Captain Ed Stowe of Stowaway Charters reports from Ludington:

The fishing is an early morning bite that starts out really hot and then it is as someone turns the switch off and it is a struggle to get another bite. The water has cooled a bit and fish have showed up in front of the bath house and in front of Epworth. As the water cools we are taking fish on the 3 cores and 5 cores with plugs on them. Almost any moonshine early, with the Perch and Carbon 14 raspberry doing the best for me lately, and the Silver Hoard ace highs, Double Glos and Corncobs on the cores and coppers are taking fish. Blue Bubble Spindoctors with Blue Fairways and later 11″ White paddles with meatrigs are a good bet either on the riggers or the wire divers. Good Fishin…..Capt Ed

Capt. Dan Tebo, of D’Ann Marie Charters in Grand Haven, reports:

Well, this is definitely not a normal August for fishing in this area. The water is unbelievably warm and the winds are strong, this is creating havoc for the fish, as well as the fishermen.
Everyday this week the winds have shifted several times during the day, thus creating water that is very unstable. The waves are choppy and close together or they are cross chops making for rough rides and many tangled lines! Several trips were shortened due to rough waters and rescheduled. The catches are good one day, not the next.
The water is so warm the fish move all over to find the temps they like and we are at their mercy and chasing them all over. Some days guys are going way out to deep water and the next day they are fishing in closer.
Fishing is still better at the first crack of day. We have been trying to leave a little earlier these days to get to the right spot for that “first bite”.
We are fishing from 95 ft. to 110 ft. water, 60 to 90 ft. down on most days..
We are using pearl black dot, green lightning, and yellow lightning plugs.
Later in the morning, we have had good luck with a variety of spoons: mixed veggies and blue veggies.
If you are interested in booking a trip with us, contact us at: www.dannmariecharters.com or call 616-846-3700.

Captain Ron Westrate of CoHooker Charters reports from Saugatuck:

Fishing off of Saugatuck was good throughout the week. The week started
with large catches, but small fish (salmon and lake trout 160-200 FOW.
The week ended with large catches of large lake trout and an occasional
king in 85-100 FOW.

The fish in the deeper water were biting orange Cory’s bait, mixed
veggies and lemon ice sting ray spoons on the 200’ and 300’ of copper.
On the down riggers the 8” green/glow Hotchip with a wild fern, 8” white
dew wiggle Prochip with a hypnotist LG and the 8” white fishscale with a
green no-see-um fly.

The lake trout in 85-100 FOW were biting metal dodgers with spin-n-glows
and Goldstar squids. The best combinations were the tin can w/ a glow
and pink dot, green, or chartreuse spin-n-glows. A chartreuse dodger
with a green splatter back glow squid was also very productive. The
dodger were bounced on bottom to produce action.

The water started to cool down on Sunday and some kings were found in 50
FOW right on the bottom. With some northerly winds forecasted for the
week the salmon might start staging in the 45-50 FOW area. The cooler
water will also spark a better perch bite for the perch anglers. For
more information or charter reservations, contact me at
captron@chartermichigan.com

Capt. Ken Deaton of J-Lyn Charters reports from Harbor Beach:

Lake Trout are being taken in the 60 to 120 foot of water areas North of the harbor. Try using plain spoons off the downriggers or the ghost dodgers with spin and glows down on the bottom. Best colors have been glow in the dark, white with pink dots, and black.
Steelhead are being taken in 60 to 120 feet of water using 3, 5, 8, and 10 color lead lines off the boards, or try some spoons off the monofilament line with the Offshore tadpoles and put them off the boards. Lines off the downriggers back 50 and down 35 to 60 feet are also working. Bright colored small Pro King lures with orange, pink, yellow with silver, and red with green are working best.
Walleye are being taken Straight out and North of the harbor on crawler harnesses, small spoons and small body baits. Try root beer, perch, purple, gold, and green with red colors. Five and ten color lead lines have been working well in the deeper water. I would also suggest using spoons and body baits trolled fast to cover more ground till you find where they are setting. Try starting in 30 foot of water and work out to as far as 100 feet of water till you see where they are.
<>Salmon fishing is slow but some pinks and kings are being taken mixed in while fishing for the Lake Trout and Steelhead in the 100 to 140 foot of water areas North of the harbor. You might want to start trying some J-Plugs off the downriggers, dipsey divers, and boards also.
Perch fishing is slow, you might try South of the harbor by the cemetery in 25 to 50 feet of water with minnows.
Bass and Pike are still being taken inside the harbor and close to shore casting small body baits and spoons.

Keep those lines tight,

Capt. Ken Deaton of J-Lyn Charters reports from Harbor Beach:

Some nice Steelhead are still being taken in 60 to 115 feet of water using 3, 5, 8, and 10 color lead lines off the boards, or try some spoons off the monofilament line with the Offshore tadpoles and put them off the boards. Lines off the downriggers back 50 and down 35 to 60 feet are also working. Bright colored small Pro King lures with orange, pink, yellow with silver, and red with green are still working best.
Lake Trout are being taken in the 80 to 120 foot of water areas North of the harbor. Try using plain spoons off the downriggers or the ghost dodgers with spin and glows down on the bottom. Best colors have been glow in the dark, white with pink dots, and black.
Walleye are being taken Straight out and North of the harbor on crawler harnesses, small spoons and small body baits. Try Gold, root beer, perch, purple and green with red colors. Ten color lead lines have been working well in the deeper water. I would also suggest using spoons and body baits trolled fast to cover more ground till you find where they are setting. Try starting in 30 foot of water and work out to as far as 100 feet of water till you see where they are.
Salmon fishing is slow but some pinks and kings are being taken mixed in while fishing for the Lake Trout and Steelhead in the 100 to 140 foot of water areas.
Perch fishing is slow, you might try South of the harbor by the cemetery in 25 to 50 feet of water with minnows.
Bass and Pike are still being taken inside the harbor and close to shore casting small body baits and spoons.

Keep those lines tight,
Captain Ken and Captain Janice Deaton
J-Lyn Charters
Harbor Beach MI

Captain Ed Stowe of Stowaway Charters reports from Ludington:

The fishing is on again off again as the water just keeps getting warmer and warmer. The surface temp is 75 degrees and the break is down at 65 ft. We need some north or east wind to cool things down a bit. It has been a struggle the last week or so. Almost any moonshine early, with the Bloody Nose and Mongolian Beef doing the best for me, and the Silver Hoard ace highs on the cores and coppers are taking fish. Mountain Dew Spindoctors with Seaweed and later 11″ paddles with meatrigs are a good bet either on the riggers or the wire divers. Good Fishin…..Capt Ed