Hi All
Been a while...I know...I know...Summer is pretty busy with all the tourism and fishing. Fishing has been good out on Lake Michigan and in the Pere Marquette River. The river in general has been low and clear for the last month, like it is suppose to be. Hopper fishing and mousing has been the best way to get the bigger Trout along with nymphing when nothing will rise to the fly and you have to get down to them..Not many Salmon around couple here and there but no good fishable #'s as of yet in the river. A friend saw 15 in a hole one day a couple weeks ago and there is a few here and there but they are hard to target still in the river..
In Lake Michigan the Adult 4 year old Kings have shown back up and pretty much on Que..The size is down a little bit from last years Big Boys but last year was a exceptional year around here..This year there are still the 28-30 lb Kings out there from the reports on the Wisconsin side of the lake, it's just not like last season over here on the Michigan side of the lake..
Lately out of Ludington there has been some 23-25lb. Kings caught and some 18-20 lbers. are becoming more abundant as we get closer to the Fall run..Were not stuffing the coolers with 15 -20 Kings every trip out but 5-7 a trip is a good catch and the size is good like 8-18 lbs. are the bulk of the catch this season so far..Who knows the big lake is very very big.. ALL the fish have a BIG FAT BELLY so they are eating very well for sure.
Pretty much anytime you want to go Offshore you can find the nice batch of Steelhead,Lakers and Coho to fill the cooler. The Kings are near the shore line for the most part and very hard to impossible to find offshore this season. It has been a weird season with lots of cold water up against the shore and it's ICE water not far down..
For Example (if you care) : Offshore 500+ FOW 12-15 miles out, it will have some warmer stuff on the surface 58- 62 deg. and drop like a hammer 20-30 ft. down to 41-44 deg....40-50 ft. down 38 deg. just plain and simple ice water..Near shore 100 FOW 63-65 deg. surface temp and 40 ft. down it will be 46-48 deg., 50 ft. down 44- 40 deg. below that ice water.. The normal summer surface temps are in the 72 -75 deg. range and most years you have a big thermal break 46-48 deg. ( Salmon preferred temp). at 70 to 100 ft. down with a major temp. change with lots of warm water from the surface all the way to the break in temp.It helps you target water temps and the better fishing is stacked in that temp. break...The water is so cool everywhere this year, the fish and bait is extremely scattered..
The cool, wet summer and the late thaw of the Lake Michigan and Lake Superior, also the Great Lakes being 75% covered in ice from the Polar Vortex has really done a number on the water temps this season...Good or bad who knows but the fishing has been a different kind of year out there..Keeps you on your toes..
I was in the lower river here a couple weeks ago with Jeff Hubbard Pike fishing and we got a few med. size ones on lures and flies but didn't see any Kings and didn't really figure we would. Might have to go tomorrow and check things out. We are getting a nice rain today and the river is rising some and cooling and there is plenty of cold water near the shore lines. I usually start sniffing around August 15th. and chances are good we'll get either Pike or Kings or both..
I have booked August 23,24,25th. for trips but I'm open to go anytime from here to the end of the month for those hard fighting August Kings and Pike on lures or streamers. Half or Full days..Let me know I'm ready to GO..This rain were getting should give us a good shot of Kings and get the season kicked off down river..I look forward to this time of year. The best fighting fish in fresh water IS A KING SALMON bar none. When they bite that lure or streamer you will know it !!
My open guide day left in September is the 5th....October opens up after the 11th.--30th..
We still have some good room openings and plenty of days open to get you on the water this late Summer and upcoming Fall. Give us a call..
Tight Lines
Clint
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