Lake Michigan
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Lake Michigan Fishing Reports
Stay up to date with the latest fishing reports from Lake Michigan. Reports are submitted by local anglers, fishing guides, and our team of fishing experts.
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- Species
Smallmouth BassTechniqueNeko RigsSeasonSummerStructureBouldersI was utilizing the free rig technique in my time on the Milwaukee river. Casting up stream near boulders was productive for me. I like the Geecrack bellows gill in 2.8" size. Electric shad is a great color for clear to mildly stained water.
Omnia Community MemberBronze AmbassadorSpeciesSmallmouth BassTechniqueTexas Rigs (Pitch/Flip)SeasonFallStructureRock PileAlso used a Flat Worm on a drop shot, worked well.
- SpeciesSmallmouth BassTechniqueHard JerkbaitsSeasonFallStructureBoulders
Scoping and sight fishing big smallies with jerkbaits.
SpeciesSmallmouth BassTechniqueDrop ShotSeasonSummerStructureBouldersThe smallmouth in Lake Michigan have come back down the rivers and out into the harbors and main lake. Breakwaters and off shore rock piles have began loading up with eager to bite fish. Gobies hang around and all over these big boulders placed around piers and make them a great place to start. Pitching dropshots around these boulders has been the number one way to catch them. But be prepared to go through a lot of tackle. Tubes on the outside of the boulders have also been productive as well. Baits with larger profiles have been helping deter the small fish and the Venture Lures Supervisor is my go to when looking to upsize my bait on a dropshot!
- SpeciesSmallmouth BassTechniqueBladed JigsSeasonSummerStructureRip Rap
I’m town for the weekend, decided to beat the bank with a chatterbait. Saw minnows busting the surface, then would cast near where it was happening and it worked for most of the day, smallmouth starting to feed up.
SpeciesSmallmouth BassTechniqueDrop ShotSeasonFallStructureBouldersThe dog days of summer is making the fish awfully picky now. I cranked a spybait and caught one to kick the day off, but the two I caught after that were done with the old reliable, summer drop shot bait, the KVD Dreamshot 4’. Target large boulder piles and sea walls, at least if you’re hitting Chicago like me, they’re loving to ambush at shade lines!
- SpeciesSmallmouth BassTechniqueTubesSeasonFallStructureSubmerged Vegetation
“I decided to hop into a tournament last minute on Lake Michigan for a clubs last regular season event. I ventured out into the lake battling the wind and waves to see if I could get some of the schools to fire on the ship wrecks 3-6 miles off shore. With the wind not allowing me to keep over the structure, I called an audible and fished pier 33 and found a very productive grass line. In 3 back to back casts I filled out the limit and culled 2 fish that pushed us north of 14 pounds. Thinking it wasn’t enough to win, I put a jig in my hand and went to work on pontoons and docks to cull a very important fish allowing us to weigh in 14.62 pounds to take home the win on the Benton harbor stretch of Lake Michigan. All of the fish came off a tube in a goby color, and a unke jigs in pbnj. The rods used where 7’3 heavy klx jig rod, a tatula ct 7:3.1 with 20 pound fc sniper, the tube rod was a 7’0 light medium heavy chromium spinning rod, Kistler Series 1 spinning reel, xplazma 8lb braid to a 6lb fc sniper leader. All the terminal tackle was from Woo Tungsten and Gamakatsu.
Matt BelletiniBronze AmbassadorSpeciesSmallmouth BassTechniqueDamiki RigSeasonSummerStructureOpen Water/BasinThe new XBraid Sinking 8lb is a must have for any jig and minnow presentation in deep water. It sinks much faster than traditional braid allowing you to use lighter jig head creating a more natural presentation. I was targeting suspended fish 28-42ft down over 80-120ft. They would follow the heavier jig heads, but would not bite. The sinking braid allowed me to get the lighter 3/16 jig head down faster. The low stretch braid also gave me a better hookups on long casts compared to a straight fluorocarbon. Getting the hook into these old 6lb+ smallmouths can be difficult with their shoe leather mouths. It’s a bit pricey, but definitely worth it for this technique. I used an Albright knot for my leader and had no issues.
