Catch more salmon and trout this summer. Part 1, location, location, location

Catch more salmon and trout this summer. Part 1, location, location, location.
Captain Andy Derwinski
JEDI Sportfishing Charters
Kenosha, WI


Lake Michigan fishing is like a puzzle with a few of the pieces missing. At least this is how it feels some days. Just when you think you have it figured out, here comes the twist of the week. After 30 years of fishing Lake Michigan from over 20 different ports, there are a few things that remain constant. The most important key to consistently catching fish is location.

Rule #1, you can't catch fish if there aren't any fish where you are.

This may sound simple, but day after day I see and talk to other anglers that just simply couldn,t get anything going. Yes, it helps to be on the water day after day. But, even that doesn,t solve the location problem. These fish move at a comfortable 6 knots when they decide to relocate. That means that the short 2 hours between morning and afternoon charters could put your morning limit 12 miles away. So, what do we do?

It would take a major event to move fish that far in such a short time. The energy required to move that distance could never be recovered. Think of the big bass that grabs the thickest part of the weed bed for her lair. Why would she risk moving more than a few feet? The same holds true for the stream trout that finds the perfect eddy behind a rock and spends his whole life there. So, don't expect a school of Coho to move any further than they absolutely have to.

So what is the solution?

First, pick a starting point. There are so many sources today for fishing info. The internet alone is full of up to date reports for every area of the lake. Try getting to know a local charter captain that spends 4 to 7 days a week chasing these fish. Many are more than willing to share the info they have.

Second, stick to your plan.

You get to the dock at 5am. The boat is ready to go and everyone is excited. You spent the last 2 days on the web and calling bait shops and captains. You've decided that 50 feet of water north of the port is the place to start. The boat next to you says they heard a report about fish in 100 feet. Or maybe, you stop at 50 and it seems like every charter boat in the county runs right past you. The answer is, FISH. You did your research, its current, don't second guess yourself. Some of my best days have been when I ran way past everyone else or stopped well short.

Third, don't waste time on dead water.

Salmon and trout in Lake Michigan eat, swim, and make babies, in that order. If you are on fish, they'll bite. If you aren't getting bit, move. North or south, east or west, deeper or shallower, start trolling away from the dead water. This doesn't mean you set up wrong, only that they moved. My usual rule is 10 minutes at a certain level. (This is the feet of water you are in) After that, its move deeper or shallower depending on currents, water temperature, traffic, and lake conditions. If I'm convinced that north or south would make a difference, than that is the second choice.

Make a plan, stick with it, be willing to adapt.

Those are the keys to locating fish on Lake Michigan. The next article will deal more with water temperatures, currents, and other factors that determine fish location throughout the season.

Feel free to contact me for local reports for the Kenosha area. I don't normally respond to text messages, a call is always better. For more info on the lake and what it has to offer, check the website at http://www.jedisportfishing.com

The JEDI fishes daily from late April through October for salmon and trout from the Port of Kenosha. Kenosha is consistently ranked the best charter fishing port in Wisconsin by the Wisconsin DNR.

I am Captain Andy Derwinski, owner and captain of the JEDI. For the best adventure on the lake, give me a call. 414-788-6603

Planer Boards As Your Primary Trolling Tool

Planer Boards As Your Primary Trolling Tool.
By Captain Jim Hirt



Huge Chinook 28.6 pounds caught by Rita Franks

Water in our ecosystem has gone from low visibility to extremely clear. With this change of environment the angler must evolve in his presentation to produce consistently. This article will talk you through a very effective way to meet these demands for sunny conditions with spooky fish.

Hello all: I consider it a privilege to be a member of your fishing community and pass on ideas and knowledge to everyone. Most of my articles talk about products which I believe will make you a better angler. Some I sell and some I find of a quality level worth my endorsement. My goal is to always serve the community and enrich your fishing experience.

Now is the time to move to the next generation of presentations. If you find yourself behind the pack when it comes to putting fish in the cooler, a system of planer boards will improve your learning curve.

Allow me to outline and give details of several options in planer board fishing. This will provide some ideas you may want try in the upcoming season. I highly recommend them.

Equipment for getting started
While there is some expenses involved the rewards will be great. Initially two boards will get you going. Expect to pay between $25 and $35 each for individual board with many more or less expensive choices. I will give details on my first choice and then offer some others.

There was a time when long lines with weight were the standard for getting the baits well behind the boat. This is a system of inline weight attached to the line about four feet ahead of the bait. By changing the weight size you will raise or lower the spoon or bait in the water column.

The function of a planer board is to increase your odds by moving the bait off to the side of the boat. By presenting lures outside of the boat's path in undisturbed water you will find them more likely to bite. Each board is made in a way that when trolled behind the boat it will move to left or right of your travel path. Some boards, like the Church Tackle TX 22, are reversible allowing you to run them left or right.

Rigging is simple. After you have let out the line to the distance you would like, attach the board with the clip provided by the manufacturer. Once the board is attached lower the board into the water allowing it to run off to the side of the boat. When the fish strikes you may do one of two things. Do not release the board just reel the board to the rod tip and hand release it. Then finish reeling in your fish. A second option is to release the board, which slides down the line toward the inline weight and stops. The board is reeled in with the fish and the fish is netted.

Up to now we have talked about individual boards that go on each line. You can also go with a large board towed on each side of the boat pulled by a heavy monofilament line. The line is let out the same as before and then attached with a release to the heavy mono line to the large board. As you let out additional line the release will slide down the mono toward the board. You may stop the release any time along the way to the large board. When the fish strikes the line pulls free of the release and the fish is reeled in. Then the line is reset and attached to tow line again. The draw back of this system is it requires a tall mast to pull the large boards and is not transferable boat to boat. The advantage to individual boards is less cost and I find them more efficient in setting line and cranking in fish when on a hot bite.

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' 2010, James J. Hirt, All Rights Reserved

Fishing The Zone For Lake Trout #5

Fishing The Zone For Lake Trout #5
By Captain Jim Hirt
This completes the series of Fishing The Zone For... Please take the time to read Articles 1, 2, 3 and 4. This will greatly enhance your understanding of this Lake Trout article. Let me explain how to be more productive by following some basic rules and using some old and new tools. Activity and habits of fish are dictated by many variables. A rather basic approach will put you on fish and keep you there. I will cover how to find the most productive zones by species. Article number one, two, three and four covered Chinook, Brown Trout, Coho and Rainbow Trout. Now let's look at Lake Trout as it applies to Lake Michigan and other ecosystems.

Zones By Species
Lake Trout are a staple and are relatively easy to catch on Lake Michigan Milwaukee. A twenty-five pound fish is huge in our area for this species. We boated many between eight and twelve pounds and some over twenty. This fish can be easy to find and catch for most anglers; however, correct approach must be followed. With the information in this article you will supplement your daily bag limit on most waters where this fish is found. Allow me to offer environmental preferences for this fish. Breaking each fish down by their preferences is the best way to find steady consistent action on any fish.

Lake Trout Zone By Temperature
Lakers are considered the Bulldog of the lake. They get this reputation from the way they fight. They are not known for long runs or acrobatic jumps. Typically found in deep cold water most of the season this may present a challenge on presentation to anglers.
Once again the answer to putting them in the box is temperature. A thermal break is the way to find them. Thermal break is a point where water changes temperature. Look for them in temperatures between 38 and 50 degrees. The trick to success is presentation.

Location And Forage
The principal types of forage for most fish in Lake Michigan are the Alewife and Goby. You will find Lakers on or suspended near the bottom feeding on this forage. Early spring and late fall is the answer for most anglers because the water is cold and they will be in the upper part of the water column. This does not mean you cannot produce a limit most anytime of the year.

I will talk you through the season for most productive water. As our season starts in early April, the lake is 38 degrees and this moves Lakers to the surface. When May arrives they are on their way out to deeper colder water hanging near the bottom and this is the place to find them the majority of the season. Fall fishing can be prime time for monster lunker Lakers as the water cools and the fish move in for spawning.

What baits are best?
In spring when fishing the top fifteen feet use crankbaits, minnow type lures and small spoons like the regular size Reaper in silver or bright colors sold by Badger Tackle.com. Visibility is a factor when the fish move to their summer deep water haunt. The slow metabolism of this fish is dictated by the cold water and requires a very slow 1 to 1.5 mph boat speed. A solid approach of magnum spoons will be your best bet to steady action. Reaper Magnum Glow spoons will afford you the performance and visibility necessary. Eight-inch flashers and dodgers with glow flies or squids are a staple and also work deep in the water column. The distance between the attractor and the fly or squid will vary with the temp of the water. Try two to three times the length of the flasher or about sixteen up to twenty-four inches. A Longer lead on the fly seems to work better in colder water. In summer downriggers are the way to get presentation 80 to 250 feet down. On the surface use Church Tackle Walleye Boards and leadcore are the way to go. I run three or more on each side of the boat working an area over three hundred feet wide. You should set up for Lake Trout with a 1,2,3,4,5 color leadcore. This will give you coverage from 5 to 25 feet. The Church Planer Board will run well at slow speeds and off to the side of the boat out of your travel path.

Hot Lures Define The Day
Let's wrap this up with my favorite lures. For surface to 25 feet crankbaits, minnow type lures and small spoons like the regular size Reaper. In deep presentations 8-inch glow flashers and dodgers with glow flies or squids. My best spoon color near the surface is the Reaper purple/chartreuse Big Joe Silver regular size. Down in the deep dark water Magnum Reaper Green Fox Glow blue/green/white glows the best and glows the longest. Baitfish size should be considered when selecting your spoon size. Vulcan and Reaper spoons are both sold by http://www.badgertackle.com 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? 2009, James J. Hirt, All Rights Reserved

Fishing The Zone For Rainbow Trout Milwaukee #4

Fishing The Zone For Rainbow Trout Milwaukee #4
By Captain Jim Hirt
This article continues the series of Fishing The Zone For... Please take the time to read Articles number 1, 2, and 3. This will greatly enhance your understanding of this Rainbow Trout article. Let me explain how to be more productive by following some basic rules and using some old and new tools. Activity and habits of fish are dictated by many variables. A rather basic approach will put you on fish and keep you there. I will cover how to find the most productive zones by species. Article number one, two and three covered Chinook, Brown Trout and Coho. Now let's look at Rainbows as it applies to Lake Michigan and other ecosystems.



Zones By Species
Last year was an above average year for Rainbows on Lake Michigan Milwaukee. Our port holds the state record of over 26 pounds for this species. We boated many between fifteen and twenty pounds. This fish can be elusive to some anglers; however, armed with the information in this article you will be on your way to many great outings of this tail-walking acrobat. Allow me to offer environmental preferences for this fish. Breaking each fish down by their preferences is the best way to find steady consistent action on any fish.

Rainbow Trout Zone By Temperature
Rainbows offer great action. Nothing matches the excitement of being on the rod with ten pounds plus of leaping muscle on the line. Once again the answer to putting them in the box is temperature. A thermal break is the way to find them. Thermal break is a point where water changes temperature. Look for them in temperatures between 43 and 58 degrees. This is a wide range and offers some challenges. My article will provide information on how to locate them as the water goes from 40 to 75 degrees through out the season. The trick to success is mobility and presentation.

Location And Forage
The principal types of forage for most fish in Lake Michigan are the Alewife and Goby. You will find at times the contents of their gut contain these bait fish. My experience with rainbows may change your mind on bait and presentation. The spring and early summer is the answer to easy pickings on the big pond. The reason for easy rainbow fishing at this time is the abundance of insects. Following the bugs may seem like a crazy way to catch any fish but it is key for rainbows. Any warm spring day will provide an excellent hatch of the diet of all size Rainbow Trout. The location on the water with the most bugs will have the best concentration of fish.

When I am on a rainbow hunt, off shore is the place to be. It is smart to start trolling in about 50 feet of water and head out deeper. As action picks up you should note GPS, depth and temp info. This info will be your key to staying on fish. With the water in the forties don't be surprised to find some huge fish in this cold water. When the bite slows troll back to your best GPS numbers. I have found that in deeper water fishing the surface is always better for monster bows all season long. The best months are April, May and June. Work the temp breaks and bugs for hot action.

The top 25 feet where warm water has accumulated is the answer to your best numbers. Early May run your baits in the top twenty-five feet and progress to deeper in the water column as the water warms up. Anytime of day is a good time for them. I call them fish with banker?s hours 9 to 5 is the time to get them.

What baits are best?
Water temperature will dictate your best bait. I will break this down by temperature. All season long use crankbaits; minnow type lures and small spoons like the regular size Vulcan in silver or bright colors sold by Badger Tackle. Eight-inch flashers and dodgers with flies or squids are a staple as the water warms up to 60 and above. The distance between the attractor and the fly or squid will vary with the temp of the water. Try two to three times the length of the flasher or about sixteen up to twenty-four inches. Longer lead on the fly seems to work better in colder water. You may catch some fish on downriggers but they are not my first choice for presentation. Church Tackle Walleye Boards and leadcore are the way to go. I run three or more on each side of the boat working an area over three hundred feet wide. You should set up for rainbows with a 1,2,3,4,5 color leadcore. This will give you coverage from 5 to 25 feet. The Church Planer Board will run well off to the side of the boat out of your travel path.

Hot Lures Define The Day
Let's wrap this up with my favorite lures. For spring crankbaits, minnow type lures and small spoons like the regular size Vulcan or 8-inch flashers and dodgers with flies or squids. My best spoon color is chartreuse/silver/green. Magnum Reaper spoons did very well for us in July and August on Bows in recent years. Baitfish size should be considered when selecting your spoon size. Vulcan and Reaper spoons are both sold by http://www.badgertackle.com I will continue with Zones for Lake Trout in the next article. 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? 2009, James J. Hirt, All Rights Reserved

Fishing The Zone For Coho Salmon Milwaukee #3

Fishing The Zone For Coho Salmon Milwaukee #3

By Captain Jim Hirt
Let me explain how to be more productive by following some basic rules and using basic tools. Activity and habits of fish are dictated by many variables. A rather basic approach will put you on fish and keep you there. I will cover how to find the most productive zones by species Article number one and two one covered Chinook and Brown Trout now let's look at Coho Salmon as it applies to Lake Michigan and other big water ecosystems. Get caught up by reading article number one titled Fishing The Zone For Salmon Milwaukee
#1. This information is necessary to understand the following article.

Zones By Species
Lake Michigan Milwaukee is an outstanding fishery with many options for anglers. The most popular targets of anglers here are Chinook salmon, Coho Salmon, Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout and Lake Trout. Allow me to offer environmental preferences for each of these. Breaking each fish down by their preferences is the best way to find steady consistent action on any fish.

