Post by sam on Jul 13, 2010 16:17:04 GMT -5
This page was last updated on JUL 13 2010 12:11 P.M.
Lake Michigan
lkmichigan@dnr.state.in.us
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: Nightcrawlers, chicken livers, shrimp, commercially prepared bait
Depth: Bottom
Comments about fish:
Channel catfish, up to 9 pounds, have been caught in the harbor of MC, off the MC Lighthouse Pier, the PAS in the Port of Indiana & off the fishing pier at Portage Lakefront Park. According to anglers, productive baits include nightcrawlers, pieces of shrimp or chunks of chicken livers fished 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, meat rigs
Depth: Up to 73 FOW
Comments about fish:
Trout & salmon action slowed just a bit last week in southern LM. Anglers fishing out of MC reported a mixed bag of coho, kings, steelhead & brown trout near the state line in water depths ranging from 54-73 FOW. Best action came on sthingys fished just below the thermocline, which was around 27-38' down. Portage Marina boat anglers reported action for steelhead out-front of the “ditch” in water depths ranging from 30-50 FOW. Again, sthingys were the hot bait. Finally, EC boaters were rewarded with nice catches of coho, kings & steelhead N to NE of the gong in water depths ranging from 54-69 FOW. According to anglers, meat rigs along with magnum sized sthingys fished anywhere from 38-54' down proved effective.
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: Dodger & Fly combos, sthingys
Depth: Up to 73 FOW
Comments about fish:
See chinook salmon report.
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 Pier: shrimp, N/C Tribs: shrimp, spawn sacs, spinners
Depth: Pier: 5-10' under a bobber Tribs: bounce bait along bottom
Comments about fish:
See king salmon report for lake action. Unfortunately, stream anglers are reporting poor fishing action for steelhead in all NW Indiana tribs over the past week. Only a couple of fish were caught out of Trail Cr this past week with no one area better than the next. A small number were harvested out of the lower reaches of the E Br of the Little Cal. No action to report out of Salt Cr. According to anglers, the most productive baits were shrimp or spawn sacs bounced along the bottom. Steelhead were also caught on orange or silver bladed spinners. Good areas to fish include the deeper holes & runs & undercut banks or log jams adjacent to deeper water. Also, focus on mouths of smaller tribs where cooler water may be entering the creek.
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: Minnow, nightcrawlers, tube jigs, small crankbaits
Depth: 3-15 FOW
Comments about fish:
Anglers targeting SMB continue to report good action out of EC & Hammond Marinas over the past several weeks. Look for smallmouth bass to congregate on man-made structure or rocky rip rap in southern LM. Anglers have stated that tube jigs & crankbaits resembling gobies have been effective. Anglers also caught bass on small spinnerbaits & a variety of topwater lures. Either early morning or late evening seems to be the best time to catch smallies.
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
Depth: Up to 20 FOW
Comments about fish:
Anglers are reporting outstanding YP fishing along the southern shorelines of LM. MC: Anglers stated that action is occurring from Black’s Ditch W to Beverly Shores in water depths to 20 FOW. Big catches of YP reported out of Portage Marina late last week. Limits were caught just outside the “ditch” in water depths ranging from 11-16 FOW. Anglers fishing out of Hammond Marina report very good action in Calumet Park in water depths to 15 FOW. Shore anglers are reporting nice catches off the MC Lighthouse Pier, the PAS in the Port of Indiana & off the fishing pier at Portage Lakefront Park. Top producing bait is minnows fished just off the bottom.
Comments about body of water:
Water temp in the harbor of MC is 74ºF. Trail Cr is in good shape with average flows & good visibility. The western tribs are also exhibiting average flows; however, stained to muddy water conditions are prevalent, especially in the lower & middle reaches. Water temp of Trail Cr at Friendship Gardens was 67º F this morning. Personnel with Bodine & Mixsawbah SFH recently released just over 35,000 brown trout, averaging 5", into Buffington Harbor along the southern shoreline of LM.
