Post by sam on Jul 21, 2011 13:10:16 GMT -5
This page was last updated on JUL 21 2011 12:47 P.M.
Lake Michigan
For more information about the lake please click on the lake name above.
Description:
N/A
Fish
Channel catfish
Description:
The channel catfish has a smooth scaleless skin and barbels on its face resembling cat whiskers. The barbels help the channel catfish taste and feel objects and enable it to locate food in dark and turbid water. The channel catfish has 24-29 rays in its rounded anal fin. The caudal fin is deeply forked and the fish has dark spots on its sides when young.
Bait: Alewifes, chicken/beef livers, commercial catfish bait
Depth: Bottom
Comments about fish:
MC anglers have been catching channel catfish up to 9 lbs inside the harbor & off the Lighthouse Pier on dead alewifes, chicken or beef livers or any commercially prepared catfish bait right on the bottom.
Chinook salmon or king salmon
Description:
Members of the pacific salmon family, the chinook or king salmon and the coho salmon can be found in Lake Michigan and its tributaries in northern Indiana. Pacific salmons do not feed during spawning, but will strike a lure during their runs. Cohos will spawn in the fall in their third year of life and die, while chinooks will spawn in the fall, winter or spring in the fifth year of life, allowing them to grow larger. The chinook or king salmon teeth are set in dark gums, with black spots on the back and both lobes of the square caudal fin. The chinook or king salmon has 15-17 anal fin rays and averages 30 pounds though some can reach over 100 pounds.
Bait: Sthingys, Dodger/Fly combos
Depth: Up to 75 FOW
Comments about fish:
No action reported to the creel clerks this week.
Coho salmon
Description:
Members of the pacific salmon family, the chinook or king salmon and the coho salmon can be found in Lake Michigan and its tributaries in northern Indiana. Pacific salmons do not feed during spawning, but will strike a lure during their runs. Cohos will spawn in the fall in their third year of life and die, while chinooks will spawn in the fall, winter or spring in the fifth year of life, allowing them to grow larger. The teeth of the coho salmon are set in light color gums. The coho salmon has black spots on the upper lobe of a slightly forked caudal fin with 12-15 anal fin rays.
Bait: D & F combos, sthingys
Depth: Up to 55 FOW
Comments about fish:
Boat anglers launching from the EC Marina report good coho salmon action around the gong in water depths up to 55 FOW. Dodger & fly combos & sthingys fished 37-50' down were the hot baits.
Lake trout
Description:
Ever popular among Indiana anglers is the trout family, which includes the brown, lake and rainbow or steelhead trout. Many fisherman can be spotted on the shores during spawning season when the trout begin their runs into the tributaries. The lake trout has a white mouth, teeth and gums, a caudal fin that is deeply forked and a body color that is light to dark gray with light spots.
Bait: Sthingys
Depth: Within 10' of bottom
Comments about fish:
No reports this week.
Rainbow or steelhead trout
Description:
Ever popular among Indiana anglers is the trout family, which includes the brown, lake and rainbow or steelhead trout. Many fisherman can be spotted on the shores during spawning season when the trout begin their runs into the tributaries. Rainbow or steelhead trout have a white mouth, teeth and gums and small black spots on their backs, sides, and caudal and dorsal fins. The caudal fin margin of the rainbow or steelhead trout is square and the fish has 9-12 anal fin rays.
Bait: Lake: Sthingys, Bodybaits Pier: Shrimp, sthingys Tribs: Shrimp, egg sacks
Depth: Lake : Up to 65 FOW
Comments about fish:
Anglers primarily targeted steelhead this week out of MC & Portage. Anglers had some luck in water depths ranging from 55-65 FOW trolling bodybaits & sthingys 40-50' down. With nearshore water temps approaching 80° F, steelhead action has been nonexistent along the southern shorelines of LM. Stream creel clerks have interviewed many anglers over the past couple of weeks; however, very few steelhead have been caught. We are seeing no steelhead movement due to warm water conditions out on the lakefront & also in the creeks. If you choose to try your luck for steelhead this time of year, the most important instrument you should be carrying is a thermomitor.
