Milwaukee Fishing Lake Michigan Wisconsin 10/4/2006
By Captain Jim Hirt
Milwaukee fall fishing has never been better. The west wind has moved the Alewives in from 160 feet to 50 feet and the temperature is 45 degrees at 30 feet down. All presentations are working. Spoons, flasher flies and plugs are all taking fish. The first light bite has been fantastic. Doubles and triples are common when the sun is just on the horizon. I start my morning with all glow spoons. Charge them up with bright light before you put them in. Charge them again every opportunity you have in all low light situations. Keep them bright for the hottest action. I have been running my Slide Divers on #4 early and going to a lower number after it gets brighter out. The lower the number the deeper they dive. Sixty feet of line out is a good place to start. The best glow spoons for me have been the Reaper Fish Fry, Green Fox or any of the Tiger Glows in the magnum size. The only place you can find them is at Badgertackle.com Downriggers 40 to 60 down have been the ticket once again with glow spoons. Later in the day on sunny days move to deeper water and fish 60 to 90 feet down with Vulcan Silver Plate, Silver Sky or any of the silver colors in the regular size. This 3-inch spoon is just the right size to match the Alewives look for them at Badgertackle.com
Four-year-old kings are also available. Most of the boats are reporting four to six of these big bruisers each trip. You will have to pick and peck at them. Try magnum spoons and #3 and #4 J-plugs. The big kings will be available until mid October with the quantities diminishing toward the end of October. For exciting action on the biggest fish of the year fish the warm water outside the break walls, in the harbor gaps and around the harbor. When the water is clear go with all silver, silver/green, silver/blue. In low light or cloudy stained water, run the glow in the dark spoons. Downriggers 15 to 30 down are the way to go. Run your corner downriggers at 12 to 22 feet with 60-foot leads and cover the deeper water with the remaining downriggers. The Slide Divers are taking a lot of fish with the large ring set to #2 and 50 foot leads at 37 feet of line out. I used 50-pound Power Pro on all my divers this year and it allowed for better hook sets and deeper running with less problems. 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