Spoons are the optimal choice when fall king salmon are holding in open water, and you need to cover as much water as possible with long casts. Salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) Pro-Troll Flasher with Fly. This year has already produced numerous 30 pounders and even one giant that tipped the scales at 41.48 pounds (see details). In other areas on Lake Michigan, where the creeks or not conducive for spawning, king salmon are stocked in harbors, which gives anglers the option to fish from shore or boat. My line is 20- pound PowerPro Maxcuatro with a 12-pound-test Seaguar AbrazX Leader. Females are looking for areas where they can deposit their eggs for fertilization, so look for rocky areas and spots without mud. A king’s life. This flasher is 8-inches … Anglers up and down the Lake Michigan shoreline are catching larger salmon this summer, Many weigh more than 20 pounds, compared with the 12- to 14-pounders that were the norm in 2010. There were several 30- to 35-pounders caught on Lake Michigan this summer before they started heading up the river to spawn, he added. Fall king salmon have a tendency to destroy lures, which is why I opt to use the Jackall Dowzvido––it is built with stronger plastic that holds up to the rigors of salmon fishing, and has a loud rattle chamber, and has an erratic action that brings more bites than other jerkbaits. This is the one time of the year when anglers are able to cast lures on light tackle for big fall king salmon. The size of fish is even more impressive. Contact Us, Magazine © 2020 Advance Local Media LLC. Fish consumption advice for Lake Michigan trout and salmon species is the same whether those migrating species are caught in Lake Michigan or in one of its tributaries. Catching fall king salmon after the spawn can be tricky, but can be done by fishing salmon spawn under a bobber, making repetitive casts over deep pockets to agitate fish into biting. This article focuses on catch freshwater salmon in the great lakes. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. 26 lb. It's unlikely it will ever be like that again. Late night and early morning are the times when kings are most active. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your California Privacy Rights (each updated 1/1/20). Here’s a quick report from Captain Ron Dohm Jr. of Sport Fish Michigan on where he’s catching them and what he’s looking for to stay on the bite: “Right now this evening, we’re out on Lake Michigan trolling for King Salmon. All rights reserved (About Us). As recently as 2012, Michigan's Great Lakes fishing charters averaged 7.4 king salmon caught per trip. The salmon are now locked inside the marinas until they die. Coho Salmon and also commonly called Silver Salmon. The monster chinook salmon was 42 inches long. Lake Michigan and Lake Ontario have large populations of king salmon and coho salmon. * Save $32.93 off the 12-issue newsstand rate, My Account “I didn’t need to kill the fish; I already have 75 pounds of Alaskan salmon in my freezer,” Raney said. In Lake Erie, there is mostly steelhead but occasional coho salmon get caught. After a 10-minute fight and a few minutes for pictures and measurements, Raney threw the fish back in the river. Jerkbaits excel in triggering fish to bite in shallower water in the harbors. Global produ… Knowing these spots will help you to find fish concentrations. Price: Around $15. The state chinook salmon record is 46 pounds and 43.5 inches long. Keep in mind that slow and steady retrieves will produce more fish than fast ones. In June anglers can catch King Salmon in with the Rainbow Trout high in the water column. Some of the top choices in deep-diving jerkbaits are the Jackall Dowzvido, Lucky Craft Staysee 90 SP, and the Berkley Flicker Minnow. Subscribe to MLive.com. Salmon will instinctively bite lure presentations. 27.93 lb. Thank You,Thank You!!!!!!! Anglers will head out to 150-300 feet of water to target these fish. “I’m not one to puff my chest out at the boat launch because I have a big fish in my cooler.”. Starting in September, however, you can cast for fall king salmon as they return to spawn inshore, following the dropping water temperature, to the place they were stocked or born. Chinook Salmon Biology and Facts AKA: king salmon, spring salmon, tyee, quinnat, tule, blackmouth; French: saumon chinook, saumon royal; Japanese: masunosuke Average lifespan in the wild: 3 to 8 years Size: Up to 58 in (147 cm) Weight: 5 to 126 lbs (2.3 to 57.3 kg) … Lake Huron started stocking Atlantic salmon starting in 2013 and also has steelhead and lake trout. Chinook salmon swim upstream to spawn when they’re four years old. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Additionally, he is a die-hard ice fishing enthusiast who targets bluegills, and dabbles in hunting and knife collecting. We've had strikes since Jan. 2000 Do not copy, print-out or reproduce material of any kind from this site without expressed written permission from MichiganSportsman Copyright©1999-2020. Bergren also engages in content creation and digital marketing for MidWest Outdoors. FAQs The use of vantage points is critical–– you will want to find areas where kings will be moving in from the main lake. He has multiple first-place tournament wins on Lake Michigan. Later in the season, the fish move from harbor mouths to the inner harbors and swim along the rocks and walls looking for deep pockets and areas to spawn. I recommend a G. Loomis E6X in the 8-foot, 6-inch medium power, fast action model. The good Lord Blessed me with a absolute giant on the Pin this morning. Calendar, Privacy Policy “I couldn’t even weigh it out. Their bodies are at the end of their life cycle, and internal organs are shutting down, leaving only the primary mission–– spawning. The goal of these baits is to imitate alewives. Help fund crucial watchdog journalism. MANISTEE, MI – A veteran fishing guide caught the biggest chinook salmon he’s ever seen this week. Raney will receive the Master Angler patch, Heintzelman said. Ever since bacterial kidney disease (BKD) ran through the Chinook salmon population in the late 1980s, king salmon over 30 pounds have been rare to nonexistent in most years. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. G. Loomis E6X in the 8-foot, 6-inch medium power, article on finesse swimbaits for smallmouth bass. The tactics discussed below that work on Lake Michigan should help you catch them on other lakes that have similar populations of fish. It’s substantial. The Lake Michigan king salmon bite is really heating up as their big push continues. Harbor fishing is accessible to most anglers and stocking locations can be found on the our website. “Bobby B” Bergren is a smallmouth bass fishing fanatic who’s passion is fishing the Great Lakes. Throughout its four-year life cycle, kings are fish-eating machines, stocked to control alewife … Work them in the same fashion you would use a crankbait––fish it over rocks, deep holes and parallel cast break-walls. In 2018, 45 anglers received the award for catch-and-release chinook but only five of them would beat Raney’s, according to the 2018 Catch and Release Final Report. About Us Fall king salmon are at their maximum size and make ferocious runs. The return of fall king salmon typically begins in mid- to late September and goes throughout the month of October, depending on the different climates and location on the Lake. Depending on the weather the King Salmon can already be found in mid to late May. The right stuff Having the right combo is essential when fishing for fall king salmon. The minimum length to earn the recognition for a chinook salmon is 39 inches. This year has already produced numerous 30 pounders and even one giant that tipped the scales at 41.48 pounds (see details). Early in the season, fishing the river mouths is the best place to start, as a majority of the fish are waiting at the mouth and are working towards making their run up the river. Pro-Troll flasher with EChip. Podcast He expects to see lots of big fish coming out of the rivers this season after a summer of big fish on Lake Michigan. When fishing from a boat, make sure to use your graphs to locate the depth fish are holding at, then make long casts, counting down your bait to the desired depth and begin your retrieve. IF you enjoyed this article, check out Bobby’s article on finesse swimbaits for smallmouth bass, 0 CommentsSmallmouth Bass Feed on in the Madness of Fall, 0 CommentsIt’s Time for Huge Fall White Bass.