Lake Michigan Fishing Forecast

In Port Washington, there is usually moderate effort from the ramp and light to moderate effort from shore.  The action is usually decent from the ramp and decent to good from the pier.  In Sheboygan, there is usually moderate to strong effort from the ramp and piers. The action has usually been slow for the boats but there has been decent to good action from the piers. 

Reports based on personal observations and angler reports from the past three years.  Please comment or share information.

Port Washington

Ramp: Recently, the action has been decent with limits getting scarcer.  The catch has been a mix of Chinook, Coho, rainbow trout and an occasional lake trout.  Early in the week, the fish were getting caught in 40 to 130 feet of water, but 70-100 seemed to be the best depth.  Successful set-ups included: downriggers (20-70 feet down), dipsy divers (approximately 60-80 feet back), weapons (approximately 50 feet down), leadcore and planar boards. All landings reported came on ‘OO’ dodger or flasher and fly combination with bullfrog and little boy blue flies commonly reported.  The ramps were closed for Fish Days, so there was no fishing effort from Port Washington this past weekend.  The water off our shore is warming up, pushing fish further out and making the catch more difficult; easterly winds this week may turn the fishing around. 

Over the past few years, there has typically been moderate effort and the action has been decent.  Catches consisted of Chinook, Coho, rainbow trout and lake trout.  Fish were caught in 20 to 140 feet of water and 20 to 100 feet down.  Fish were caught with spoons, flasher/dodger flies and j-plugs on downriggers, dipsy divers, planar boards and leadcore.  Conditions:  Air temperature was in the mid 50’s to high 70’s, skies were mostly sunny to cloudy with occasional storms, there were light to moderate winds in a variety of directions and water surface temperature was in the mid 50’s to mid 60’s.

Pier:  Over the past few years, there has typically been light to moderate effort and decent to good action.  Chinook, Coho, rainbow trout and brown trout have been caught off the pier, mainly on alewives but occasionally on spoons. Conditions: Water temperature was in the low to high 50’s, water color was blue green with moderate to good clarity, air temperature was in the mid 50’s to high 70’s, skies were mostly sunny to cloudy with occasional storms, there were light to moderate winds in a variety of directions.

Power plant:  There is typically light effort in the area with a little action.  Rainbow trout have been caught on spawn sacks and worms.  Conditions:  Water color was blue green with moderate clarity, air temperature was in the low 60’s to high 70’s, skies were partly cloudy with occasional storms and there were light to moderate winds in a variety of directions.

Marina: There is typically little effort in the area with no action.

Cedar Grove:

Amsterdam Road

ramp:  Usually little or no effort and a little action. Chinook salmon and a Coho salmon have been caught in 45 to 60 feet of water and 20 to 40 feet down with j-plugs and spoons on downriggers, dipsy divers and leadcore.

Sheboygan

Ramp:  The action over the past week has been slow due to a combination of warm water and large amounts of bait fish.  Rainbow trout and Coho made up most of the action but Chinook were also caught.  Fish were caught in 60 to 110 feet of water in the top 40 feet of water.  Spoons, dodger/flasher flies and j-plugs were all successful but nothing was consistent.  Most set-ups worked (downriggers, dipsy/slide divers, leadcore and planar boards).  Reports have been erratic so experiment with presentations and set-up to see what is working.

Over the past few years, there has typically been moderate to strong effort and the action has typically been slow except for the last year, which saw good action.  Chinook, Coho, rainbow trout, lake trout and brown trout have been caught.  Most fish were caught in 40 to 120 feet of water but fish have been caught as far out as 300 feet of water.  Fish were caught 20 to 90 feet down with spoons, flasher/dodger flies and j-plugs on downriggers, dipsy divers, planar boards and leadcore.  Conditions: Air temperature was in the high 60’s to mid 80’s, skies were mostly sunny to overcast with occasional rain, there were light to moderate winds in a variety of directions and water surface temperatures were in the high 50’s and mid 60’s.

Pier:  Over the past few years, there has typically been moderate to strong effort and the action is usually decent to good.  Chinook and rainbow trout have been caught off the lake side of both piers, mostly on alewives but also on spoons and Gulp baits.  Conditions: Water temperatures were in the low to high 50’s, water color was blue green with moderate to good clarity; the lake was flat to choppy, air temperature was in the high 60’s to mid 80’s, skies were mostly sunny to overcast with occasional rain, there were light to moderate winds in a variety of directions and water surface temperatures were in the high 50’s and mid 60’s.

Shore:  There is usually little to no effort and no action.

Edgewater power plant:  There is usually little or no effort and no action to report.

Cleveland

Cleveland ramp:  Usually light effort with some action.  The Cleveland Fishing Derby has been held at the ramp during this week.  Rainbow trout and Chinook were caught from the ramp in 70-100 feet of water with spoons and flies.