Smallmouth bass
Description:
Sunfishes include some of the best-known fish in Indiana. Bluegill, redear sunfish, black and white crappie, largemouth, spotted and smallmouth bass are all members of the sunfish family. The last rays on the dorsal fin of the smallmouth bass are separated from the rest of the fin. Also, the upper jaw does not extend beyond back of eye, as it does with the largemouth bass. The smallmouth bass commonly reaches 3-4 pounds.
Bait: Tube jigs, crankbaits, minnows, worms
Depth: Up to 12 FOW
Comments about fish:
Anglers pursuing SMB report good action along the southern shorelines of LM with most of the action occurring out of Hammond & EC Marinas where abundant rocky rip-rap & cover is available. Portage boat anglers report action along the “ditch” & off the Port of Indiana breakwall. An often overlooked area to fish for bass is the W Br of the Little Cal. Prior electrofishing surveys indicated good populations of LMB in that system. No action reported out of MC. Top producing lures include tube jigs that resemble gobies, crankbaits & small spinnerbaits. Top water baits have been effective during the early morning hours or just before dusk. Shore anglers continue to catch SMB off the fishing platforms at both Hammond & EC Marina’s & also at the PAS in the Port of IN.
Yellow perch
Description:
Indiana anglers have long since sought perch for their tasty flavor. The yellow perch, walleye and sauger are members of this popular family. The yellow perch ranges from 6 to 12 inches long and up to one or two pounds.
Bait: Minnows, soft shells
Depth: Up to 28 FOW
Comments about fish:
Big numbers of YP continue to be harvested by boat anglers in southern LM according to IDNR creel clerks. MC anglers report steady action out-front of Beverly Shores E to Mt. Baldy in water depths ranging from 15-24 FOW. Portage boat anglers have been reporting hit or miss action out-front of the “ditch” this past week but better action is occurring around the doughnut & heading E to out-front of Dunes SP in water depths ranging from 16-28 FOW. Finally, EC boat anglers report a few small ones have been caught at the marina entrance. A small number of YP were caught off the end of the MC Lighthouse Pier this week on minnows suspended just off the bottom.
Comments about body of water:
Water temp in the harbor of MC was 81 F° as of this morning. Area tribs are running low & clear. Scattered thunderstorms are forecasted for the region over the next couple of days which may impact stream conditions. Water temp of Trail Creek at Friendship Gardens was 75° F this morning.
Lake Michigan
For more information about the lake please click on the lake name above.
Description:
N/A
Fish
Channel catfish
Description:
The channel catfish has a smooth scaleless skin and barbels on its face resembling cat whiskers. The barbels help the channel catfish taste and feel objects and enable it to locate food in dark and turbid water. The channel catfish has 24-29 rays in its rounded anal fin. The caudal fin is deeply forked and the fish has dark spots on its sides when young.
Bait: Alewifes, chicken/beef livers, commercial catfish bait
Depth: Bottom
Comments about fish:
MC anglers have been catching channel catfish up to 9 lbs inside the harbor & off the Lighthouse Pier on dead alewifes, chicken or beef livers or any commercially prepared catfish bait right on the bottom.
Chinook salmon or king salmon
Description:
Members of the pacific salmon family, the chinook or king salmon and the coho salmon can be found in Lake Michigan and its tributaries in northern Indiana. Pacific salmons do not feed during spawning, but will strike a lure during their runs. Cohos will spawn in the fall in their third year of life and die, while chinooks will spawn in the fall, winter or spring in the fifth year of life, allowing them to grow larger. The chinook or king salmon teeth are set in dark gums, with black spots on the back and both lobes of the square caudal fin. The chinook or king salmon has 15-17 anal fin rays and averages 30 pounds though some can reach over 100 pounds.
Bait: Sthingys, Dodger/Fly combos
Depth: Up to 75 FOW
Comments about fish:
No action reported to the creel clerks this week.
Coho salmon
Description:
Members of the pacific salmon family, the chinook or king salmon and the coho salmon can be found in Lake Michigan and its tributaries in northern Indiana. Pacific salmons do not feed during spawning, but will strike a lure during their runs. Cohos will spawn in the fall in their third year of life and die, while chinooks will spawn in the fall, winter or spring in the fifth year of life, allowing them to grow larger. The teeth of the coho salmon are set in light color gums. The coho salmon has black spots on the upper lobe of a slightly forked caudal fin with 12-15 anal fin rays.
