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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Smallmouth BassTechniqueDrop ShotSeasonSpring (Spawn)StructureBouldersThe water was a little choppy with high sun and a little wind about 78 degrees. It was a pretty slow day not a lot of bites fishing along the break wall at a marina. I was trying to get a reaction bite with some crankbaits but that was not working so I switched to a more finesse approach. I tied on a drop shot and rigged my favorite zoom finesse worm in junebug and started fishing it around the rocks. After about the fifth cast this little small mouth hit that worm hard and gave a good little fight before I landed him.
- Species
Smallmouth BassTechniqueNed RigsSeasonSpring (Spawn)StructureDocksThe smallies are really biting in Chicago's harbors right now. Ole man Ned is really putting a beat down on em. I've seen some starting to go on bed and small schools coming in and out of the harbors. Jut working around underwater vegetation in and near docks. Swapping between perch and Cali craw. Then dropshotting a flat worm in between. The bangsticks are really great too!
- Species
Smallmouth BassTechniqueDrop ShotSeasonSpring (Spawn)StructureRock PileCalm sunny day with clear water fishing along some rockpiles. I rigged a drop shot with a roboworm and was popping it in and out of the rocks and got a bite.
- Species
Smallmouth BassTechniqueBobbersSeasonSpring (Spawn)StructureBouldersThe water was very choppy with cloudy skies nothing was getting bit. I threw out a strike king minnow on a bobber and got a couple bites.
Species
Smallmouth BassTechniqueSoft Body Swimbaits (Small/Medium)SeasonSpring (Pre-Spawn)StructureRock PileDefinitely a slower in Chicago for a minute as these fish seem to be getting ready to stage for spawn, and the water has been CRYSTAL clear lately. Went as natural and finesse as I could over the rocks and break walls and caught this guy here. Noticed swimbaits have been my best bet the past couple weeks. Hopefully they get a bit more aggressive post spawn!
- Omnia Community MemberBronze AmbassadorSpecies
Smallmouth BassTechniqueNed RigsSeasonSpring (Spawn)StructureLedgesjigging along the walls, pullin up cheeseburgers
Species
Smallmouth BassTechniqueDrop ShotSeasonSpring (Post-Spawn)StructureBouldersUsing a Kistler z-bone 6’9 medium light, with a Diawa regal sunline braid and a fc sniper leader.
- Species
Smallmouth BassTechniqueDrop ShotSeasonSpring (Spawn)StructureOpen Water/BasinBrought my buddy out on this windy day to potentially hook into some shallow smallies staging, or already on beds, and boy did he connect! Jack caught a TANK on the old reliable KVD Dreamshot 4-1/4 in the classic KVD Magic color, in addition to another couple aggressive males. Great fishing weekend in Chicago!
































