Fishing report for Lake Michigan Milwaukee, Wisconsin 8/21/2006. The four year old Chinooks or King Salmon are about as large as they are going to get. We are now getting average Kings at about 20 pounds. Our best lure for them has been magnum spoons in silver/green, silver/blue or Glow in the dark. I like the Reapers or Vulcan magnums from badgertackle.com. Downriggers are the way to go. The wind has been moving the fish around A couple of days of west wind will move the warm water out and the fish come in to 50 to 60 feet of water. When the wind blows east go deep over 100 feet for fish. Rotators and blue or green flies are also working. I like to run a mix of rotators and spoons. The rotators will attract the fish to your downrigger presentation. As always check the water temperature as the first thing you do. Find the 50 degree water and you will most likely find fish. If you fish at first light you may find fish in the warm water above the temperature break to 50 degrees. When the water is above 50 degrees from top to bottom continue to deeper water in search of colder water for salmon. The boater's that don't care to run 6 to 8 miles off shore I would consider working the warm water for some great Brown Trout or Rainbow action. Look for them from 25 to 85 feet in the top 40 feet as they like the warm water. Action has been steady and predictable. All presentations are working early in the day and downriggers are better later in the morning or mid day. Try Slide Divers set to #2 with 65 feet of Power Pro line out or conventional mono divers with 80 to 100 feet of line out. Temperature is the key. Find the break and work above and below it for salmon. If it's clear and calm, you may have to run long leads of 50-100 feet on the Slide Divers and downriggers. Watch your speed! Kick up your speed to 2.4 to 2.7 for Rainbows and between 1.8 and 2.4 for Kings. The warm water Kings like a slower speed.
Good Luck!! Jim charters out of Milwaukee, WI. with Blue Max Charters. He can be reached at 414-828-1094 or visit his web site at http://www.bluemaxcharters.com Copyright© 2006, James J. Hirt, All Rights Reserved