Captain Ron Westrate of CoHooker Charters reports from Saugatuck:
This week brought the closing of the Lake Trout season, forcing us to
concentrate on salmon and steelhead. The first part of the week produced
12 to 20 lake trout per trip with an occasional salmon or steelhead in
80 to 90 foot of water. There were some reports of some 2 and 3 year old
salmon being caught in 220 to 240 foot of water but the run of 4 year
old salmon still had not started. Saturday we again got blown off the
lake with gale force winds that continued into today. There were a
couple of boats that fished the Kalamazoo River on Saturday and reported
catching a few big 4 year old salmon, pulling Hot n Tots and Tadpollys.
If the there are salmon in the river, there must be some in front the
piers, however with the rough conditions, no one fished for them in the
lake. Could it be that the run has finally begun?

For more information, or to book a fishing charter email me at
captron@chartermichigan.com.

Capt. Ken Deaton of J-Lyn Charters reports from Harbor Beach:
Some nice Steelhead and a few Salmon are being taken in 80 to 100 feet
of water straight out of the harbor. Fish high using 2 or 3 color lead
lines with bright colored spoons for best results. Spoons off the
downriggers set down 15 foot and back 50 to 100 feet are also working
well. The higher speeds of 3 to 3.5 mph are working well.

Lake Trout season is now closed for us so be sure to put them back if
you catch one!

Brown Trout are being taken in closer to shore using spoons and body
baits fished back from the boat in 30 to 35 feet of water, down 10 to 15
foot.

You might want to try inside the habror for some Salmon that will be
coming in to spawn.

Fish for the walleye late evenings off the North wall casting body baits
and spoons, perch colors should work best.

Keep those lines tight,
Captain Janice Deaton
J-Lyn Charters
810-542-0426
www.jlyncharters.com

Captain John Giszczak of Stray Cat Charters reports from Luna Pier:

The yellow perch are starting to more inshore!
Limit catch’s can be found off the #1 Buoy off the River Rasin, Stoney Point in 20 to 25 feet of water.
Fishing has picked up near the Water Intake in 14 to 20 feet of water. One sure bet is the 2nd set of cans north of the Lighthouse in 17 feet of water. I moved 4 times today off of Stoney Point to find a good school, but when we found the school we put a couple of hundred in the box in no time. Emerald shiners seemed to out perform the Golden shiners but once the bite was on it didn’t matter! Most of the perch averaged in size from 7″ to 10″ with a couple of jumbo’s.
Best bet is to start near shore in 15 plus feet of water and work your way out. The fish seem to be in tight schools so if you don’t land on them keep moving. Some of the schools seem to peter out after an hour or so – don’t waste your time after the bite slows – Move!!

Captain Ron Westrate of CoHooker Charters reports from Saugatuck:

This past week again produced limit catches of Lake Trout, however the salmon were few and far between. The salmon that were caught hit 60 to 70 foot down but the lake trout hit off the bottom in 75 to 90 foot of water. The lake trout continue to be in the 12 to 20 pound range and the salmon are the 2 and 3 year old with the 4 year old chinook being absent.

The down riggers and the dipsy divers were run on the bottom with Silver Horde Gold Star metal dodgers with spin n glows. This combination produced 17 fish by 8:30 (1 1/2 hours of fishing) this morning. Any salmon and steelhead that we caught, were caught on regular stinger lures (orange corey and reverse christmas) and glow Silver Horde plugs pulled on 200 and 300 foot of copper.

I do not know where the 4 year old chinook salmon are, however the water in-front the piers is still in the mid 60 degrees and we do not see anything in this water. Grand Haven boats were catching small salmon and steelhead out in 260 to 300 foot of water. To get to this depth out of Saugatuck, we would have a 15 mile run and I have not talked to any one who has fished this depth here. Check back next week for an update or charter reservations or email me at captron@chartermichigan.com .

Captain Ed Stowe of Stowaway Charters reports from Ludington:

The fish are out in the deepwaters now. From the 35s out to the 4200#s. The thermocline is deep-90′ down it is 56 degrees. Almost any moonshine early, with the Happy Meal and Bad Toad doing the best for me lately, rerg size spoons are finally taking fish again and although the thermocline is deep we are taking fish on the three cores, the 5 cores and 7 and 10 cores. The higher fish are mostly steelies so we are using double orange crush, fireballs, red lazers and riversides. Double Glos and Blue Splatterbacks on the cores and Meatrigs on the coppers are also taking fish. Green spindoctors with Dark Seaweed flies and later 11″ White paddles with Froggy meatrigs are a good bet either on the riggers or the wire divers. The fish are also in Pere Marquette Lake and in the Pere Marquette river in good numbers. In Pere Marquette Lake it doesnt matter what you use as long as it is a J-plug or j-plug type bait, with Chrome Redhead and Grey Ghost being the favorite colors. In the river #5 spinners, HotnTots, Glo Thundersticks and PingaTees are good bets. The salmon are in the Sauble at the State Park and Spinners and egg sucking leach flies are producing now. Good Fishin…..Capt Ed

Captain John Giszczak of Stray Cat Charters reports from Luna Pier:

This past week was rough on the lake but perch fishing was very productive
Sunday the Lake was on fire! Limit catchs everywhere.
Some of the best fishing was near “E” buoy – had to move a few times, but the fish where on the large side.
In front of Bolles Harbor in 14′ of water many anglers took limits.
Some of the charter boats are still running way out, but many have found good fish closer to home.
Good bets are still Turtle Island area in 9 to 12 feet of water, the 2nd set of cans north of the Lighthouse on the Michigan side of the ditch
Just off the “Platform on the Ohio side of the channel has been producing a mixed bag.

Most of the bait shops have a fair supply on emerald shiners, but call ahead, some of the shops are mixing in chubs with the emeralds.

Luna Pier Harbor Club Marina has “Golden Shiners” which are very good alternative to emerald shiners. The Goldies are much more tolerant of warm water and will for a day or two if kept cool and aerated.

Ohio upped it’s limit to 30 perch per angler this season – Michigan still remains at 50 per angler

Captain John
Stray Cat Charter Fishing LLC
734-787-0030
http://www.walleyefishingmichigan.com