Coho Salmon Zone By Temperature
Coho offer great action with the reward of some of the best eating of all Lake Michigan fish. Once again the answer to putting them in the box is temperature. Look for them in temperatures above 50 degrees up to 57 degrees. Exceptions to this temp zone are possible but not the norm. As they come in to spawn they will be less sensitive to temperature. They will tolerate colder water and temperatures below 50 however they are less active.

Location And Forage
The principal types of forage for all fish in Lake Michigan are the Alewife and Goby. Look for pods of forage for consistent action. I have caught Coho at all depths all season long. Don't make the mistake of not running tackle for them they do require a different approach. Most consistent action is in the spring months of May and June. The reason for this is the water is very cold and the top water is the best habitat for them. The shallow water or the top 25 feet where warm water has accumulated is the answer to your best numbers. Early May run your baits in the top five feet and progress to deeper in the water column as the water warms up. The reason for outstanding spring fishing for Coho is the cold water of Lake Michigan concentrates them. Finding a temperature break is the key to finding fish. A break is defined as a major or minor change in water temperature. At times a small change of a degree or two will hold fish but I have found the greater the change the better the concentration of fish. In spring the Coho that have wintered on the southern end of Lake Michigan will migrate north. You will find some action near shore and this is a good starting spot. My experience is deep water can be very productive. I fish out to ten miles off shore in 250 feet of water for fantastic action and limits on this exciting spring fish.

Presentations For Limits On Coho Salmon
Anytime of day is a good time for this quarry. I categorize them as day feeders with angling success all day. Water temperature will dictate your best bait. I will break this down by temperature. Below 50 degrees use small crankbaits, minnow type lures and small spoons like the regular size Vulcan in silver or bright colors sold by Badger Tackle. Above 50 the cold water baits will produce but not as well as six inch orange flashers or dodgers with flies or squids. The distance between the attractor and the fly or squid will vary with the temp of the water. Try one and a half times the length of the flasher or about nine inches up to eighteen inches. Longer lead on the fly seems to work better in colder water. You may catch some fish on downrigger but they are not my first choice for presentation. Church Tackle Walleye Boards are the way to go. I run four or more on each side of the boat working an area over three hundred feet wide. Set up for Coho with a six foot 15 pound leader tied to a 3/8-ounce keel sinker attached to the 20-pound main line to your reel. Baits are attached with a ball bearing snap and run 25 feet behind the planner board. The planer board is run well off to the side of the boat out of your travel path.

Hot Lures Define The Day
Let's wrap this up with my favorite lures. For spring crankbaits, minnow type lures and Small spoons like the regular size Vulcan or six inch orange flashers and dodgers with flies or squids. Later in the season go to larger 11 inch dodgers and flies along with all size spoons in silver green. Magnum Reaper spoons did very well for us later in the season on Coho recent years. Baitfish size should be considered when selecting your spoon size. Vulcan and Reaper spoons are both sold by http://www.badgertackle.com I will continue with Zones for Rainbow Trout in the next article. 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? 2009, James J. Hirt, All Rights Reserved

Fishing The Zone For Brown Trout Milwaukee #2

By Captain Jim Hirt
Let me explain how to be more productive by following some basic rules and using basic tools. Activity and habits of fish are dictated by many variables. A rather basic approach will put you on fish and keep you there. I will cover how to find the most productive zones by species Article number one covered Chinook now let's look at Brown Trout as it applies to Lake Michigan and other big water ecosystems. Get caught up by reading article number one titled Fishing The Zone For Salmon Milwaukee #1. This information is necessary to understand the following article.


Zones By Species
Lake Michigan Milwaukee is an outstanding fishery with many options for anglers. The most popular targets of anglers here are Chinook salmon, Coho Salmon, Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout and Lake Trout. Allow me to offer environmental preferences for each of these. Breaking each fish down by preferences is the best way to find steady consistent action on any fish.

Brown Trout Zone By Temperature
Big browns are common in the estuary created in the Milwaukee area by three rivers. Brown Trout are a warm water species, so look for them in temperatures above 55 degrees. They will tolerate colder water and temperatures above 65 however my biggest browns over twenty pounds have come at near 55 degrees. Keep your baits in 55-degree temperature and you will increase your odds on big fish. When I am catching small fish, I know the water is too warm for a trophy. It is time to adjust the tackle to colder water. A temperature gauge is a tool a trout fisherman cannot be without.

Location And Forage
The principal types of forage for trophy fish in Lake Michigan are the Alewife and Goby. Look for pods of forage for consistent action. I have caught browns in water as shallow as 5 feet and out to 100 feet. Most consistent action however is in shallow water or the top 25 feet where warm water has accumulated. Early spring in the months of March April And May we find are consistently the best for browns. Over the years 90% of this species are caught when the water is below their preferred temperature. The reason for outstanding spring fishing for this fish is the cold water of Lake Michigan concentrates the fish. The Lake temp is in the mid to high thirties and this causes the fish to stay near the warmer water of the river mouths and harbor gaps. Later in the season the browns disperse along the shoreline. Finding a temperature break is the key to finding fish. A break is defined as a major or minor change in water temperature. At times a small change of a degree or two will hold fish but I have found the greater the change the better the concentration of fish.

Presentations For Lunker Browns
First light of the day is the best time to catch this quarry. They seem to be more sensitive to light than other types of fish. Light up a Vulcan or Reaper Magnum Glow spoon sold by Badger Tackle before first light for fish in the box ahead of the rest of the pack of anglers. A stealthy approach is necessary for the biggest fish. In definition stealth is a presentation that avoids being notice. Several are used for trolling.

I would skip the downriggers as a presentation for browns. I have found this to be the least productive of presentations I have tried. The most successful for me is leadcore. A weighted line with a Seaguar fluorocarbon leader is attached to a Church Walleye Planer board. The planer board is run well off to the side of the boat out of the travel path. Leadcore is graduated to allow five feet of depth for every color. Five colors will run lures approximately 25 feet down 10 colors fifty feet and so on. This allows you to fish any depth you want.

Hot Lures Define The Day
Let's wrap this up with my favorite lures. Magnum spoons are my first choice. Use Glow in dark for before first light and in heavy overcast. When fishing in very bright conditions or with the presence of small baitfish go to regular or small lures. My magnum spoons are about five inches long, regular four inches and small three inches. The two most productive spoons for me during the 2009 season was the Vulcan magnum and Reaper Magnum both sold by http://www.badgertackle.com For a slow 2.0 M.P.H. or slower presentation I use the Reaper. Above 2.0 speeds the Vulcan is best, it mixes well with most big plugs and flasher flies.

I will continue with Zones for Coho Salmon in the next article. 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? 2009, James J. Hirt, All Rights Reserved

Milwaukee Fishing Lake Michigan Salmon Report 9/28/09

By Capt. Jim Hirt
Gale force winds will change everything. The water temperature will be the key to finding fish on your next trip out. As of Sunday morning the warm water is in and the fish were out. A temperature break was in 100 to 140 feet of water. The best action for Chinooks was 55 to 120 down. Magnum spoons the best option for all size fish. Jeff and Andy Georgin of Cincinnati had a great morning with some nice Chinooks.

Patterns and program for the harbor and gaps.
The areas around the harbor break walls and gaps have been improving and the best is yet to come. Fish them at first and last light of the day for a few Chinook and Brown Trout. Shore and boat anglers are getting some fish with Vulcan magnum size Glow spoons and j-plugs before sunrise.
Patterns and program 110 to 140 feet
The temperature break to 52 degrees is at least 100 feet down. The deepest we have caught fish is 125 feet down with the majority of our fish coming 75 to 110 feet down. This is my recommendation for location after the gale force wind. Head out 60 degrees from the north gap and set up in 40 feet of water. Check the down temperature and key on 52 degrees. Use Fish Fry Magnum Glow Spoons at first light working lines at all depths.

You will find action on mostly Rainbows with five, six, eight and ten color leadcore with Badger Tackle Vulcan and Reaper Magnum spoons. Downriggers 65 to 120 down are taking all size Chinooks. I use Church Walleye Planner Boards for all my lead cores.

Some of our best producing spoons have been Vulcan Magnum Silver Lizard, Reaper Magnum Peacock Silver, and Magnum Fish n Chip. For small spoons the Vulcan Dolphin Green Silver and combinations of silver spoons with green or blue accent colors. Run the boat speed at 1.6 to 2.1 MPH. Vulcans, Nestor Wobblers and Reapers are sold only on the web at http://www.badgertackle.com Have a great fishing season. Let's go fishing!! 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? 2009, James J. Hirt, All Rights Reserved.

Milwaukee Fishing Lake Michigan Salmon Report 9/21/09

By Capt. Jim Hirt

The warm water is in and the fish are out. A temperature break has set up in 110 to 195 feet of water. The best action for Chinooks is 75 to 120 down. Magnum spoons are taking all size fish. Shore, gap and near shore action for pier and small boat angler's is picking up with reports of four-year-old kings. The Kenning family of Minnesota caught a nice mixed bag of Chinook, Rainbows and Lake Trout on Reaper magnum spoons.



Patterns and program for the harbor and gaps.
The areas around the harbor break walls and gaps have been improving and the best is yet to come. Fish them at first and last light of the day for a few Chinook and Brown Trout. Shore and boat anglers are getting some fish with Vulcan magnum size Glow spoons and j-plugs before sunrise.

Patterns and program 110 to 195 feet
The temperature break to 52 degrees is at least 100 feet down. The deepest we have caught fish is 150 feet down with the majority of our fish coming 75 to 110 feet down. Head out 60 degrees from the north gap and set up in 110 feet of water. Use Fish Fry Glow Spoons at first light on the bottom in 110 feet

You will find action on mostly Rainbows with five, six, eight and ten color leadcore with Badger Tackle Vulcan and Reaper Magnum spoons. Downriggers 65 to 120 down are taking all size Chinooks. I use Church Walleye Planner Boards for all my lead cores.

Some of our best producing spoons have been Vulcan Magnum Silver Lizard, Reaper Magnum Peacock Silver, and Magnum Fish n Chip. For small spoons the Vulcan Dolphin Green Silver and combinations of silver spoons with green or blue accent colors. Run the boat speed at 1.6 to 2.1 MPH. Vulcans, Nestor Wobblers and Reapers are sold only on the web at http://www.badgertackle.com Have a great fishing season. Let's go fishing!! 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? 2009, James J. Hirt, All Rights Reserved.

Milwaukee Fishing Lake Michigan Salmon Report 9/9/09

By Capt. Jim Hirt
East wind continues and the fish have marched out to deeper water. A temperature break has set up in 110 to 195 feet of water. The best action for Chinooks and Rainbow Trout is 25 to 120 down. Church Tackle lighted 8 inch Revelators with green or white flies or magnum spoons are taking all size fish. Shore, gap and near shore action for pier and small boat angler's remains very slow. The Kevin Lampe family pictured enjoyed a near grand slam on Lake Michigan with Chinook, Coho, Rainbows and Lake Trout. All they needed was a Brown Trout. With perfect weather all had fun.
Patterns and program for the harbor and gaps.
The areas around the harbor break walls and gaps have been very slow but the reports are it is getting better. Fish them at first and last light of the day for a few Chinook and Brown Trout. Shore anglers are getting some fish with Vulcan regular size Glow spoons before sunrise or live bait.
Patterns and program 110 to 195 feet
The temperature break to 52 degrees is at least 100 feet down. The deepest we have caught fish is 120 feet down with the majority of our fish coming 25 to 110 feet. I start off the south gap in 100 feet of water and work east. Use Fish Fry Glow Spoons at first light on the bottom in 110 feet

You will find action on mostly Chinooks or Rainbows with five, six, eight and ten color leadcore with Badger Tackle Vulcan and Reaper Magnum spoons. Downriggers or leadcores 25 to 120 down are taking all size Chinooks and eight to ten pound Rainbows. I use Church Walleye Planner Boards for all my lead cores.

Some of our best producing spoons have been Vulcan Magnum Silver Lizard, Reaper Magnum Peacock Silver, and Magnum Fish n Chip. For small spoons the Vulcan Dolphin Green Silver and combinations of silver spoons with green or blue accent colors. Run the boat speed at 1.6 to 2.1 MPH. Vulcans, Nestor Wobblers and Reapers are sold only on the web at http://www.badgertackle.com Have a great fishing season. Let's go fishing!! 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© 2009, James J. Hirt, All Rights Reserved.

Milwaukee Fishing Lake Michigan Salmon Report 8/10/09

By Capt. Jim Hirt

West wind is providing 45 degree water near shore with steady and consistent action for all species. Most presentations are working and anglers are enjoying action on Chinooks, Coho and huge Lake Trout. We had a Laker over twenty pounds this past week. Set up in 40 feet and run spoons 15 to 35 feet down for some of the best fishing of the season. Eleven almost twelve year old Adam Brigmann battled this 11 pound 4 ounce Coho to a successful end.

Patterns and program 40 to 80 feet
The temperature break to 50 degrees is at 20 feet down in most areas. The deepest we have caught fish is 60 feet down with the majority of our fish coming above 45 feet. I start off the north gap in 40 feet of water and work northeast.

You will find steady action on mostly Chinooks with three, five and six color leadcore with Vulcan Magnum spoons. Coho over 7 pounds are common on Vulcan Magnum Lizard Silver spoons 30 to 40 feet down. Downriggers or leadcores 30 to 45 down are taking all size Chinooks big Coho and all size Lake Trout. I use Church Walleye Planner Boards for all my lead cores.

Some of our best producing spoons have been Vulcan Magnum Silver Lizard, Magnum Silver Sky, Reaper Magnum Peacock Silver, and Magnum Fish n Chip. For small spoons the Vulcan Dolphin Green Silver and combinations of silver spoons with green or blue accent colors. Run the boat speed at 1.6 to 2.3 MPH. Vulcans, Nestor Wobblers and Reapers are sold only on the web at http://www.badgertackle.com Have a great fishing season. Let's go fishing!! 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? 2009, James J. Hirt, All Rights Reserved.

Milwaukee Fishing Lake Michigan Salmon Report 8/03/09

By Capt. Jim Hirt
Anglers are enjoying action on Chinooks, Coho and Rainbows lots of Rainbows to 12 pounds and some Lake Trout. Action is in 65 to 110 feet. Set up at 60 feet and run spoons 15 to 50 feet down for Rainbows and Coho. The four year old kings some over 19 pounds are coming near the bottom in 65 feet on magnum Reaper Spoons. Greg Klos of Milwaukee was very proud of this 20.25-pound Chinook he caught.

Patterns and program 65 to 110 feet
Out in the deeper water east of Milwaukee is the best fishing for Chinook, Rainbow and Coho. I start off the north gap in 60 feet of water and work east. I fished the water closer to shore with some success however the deeper water has been better.

