Post by sam on Sept 10, 2010 15:20:53 GMT -5
This page was last updated on SEP 10 2010 03:06 P.M.
Lake Michigan Fishing Report
lkmichigan@dnr.in.gov
Description:
N/A
Fish
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: Spinners, glow sthingys, crankbaits
Depth: Deeper holes & runs
Comments about fish:
King salmon are also showing up in area creeks although in smaller numbers than steelhead right now. Over the next week or two, we should see bigger numbers of kings entering the creeks. Anglers have caught chinooks on spinners, sthingys & crankbaits in the deeper holes & runs. Shore anglers fishing off the MC Lighthouse Pier or off the Portage Lakefront Park Pier report small numbers caught. Most of the action is occurring at dusk or early morning. Anglers report glow in the dark wobbler type sthingys have been 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: Spinner, sthingys, bass size crankbaits
Depth: Deeper holes & runs
Comments about fish:
No boat action to report this past week. Anglers fishing the creeks are reporting coho salmon up to 8 lbs. caught. Coho salmon have shown a preference for chartreuse spinners, smaller wobbler type sthingys & bass sized crankbaits. Again, fish your lures in the deeper holes & runs. Also try fishing in & around down logs adjacent to deeper water because cohos tend to be cover oriented.
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: Shrimp, spawn bags, spinners
Depth: Deeper holes and runs
Comments about fish:
Last weekends strong winds finally blew in some colder water along the southern shorelines of LM. Along with colder water, skamainia steelhead have started to show up in the tribs. Anglers fishing Trail Cr have reported good numbers of steelhead caught in the middle to upper reaches. Anglers fishing Salt Cr report action in the lower & middle reaches. Those fishing the E Br of the Little Cal stated action is concentrated in the lower reaches. Top baits this week include pieces of shrimp & small spawn sacs bounced along the bottom in the deeper holes & runs. Also, anglers had success using smaller (#2) spinners with subdued colored blades (black, brass, silver).
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: 3-18 FOW
Comments about fish:
Anglers continue to catch SMB out of Hammond & EC Marinas as well as outside the Port of Indiana. Look for SMB 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.
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 34 FOW
Comments about fish:
No action reported from either boat or shore anglers this past week.
Comments about body of water:
Water temp in the harbor of MC is 65ºF. Area tribs are running below average flows with extremely clear water conditions. This includes the upper, middle & lower reaches. Scattered rain showers are predicted for the region on Saturday which may impact stream conditions. Water temperature of Trail Creek at Friendship Gardens is currently 57º F.
Lake Michigan Fishing Report
lkmichigan@dnr.in.gov
Description:
N/A
Fish
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: Spinners, glow sthingys, crankbaits
Depth: Deeper holes & runs
Comments about fish:
King salmon are also showing up in area creeks although in smaller numbers than steelhead right now. Over the next week or two, we should see bigger numbers of kings entering the creeks. Anglers have caught chinooks on spinners, sthingys & crankbaits in the deeper holes & runs. Shore anglers fishing off the MC Lighthouse Pier or off the Portage Lakefront Park Pier report small numbers caught. Most of the action is occurring at dusk or early morning. Anglers report glow in the dark wobbler type sthingys have been 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: Spinner, sthingys, bass size crankbaits
Depth: Deeper holes & runs
Comments about fish:
No boat action to report this past week. Anglers fishing the creeks are reporting coho salmon up to 8 lbs. caught. Coho salmon have shown a preference for chartreuse spinners, smaller wobbler type sthingys & bass sized crankbaits. Again, fish your lures in the deeper holes & runs. Also try fishing in & around down logs adjacent to deeper water because cohos tend to be cover oriented.
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: Shrimp, spawn bags, spinners
Depth: Deeper holes and runs
Comments about fish:
Last weekends strong winds finally blew in some colder water along the southern shorelines of LM. Along with colder water, skamainia steelhead have started to show up in the tribs. Anglers fishing Trail Cr have reported good numbers of steelhead caught in the middle to upper reaches. Anglers fishing Salt Cr report action in the lower & middle reaches. Those fishing the E Br of the Little Cal stated action is concentrated in the lower reaches. Top baits this week include pieces of shrimp & small spawn sacs bounced along the bottom in the deeper holes & runs. Also, anglers had success using smaller (#2) spinners with subdued colored blades (black, brass, silver).
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: 3-18 FOW
Comments about fish:
Anglers continue to catch SMB out of Hammond & EC Marinas as well as outside the Port of Indiana. Look for SMB 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.
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 34 FOW
Comments about fish:
No action reported from either boat or shore anglers this past week.
Comments about body of water:
Water temp in the harbor of MC is 65ºF. Area tribs are running below average flows with extremely clear water conditions. This includes the upper, middle & lower reaches. Scattered rain showers are predicted for the region on Saturday which may impact stream conditions. Water temperature of Trail Creek at Friendship Gardens is currently 57º F.