolled north do to good report from Wet Dream. Took one on 6 color and Andy Reeker as we hit the Milwaukee brown water and much to my surprise 24’ rigger and white Opti/LBB fired in the brown water.

Marks there were nothing like Friday south of there so pulled and ran back getting there about the same time as yesterdays wild action. It happened again with dbls, triples and 1 quad. Not as much bait and hooks but temps still 49-52 down 24 in 30fow with same Depth Raider speed of 1.9-2.2 working.

The clean and dirty water had mixed and no distinct line and water clarity was something that I would have tried to avoid fishing. However, plenty of bait so plenty of fish. Due to “dirty water” changed to brighter baits with Brad’s Pink Magic and Lady Bug on SWR riggers 16 and 18 down doing a lot of the damage and also on 5 color. Red Hook double orange cruch on 4 color, blue/silver J on3 color and reg Reg Hook Sister sledge on 6 color. Wire Dipsy with MT Dew/orange and LBB 44loc and White Opti/glow/gold with LBB the flashers/flys that fired. Red Hook reg Orange Muffin on 3set 44loc fired at least 4 time and one 4yr old took out 7 and 5 color. Finally got a nice brown on mono board and #3 jointed silver J. Shane boated the big king of the yr taking a 19.5# on SWR rigger.

Went something like 25 for 30 something and done by 445. Sure wish the contest had been able to be fished as this day, unlike many days we had the fish in the same place 2 days in a row. Shane’s arms held up well and reels in the fish like the veteran he is. Just going into 8th grade and can set the boat, drive and finally convinced that tuna works.

Tight lines and full coolers,

Grey Beard

Ps I’ve had a couple of questions re Lake MI jargon: LBB is little boy blue, aka blue aqua which is clear material that is iridescent blue in the water. LOC= line on counter. Speed on Depth Raider is typically 0.4mph than GPS speed over ground. DOW= depth of water. SWR is “secret weapon rod”= running 2 colors of leadcore off your downrigger to get the lure out of the path of the downrigger ball for more stealth.