Bait: D & F combos, sthingys
Depth: Up to 55 FOW
Comments about fish:
Boat anglers launching from the EC Marina report good coho salmon action around the gong in water depths up to 55 FOW. Dodger & fly combos & sthingys fished 37-50' down were the hot baits.
Lake trout
Description:
Ever popular among Indiana anglers is the trout family, which includes the brown, lake and rainbow or steelhead trout. Many fisherman can be spotted on the shores during spawning season when the trout begin their runs into the tributaries. The lake trout has a white mouth, teeth and gums, a caudal fin that is deeply forked and a body color that is light to dark gray with light spots.
Bait: Sthingys
Depth: Within 10' of bottom
Comments about fish:
No reports this week.
Rainbow or steelhead trout
Description:
Ever popular among Indiana anglers is the trout family, which includes the brown, lake and rainbow or steelhead trout. Many fisherman can be spotted on the shores during spawning season when the trout begin their runs into the tributaries. Rainbow or steelhead trout have a white mouth, teeth and gums and small black spots on their backs, sides, and caudal and dorsal fins. The caudal fin margin of the rainbow or steelhead trout is square and the fish has 9-12 anal fin rays.
Bait: Lake: Sthingys, Bodybaits Pier: Shrimp, sthingys Tribs: Shrimp, egg sacks
Depth: Lake : Up to 65 FOW
Comments about fish:
Anglers primarily targeted steelhead this week out of MC & Portage. Anglers had some luck in water depths ranging from 55-65 FOW trolling bodybaits & sthingys 40-50' down. With nearshore water temps approaching 80° F, steelhead action has been nonexistent along the southern shorelines of LM. Stream creel clerks have interviewed many anglers over the past couple of weeks; however, very few steelhead have been caught. We are seeing no steelhead movement due to warm water conditions out on the lakefront & also in the creeks. If you choose to try your luck for steelhead this time of year, the most important instrument you should be carrying is a thermomitor.
Smallmouth bass
Description:
Sunfishes include some of the best-known fish in Indiana. Bluegill, redear sunfish, black and white crappie, largemouth, spotted and smallmouth bass are all members of the sunfish family. The last rays on the dorsal fin of the smallmouth bass are separated from the rest of the fin. Also, the upper jaw does not extend beyond back of eye, as it does with the largemouth bass. The smallmouth bass commonly reaches 3-4 pounds.
Bait: Tube jigs, crankbaits, minnows, worms
Depth: Up to 12 FOW
Comments about fish:
Anglers pursuing SMB report good action along the southern shorelines of LM with most of the action occurring out of Hammond & EC Marinas where abundant rocky rip-rap & cover is available. Portage boat anglers report action along the “ditch” & off the Port of Indiana breakwall. An often overlooked area to fish for bass is the W Br of the Little Cal. Prior electrofishing surveys indicated good populations of LMB in that system. No action reported out of MC. Top producing lures include tube jigs that resemble gobies, crankbaits & small spinnerbaits. Top water baits have been effective during the early morning hours or just before dusk. Shore anglers continue to catch SMB off the fishing platforms at both Hammond & EC Marina’s & also at the PAS in the Port of IN.
Yellow perch
Description:
Indiana anglers have long since sought perch for their tasty flavor. The yellow perch, walleye and sauger are members of this popular family. The yellow perch ranges from 6 to 12 inches long and up to one or two pounds.
Bait: Minnows, soft shells
Depth: Up to 28 FOW
Comments about fish:
Big numbers of YP continue to be harvested by boat anglers in southern LM according to IDNR creel clerks. MC anglers report steady action out-front of Beverly Shores E to Mt. Baldy in water depths ranging from 15-24 FOW. Portage boat anglers have been reporting hit or miss action out-front of the “ditch” this past week but better action is occurring around the doughnut & heading E to out-front of Dunes SP in water depths ranging from 16-28 FOW. Finally, EC boat anglers report a few small ones have been caught at the marina entrance. A small number of YP were caught off the end of the MC Lighthouse Pier this week on minnows suspended just off the bottom.
Comments about body of water:
Water temp in the harbor of MC was 81 F° as of this morning. Area tribs are running low & clear. Scattered thunderstorms are forecasted for the region over the next couple of days which may impact stream conditions. Water temp of Trail Creek at Friendship Gardens was 75° F this morning.