Steady action on Rainbows with three, five and six color leadcore continues to be the better part of our catch. Once again small Vulcan spoons are best for Rainbows. Coho over 7 pounds are common on Vulcan Magnum Lizard Silver spoons 40 to 50 feet down. Downriggers or leadcores 30 to 50 down are taking three year old Chinooks big Coho and all size Lake Trout. Magnum Reapers on the deep lines are getting the job done. Check the down temperature and look for 50 degrees. The temperature changes with wind direction today it is 49 degrees at 40 feet. I use Church Walleye
Planner Boards for all my lead cores.

Some of our best producing spoons have been Vulcan Magnum Silver Lizard, Magnum Silver Sky, Reaper Magnum Peacock Silver, and Magnum Fish n Chip. For small spoons the Vulcan Dolphin Green Silver and combinations of silver spoons with green or blue accent colors. Run the boat speed at 1.6 to 2.3 MPH. Vulcans, Nestor Wobblers and Reapers are sold only on the web at http://www.badgertackle.com Have a great fishing season. Let's go fishing!! 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? 2009, James J. Hirt, All Rights Reserved.

Milwaukee Fishing Lake Michigan Salmon Report 7/21/09

By Capt. Jim Hirt
The fishing has become predicable and productive during the past week. Good numbers of Chinook, Coho and Rainbows lots of Rainbows to 16 pounds. Action is in 60 to 120 feet. Set up at 55 feet and run spoons 10 to 25 feet down for Rainbows 40 to the bottom for salmon. All size spoons are working magnum spoons have been my best producer for salmon the last five days.

Patterns and program 60 to 120 feet
Out in the deeper water northeast of Milwaukee is the best fishing for Chinook, Rainbow and Coho. I start off the north gap in 60 feet of water and work northeast.

Steady action on Rainbows on two, three and five color leadcore continues to be the better part of our catch. Once again small baits are best for Rainbows. Coho over 7 pounds are common on Reaper Magnum Peacock spoons 30 feet and down. Downriggers or leadcores 35 to 90 down are taking Chinooks big Coho and all size Lake Trout. Magnum Reapers on the deep lines are getting the job done. Check the down temperature and look for 50 degrees. The temperature changes with wind direction. I use Church Walleye Planner Boards for all my lead cores.

Some of our best producing spoons have been Reaper Magnum Peacock Silver and Magnum Fish n Chip on sunny days. Try the Reaper Magnum Glow spoons on overcast cloudy days. For small spoons the Vulcan Dolphin Green Silver and combinations of silver spoons with green or blue accent colors. Run the boat speed at 1.7 to 2.3 MPH. Vulcans, Nestor Wobblers and Reapers are sold only on the web at http://www.badgertackle.com Have a great fishing season. Let's go fishing!! 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? 2009, James J. Hirt, All Rights Reserved.

Milwaukee Fishing Lake Michigan Salmon Report 7/13/09

Milwaukee Fishing Lake Michigan Salmon Report 7/13/09
By Capt. Jim Hirt

The fish are Now on thermocline on Lake Michigan out of Milwaukee. Action is in 120 to 260 feet. Set up at 120 feet and run spoons 10 to 25 feet down for Rainbows. Thirty to 100 down for Lakers and salmon. Magnum spoons have been my best producer for salmon the last five days. Check out Scott Hamstra of Madison Wisconsin with the huge Rainbow Trout.

Patterns and program under 45 feet
Fishing near shore has improved for Brown Trout. Use small spoons Like the Vulcan regular size Vulcan Silver Sky or the Vulcan OL Sherbet. The baitfish are about Two inches and small spoons are best. Water has warmed up to over 64 degrees and Browns are along the shoreline to the north of Milwaukee's north gap. You can also try inside the green can and south along the shoreline.

Patterns and program 120 to 260 feet
Out in the deeper water east of Milwaukee is the best fishing for Chinook, Rainbow, Lake Trout and Coho. I start off the north gap in 120 feet of water and work east.

This has been a mixed bag fishery. We had a Grand Slam twice over the last four days. Steady action on Rainbows on two, three and five color leadcore continues to be the better part of our catch. Once again small baits are best for Rainbows. Coho over 7 pounds are common on Reaper Magnum Peacock spoons 50 feet and down. Downriggers or leadcores 35 to 90 down are taking Chinooks big Coho and all size Lake Trout. Magnum Reapers on the deep lines are getting the job done. I use Church Walleye Planner Boards for all my lead cores.

Some of our best producing spoons have been Reaper Magnum Peacock Silver and Magnum Fish n Chip on sunny days. Try the Reaper Magnum Glow spoons on overcast cloudy days. For small spoons the Vulcan Dolphin Green Silver and combinations of silver spoons with green or blue accent colors. Run the boat speed at 1.7 to 2.3 MPH. Vulcans, Nestor Wobblers and Reapers are sold only on the web at http://www.badgertackle.com Have a great fishing season. Let's go fishing!! 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? 2009, James J. Hirt, All Rights Reserved.

Milwaukee Fishing Lake Michigan Salmon Report 7/8/09

Milwaukee Fishing Lake Michigan Salmon Report 7/8/09
By Capt. Jim Hirt
The fish are starting to set up on thermocline on Lake Michigan out of Milwaukee. Action is in 100 to 260 feet. Set up at 100 feet and run spoons every 10 feet from 90 feet and up. Magnum spoons have been my best producer for the last five days.

Patterns and program under 45 feet
Fishing near shore has been very slow except for Brown Trout. Use small spoons Like the Vulcan regular size Vulcan Silver Sky or the Vulcan OL Sherbet. The baitfish are about Two inches and small spoons are best. Water has warmed up to over 60 degrees and Browns are along the shoreline to the north of Milwaukee's north gap. You can also try inside the green can and south along the shoreline.

Patterns and program 100 to 260 feet
Out in the deeper water east of Milwaukee is the best fishing for Chinook, Rainbow, Lake Trout and Coho. I start off the north gap in 100 feet of water and work east.

This has been a mixed bag fishery with steady action on Rainbows on two and three color leadcore. Once again small baits are best for Rainbows. Coho over 7 pounds are common on Reaper Magnum Peacock spoons 50 feet and down. Downriggers or leadcores 35 to 90 down are taking Chinooks big Coho and smaller Lake Trout. Magnum Reapers on the deep lines are getting the job done. I use Church Walleye Planner Boards for all my lead cores.
Some of our best producing spoons have been Reaper Magnum Peacock Silver and Magnum Fish n Chip on sunny days. Try the Reaper Magnum Glow spoons on overcast cloudy days. For small spoons the Vulcan Dolphin Green Silver and combinations of silver spoons with green or blue accent colors. Run the boat speed at 1.9 to 2.3 MPH. Vulcans, Nestor Wobblers and Reapers are sold only on the web at http://www.badgertackle.com Have a great fishing season. Let's go fishing!! 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? 2009, James J. Hirt, All Rights Reserved.

Milwaukee Fishing Lake Michigan Salmon Report 6/30/09

Milwaukee Fishing Lake Michigan Salmon Report 6/30/09
By Capt. Jim Hirt

The fish are scattered on Lake Michigan out of Milwaukee. Action is in 76 to 270 feet. Set up at 50 feet and run spoons every 10 feet from top to the bottom. Magnum spoons have been my best producer for the last five days.

Patterns and program under 45 feet
The west wind has moved the warm water out and near shore fishing should pick up for shore anglers and boat anglers around the harbor break wall gaps. I fished this area for about an hour on Sunday and picked up one Chinook about twenty pounds 27 down on a Magnum Reaper Peacock spoon. West wind is forecasted for the next two days and this spot is worth a look if you are coming out soon.

Patterns and program 70 to 270 feet
Out in the deeper water northeast of Milwaukee is the best fishing for Chinook, Rainbow, Lake Trout and Coho. I start off the Water Filtration Plant in 50 feet of water and work north and east.

Our fish came on Magnum Reaper spoons for Chinook and Lake Trout on downriggers or leadcores 35 to 90 down or OO dodgers or 6-inch flashers and medium blue or green flies for Coho. Experiment with lengths of the fly leader to the dodger or flasher. Start with 2 times the length of the attractor. I use Church Walleye Planner Boards for all my lead cores.

The water is very clear and you must run the spoons 50 to 100 behind the downrigger weight 50 to 120 down to get Lakers. The Rainbows have been 15 to 45 down in 240 feet of water on regular size Vulcan or Reaper spoons.

Some of our best producing spoons have been Reaper Magnum Peacock Silver and Magnum Fish n Chip on sunny days. Try the Reaper Magnum Glow spoons on overcast cloudy days. For small spoons the Vulcan Dolphin Green Silver and combinations of silver spoons with green or blue accent colors. Run the boat speed at 1.9 to 2.3 MPH. Vulcans, Nestor Wobblers and Reapers are sold only on the web at http://www.badgertackle.com Have a great fishing season. Let's go fishing!! 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© 2009, James J. Hirt, All Rights Reserved.

Milwaukee Fishing Lake Michigan Salmon Report 6/23/09

Milwaukee Fishing Lake Michigan Salmon Report 6/23/09
By Capt. Jim Hirt
Late June the action on Lake Michigan out of Milwaukee has moved offshore. The surface temperature is up to 61 degrees and the fish are deeper and scattered. Go deep and fish for Chinook, Coho, Rainbow and Lake Trout. Photo is Debbie Boettchel and her 19.5 pound Chinook.




Patterns and program under 45 feet
Around the harbor break wall gaps as the water clears after the recent storms anglers are taking Coho Chinook and Browns. This is a all spoon bite for Chinook and Browns on downriggers. Run them long behind the ball and staggered every 10 feet from top to bottom. The Coho are coming on Church Walleye Planner Boards with OO dodgers or 6-inch flashers and medium blue or green flies are my go to bait for Coho. Our best spoons have been the blue and green Magnum Reaper Peacock or the Reaper Magnum Fish n Chip. When the wind and waves keep you in, the near shore will produce. Water temp are up to 63 degrees or more on top in most areas look for the 52-degree temps down for best action.

Patterns and program 200 to 275 feet
Out in the deeper water northeast of Milwaukee is the best fishing for Chinook, Rainbow, Lake Trout and Coho. Good numbers on all species with the best action on Coho. I start off the Water Filtration Plant in 175 feet of water and work north and east.

Our fish came on Magnum Reaper spoons for Chinook and Lake Trout on downriggers or leadcores 15 to 60 down or OO dodgers or 6-inch flashers and medium blue or green flies for Coho. Experiment with lengths of the fly leader to the dodger or flasher. Start with 2 times the length of the attractor. The standard presentation for Coho is Church Walleye Planner Boards with 25-foot leads and 1-ounce weight.
The water is very clear and you must run the spoons 50 to 100 behind the downrigger weight 50 to 120 down to get Lakers. The Rainbows have been 15 to 45 down in 240 feet of water on regular size Vulcan or Reaper spoons.

Some of our best producing spoons have been Reaper Magnum Peacock Silver and Magnum Fish n Chip on sunny days. Try the Reaper Magnum Glow spoons on overcast cloudy days. For small spoons the Vulcan Dolphin Green Silver and combinations of silver spoons with green or blue accent colors. Run the boat speed at 1.9 to 2.3 MPH. Vulcans, Nestor Wobblers and Reapers are sold only on the web at http://www.badgertackle.com Have a great fishing season. Let's go fishing!! 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© 2009, James J. Hirt, All Rights Reserved.

Milwaukee Fishing Lake Michigan Salmon Reports 6/8/2009

Milwaukee Fishing Lake Michigan Salmon Reports 6/8/2009
By Capt. Jim Hirt
June has started with decent fishing for Chinook, Coho and Lake Trout. Deep and shallow water are all producing.

Patterns and program under 40 feet
There are two different options for fishing, which should produce for all big and small boat anglers. Around the harbor break wall gaps we are taking Coho Chinook and Browns. This is an all spoon bite for Chinook on downriggers. With Coho coming on Church Walleye Planner Boards with 25-foot leads and 3/8-ounce weight. OO dodgers or 6-inch flashers and medium blue or green flies are my go to bait for Coho. When the gaps are slow move out northeast. Switch the presentation to five and eight color leadcore on boards or downriggers 25 to 48 down with all spoons. Our best spoons have been the blue and green Magnum Reaper Peacock or the Reaper Magnum Fish n Chip. When the wind and waves keep you in, the gaps will produce. Water is still cold at 48 degrees and fish may be scattered.

Patterns and program 65 to 140 feet
Out in the deeper water northeast of Milwaukee is the best fishing for Chinook, Lake Trout and Coho. Our fish came on Magnum Reaper spoons for Chinook, Lake Trout or OO dodgers or 6-inch flashers and medium blue or green flies for Coho. Experiment with lengths of the fly leader to the dodger or flasher. Start with 3 times the length of the attractor. The standard presentation for Coho is Church Walleye Planner Boards with 25-foot leads and 3/8-ounce weight. The water is very clear and you must run the spoons 50 to 100 behind the downrigger weight 70 to 100 down to get Lakers.
Some of our best producing spoons have been Reaper Magnum Peacock Silver and Magnum Fish n Chip on sunny days. Try the Reaper Magnum Glow spoons on overcast cloudy days. For small spoons the Vulcan Dolphin Green Silver and combinations of silver spoons with green or blue accent colors. I tried plugs with no action. Run the boat speed at 1.9 to 2.3 MPH. Vulcans, Nestor Wobblers and Reapers are sold only on the web at http://www.badgertackle.com Have a great fishing season. Let's go fishing!! 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© 2009, James J. Hirt, All Rights Reserved.

Milwaukee Fishing Lake Michigan Salmon Reports 6/1/2009

Milwaukee Fishing Lake Michigan Salmon Reports 6/1/2009
By Capt. Jim Hirt

May ended with decent fishing for Chinook, Coho and Lake Trout. You may have to move around to get a respectable cooler of fish. Deep and shallow water are two different fisheries. Water Temperatures are coming up and this should improve the action on all species.

Patterns and program under 60 feet
There are two different options for fishing, which should produce for all big and small boat anglers. Around the harbor break wall gaps we are taking Coho Chinook and Browns. This is an all spoon bite for Chinook on downriggers. With Coho coming on Church Walleye Planner Boards with 25-foot leads and 3/8-ounce weight. OO dodgers or 6-inch flashers and medium blue or green flies are my go to bait for Coho. When the gaps are slow move out east. Switch the presentation to five and eight color leadcore on boards or downriggers 25 to 48 down with all spoons. Our best spoons has been the blue and green Magnum Reaper Peacock or the Reaper Magnum Fish n Chip. Action has been in 50 to 60 feet. When the wind and waves keep you in, the gaps will produce. Water is still cold at 46 degrees and fish may be scattered.