Lake Michigan
lkmichigan@dnr.state.in.us
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: Nightcrawlers, chicken livers, shrimp, commercially prepared bait
Depth: Bottom
Comments about fish:
Channel catfish, up to 9 pounds, have been caught in the harbor of MC, off the MC Lighthouse Pier, the PAS in the Port of Indiana & off the fishing pier at Portage Lakefront Park. According to anglers, productive baits include nightcrawlers, pieces of shrimp or chunks of chicken livers fished 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, meat rigs
Depth: Up to 73 FOW
Comments about fish:
Trout & salmon action slowed just a bit last week in southern LM. Anglers fishing out of MC reported a mixed bag of coho, kings, steelhead & brown trout near the state line in water depths ranging from 54-73 FOW. Best action came on sthingys fished just below the thermocline, which was around 27-38' down. Portage Marina boat anglers reported action for steelhead out-front of the “ditch” in water depths ranging from 30-50 FOW. Again, sthingys were the hot bait. Finally, EC boaters were rewarded with nice catches of coho, kings & steelhead N to NE of the gong in water depths ranging from 54-69 FOW. According to anglers, meat rigs along with magnum sized sthingys fished anywhere from 38-54' down proved effective.
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: Dodger & Fly combos, sthingys
Depth: Up to 73 FOW
Comments about fish:
See chinook salmon report.
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 Pier: shrimp, N/C Tribs: shrimp, spawn sacs, spinners
Depth: Pier: 5-10' under a bobber Tribs: bounce bait along bottom
Comments about fish:
See king salmon report for lake action. Unfortunately, stream anglers are reporting poor fishing action for steelhead in all NW Indiana tribs over the past week. Only a couple of fish were caught out of Trail Cr this past week with no one area better than the next. A small number were harvested out of the lower reaches of the E Br of the Little Cal. No action to report out of Salt Cr. According to anglers, the most productive baits were shrimp or spawn sacs bounced along the bottom. Steelhead were also caught on orange or silver bladed spinners. Good areas to fish include the deeper holes & runs & undercut banks or log jams adjacent to deeper water. Also, focus on mouths of smaller tribs where cooler water may be entering the creek.
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: Minnow, nightcrawlers, tube jigs, small crankbaits
Depth: 3-15 FOW
Comments about fish:
Anglers targeting SMB continue to report good action out of EC & Hammond Marinas over the past several weeks. Look for smallmouth bass to congregate on man-made structure or rocky rip rap in southern LM. Anglers have stated that tube jigs & crankbaits resembling gobies have been effective. Anglers also caught bass on small spinnerbaits & a variety of topwater lures. Either early morning or late evening seems to be the best time to catch smallies.
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
Depth: Up to 20 FOW
Comments about fish:
Anglers are reporting outstanding YP fishing along the southern shorelines of LM. MC: Anglers stated that action is occurring from Black’s Ditch W to Beverly Shores in water depths to 20 FOW. Big catches of YP reported out of Portage Marina late last week. Limits were caught just outside the “ditch” in water depths ranging from 11-16 FOW. Anglers fishing out of Hammond Marina report very good action in Calumet Park in water depths to 15 FOW. Shore anglers are reporting nice catches off the MC Lighthouse Pier, the PAS in the Port of Indiana & off the fishing pier at Portage Lakefront Park. Top producing bait is minnows fished just off the bottom.
Comments about body of water:
Water temp in the harbor of MC is 74ºF. Trail Cr is in good shape with average flows & good visibility. The western tribs are also exhibiting average flows; however, stained to muddy water conditions are prevalent, especially in the lower & middle reaches. Water temp of Trail Cr at Friendship Gardens was 67º F this morning. Personnel with Bodine & Mixsawbah SFH recently released just over 35,000 brown trout, averaging 5", into Buffington Harbor along the southern shoreline of LM.