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Posts: 735
Location: Apparently where the Muskie aren't | I know it's not muskie but it seems like we have a bunch of salmon guys on here too. I finally took my new boat out all the way onto Lake Michigan today and now I'm comfortable doing it (as long as the weather isn't as bad as it was today) went out calumet harbor and fished the breakers for bass and did alright. Then I put the fishing tackle away to venture out and see if I could survive the open seas (I could not. Lol.) made it about ten feet out of the break walls and had to come back. I'm sure it was just because off the steady winds from the north. The point is, if it's a calm day and I watch the weather I would be comfortable out there in my 18'. So my question is, where do you fish for salmon and trout at? How far off shore do you need to be? What depths do you look for? Because when you get out there (to me at least) it looks like a whole bunch of nothing. What type of gear do you use? To start I was thinking just a old bait caster and my muskie trolling rod would work. How do I get the baits down to the fish? Do I need down riggers? Ive never trolled deep so I have no clue. If someone could give me a starting point or at least what to look for that would be great. Obviously the closer to shore the better for me. And I'd prefer to fish illinois waters. Thanks! |
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Posts: 60
| I've gotten tons of good help here, so I'll try to return the favor. Salmon fishing is pretty awesome.
I fish out of Door County, so I'm not familiar with your area. Like other fish, kings will set up on ledges and humps, but that structure will be in 80+ FOW. They'll often be off structure as well. Look for bait. Where I fish, 100 FOW seems to be working well lately. To get started, you should probably to follow some charters out and see where they go or to drive around and look for charter boats.
For trolling, you can use musky rods like TDRs (I do). But musky reels like 20-sized convectors don't hold enough line for salmon, which can make very long runs. I use 30- and 45-sized convectors.
To hit depth, you typically use dipsy divers (which are like deep-diving planar boards), lead core line (which sinks), heavy sinkers, or downriggers. People say downriggers don't work as well as they used to because the water is clearer. Also, I don't want to put a downrigger setup on my boat. So I use dipsies and lead core.
Typically, I use 1 dipsy per side with flasher/flies and 1 lead core rod per side with spoons or plugs. I use boards with the lead core. I could legally run six lines, but I usually fish with my kids, and I have enough trouble keeping three or four lines untangled when I get bit.
Finally, I suggest buying the salmon fishing book by Keating and Porter. |
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Posts: 20178
Location: oswego, il | We have a salmon thread in the basement for full on discussion. I fish cal harbor early in the year. It can be hit or miss but there are fish there. Not now though it is too shallow. The lake bottom is pretty flat until you get well north of chicago. You would need to go at least 10 miles before you would hit 60ft even out of burnham. 10 miles out of north point has you in 200ft. Seiche is huge on lake michigan and can really dictate fish location. Right now they can be 100-300ft depending on how the winds have been out of the north end of illinois. About as far out south but not as deep. Your boat is fine. I run my 1750 out there. The big thing is you better have your weather ducks in a row. Have a radio, know what the noaa forecast is before you go and some weather apps.
As far as cal harbor early it is a good option when the wind is blowing out of the north or east. That can sometimes make it crowded. Most people prefer fishing just south at the hole in the wall in indiana at that time of the year. Fish will be stacked around ths current at the harbor entrance in those winds. Be wary of the outside on an east wind, the waves bouncing off the wall creates some serious harbor chop and those waves hit you from every which direction. Another thing to understand about calumet harbor. About 50ft out from the launch your in indiana. The border is odd there. Once your considered outside the harbor you need an indiana license.
Knowimg where to go at what time is key. There are hot bite progressions for different species at different times. Right now is a good time for steelhead.