Patterns and program 100 to 140 feet
Out in the deeper water South and East of the main gap Milwaukee is the best fishing for Lake Trout and Coho. Our fish came on Magnum Reaper spoons for Lake Trout or OO dodgers or 6-inch flashers and medium blue or green flies for Coho. Experiment with lengths of the fly leader to the dodger or flasher. Start with 3 times the length of the attractor. The standard presentation for Coho is Church Walleye Planner Boards with 25-foot leads and 3/8-ounce weight. The water is very clear and you must run the spoons 50 to 100 behind the downrigger weight 70 to 100 down to get Lakers.
Some of our best producing spoons have been Reaper Magnum Peacock Silver and Magnum Fish n Chip on sunny days. Try the Reaper Magnum Glow spoons on overcast cloudy days. For small spoons the Vulcan Dolphin Green Silver and combinations of silver spoons with green or blue accent colors. I tried plugs with no action. Run the boat speed at 1.9 to 2.3 MPH. Vulcans, Nestor Wobblers and Reapers are sold only on the web at http://www.badgertackle.com Have a great fishing season. Let's go fishing!! 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© 2009, James J. Hirt, All Rights Reserved.

Milwaukee Fishing Lake Michigan Salmon Reports 5/27/2009

Milwaukee Fishing Lake Michigan Salmon Reports 5/27/2009
By Capt. Jim Hirt
May fishing for Lake Trout has been steady and predictable with a few Chinooks to 18 pounds. We have been out over this Memorial Day weekend. Water Temperatures are coming up and this should improve the action on all species.


Patterns and program under 35 feet
Here are two different options for fishing, which should produce for all big and small boat anglers. Around the harbor and in the break wall gaps mostly Browns. This is an all small spoon bite. Church Walleye Planner Boards with 25-foot leads and 3/8-ounce weight is taking browns from 3 to 10 pounds. Downriggers at all depths are also working. Slide Divers are also producing. Our best spoon has been the red and white Nestor Wobbler Sunburn Glow, Vulcan Bloody Nose Glow and Vulcan OL Sherbet. When the wind and waves keep you in, the gaps are options. The water flowing into Milwaukee harbor is 67 degrees the lake is 48.


Patterns and program 80 to 110 feet
Out in the deeper water South and East of the main gap or Northeast of Milwaukee has held the best fishing for Lake Trout and Chinook 10 to 18 pounds. No action on Coho this weekend. Our fish came on Magnum and 3 inch spoons. Two, three, four, five and eight color leadcore or downriggers 12 to 48 down had action. The water is very clear and you must run the spoons 50 to 100 behind the downrigger weight to get fish.

Some of our best producers have been Reaper Magnum Peacock Silver and Magnum Fish n Chip on sunny days. Try the Reaper Magnum Glow spoons on overcast cloudy days. For small spoons the Vulcan Dolphin Green Silver and combinations of silver spoons with green or blue accent colors. I tried plugs with no action. Run the boat speed at 2.1 to 2.4 MPH. Vulcans, Nestor Wobblers and Reapers are sold only on the web at http://www.badgertackle.com Have a great fishing season. Let's go fishing!! 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© 2009, James J. Hirt, All Rights Reserved.

Milwaukee Fishing Lake Michigan Salmon Reports 5/19/2009

Milwaukee Fishing Lake Michigan Salmon Reports 5/19/2009
By Capt. Jim Hirt

May fishing is improving and action on Chinooks has been good. We have been out everyday for the six days. Tons of baitfish around and this should crank up the action.

Patterns and program under 35 feet
Here are two different options for fishing, which should produce for all big and small boat anglers. Around the harbor and in the break wall gaps mostly Browns with some Chinook and post spawn Rainbows. This is an all small spoon bite. Church Walleye Planner Boards with 25-foot leads and 3/8-ounce weight is taking browns from 3 to 10 pounds. Downriggers at all depths are also working. Slide Divers are producing very well set to #3 with 35 feet of line out. Our best spoon has been the red and white Nestor Wobbler Sunburn Glow, Vulcan Bloody Nose Glow and Vulcan OL Sherbet. When the wind and waves keep you in the gaps are options. The water flowing into Milwaukee harbor is 66 degrees the lake is 46.

Patterns and program 45 to 60 feet
Out in the deeper water South and East of the main gap Milwaukee has held the best fishing for Chinook 10 to 18 pounds and Lake Trout. All our fish came on Magnum spoons. Two, three, four and five color leadcore or downriggers 12 to 45 down had action. The water is very clear and you must run the spoons 50 to 100 behind the downrigger weight to get fish.

Some of our best producers have been Reaper Magnum Peacock Silver and Magnum Fish n Chip on sunny days. Try the Reaper Magnum Glow spoons on overcast cloudy days. Run the boat speed slow in the 1.8 to 2.1 MPH for the cold water. I tried plugs and flasher flies with no action. Vulcans, Nestor Wobblers and Reapers are sold only on the web at http://www.badgertackle.com

Have a great fishing season. Let's go fishing!! 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© 2009, James J. Hirt, All Rights Reserved.

Milwaukee Fishing Lake Michigan Salmon Reports 5/11/2009

By Capt. Jim Hirt

May fishing is good. On the overcast days the number of fish are better. We have been out every other day for the last week. Mostly Browns with some Lake Trout and Coho. The Browns are coming on Vulcan Bloody Nose Glow spoons inside and outside the harbor, with Coho on small spoons like the OL Sherbet.

We fished in the rain Saturday and action was good. The water flowing into Milwaukee harbor is 64 degrees the lake is 44. We have been fishing the temp breaks in front of the harbor gaps marking fish at all depths. Picked up a couple of fish in 30 feet of water on the Filtration Plant reef also. Our best presentations are Church Walleye planer boards with 25 foot leads behind the boards and downriggers 20 to 25 feet down.

The fish have been very picky for spoon color and size. Some of our best producers have been Vulcan Bloody Nose, OL Sherbet, Orange Slush and Reaper Cheese Weasel sold at http://www.badgertackle.com also Michigan Stinger silver orange spoons. Inside the harbor and depending on wind direction the north and south gaps are producing fish. The fish at the north gap came on small spoons. Silver blue spoons worked best for us running 60 feet behind the ball on downriggers 8-15 feet down. Our best boat speed was 2.4 mph. Slide Divers are producing very well set to #1 with 35 feet of line out. Have a great fishing season.

Let's go fishing!! 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© 2009, James J. Hirt, All Rights Reserved.

Milwaukee Fishing Lake Michigan Salmon Reports 5/3/2009

Milwaukee Fishing Lake Michigan Salmon Reports 5/3/2009
By Capt. Jim Hirt

April fishing is good to ok could be better. Most of our charter trips are catching 4 to 7 fish. Mostly Browns with some Lake Trout, Rainbows and Chinooks. The 4 year old Chinooks are coming on Reaper Magnum Fish Fry Glow spoons inside the harbor. We fished clear skies Saturday wind was west. The water flowing into Milwaukee harbor is 54 degrees. We have been fishing the temp breaks in front of the river mouth and harbor gaps marking fish at all depths. Picked up a couple of fish in 30 feet of water on the filter also. Our best presentations are Church Walleye planer boards with 25 foot leads behind the boards and downriggers 20 to 25 feet down. The way I set up a planer board is with 20 lb. mono to a 1/4-ounce bead chain sinker. Use 6 feet of 15 lb. Seaguar fluorocarbon leader from the sinker to a size #1 Cross Lock snap and lure. The fish have been very picky and this changes day to day.

Some of our best producers have been Vulcan OL Sherbet, Orange Slush and Reaper Cheese Weasel sold at http://www.badgertackle.com also Michigan Stinger Natural Born Killer and most of their silver orange spoons. Inside the harbor and depending on wind direction the north and south gaps are producing fish. The fish at the north gap came on small spoons. Silver blue spoons worked best for us running 60 feet behind the ball on downriggers 8-15 feet down. Our best boat speed was 2.2 mph. Slide Divers are producing very well set to #2 with 30 feet of line out. Have a great fishing season.

Let's go fishing!! 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© 2009, James J. Hirt, All Rights Reserved.

Fishing The Zone For Salmon Milwaukee #1

Fishing The Zone For Salmon Milwaukee #1
By Captain Jim Hirt

Let me explain how to be more productive by following some basic rules and using basic tools. Activity and habits of fish are dictated by many variables. A rather basic approach will put you on fish and keep you there. I will cover how to find the most productive zones by species.

What Is A Zone
I define a zone as a location where greater concentrations of the target species are found. You may use, as I do, this system for any type of fishing or in fact hunting. The basics are simple. What does your target want? Focus on what you know and do research to find out more.

Zone Rules
Pick the type of quarry you are after and make a list of the known environmental preferences for that species. Armed with that information you will have the guidelines or rules to become more successful. Breaking the rules will put you in water with less of the target fish

Environmental Preferences
The top of the most important list and what I look for is food and temperature. When you are in a zone with the correct temperature and good forage you will increase your chances. Other important factors are cover, habitat, maturity of fish, light intensity, water depth, weather, current flow, current intensity, oxygen level and fishing pressure. Your ability to measure, monitor and locate the ideal set of fishing preferences for your target is key.

Zones By Species
Lake Michigan is an outstanding fishery with many options for anglers. The most popular targets of anglers here are Chinook salmon, Coho Salmon, Rainbow trout, Brown Trout and Lake Trout. Allow me to offer environmental preferences for each of these. Breaking each fish down by preferences is the best way to find steady consistent action on any fish.

Chinook Salmon Zone And Presentations
Big Chinook Salmon are a cold water species, so look for them in temperatures below 50 degrees. The exception is when they come into spawn. At this point in their life temperature is not important. Keep your baits in 45 to 52 degree temperature and you will increase your odds on big fish. When I am catching small fish, I know the water is too warm for a trophy. It is time to adjust the tackle to colder water. A temperature gauge is a tool a salmon fisherman cannot be without.

The principal forage for these bruisers is the Alewife. Look for pods of forage for consistent action. The baitfish will hold Chinook in any area. Keep your fish locator cranked up on the gain to show baitfish along the bottom.

I have caught them in water as shallow as 10 feet and out to 300 feet fishing near the bottom. There is no limitation on the depth they like. Key in on temp for success.

Clear water and sunny conditions are the enemy. This scenario will turn off most fish. However, some fish can be had when certain presentations are used. A stealthy approach is necessary for the biggest fish. In definition stealth is a presentation that avoids being notice. Several are used for salmon trolling.

Downriggers are a popular method to run tackle with many variations possible. In sunny conditions increase your downrigger leads to 100 feet or more. By running long leads you work water undisturbed by noise and turbulence of the boat. Leadcore is another good choice. A weighted line with a Seaguar fluorocarbon leader is attached to a Church Walleye Planer board. The planer board is run well off to the side of the boat out of the travel path. Leadcore is graduated to allow five feet of depth for every color. Five colors will run lures approximately 25 feet down 10 colors fifty feet and so on. This allows you to fish any depth you want and is a killer for huge kings.

Chinook live four and a half years and it makes sense that they will be the biggest at the end of their life cycle. These monsters will be the most aggressive and easiest to get in the months of July thru September. I have produced Kings over twenty pounds in April, although this is the exception to the rule.

Weather is as big of a factor as any and when the conditions are favorable you can expect huge fish. Weather fronts, sky conditions, barometer and sea state all play a role in turning on the fish that dreams are made of. I always look for barometer movement. A steady barometer may offer a great chance to get a suntan but it is not conducive to trophy fishing.

Let's wrap this up with my favorite lures. Magnum spoons are my first choice. Big lures big fish with a consideration to the size of the baitfish and amount of light in the time period you are fishing. When fishing in very bright conditions or with the presence of small baitfish go to regular or small lures. My magnum spoons are about five inches long, regular four inches and small three inches. The two most productive spoons for me during the 2008 season was the Vulcan magnum and Reaper Magnum both sold by
http://www.badgertackle.com For a slow 2.0 M.P.H. or slower presentation I use the Reaper. Above 2.0 speeds the Vulcan is best, it mixes well with most big plugs and flasher flies.

I will continue with Zones for Brown Trout in the next article. 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© 2009, James J. Hirt, All Rights Reserved

Planner Boards For Salmon Fishing Milwaukee #2

Planner Boards For Salmon Fishing Milwaukee #2
By Captain Jim Hirt

The tool you need and must have for spring salmon fishing is Church Planner boards. There is no simpler and more productive presentation for any time you target fish in the top 25 feet of water. Allow me to explain the how and wow of this tool for spring. The last article covered rods, reels and line now let's discuss getting ready to fish.

Here's How To Set Up For Boards
I run a 1/4 to 1 ounce bead chain trolling sinker at the end of the 20lb main line to avoid line twists and get the depth I want. From the sinker to the lure I use 7ft of a 15lb fluorocarbon and a small round cross lock snap. When the fish hits, the board slides down to the trolling sinker. With the sinker in line, it will not knock the fish off as it would if the board ran down to the lure. When setting this presentation, I set my boat speed at 1 to 2 mph and let out my lure about 30 to 100 feet and attach the board. This distance will change with the amount of light, type of lure and depth you want to fish. When action is slow, adjust this distance and see what happens. Once the board is attached, carefully lower the board into the water and let out enough line to allow room for more boards, between that board and the boat. Boards should be spaced about 30 feet apart. Important, put the boards with the least amount of trolling sinker weight on the outside board. When a fish hits, the board releases and it will drop back behind the boat. Land your fish and reset this board by letting out enough line to allow the board to fly back into the same spot it came from. Avoid changing out to many lures if you are getting action because at times one lure feeds off another. By this I mean, a spoon may be attracting the fish but they will hit the crankbait next to it.

Spring Salmon and Trout Lures By Temperature
Let's continue with lure selection, colors, boat speed, and lure action for spring. The cold water slows down the metabolism of the fish; this in turn requires you to slow down your presentation. I select lures that are small and work well at slower than normal boat speeds. Your adjustment to these variables is different depending on the preferred temperature of the target species. Brown trout like the warmest water of the five game fish in Lake Michigan and they are looking for above 60-degree water. When you find 60 plus water, fish them as you would in summer. Below 60 degrees the way you fish should be adjusted. Most active Browns in spring will be found in the top 20 feet of water where bright lures like the Badger Tackle Vulcan OL Sherbet or Orange Slush are best. I slow my boat speed to below 1.5 mph. The small lures become very effective and run well at this speed. Does your boat troll at 1.0 to 4.5 mph? If it doesn't, you will find it difficult to produce all the types of fish in all types of conditions.

