Lake Michigan, Sheboygan

Stopped at the Sheboygan pier yesterday and talked to a couple of locals, no fish, nothing rising. Went to Port and casted off the breakwall for 3 hours, no hits. No one caught a fish while I was there but a couplel of kings and one large cat were caught earlier. I would be surprised if kings show up this year. They no longer stock to speak of, there is a natural re production of kings (1.5 million) off the Michigan side but when it comes time to spawn they will not be looking for any harbors on the Wisconsin side. Might be better off staying home and watching Judge Judy. 

The lake has been a mix of eveything lately, constant changing winds, water temps, full moon phase and fish entering into the fall spawning run. The fishing is fair at best now and there are fish scatterd all over. I spoke with people having some luck in 250 to 330 fow and in the gap looking for staging fish. We had some luck in the middle,75 to 140 fow. I could not find a real pattern other than staying deep wth all the offerings. Good luck to all.

Went 3/4 Saturday morning, all 4 year old Kings, all on white/pearl/cracked ice J-Plugs. 1 fish came in 35fow, 1 in 50, other 2 in 100. Boats out in 150-300 did a bit better but had more bows and smaller salmon.

Went out this morning with nothing to show for it. Two dumper Dan boats working the harbor and close to shore 38 ft of water. I stayed close also marked a ton of fish and a lot of bait balls not one bump. Did not see another boat net a fish and there were probaly 8 boats working the habor and just outside it. The kings have come in but is it to late to catch them? Saw a few jump and they looked pretty dark. Give the pier fishermen a break when fishing the gap. stay at least casting distance from the piers. Remember we have the whole lake they only have the pier.

It seems like every time we start pulling gear, we start marking a ton of fish. The other day I was marking 1-2 every 10 minutes or so. We started pulling lines in and I was marking 3-4 at a time. Anyone else experience this? Is it pure coincidence or is there something to it?

Fished the last two Sun morning 6am to 1 for the second time this year not expecting much with the slow reports. Went 11 for 13 in 220 to 270. Fish were spread out with some bait showing on the graph. Got 4 kings, 1 bow, 1coho, 4 lakers and 1 shaker.

1 dodger fly  dipsey 170 back with one lost also.

1 flasher fly mag slide diver 190 back.

all others on spoons

2 7 color planer board on a spoon.

1 10 color planer board.

The rest were downriggers with swr rigs down 60, 70, 80

Water temp 70 down varied from 66 to 52 deg.

slower speed1.6 early then 1.8 to1.9 later. Most lakers later.

Good luck.