After 10 days of watching the waves approaching 18 feet and winds often over 50 MPH, we finally got a chance to fish on Sept. 9. What we are getting is October weather in early September. We were hoping that that water would have cooled down and that the fish would move in, however we found 70 degree water in front the piers and very few fish. Moving out to 100 foot of water we found 67 degree water on the surface and 67 degree water on the bottom, so we continued out to 200 foot and found a temperature break down 70 foot. Out in this water there are 2, 3 and a few 4 year old salmon and lake trout from 60 foot to 150 foot down. By the end of the week, the water had stabilized somewhat and the the temperature break was 60 foot down in 100 foot of water with the same combination of fish as was found in the 200 foot depth.
The best methods continue to be spoons on the copper, flashers and flies on the dipsy divers and dodgers and flies on the downriggers. With small bait fish out in this deeper water, regular size stingers and nitro lures worked the best on the 300 and 400 copper with color combinations changing from day to day. On the dipsy divers white glow, white blue wiggle and white glow mountain dew echip flashers with no see um green and green hypnotist flies did very well. The downriggers produced very well with green glow Pro Chip flashers and metal dodgers with green hypnotist and last supper flies.
With a weather forecast that calls for more west winds and move high seas, I do not see any cold water moving in soon. And without the cold water and with the low river flow, the salmon will not school in mass and they will just trickle in, a few at a time, and continue up the river. Check back or email me at captron@chartermichigan.com for information or charter reservations.