Get That Speed Down
Most boats have trouble trolling slowly. When I purchased my new boat, the Blue Max with two 454 engines, trolling slowly was a problem for me. I then added a drift sock to slow down my presentation. Without this tool you will not be successful every trip out. If you adjust the idle down too low on your motor, you will most likely have spark plug fouling or worse. Slow trolling with planer boards is the way to go in spring or any time the water temperature is below the temp range of the fish you are after. In spring keep it slow, small and bright to be productive.

I run a mix of minnow type lures, crankbaits and small spoons. The lures you run is all about the amount of light, baitfish size and the size of fish you are looking to catch. Mix it up! When one lure produces I would double up on that lure.

The Badger Tackle Reaper Peacock, Big Joe and Fish Fry spoon in regular size sold at http://www.badgertackle.com are a popular option.

Good luck Captain Jim. 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© 2009, James J. Hirt, All Rights Reserved.

Planner Boards For Salmon Fishing Milwaukee #1

Planner Boards For Salmon Fishing Milwaukee #1
By Captain Jim Hirt
The tool you need and must have for spring salmon fishing is Church Planner boards. There is no simpler and more productive presentation for any time you target fish in the top 25 feet of water. Allow me to explain the how and wow of this tool for spring.
Getting Started Basic Rods and Reels
To start let's cover the basics for one person fishing out of a small boat. In the state of Wisconsin on Lake Michigan we are allowed three rods per person. You could buy three rods although I believe when fishing alone or even with one other person more tackle means more expense and not necessarily more enjoyment or fish on. In recent years the buzzword on the water is stealth. Clean presentations offered a good distance from the boat would take more and bigger fish and that is where planer boards are the right tool. Too much tackle will often turn the fish off

The Correct Rod Adds To Success
Purchase two 8-foot medium action trolling or downrigger rods for board fishing. They will give you all the versatility and power you need throughout the season. There are good quality fiberglass rods starting a $30 each. Line counter trolling reels are important to precision and don't cost much more than reels without line counters. Look for a quality based on the amount of times you expect to use them each season. A basic bushing or one ball bearing reel is affordable and will last a long time with good maintenance. Reels that will hold 300 yards of 20-pound test has the capacity for all mono or fluorocarbon set ups you may want to try down the road. A slightly more expensive but worth while option is to try the advantages of fluorocarbon line. The low stretch near invisible Seaguar Invizx will put more fish in the cooler. This is one of the most basic combos for anytime fishing for salmon and trout on Lake Michigan.

Clean Rigging for Spooky Surface Fish
Spring in Milwaukee Wisconsin provides world class action on Lake and Brown trout, with the other species available but not as active. Most of my charter trips limit out in spring. Browns and Lakers, this time of year, will come on similar presentation with a preference to different lures. I set up 90% of my lines on planer boards working the top fifteen feet of water. The remaining 10% of my lines are on diving planers or downriggers for deeper fish. The lake will be very cold, well below the preferred temperature of your target fish. I fish the surface down to fifteen feet with planer Boards. My first choice is Church Walleye Boards. I find it easier to run a small board on each line rather than a large board with releases on the towline. I do feel it is important to run all the same type to get a presentation that is easy and productive. On all my rods in spring, I run a 20 pound test monofilament or fluorocarbon. Starting out this way I will have the rods loaded with the correct line for most presentations through out the season. In spring fishing the clear surface water leaves you with a visibility factor to consider, and smaller crank baits do not run well on heavier test lines. I will explain rod set up in the next article

The new Badger Tackle Vulcan glow in the dark lures sold at http://www.badgertackle.com are an excellent option for first light or stained water board fishing. They are offering a buy 4 get 1 free at this time.

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© 2009, James J. Hirt, All Rights Reserved. Good luck Captain Jim

Milwaukee Salmon Fishing Heaven!

Milwaukee Salmon Fishing Heaven!

By Captain Jim Hirt
Milwaukee fishing is as easy as it gets. We truly have a world-class fishery. There are three launch ramps for trailerable boats within minutes of dozens of hotels. McKinley Marina 1750 N. Lincoln Memorial Drive, South Shore Marina 2900 S. Shore Dr. and Riverfront Launch 650 S. Water. McKinley Marina 414-273-5224 can arrange transient slips for those who would like to do an overnight. For general information on ramps and fees call 414-257-6100. Shopping abounds for the ladies who prefer not to fish. Excellent dining, in all price ranges, will make your family outing complete. The Milwaukee Visitor Bureau 800-554-1448 is a great source of information. Wisconsin has a generous daily bag limit on Lake Michigan. You may keep five total of salmon or trout over ten inches. Possession limit is two daily limits. You may use three rods per person.

I would like to share with you some of my keys to finding fish and the hottest set ups for very early presentation. I start my season in early April and the most important factor at this time is temperature. I recommend launching at McKinley. When you come out of the marina, stay inside the break wall. This area is well protected and is always fishable. Proceed south about one mile to the mouth of the river. The best early action will be where the warm river water meets the colder water. The mouth of the river and harbor breakwall gaps is where you want to fish. The most active species will be salmon and Brown Trout in the 5 to 12 pound class with many limit catches.

Motor trolling is the method I use for most of my fishing, and I will explain one of my basic spring setups. I fish all my lines on planner boards with twenty-pound test line. Use a six foot leader 3/8-ounce keel sinker twenty feet behind the board. I recommend a boat speed of 2.0 M.P.H. Run small crank baits, medium size jointed minnow type lures and some spoons. The color of the lure is dictated by the amount of light and water color. On most days in clear water I use white and black or silver lures. Hotter colors work best in cloudy water. You can’t go wrong with chartreuse in both conditions. The new Badger Tackle Vulcan glow in the dark lures sold at
http://www.badgertackle.com are an excellent option. Good luck Captain Jim. 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© 2009, James J. Hirt, All Rights Reserved.

Lake Michigan fisheries team report 2.18.09

Lake Michigan fisheries team report

Ozaukee County – In Port Washington shore anglers have been catching occasional brown trout. Spawn sacs have taken fish at the power plant discharge, and spoons have caught fish off the rocks at Rotary Park. Flows and water clarity on Sauk Creek are good, but steelhead fishing has been slow.

Milwaukee County – In Milwaukee, some ice has formed again in the river under the Hoan bridge. In McKinley Marina there is still sufficient ice for foot travel, but fishing there has been slow. The Menomonee River near the MMSD offices is muddy, and fishing there has been tough. However, further upriver on the Menomonee and in the canals, there have been some browns and rainbows taken on crankbaits. There is some construction going on at Riverfront Ramp, but one lane remains open to boaters.

Racine County – In Racine a few anglers have been open water fishing near the Pershing boat launch, and brown trout have been hitting both spoons and spawn. The Root River is open, and stream flows and water clarity are good. Steelhead have been taken on spawn in Lincoln Park downstream of the Root River Steelhead Facility.

Kenosha County – In Kenosha anglers continue to ice fish near the boat launch, and they have been catching browns on spawn or jigging with tube jigs and wax worms. Open water can be found near the Holiday Inn, and anglers there have been taking occasional browns and rainbows on spawn sacs.

How Deep Are My Downriggers?

How Deep Are My Downriggers?
By Captain Jim Hirt
I received this e-mail recently and thought it was a good question that more anglers would be interested in. Should you have a question please e-mail me from my Website contact us page http://www.bluemaxcharters.com I will be pleased to answer. My charter season is done and I have time to talk.
Hi Jim,
My name is Brian I may have e-mailed you before, but I forget. Anyway, I just ordered some spoons from you. I personally have never fished spoons, we always fish plugs or cut plug herring for Lakers and Browns. I keep hearing that this is the best go to lure for most Lakers and browns in the great lakes, but not many people out here in Oregon really use them (with exception to apexes, and even that's far and few between).
What do you recommend for set back in the rigger and what is your typical speed? On your Magnum Reaper Spoons, what depth should I assume if I was to set back 300 feet trolling at 2 to 2.3 mph if I have the lure in the clip at say 40 feet? Would my lure be at 45 feet?
We typically go anywhere from 1.8 to 3.2 mph, depending on what's triggering the bite. You may think we're a little nutty for throwing the lure back 100 yards, but our lakes up here are VERY clear (at least the ones that hold the big fish) and as we target trophy browns mostly, and they're so wary, that's why.
Hello Brian:
I thank you for your spoon order. I have over 60 articles that should answer some of your questions. The http://www.badgertackle.com website has all my articles posted. Your question about downrigger setback and speed is rather complex. Your speed will vary for type of fish. Lake Trout like cold water and slow speed of 1.5 to 2.0 is always best. At slower speeds downrigger blowback is not too much of an issue. Blowback is the amount of loss to depth from the weight not hanging straight down when the boat is trolling. This is how I usually adjust for loss in depth. If you use a setback of 50 feet at 100 down the spoon will run at 90 feet or about a 10 percent loss. The variables here are weight of downrigger ball, direction speed of the water current and speed of the boat.
Here is the answer to your specific questions..
What do you recommend for set back in the rigger and what is your typical speed? On your Magnum Reaper Spoons, what depth should I assume if I was to set back 300 feet trolling at 2 to 2.3 mph if I have the lure in the clip at say 40 feet? Would my lure be at 45 feet?
This is how I would do it.
My set back is usually 50 feet
Day in day out my most productive speed is 1.8 measured at the ball. The Reaper Magnum Spoon will produce consistently between 1.0 to 2.8 MPH
The depth set as you described would be about 35 feet
This time of year I Have lots of availability for questions please call me.
. Good Luck Captain Jim. Let's go fishing!! 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© 2009, James J. Hirt, All Rights Reserved.

Fishing Month by Month on Lake Michigan #2

Fishing Month by Month on Lake Michigan #2
By Capt. Jim Hirt
A common question I have received is what's biting each month of the Lake Michigan season. The key to success to fishing is to target the most active species. Please allow me to give you and overview month by month July thru October. Article #1 covered April, May and June. There are opportunities for late Fall and Winter however I do not get a chance to fish at that time.
July all species are finding their summer homes.

The water temperatures will change day to day so your focus should be on finding the correct temp for your target. The good news is all five Lake Michigan fish are active this month. Locate the temps and you will catch fish. The most common and best action is on large Chinook. Vulcan Spoons trolled in or near the thermocline are the way to go for trophy kings. Work the shallow water for Browns and deep water for Lake Trout and Rainbows. Surface presentation is my first choice for surface feeders like Rainbows. Lake Trout are deep water fish found on or near the bottom. You must fish the temp breaks. My go to bait for July is Vulcan Spoons in bright colors or glow in the dark.

August aah!! Warm Weather lots of fish
A very predictable month for all species. There will be a lot of fish each in there own zone based on temperature. Your best friend will be your temp gauge. Here are the temps by target species. Brown Trout are the upper end of the spectrum with the highest preferred temp of 62 degrees. Rainbows also like 60 degree water frequenting the surface over deep water most of the time. Coho can be a large part of the catch in August when you fish 55 degree water. Chinook start the month in 52 and colder water and as they come closer to maturity will move into the warmer water of the harbors and rivers. When action is slow on the other types of fish work the bottom in 50 degrees or colder water for Lake Trout. Follow the temperature break for some of the most exciting action of the season.

September fish in or fish out?
This month is a month of decision. Spawning Chinook are in the harbor and just outside the harbor gaps. Mature Coho will light up the rods when fished in the same area later in the month. Two and three year old Chins will be active in the cold water off shore along with Lake Trout. Rainbows will also keep you busy but a long ride over 12 miles off shore may be needed. A staple to fall fishing and predictable target is the Brown Trout. We see these fish in excess of 15 pounds. A true trophy and many of our customers will hang one of these monsters on the wall. If eaters are your goal run small spoons. The Vulcan and Reaper in the regular size are all you need for great action.

October wrap up on big and small fish.
There are some similarities of fishing action from October to September. The big spawning Chinook have now become inaccessible to boat trollers and off the map. Browns are still available to shore and boat anglers when fished near shore. My first choice are the tasty fish in the 5-10 pound size you will find in good numbers just a short ride off shore. Most of these fish will be 2 and 3 year old Chinook with an occasional Brown or Lake Trout.
Wow! Another exciting year has come to and end.

For those of you that have not enjoyed the excitement of the big waters of my favorite, Lake Michigan I urge you to give it a try. I would recommend a charter trip to get a feel for this sport. All months offer exciting fishing on charter or with your boat. Remember to work the most active fish and follow good fundamentals. You may want to join on of the many Great Lakes fishing clubs. I have been a member of the Milwaukee Great Lakes Sport Fisherman for over 20 years. Invaluable information is exchanged and camaraderie is had by all, come join us.

Please visit http://www.glsfclub.net/ for meeting location and times. You may find the lures discussed in this article at http://www.badgertackle.com Good Luck let's go fishing!! Come back to this Website often to read all my articles. Jim charters out of Milwaukee, WI. with Blue Max Charters. He can be reached at 414-828-1094. Summer I will be out on the lake fighting fish, however, I would appreciate a call over winter to chat about whatever questions you may have or just call and say hello. You may also visit my web site at http://www.bluemaxcharters.com Copyright© 2008, James J. Hirt, All Rights Reserved.

Fishing Month by Month on Lake Michigan #1

Matt Schrenkowski and his 10.5 pound Chinook
Fishing Month by Month on Lake Michigan #1
By Capt. Jim Hirt

A common question I have received is what's biting each month of the Lake Michigan season. The key to success to fishing is to target the most active species. Please allow me to give you and overview month by month April thru October. There are opportunities for late Fall and Winter however I do not get a chance to fish at that time.


April Brown Trout start the season
Do you want fast action Spring Browns are for you. This is my favorite time of the year. I really get spring fever and April Browns are the answer. The good news here is a simple presentation will do the job. Motor trolling is the method I use but still, shore or drift fishing will work. Pay attention to temperature look for the warmest water you can find. The most productive areas are where the water transitions. You must fish the temp breaks. My go to bait for spring is small Reaper spoons in bright colors or glow in the dark work well. Crank baits and minnow type lures will also fill the cooler. The latter will work in the colder water and as the water warms, spoons will crank up the action

.
April's a month for Lake Trout
Typically every year good numbers of Lakers are taken in April. Trolling the colder water just outside the harbors and in the shallow waters along the shores will put you in fish. Go with Magnum Reaper spoons and minnow type lures fishing the top 20 feet. Life is good and fishing is easy in April enjoy!

May Coho, Rainbows and Chinook
The water starts to warm and all species become active. The most active is the Coho Salmon. The silver salmon or Coho is my favorite for the table. With a 3-4 pound average and non-stop action most trips limit out. In May Rainbows will walk on their tail for you. May and June are the best months for this prize. Follow the surface temperature break for some of the most exciting action of the season on all varieties of Rainbows. Size will range from 3 to 14 pounds. For anglers that have not caught Rainbows I would recommend you give them a try. Chinook are also starting to become active. Not the most active although we do have time periods during May with Chinook to 18 pounds.

