This past week turned out to be another week of looking for the salmon but catching 90% lake trout. We fished from 50 foot of water out to 270 foot of water and the water temperature ranged from 55 degrees on the surface to 41 degrees 120 foot down with no clear break. By Monday, the surface temperature was 62 degrees with a beginning of a temperature break at 35 foot but still 42 degrees 100 foot down. During the week we caught 6 to 12 fish per trip with the most consistent depth being 90 to 110 foot of water with flashers and flies on the bottom and 400 and 300 foot of copper with large spoons.
The best method for us continues to be the 11 in Hot Chip Flasher (white/glow and silver green) with the Rapture Wild Fern trolling fly which was run 105 foot down in 100 foot of water. We also caught fish pulling a metal flasher with the Rapture Green Dude fly. The second most productive method was 300 and 400 foot of copper with Stingray and magnum Stinger lures (glow frog and orange corey). Another technique that works for us was the 3 oz. and 4 oz.Stinger Dive Bomb that we added to the 300 foot of copper to get it down to the depth that the 400 foot of copper would run at.
Perch fishing success is improving with Sunday producing some limit catches in 55 foot of water. With the runoff of all the rain last week, you need to get outside this muddy water which extends all the way out to 50 foot and north of the Saugatuck channel.
The lake trout had all classes of bait in the stomachs with a majority being the 6 in large adults. With all the bait, I think it is only a matter of time before the salmon stage in the 100 to 110 foot of water. Contact me for information or charter information by email at captron@chartermichigan.com.