Southern Lake Michigan Fishing Report: July 12, 2010
Kenosha Co.
In Kenosha the trolling bite remains consistent, with good catches coming from as shallow as 40 feet of water, to as deep as 100 feet. Nearly all methods have produced fish at times. Fishing in the Kenosha harbor has been fair, especially in the evening hours and into the night. Silver & green spoons as well as glow in the dark have been catching fish, as have tube jigs. Most fish have been brown trout, and activity has been good from the Best Western all the way out to the ends of the piers. Perch fishing has been slow from shore, but boats out for perch have been having a good bite in the mornings. Minnows have been the most consistent producer, but others are having luck with jigs and plastic.
Racine Co.
In Racine trollers have been catching good numbers of chinooks and a few coho and rainbows. Fish have been near shore, with the best action in 30 to 50 feet of water. Shore fishing in Racine has also been good, with decent numbers of chinooks, rainbows, and coho taken off the piers. Both spoons and alewives have taken fish. Perch fishing from shore has slowed, but for those fishing in boats, the perch bite has been fair, with the breakwalls and the bubbler providing good action at times. Minnows and crab tails have both produced, as have jigs.
Milwaukee Co.
In Milwaukee trollers have been catching mostly chinooks, along with a few coho and rainbows. Fish have been caught in as little as 40 feet of water or out as far as 120 feet. Spoons have taken the majority of fish, although a few have been caught on flies. The best colors have been blue and white. For shore anglers in Milwaukee, the most consistent spot has been McKinley pier. Chinooks have been caught off the pier after dark and before dawn. Most have been taken on alewives, but spoons have been producing as well. A few perch have also been taken off McKinley pier on small shiners just off the bottom. Boaters launching at Bender Park and fishing for perch have had some success at the boils off South Milwaukee and near the Oak Creek Power Plant. Small shiners have produced the best.
Ozaukee Co.
There was moderate fishing effort from the piers and ramps and light effort from the harbor/shore and Amsterdam ramp. There was action to report from the piers, ramps, harbor/shore and Amsterdam ramp. On the 9th, the temperature was in the mid 70?, skies were mostly sunny and there was a light wind to the east. On the 10th, the temperature was in the high 70?s, skies were mostly sunny and there was little or no wind. On the 11th, the temperature was in the low 70?s, skies were cloudy and there was a light wind to the northwest. Port Washington Ramp: The water at the ramp was blue green with moderate to good clarity and the temperature was 54-56? F. Chinook salmon, coho salmon, rainbow trout, brown trout and lake trout were caught. Most fish were caught between 50 and 110 feet of water, from the surface to 60 feet down with spoons, flies and J-plugs on planer boards, dipsy divers, leadcore and downriggers. Port Washington Utility: The water in the area was blue green with moderate to good clarity. On the 9th, yellow perch were caught on minnows. Small brown trout were also caught on minnows. Port Washington Piers: The water off the lakeside was calm, 46-48? F, and blue green with good clarity. On the harbor side of the pier, the water was blue green with good clarity. Chinook salmon, rainbow trout and a coho salmon were caught. Fish were caught throughout the day on all three days, mostly on alewives but some on spoons. Yellow perch were caught on jigs and minnows. Amsterdam Rd. Ramp: The water at the ramp was flat, 44-48?, and blue green with good clarity. All three boats interviewed caught at least one fish with an average of 2.5 fish. Chinook salmon and rainbow trout were caught in 40 to 60 feet of water on spoons.
Sheboygan Co.
There was strong fishing effort from the piers and ramps, light fishing effort from the shore and Cleveland ramp and no effort from Edgewater power plant. There was action to report from the ramps and piers. On the 9th, the temperature was in the high 70?s, skies were mostly sunny and there was a light wind to the southwest. On the 10th, the temperature was in the mid 70?s, skies were clear and there was little or no wind. On the 11th, the temperature was in the low to mid 70?s, skies were mostly cloudy and there was a moderate wind to the north/northwest. Sheboygan Ramps: The water at the ramp was 56-60? F and brown with moderate clarity. Eighteen of 23 boats interviewed caught at least one fish with an average of 4.6 fish. Chinook salmon, coho salmon, rainbow trout and a lake trout were caught. Most fish were caught between 30 and 120 feet of water, from the surface to 50 feet down with spoons, flies, J-plugs and thundersticks on planer boards, dipsy divers, leadcore and downriggers. Sheboygan Piers: The water off the north pier was calm and blue green with moderate to good clarity. The water in the harbor was 58-62? F, brown with low clarity. The water on the lakeside of the south pier was calm, 50-54? F and blue green with moderate to good clarity. Rainbow trout, Chinook salmon, brown trout and a burbot were caught. Fish were caught off both piers on the 10th and 11th throughout the day on alewives and spoons. Cleveland Ramp: On the 9th and 10th, the water at the ramp was flat, 48-52? F, and blue green with good clarity. On the 11th, the water at the ramp was choppy and light brown with low clarity. No boats were interviewed.