June the water stratifies and action moves off shore.
This month is about the same as May with continued Coho the first half of the month. This is also a great month for Rainbows. The best way to find them is go off shore and look for 48 degree and colder water. Coho like about 50-degree water. I fish exclusively surface presentation down to 25 feet. Light action rods with flasher flies for Coho and Magnum Reaper spoons in green, blue and silver for Rainbows. Chinook are starting to find the water temps they desire. This helps anglers find them and they are easier to target. This is an opportunity for a nice mixed bag of all Lake Michigan fish.
All months offer exciting fishing on charter or with your boat. Remember to work the most active fish and follow good fundamentals. You may want to join on of the many Great Lakes fishing clubs. I have been a member of the Milwaukee Great Lakes Sport Fisherman for over 20 years. Invaluable information is exchanged and camaraderie is had by all, come join us. Please call me for meeting location and times.

The next article will continue with July a fantastic month for all species. You may find the lures discussed in this article at http://www.badgertackle.com Good Luck let's go fishing!! Come back to this Website often to read all my articles. Jim charters out of Milwaukee, WI. with Blue Max Charters. He can be reached at 414-828-1094. Summer I will be out on the lake fighting fish, however, I would appreciate a call over winter to chat about whatever questions you may have or just call and say hello. You may also visit my web site at http://www.bluemaxcharters.com Copyright© 2008, James J. Hirt, All Rights Reserved.

Lake Michigan fisheries team report 11.5.08

Lake Michigan fisheries team report 11.5.08

Sheboygan County - In Sheboygan shore anglers fishing off the piers and near the Deland Park boat launch have been catching a few browns on spawn and spoons. In the Sheboygan River some coho and browns have been caught on flies near the Kohler dam and in Esslingen Park.

Ozaukee County - In Port Washington, shore anglers have been catching a mix of browns, coho, and rainbows on spawn near the power plant and on spoons in the harbor.

Milwaukee County - Shore anglers in Milwaukee have been catching a few browns and chinooks on spawn and spoons near the base of McKinley pier and near the Milwaukee Yacht Club. Anglers on the Milwaukee River have reported a few salmon below the falls in Estabrook and Kletzsch Parks. Fishing on the Menomonee River and Oak Creek has been slow. Brown trout have been seen near the Bender Park ramp, but effort there has been minimal.

Racine County - In Racine water levels on the Root River remain low, but coho, chinooks, browns, and a few steelhead can be found throughout the river. Fishing has been slow overall, but small natural flies have taken some fish in faster current, and drifted spawn has caught fish in the deeper holes. The Root River Steelhead Facility is running, and fish were processed on Monday, November 3. So far this season, 1,373 chinooks, 804 coho, 171 browns, and 10 rainbows have been passed upstream of the facility. The next processing day will be Wednesday, November 5.

Kenosha County - For shore anglers in Kenosha, a few browns have been caught in the harbor and off the piers on spawn and tube jigs. Fishing on the Pike River has been relatively slow, and water levels are low.

Lake Michigan fisheries team report 10.31.08

Lake Michigan fisheries team report 10.31.08

Sheboygan County -
In Sheboygan anglers fishing off the piers have been catching a few browns and steelhead on spawn and spoons. In the Sheboygan River some coho, chinooks, and browns have been caught on flies near the Kohler dam and in Esslingen Park.

Ozaukee County -
In Port Washington, shore anglers have been catching a mix of browns, coho, and chinooks on spawn near the power plant. Water levels on Sauk Creek are relatively low, but anglers have been catching a few rainbows, coho, and chinooks on both flies and spawn.

Milwaukee County -
Shore anglers in Milwaukee have been catching a few browns and chinooks on spawn and spoons near the base of McKinley pier and near the Milwaukee Yacht Club. Anglers on the Milwaukee River have reported a few salmon below the falls in Estabrook and Kletzsch Parks. Fishing on the Menomonee River and Oak Creek has been slow. Brown trout have been seen near the Bender Park ramp, but effort there has been minimal.

Racine County -
In Racine water levels on the Root River remain relatively low, but coho, chinooks, browns, and steelhead can be found throughout the river. Fishing has been slow overall, but small natural flies have taken some fish in faster current, and drifted spawn has caught fish in the deeper holes. The Root River Steelhead Facility is running, and fish were processed on Monday, Oct. 27. So far this season, 1,238 chinooks, 377 coho, 133 browns, and 9 rainbows have been passed upstream of the facility. The next processing day will be Wednesday, Oct. 29.

Kenosha County -
For shore anglers in Kenosha, a few browns have been caught in the harbor and off the piers on spawn and tube jigs. Fishing on the Pike River has been relatively slow, and water levels are low.

Lake Michigan fisheries team report 10.24.08

Lake Michigan fisheries team report

Sheboygan County -
In Sheboygan fishing off the piers has been slow, but shore anglers in the marina have been catching a few chinooks on spoons. In the Sheboygan River some chinooks and browns have been caught near the Kohler dam and in Esslingen Park on both flies and spawn

Ozaukee County -
In Port Washington, shore anglers have been catching a mix of chinooks, coho, and browns in the harbor and near the power plant. Spawn and skein have caught the most fish, but a few have been taken on spoons as well. Water levels on Sauk Creek are relatively low, but anglers have been catching a few browns, coho, and chinooks on spawn.

Milwaukee County -
Shore anglers in Milwaukee have been catching a few browns and chinooks near the base of McKinley pier. Anglers on the Milwaukee River have reported a few salmon below the falls in Estabrook and Kletzsch Parks. Some chinooks have been caught on the Menomonee River near Miller Park and near the dam on Oak Creek. Orange yarn flies have taken the most fish.

Racine County -
In Racine water levels on the Root River remain low, but chinooks, coho, browns, and steelhead can be found throughout the river. Small egg imitation flies and drifted spawn have taken the most fish. The Root River Steelhead Facility is now running, and fish were processed on Monday, Oct. 20. So far this season, 790 chinooks, 103 browns, 20 coho, and 7 rainbows have been passed upstream of the facility. The next processing and spawning day will be Thursday, Oct. 23.

Kenosha County -
For shore anglers in Kenosha, a few browns have been caught in the harbor and off the piers on spawn and tube jigs. Fishing on the Pike River has been relatively slow, and water levels are low.

Lake Michigan fisheries team report 10.19.08

Lake Michigan fisheries team report 10.19.08

Sheboygan County - In Sheboygan anglers fishing off the piers and in the marina have been catching a few chinooks and rainbows on spoons and crank baits. In the Sheboygan River some chinooks, coho, and browns have been caught near the Kohler dam and in Esslingen Park on both flies and spawn.

Ozaukee County - In Port Washington, shore anglers have been catching a mix of chinooks, coho, rainbows, and browns in the harbor and near the power plant. Spawn and skein have caught the most fish, but a few have been taken on spinners as well. Water levels on Sauk Creek are relatively low, but anglers have been catching a few browns, coho, and chinooks on spawn.

Milwaukee County - Shore anglers in Milwaukee have been catching a few browns near the base of McKinley pier. Anglers on the Milwaukee River have reported a few salmon and steelhead below the falls in Estabrook Park, and the Estabrook dam gates are now open. Some chinooks have been caught on the Menomonee River near Miller Park and near the dam on Oak Creek.

Racine County - In Racine shore anglers have been catching a few chinooks and coho near the mouth of the Root River and off the south pier. Glow in the dark spoons fished at dawn have provided the most action. Water levels on the Root River remain low, but anglers have caught chinooks, coho, browns, and steelhead throughout the lower stretches of the river. Small egg imitation flies and drifted spawn have taken the most fish. The Root River Steelhead Facility is now running, and DNR crews will be processing fish on Thursday, October 16.

Kenosha County - For shore anglers in Kenosha, a few chinooks have been caught in the harbor and off the piers on crank baits. Fishing on the Pike River has been relatively slow.

Lake Michigan fisheries team report 10.9.08

Lake Michigan fisheries team report 10.9.08

Sheboygan County -
In Sheboygan anglers fishing off the piers and in the marina have been catching a few chinooks and coho on spoons and spawn. In the Sheboygan River some chinooks and browns have been caught near the Kohler dam and in Esslingen Park on both flies and spawn.

Ozaukee County -
In Port Washington, shore anglers have been catching a few chinooks, coho, and browns in the harbor and near the power plant on spawn. Trollers in Port Washington have also been catching chinooks 70 feet down in 100 to 120 feet of water.

Milwaukee County -
Shore anglers in Milwaukee have been catching a few browns near the base of McKinley pier. Anglers on the Milwaukee River have reported a few salmon below the falls in Estabrook Park, and Oak Creek is holding a few more fish after this week’s rainfall. Fishing on the Menomonee River remains slow.

Racine County -
In Racine shore anglers have been catching a few chinooks and coho near the mouth of the Root River and off the south pier. Glow in the dark spoons fished at dawn have provided the most action. Water levels on the Root River remain low, but anglers fishing the river have caught some chinooks and browns in Washington Park. Small flies and drifted spawn have taken the most fish. The Root River Steelhead Facility is not yet in operation, but the facility should be running once the area gets some more rain.

Kenosha County -
For shore anglers in Kenosha, a few chinooks have been caught in the harbor and off the piers on crank baits. Fishing on the Pike River has been slow.

Milwaukee Fishing Lake Michigan Salmon Reports 10/8/2008

Milwaukee Fishing Lake Michigan Salmon Reports 10/8/2008
By Capt. Jim Hirt

The last four days two and three year-old Chinooks have been active with action in 150 to 200 feet. This has been an all spoon bite. Work from 25 to 60 down on Magnum Fish N Chip and Fish Fry spoons. Read my report to get the best tips and presentations for the silver Chinooks. I do have openings on my schedule to put you on some great eaters in the 5 to 12 pound size give me a call.

David Miller with his 15 poung
9 ounce German Brown Trout

We fished every day the last four days catching mostly Chinook and Brown Trout. The main and north gap Milwaukee has been holding some Brown Trout but that area has been slow. We did pick up this 15 pound 9 ounce Brown. It was caught by David Miller of KC Missouri. Our most productive presentation at the gaps has been Reaper Magnum Silver or glow spoons. The best colors are Peacock, Fish N Chip and Green Fox Glow.

The best action is to go deep to 150 feet and deeper. We are fishing due east off the US Bank building. I tried north but found better action south. Downriggers, divers and 10-color leadcore are all working. To optimize this presentation troll slow at 1.8 to 2.0 MPH. The Reaper Spoons work very well at these slow speeds and slower is better most of the time for Chinook. I run my divers set at #2 with 150 feet of line out. Downriggers 30 to 60 down are also productive. First light and last light fishing will yield the most fish on the sunny days.

You must check the water temps look for cooler water. Most of the water is 60 degrees. We are finding our fish in this warm water. On Saturday the fish were 30 to 65 down and Sunday about the same. Church Walleye planer boards with 10 colors Cortland Kerplunk leadcore are taking Chinook. Leadcore with magnum spoons has been my best producer on sunny calm water days.


For anglers that have not tried the Reaper and Vulcan spoons from Badger Tackle.com I recommend you give them a try. They are offering a buy 4 and get 1 free at this time. The fish out deep ranged in size from 5 to 12 pounds. The only place you will find Reaper and Vulcan spoons is on the Badger Tackle web site at http://www.badgertackle.com 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 I am always available for a comment or update. Thanks!!

Trout and salmon staging for their fall finale

Trout and salmon staging for their fall finale

MADISON – With the air getting cooler and the leaves revealing their brilliant colors, Wisconsin’s waters are preparing for their own show – the trout and salmon spawning runs.

“October is a great time for fishing and for ‘fish watching’ in the rivers as jumping salmon put on quite a show,” says Matt Coffaro, Department of Natural Resources fisheries biologist. “In the Milwaukee area, the Chinook are already starting to stage around the harbors and river mouths in anticipation of their spawning runs which should peak in early October.”

Throughout Wisconsin, there’s fish watching to be had as trout and salmon begin their yearly ritual of returning to spawn in the fall.

Some of the best viewing is at the DNR’s three egg collection facilities where visitors a chance to see some big “king” (chinook) and coho salmon, and egg taking up-close.

Every year, for example, as many as 6,000 chinook and 2,000 coho pass through the weir (dam) at the Root River Steelhead facility in Racine.

“From now until early November, we’ll have the weir fired up. It’s a show watching fish swim up the ladder and into the facility,” says John Komassa, facility supervisor. “You also can see DNR crews weighing, measuring and spawning the fish.”
C.D “Buzz” Besadny Fish Facility in Kewaunee

Fish watching at the C.D “Buzz” Besadny Fish Facility in Kewaunee will kick into high gear the last week of September and continue through the entire month of October, unless rains trigger earlier runs, according to Mike Baumgartner, the facility’s supervisor.

“People can get eye to eye with chinook and coho salmon, and steelhead and brown trout through our viewing window as the fish navigate through a bypass channel and up the fish ladder,” says Baumgartner. “They can also watch staff processing fish here on select days during the run.”

In addition, Besadny will be hosting its seventh annual open house on Oct. 4 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Educational tours, fly tying and casting demos, fish printing, horse and wagon rides, good food, and the salmon spawning show that DNR staff puts on makes for a fun-filled fall day.
Strawberry Creek Spawning Facility

In Sturgeon Bay, the Strawberry Creek Spawning Facility will also offer up the chance to view chinook within the next few weeks. The fish are staging in the channel and spawning is expected to begin the first week of October. Call ahead for specific days and times.

Though not as well known, Lake Superior can put on a small-scale show of its own.

“We have a much larger run of coho in our tributaries than Chinook,” says Mike Seider, Bayfield fisheries biologist, “In late September and October, Big Rock near Washburn is a really neat spot to watch coho running up from the rapids.”

More information on the fish spawning facilities, including locations and contact numbers, is available on the DNR Web site. Call ahead for current fish-watching conditions.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Mike Baumgartner, Besadny Facility (920) 388-1025; Scott Hansen, Strawberry Creek Facility (920) 746-2864; John Komassa, Root River Facility (262) 594-6218; Mike Seider, Lake Superior (715) 779-4035; Matt Coffaro, Milwaukee 414-263-8614

Milwaukee Fishing Lake Michigan Salmon Reports 9/29/2008

Milwaukee Fishing Lake Michigan Salmon Reports 9/29/2008
By Capt. Jim Hirt
The last six days four-year-old Chinooks have been active with action in the gaps and out to 40 feet. Work the areas near the gaps with Reaper Spoons and plugs. Read my report on to get the best tips and presentations for the biggest Chinooks of the season. I do have openings on my schedule to put you on trophy kings give me a call.