Edited by ToddM 8/13/2017 6:58 AM
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Posts: 497
Location: Ludington, MI | Great info here. I fish out of Ludington with a 1700 and I'd add there are some great safety and information tools you can use. www.coastwatch.msu.edu has surface temperature maps and a wave height predictor for the whole lake. Also check the National Buoy Data Center for your nearest data buoy, which will have good wave height info for you. Remember that most of these buoys measure from flat to peak, not trough to peak, so "2-footers" may surprise you. As Todd said, keep an eye on the weather. Up here the lake whips up around 11 a.m. many days, so plan your trips to end before noon until you get a feel for your end of the lake. |
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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | i'm one who has learned from the guys in the basement over the past 6 years or so and got started trading a bunch of double 10's to a guy from Ludington, MI for flashers/dodgers/dipsies and flies :0). it's a fantastic game but not one to play without having good information like winds, radar etc...
i run lead-core, dipsies and riggers (if you have 6" of space you can mount riggers and have them on and off in less than 1 minute) and they are action and to me critical.
i also fish out of Door county primarily Algoma but also Bailey's Harbor and depending on where we find fish from 85FOW to 270ishFOW. we tend to pick north/south and then challenge depths to show us marks and then adjust our baits accordingly in the set and have had consistent success.
pay attention to the safety, lighting and organization in your boat so that your only job is hands on driving in and out. biggest challenge assuming you are not going out when you shouldn't is to be on your game with attention departing or returning in the dark with the boat wake and traffic (some moving some not always) in and out of the harbor. |
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Posts: 20178
Location: oswego, il | One thing to be aware of is harbor chop. Most salmon fisherman go out early and come back late morning and mid day. It could be fine out there. The last 1/2 mile back can be brutal. Wakes multiplying and hitting you from every direction. Errant wakes from nowhere too. I had to pedal a set of very close together 6fters this year while trolling. If i wasn't watching or didn't know what to do, i would have swamped the boat. It came from a bow to the sky yacht about a 1/2 mile away. I am sure the jerk knew what he was doing. |
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Posts: 7009
Location: Northwest Chicago Burbs | I live outside of Chicago which places me an hour from the nearest (very EH) muskie water, but 35-40 minutes from Lake Michigan. Yes, I'd rather fish for trophy muskies, but a 20lb king salmon....
If you live close to the big lake and the idea of trolling doesnt make your eyes and ears bleed, you need to try it. |
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Posts: 735
Location: Apparently where the Muskie aren't | Thanks for all the help guys, sorry I didn't respond sooner was having problems and couldn't post. I don't have any problems with trolling or people that troll. I'm just starting to get into in general. I'm just looking for a good starting place, I'll probaly only run 2 maybe three rods (that's all I can do for now). I'm not really looking for prime water although it would be nice. Just trying to get some lines out with a shot at a fish. How's the area outside of calumet harbor? I know it might sound crazy to you guys but for me the quickest way to get to the lake is actually for me to dump the boat into the cal sag in alsip and take that to the calumet river and then into the lake. Like I said I've already did it and suprisingly I barley used any gas going there and back. Although I will bring at least 10 extra gallons with me. So how deep is the water outside calumet harbor and is there and fish over there? I guess I could buy an Indiana liscene since I fish in Indiana a few times a year so that won't be a big deal. |
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Posts: 20178
Location: oswego, il | If you go outside of cal harbor your in hoosireville. Right now you need to go out to 60-70 and start. That is a good 10+ miles. As i stated the lake is shallower and flat on the south end. I stop fishing that area by the end of april. You are better off trailering to north point and launching there. |
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Posts: 42
| Todd, Where do we find this basement salmon thread? |
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Posts: 20178
Location: oswego, il | At the bottom of the threads is a section called recycle bin, click on that. A basement section and a you scewed up it goes there section. Salmon thread and many others there. The salmon one is pretty safe!:-) |
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Posts: 3240
Location: Racine, Wi | The good thing is, salmon guys are more than willing to help get you on fish. Very good group of guys.
Pretty soon, if there's a river the salmon run, you could use 3 rods with some minnow baits or cranks and get into some 4 year olds without having to use dipsys, riggers, etc. Pretty straight forward with some unhappy fish. |
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Posts: 20178
Location: oswego, il | March and early april is a good time to use crankbaits too. They are especially good if the coho come in before the food does. During those times it is not uncommon to get your limit in less time than it did to drive there. |
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