A 25.5 pound Chinook caught by Rita Quisenberry of Missouri on September 24th

We fished every day the last six days catching Chinook, Coho, Lakers and Brown Trout. The main and north gap Milwaukee has been the magnet for fish. Our most productive presentation is Reaper Magnum Silver or glow spoons. The best colors are Peacock, Fish N Chip and Green Fox Glow. To optimize this presentation troll slow at 1.8 to 2.0 MPH. I run my Slide Divers set at #2 with fifteen foot leads and forty feet of line out. Downriggers are a staple in gap fishing. Set them to cover every five feet from top to bottom. Short leads of ten feet on the bottom lines and longer leads on the higher lines. I like to set my highest line 60 feet behind the ball. Chinook to 25 pounds are possible but they average 15 pounds. The best days for an all day bite have been overcast. First light and last light is hot on the sunny days.

Another option for you, if the gap fishing is slow, try going deep to 60 feet of water and fishing 25 to 50 down. Spoons, plugs and flasher flies are all working. You must check the water temps. On Saturday the fish were 25 to 42 down and Sunday about the same. The area south of the Filtration Plant has been best. The silver and glow Reaper Magnum Spoons will get the job done. Once again slow the boat down to 1.8 t0 2.0 MPH. The Reaper spoons mix very well with flasher flies and I usually mix them up and down the water column. White flashers with white flies have been working. . Church Walleye planer boards with 5, 8 and 10 colors Cortland Kerplunk leadcore are taking all species. Leadcore with magnum spoons has been my best producer on sunny calm water days.

For anglers that have not tried the Reaper and Vulcan spoons from Badger Tackle.com I recommend you give them a try. They are offering a buy 4 and get 1 free at this time. The fish out deep ranged in size from 5 to 12 pounds. The only place you will find Reaper and Vulcan spoons is on the Badger Tackle web site at http://www.badgertackle.com 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 I am always available for a comment or update.

Milwaukee Fishing Lake Michigan Salmon Reports 9/4/2008

Milwaukee Fishing Lake Michigan Salmon Reports 9/4/2008
By Capt. Jim Hirt
The last three days of wind has kept the temperature break and currents on the move. Correct boat speed and presentation has been the answer to catching fish. Key in on 50 degree temperature for success. Surface temperature is 70 with the Temperature break moving each day. Trolling west to east will cover a large spread of temperatures and currents. When you mark fish on the locator without success change direction and see if that helps. Currently the action down is at 25 to 120 feet. We are catching mostly Chinook and Big Brown Trout to 14 pounds. The photo with this report is of two big Browns. The fish are in 45 to 120 feet of water. The best action is over 100 feet east of the Filtration Plant and north for 2 and 3 year old Chinook. Four year old Chins are in the warm water and the rain the next two days should bring some of them up the Milwaukee River. Look for them outside the harbor and out to 65 feet of water. Church Walleye planer boards with 8 and 10 color Cortland Kerplunk leadcore and 300 feet of copper wire are taking Chinooks. For all species on sunny days use Reaper Magnum Monkey Puke, Peacock, Fish n Chip and Big Joe Silver spoons. Use all glow spoons early in the morning and inside the harbor. On overcast days and low light try the Reaper Magnum Blue Fox Glow spoons. We are getting good reports of action in the warm water conditions on both sides of Lake Michigan on these glow spoons. This makes sense as most of the fish are coming deep and the glow spoons are most visible for the fish in deep water presentations. For anglers that have not tried the Reaper and Vulcan spoons from Badger Tackle.com I recommend you give them a try. They are offering a buy 4 and get 1 free at this time. The fish ranged in size from 3 to 21 pounds. Trolling at 1.8 to 2.0 miles per hour at the ball will get more fish. Experiment with speed up to 2.6 MPH. Lately a faster speed has worked for the big Chins. The only place you will find Reaper and Vulcan spoons is on the Badger Tackle web site at http://www.badgertackle.com 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 I am always available for a comment or update. Thanks!!

Lake Michigan fisheries team report 9.6.08

Lake Michigan fisheries team report 9.6.08

Sheboygan County -
In Sheboygan chinooks have moved closer to shore. Anglers fishing off the piers have been catching fair numbers of chinooks on spoons. Trollers have been also been fishing close to the Sheboygan harbor, and chinooks have been caught in 35 to 50 feet of water.

Ozaukee County -
In Port Washington, shore fishing has been slow overall, but a few chinooks have been caught off the pier on spoons. Trollers in Port Washington have had the most success fishing 50 to 70 feet down in 80 to 140 feet of water. Chinooks, coho, and a few brown trout have been taken on J-plugs and flasher and fly combinations.

Milwaukee County -
Shore fishing in Milwaukee has been slow, but trollers have been catching chinooks and a few coho in 40 to 60 feet of water. Flasher and fly combinations and glow spoons have been most productive in the early morning hours.

Racine County -
In Racine shore fishing has been slow overall, but a few chinooks have been caught in the harbor near the mouth of the Root River. Glow in the dark spoons fished early in the day have provided the only action. Racine trollers have been catching a few chinooks and lake trout in 90 to 120 feet of water.

Kenosha County -
For shore anglers in Kenosha, brown trout fishing in the harbor has been slow, but a few chinooks have been caught off the beach near the mouth of the Pike River. Kenosha trollers have been catching chinooks and a few lake trout, but fishing has been inconsistent. Most fish have been caught from more than 100 feet of water, but some chinooks have also been caught off the mouth of the Pike River.

Milwaukee Fishing Lake Michigan Salmon Reports 8/25/2008

Milwaukee Fishing Lake Michigan Salmon Reports 8/25/2008

By Capt. Jim Hirt
The wind is west the wind is east. Key in on 50 degree temperature for success. Surface temperature is 70 with the Temperature break at 60 feet. Currently the action down is at 65 to 120 feet. We are catching mostly Chinook and Lake Trout. The fish are from the 100 to 210 feet of water. The best action is over 150 feet east of the Filtration Plant and north.

Church Walleye planer boards with 10 color Cortland Kerplunk leadcore and 300 feet of copper wire are taking Chinooks. For all species on sunny days use Reaper Magnum Monkey Puke, Peacock, Fish n Chip and Big Joe Silver spoons. Use all glow spoons early in the morning, down deep and overcast days. On overcast days and low light try the Reaper Magnum Blue Fox Glow spoons.

We are getting good reports of action in the warm water conditions on both sides of Lake Michigan on these glow spoons. This makes sense as most of the fish are coming deep and the glow spoons are most visible for the fish in deep water presentations.

For you anglers that have not tried the Reaper and Vulcan from Badger Tackle.com I recommend you give them a try. They are offering a buy 4 and get 1 free at this time. The fish ranged in size from 3 to 21 pounds. The 4-year-old Chinook have been active the last several days. I have found some marks of big fish in the river although reports are this action on spawners has not started.

I am finding the big guys cruising around in the top 50 feet as well as in the colder water. Trolling at 1.8 to 2.0 miles per hour at the ball will get more fish. Experiment with speed up to 2.6 MPH. Lately a faster speed has worked for the big Chins.

The only place you will find Reaper and Vulcan spoons is on the Badger Tackle web site at http://www.badgertackle.com

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 I am always available for a comment or update. Thanks!!

Lake Michigan fisheries team report 9.21.08

Lake Michigan fisheries team report 9.21.08

Sheboygan County -
In Sheboygan shore fishing off the piers has been slow, and trollers have struggled to find fish as well. A few rainbows and chinooks have been taken in 100 to 140 feet of water, with most of the chinooks caught 80 feet down and rainbows somewhat closer to the surface.

Ozaukee County -
Both shore fishing and trolling in Port Washington has been generally slow. Trollers have had the most success fishing 70 to 90 feet down in 100 to 200 feet of water. Decent numbers of chinooks and a few lake trout and coho have been taken on green and blue flies or spoons.

Milwaukee County -
Trollers in Milwaukee have been catching chinooks and a few coho and rainbows in 100 to 130 feet of water. Flasher and fly combinations and glow spoons have been most productive in the early morning hours.

Racine County -
In Racine shore fishing has been slow overall, but action has been more consistent for trollers. Good numbers of chinooks have been taken in 90 to 130 feet of water, and browns have been caught in 70 to 100 feet.

Kenosha County -
Shore anglers in Kenosha have been catching a few browns in the harbor, but the bite has been rather inconsistent. When the browns are hitting, both spoons and white tube jigs have produced. Perch fishing has been slow for shore anglers and boaters alike. Kenosha trollers have been catching chinooks and a few lake trout. Most fish have been caught from 90 to 120 feet of water, with the best catches taken early in the day.

Milwaukee Fishing Lake Michigan Salmon Reports 8/19/2008

By Capt. Jim Hirt
Please read the whole report as I have added a lot of extra details, which may help you, catch more fish. We had several days of west wind and fishing has improved with cooler water moving in. As I write this report east wind is forecasted and this may move the action into deeper water again. Surface temperature is 72 with the Temperature break at 90 feet. It is important to check your down temps every trip as wind direction will rapidly change the thermocline and location of active fish. Look for 50 degrees this is a good place to start. Currently the action down is at 65 to 120 feet. We are catching mostly Chinook and Rainbow Trout. The fish are from the 100 to 155 feet of water. The best action is east of the Filtration Plant and north. Church Walleye planer boards with 10 color Cortland Kerplunk leadcore and 300 feet of copper wire are taking Chinooks and Rainbows in 125 feet of water. For all species on sunny days use Reaper Magnum Monkey Puke, Peacock, Fish n Chip and Big Joe Silver spoons. Use all glow spoons early in the morning and overcast days. Spoons in silver/blue, silver/green or silver/chartreuse caught Chinooks consistently. On overcast days and low light try the Reaper Magnum Fish Fry Glow spoons. We are getting good reports of action in the warm water conditions on both sides of Lake Michigan on these glow spoons. This makes sense as most of the fish are coming deep and the glow spoons are most visible for the fish in deep water presentations. For you anglers that have not tried the Reaper and Vulcan form Badger Tackle.com I recommend you give them a try. Most of my fish are on Vulcan's and Reapers everyday. They are offering a buy 4 and get 1 free at this time. The fish ranged in size from 3 to 21 pounds. The 4-year-old Chinook have been active the last several days with many Chins to 21 pounds. I am finding the big guys cruising around in the warm water 65 to 80 down. The smaller Vulcan regular size Dolphin Green Silver spoons are taking most of the Rainbows on 2 color leadcore. Trolling at 1.8 to 2.0 miles per hour on the Depth Raider speed and temp gauge will get more fish. Experiment with speed up to 2.6 MPH. Lately a faster speed has worked for the big Chins. We ran Slide Divers with the big ring they took their share of Rainbows with 40 70 feet of line out set to number one. 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. The only place you will find Reaper and Vulcan spoons is on the Badger Tackle web site at http://www.badgertackle.com 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 If you are going out on the lake please call me for an update.

Milwaukee Fishing Lake Michigan Salmon Reports 6/17/2008

Milwaukee Fishing Lake Michigan Salmon Reports 6/17/2008
By Capt. Jim Hirt

We are catching Chinook, Coho and Lake Trout. The Rainbows have disappeared for now. We had our best action in 55 to 110 feet of water.

The fish are in a little closer to shore than they have been. We started 1 mile south of Prince Wilhelm wreck that lies 3 miles due east of the main gap Milwaukee.

In the deep water Church Walleye planer boards with 5,8 and 10 color Cortland Kerplunk leadcore with Reaper Magnum Peacock, Fish n Chip, and Big Joe Silver spoons in silver/blue, silver/green or silver/chartreuse caught Chinooks Coho and Lake Trout. For you anglers that have not tried the Reaper and Vulcan I recommend you give them a try.

They have been steady producers for fishermen worldwide. They are offering a buy 4 and get 1 free at this time. The Lake Trout have moved deeper from 45 to 100 down. The fish ranged in size from 3 to 18 pounds. The 4-year-old Chinook have been more active the last several days.

We split our tackle with a mix of presentations to provide our customers with an opportunity to enjoy all Lake Michigan species. The surface temperature is 56.5. The smaller Vulcan regular size Dolphin Green Silver spoons are taking Rainbows. Downriggers from 35 to 100 feet down picked up Chinooks to 18 pounds and Laker's. The 8-inch flashers in green, white or plaid with green flies caught both Chin's and Laker's.

I am tying my flies 20 inches and trolling at 2.1 miles per hour on the Depth Raider speed and temp gauge. We ran Slide Divers with the big ring they took their share of fish with 70 to 90 feet of line out set to number one and a half. 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.

The only place you will find Reaper and Vulcan spoons is on the Badger Tackle web site at http://www.badgertackle.com 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 If you are going out on the lake please call me for an update.

Lake Michigan fisheries team report

Lake Michigan fisheries team report
WDNR

Sheboygan County -
In Sheboygan anglers fishing near the Kohler dam on the Sheboygan River have been catching fair numbers of brown trout, northern pike, and smallmouth bass. At the lakefront, fishing off the piers has been slow, but boaters fishing in 10 to 20 feet of water between the Sheboygan harbor and the mouth of the Pigeon River have been catching fair numbers of brown trout, along with a few lake trout and chinooks. Stick baits have been productive.

Ozaukee County -
Port Washington trollers have been catching browns on spoons in 30 to 40 feet of water just outside the harbor. Shore anglers have caught a few rainbows on spawn near the power plant, but fishing there has been slow overall.

Milwaukee County -
In Milwaukee, shore anglers fishing near the Summerfest grounds have been catching a few browns and rainbows on spawn fished off the bottom. Trollers fishing off Milwaukee have been reporting a few lake trout and chinooks in 120 feet of water. Coho should be working their way north into the Milwaukee area over the next couple of weeks.

Racine County -
In Racine shore fishing at the lakefront has been slow, but trollers have been able to catch a mixed bag in 100 to 170 feet of water. Coho and steelhead have been hitting near the surface, and chinooks have been 50 to 90 feet down. Fishing on the Root River has been slow.

Kenosha County -
Kenosha shore anglers have been catching a few coho off the south pier. Green & silver or blue & silver spoons have been effective. Kenosha trollers have been reporting decent numbers of coho around 120 feet of water

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Milwaukee Fishing Lake Michigan Salmon Reports

Milwaukee Fishing Lake Michigan Salmon Reports 5/18/2008
By Capt. Jim Hirt

We had our best action working east and west from 80 to 170 feet of water. We started south of Prince Wilhelm wreck that lies 3 miles due east of the main gap Milwaukee.

We also fished the temp breaks in front of the harbor gaps and with good success on Brown Trout. The Brown Trout action has picked up considerably. In the deep water Church Walleye planer boards with 2,3,4 and 5 color leadcore with Reaper Magnum Peacock, Fish n Chip, and Big Joe Silver spoons caught Rainbow and Lake Trout. The fish ranged in size from 5 to 11 pounds. This was our best action to this point in the season on tail walking Rainbows. There is a great surface temperature break from 52.5 to 43 degrees out in the deeper water and the fish are holding on both sides of the break.

The smaller Vulcan regular size Dolphin Green Silver spoons are also working. Downriggers from 20 to 60 feet down picked up Chinooks, Laker's and a few Coho. No Coho on flasher flies however they did like Michigan Stinger spoons in green or orange. On Saturday 8-inch flashers in green or hologram with green flies caught both Chin's and Laker's. I am tying my flies 22 inches and trolling at 2.0 miles per hour on the Depth Raider. We ran Slide Divers they took their share of fish with 30 to 50 feet of line out set to number two.

A class of four inch Alewives is now showing up in the stomachs of the fish. The only place you will find Reaper and Vulcan spoons is on the Badger Tackle web site at http://www.badgertackle.com 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
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Key Presentations For Invisible Fish #3

Key Presentations For Invisible Fish #3
By Capt. Jim Hirt
Day to day anglers are looking for more action. This past season we came up with a system that increased our numbers dramatically. When you are looking for fish suspended in open water this technique will put more fish in the cooler. Fish locators never tell the complete story. The cone of the transducer will not show shallow fish. Most anglers will not work tackle for fish they cannot see. A proven fact is, when motor trolling, shallow fish go around the boat to avoid the turbulence and noise.
The challenge of the elements.
Please let us continue with presentations for deeper than fifty feet. Article #1 and #2 of this series explained a dynamite answer for fish in the top fifty feet. Reread these articles if you can. On Lake Michigan and many large lakes the cold water is always available. Wind and currents move it up or down to create the constant challenge of finding the location of your target species preferred temperature. When you find a temperature break below fifty feet, that is the time to present your fishing spoons on copper wire fishing line. You could use longer leadcore lines, however, the amount of line and the time it takes to retrieve them becomes a laborious task and not much fun.
Stealth below fifty feet
You made your temperature check. The fifty two degree water preferred by Chinook salmon is at fifty five feet. In this situation when fishing midday downriggers may not work. The waters of Lake Michigan are very clear and light penetrates down and this turns fish off. This scenario is common in waters everywhere. The answer to consistent action in these tough conditions is fishing copper wire in a stealth presentation. If you don't fish salmon this same system will work on all species.
The why and how of copper line fishing
The most expensive part is the reel. It must have enough line capacity to handle the copper line plus Seaguar fluorocarbon and Power Pro 50 pound for a total of up to 400 yards. Forty five pound copper wire is very bulky and requires a large reel. I run my copper on a reel that will hold 530 yards of 25 pound test mono. Line counter reels are not necessary. Forty five pound copper sinks at a rate of 7 to 9 feet per 30 feet of line at two miles per hour boat speed. Three hundred feet will run about 80 feet deep. By working with these numbers you can get any depth you target. When loading this reel, start with 300 yards of Power Pro 50 pound then use an Albright knot to the copper and Albright knot to 30 feet of 20-pound Seaguar fluorocarbon to a ball bearing cross lock snap. You will need a heavy action 8 to 9 foot rod to work with copper line. You must run this with a planer board if you are going to use multiple set ups. Snap on your favorite spoon (the Vulcan or Reaper from Badger Tackle is a consistent producer for me) and let out all of the line to the Power Pro. Then install your board so it does not release. I usually run three or more boards off each side of the boat. Very wide turns and low boat traffic are a must to avoid tangles and getting ran over. I set my drags light. When the reel starts to scream, adjust the drag as necessary. Reel in the line until you can reach the board and hand release it. Now the line is clear to bring in the fish. Some of my biggest fish are caught on this presentation.
You may find the lures discussed in this article at http://www.badgertackle.com Good Luck let's go fishing!! Come back to this Website often to read all my articles. Jim charters out of Milwaukee, WI. with Blue Max Charters. He can be reached at 414-828-1094. Summer I will be out on the lake fighting fish, however, I would appreciate a call over winter to chat about whatever questions you may have or just call and say hello. You may also visit my web site at http://www.bluemaxcharters.com Copyright© 2008, James J. Hirt, All Rights Reserved.

Key Presentations For Invisible Fish #2

Key Presentations For Invisible Fish #2
By Capt. Jim Hirt
Day to day anglers are looking for more action. This past season we came up with a system that increased our numbers dramatically. When your looking for fish suspended in open water this technique will put more fish in the cooler. Fish locators never tell the complete story. The cone of the transducer will not show shallow fish. Most anglers will not work tackle for fish they cannot see. A proven fact is, when motor trolling, shallow fish go around the boat to avoid the turbulence and noise.
The challenge of the elements.
Please let us continue with presentations deeper than ten feet. Article #1 of this series explained a dynamite answer for fish in the top ten feet. Reread this article if you can. On Lake Michigan and many large lakes the cold water is always available. Wind and currents move it up or down to create the constant challenge of finding the location of your target species preferred temperature. West wind on the west shore moves warm water out and the cold water from deeper depths moves in. Even in the hottest months of the year we find cold water near the surface. The thermo cline or layer of water with acceptable temperatures for Chinook salmon may be anywhere in the water column. If you don't fish salmon this same system will work on all species.
Electronics part of the puzzle.
When the fish locator does not show marks in the thermo cline it may be the fish are going around all the tackle you are running behind the boat. Downriggers and most other tackle set up a field of turbulence and electrical energy directly behind them. This may turn the fish off. My answer to this is determine the layer of water you wish to work and run stealth tackle at that depth to lessen the turbulence and noise. You must know the exact depth where you expect to find your fish of choice. Allow me to tell you of a tool I have used for the last two years with great success. A great product out in the market place for this purpose is the Depth Raider. This unit offers a probe that you connect to a special downrigger cable giving you speed and temp at the lure to depths of 200 feet. This information is sent to an easy to read display. I was very impressed with Curt Kell of Kell Laboratories the innovator of this product. His attention to quality and customer satisfaction sets him apart in the industry. The Depth Raider will set the standard for this type of product for years to come. To get information on this product call Curt at 262-534-2202.
Back to ten to fifty down presentation
The depth of your target has been located now let's get on the action! Fortunately I can run over 14 rods, which offers me the opportunity to work water from top to bottom. When the angler is limited to three rods then focus on the targets favorite temperature. If you have additional rods run them above in the warmer water and below in the colder water. To attain precision control of all your lines I recommend two methods. For depths from ten to fifty feet leadcore is the answer. This presentation will work when all others are dead. The basics of leadcore are simple.
What do you need?
The most expensive part is the reel. It must have enough line capacity to handle the leadcore line plus Seaguar fluorocarbon and Power Pro 50 pound for a total of anywhere from 300 yards for a half core to 600 yards two cores. I run my half cores or five colors on a reel that will hold 300 yards of 20 pound test. This is the smallest reel a half core will fit on. Line counter reels are not necessary. Leadcore sinks at a rate of 4-5 feet per color. A half core will run about 24 feet deep. By working with these numbers you can get any depth you target. When loading this reel, start with 300 yards of Power Pro 50 pound then strip the lead out of the end of the leadcore and tie a Willis Knot to the leadcore. Finish with a Willis Knot and 30 feet of a 20-pound Seaguar fluorocarbon to a ball bearing cross lock snap. You will need a heavy action 8-foot rod to work with lead. You must run this with a planer board if you are going to use multiple set ups. Snap on your favorite spoon (the Vulcan from Badger Tackle is one of my favorites) and let out all of the line to the Power Pro. Then install your board so it does not release. I usually run three or more off each side of the boat. Very wide turns and low boat traffic are a must to avoid tangles and getting ran over. I set my drags light. When the reel starts to scream, adjust the drag as necessary. Reel in the line until you can reach the board and hand release it. Now the line is clear to bring in the fish. Some of my biggest fish are caught on this presentation.
The next article will explain effective stealth presentations for depths over fifty feet. You may find the lures discussed in this article at http://www.badgertackle.com Good Luck let's go fishing!! Come back to this Website often to read all my articles. Jim charters out of Milwaukee, WI. with Blue Max Charters. He can be reached at 414-828-1094. Summer I will be out on the lake fighting fish, however, I would appreciate a call over winter to chat about whatever questions you may have or just call and say hello. You may also visit my web site at http://www.bluemaxcharters.com Copyright© 2008, James J. Hirt, All Rights Reserved.

Key Presentations For Invisible Fish #1

Key Presentations For Invisible Fish #1
By Capt. Jim Hirt
Day to day anglers are looking for more action. This past season we came up with a system that increased our numbers dramatically. When your looking for fish suspended in open water this technique will put more fish in the cooler. Fish locator's never tell the complete story. The cone of the transducer will not show shallow fish. Most anglers will not work tackle for fish they cannot see. A proven fact is when motor trolling shallow fish go around the boat to avoid the turbulence and noise.
All species all conditions
Trolling for fish is without a doubt the most productive method for all species. This system will be your answer to more fish in difficult cold front and all environmentally challenging situations. I use it everyday with great results. You may never get the skunk again no matter what type of target species you are after.
Waters missed by many reap huge rewards.
What's the tip? Always present stealth tackle for fish near the surface and systematically down through the water column. Don't omit the water that appears on your locater to be void of fish. This series of articles will describe several key presentations effective where ever and what ever you fish for.
Flat line fishing leads to problems.
Flat line fishing has been around for a long time. It involves tying a lure to your line and letting it out at long distance directly behind the boat. While this may net a few fish the pit falls of this method are many including tangles, no accurate control of depth and an inefficient slow presentation. More refining is necessary for this to become an effective tool.
Taking it from the top.
Starting from the surface follow these easy directions for exciting controlled depth fishing. Spring fishing in cold water most often moves fish to the surface to find their comfort zone. For this reason among others always work the surface and here's how. I fish the surface and down to sixty feet with a variety of planer board presentations.
Tools for productive fishing.
Some of your choices for boards are, Yellow Birds, Church and Off Shore. I’m a little hesitant to recommend a particular brand because what works for me may not work for you. I will say I find it easier to run a small board on each line rather than a large board with releases on the towline. I do feel it is important to run all the same type to get a presentation that is easy and productive. On all my reels I run a 30-50 pound test Power Pro Super Braid line. For surface and shallow water fishing the clear water leaves you with a visibility factor to consider, and smaller spoons do not run well on heavier test lines. I run a 1/4 to 1/2 ounce bead chain trolling sinker to avoid line twists and get the depth I want. From the sinker to the lure I use 8ft of Seaguar fluorocarbon leader and a small round cross lock snap. The weight of the Fluorocarbon and snap is dictated by the size of your target and lure.
Make it happen here's how.
To run this presentation let out about 40 feet of line and attach the planer board. Once the board is attached, carefully lower the board into the water and let out enough line to allow room for more boards. The boards are directional for running on the port and starboard side of the boat. Boards should be spaced about 30 feet apart. When the fish hits, the board slides down to the trolling sinker. With the sinker in line, it will not knock the fish off as it would if it ran down to the lure. Lures you run are all about the amount of light, baitfish size and the size of fish you are looking to catch. Mix it up! The Vulcan and Reaper regular size has been a consistent producer for salmon and trout. When a fish hits, the board releases and it will drop back behind the boat. Land your fish and reset this board by letting out enough line to allow the board to fly back into the same spot it came from. Three or more boards can be run on each side with good success. This rig will work when you want to cover the top 10 feet. The next article will explain effective stealth presentations for deeper water. You may find the lures discussed in this article at http://www.badgertackle.com Good Luck let's go fishing!! Come back to this Website often to read all my articles. Jim charters out of Milwaukee, WI. with Blue Max Charters. He can be reached at 414-828-1094. Summer I will be out on the lake fighting fish, however, I would appreciate a call over winter to chat about whatever questions you may have or just call and say hello. You may also visit my web site at http://www.bluemaxcharters.com Copyright© 2008, James J. Hirt, All Rights Reserved.

Go To Fishing Lures For Fall And Winter

Go To Fishing Lures For Fall And Winter

By Capt. Jim Hirt
For years I have investigated through trial and error to find bait for all species of fish in all conditions. Twenty plus years of tournament and charter fishing has led me to one conclusion. There is no one bait that will take you through the year with all variables of weather and mood of the fish. In this quest I found it would take a variety of lure actions to be successful. Allow me to help you approach each season of the year and weather conditions with the optimum tool for productive fishing. I fish salmon and trout more than any other species, however, these techniques and variables apply to all fish that go through continuous environmental changes. In the last article spring and summer tips were discussed, let's continue throughout the balance of the year.
Warm water of the fall season offers split decision.

Fall can be tough with water temperatures above the active range of most fish. I approach this time of the year with twin presentations. Most of my fishing is motor trolling and in this scenario half of my twelve rods are set up in an aggressive pattern of large spoons. With the other six baits I pick and peck at fish with a variety of colors in three inch and smaller spoons.

Color can be key for consistent action.
Color is critical here work with color based on the amount of light as discussed in the last article. Remember bright lures for cloudy water or bright light. Silver or darker lures in clear water on overcast days.
The game plan for casting or jigging.

For those of you who don't troll try casting with a larger spoon to start and go smaller if necessary in a stop and go action. Work the shallow water in low light and deep water in bright conditions. The small Vulcan spoon has been hot for anglers casting or jigging. The glow in the dark colors offered on the Vulcan is getting great reviews.

Winter fishing may be hot or cold.
Location is the real question for the winter season. The water temperature changes dramatically over the course of winter. Changes in temp move fish not only up and down in the water column, but from shallow to deep water. Try the small lures in shallow water in a post spawn or pre spawn scenario. However large spoons like the Reaper magnum will trigger spawning fish. Knowing your target location will increase your productivity. Move, move and move again don't beat a dead horse. If it isn't working be flexible in location, spoon size and color. There is a definite advantage to the angler that's out on the water frequently. Bait shops and other anglers may provide good information to narrow your quest. A temperature gauge and notebook is also reliable data for future trips.

You may find the lures discussed in this article at http://www.badgertackle.com Good Luck let's go fishing!! Come back to this Website often to read all my articles. Jim charters out of Milwaukee, WI. with Blue Max Charters. He can be reached at 414-828-1094. Summer I will be out on the lake fighting fish, however, I would appreciate a call over winter to chat about whatever questions you may have or just call and say hello. You may also visit my web site at http://www.bluemaxcharters.com Copyright© 2008, James J. Hirt, All Rights Reserved.