Northern Lake Michigan Fishing Report: October 18, 2010
Manitowoc Co.
Water temperatures have dropped down to 52 degrees in the tributaries combined with water levels dropping another 2-3 inches. Water clarity remains very good with very little rain the last three weeks. Southerly winds early in the week turned to NW winds by the weekend at 10-15 mph. High temperatures remained steady in the low 60s, with the low reaching the low 40s. Anglers fishing the salmon run had mixed success this week, with the run appearing to be coming to an end. One more week of good fishing could be all that remains, with many salmon spawned out or dying. The Manitowoc Marina continues to be the hot spot to catch some nice rainbows by floating chinook spawn or fishing bottom. A few chinook have also been caught by using spawn. Angler success has declined at the Shoto and Mishicot dams, with half going home empty handed and the other half keeping 3-5 chinook. Anglers should continue casting spawn for success at the dams. Anglers fishing the Little Manitowoc River continue to catch large numbers of coho salmon, rainbow, and brown trout jigging spawn near the bridge by the mouth of the river. Up the Manitowoc River has been relatively slow, with only an occasional salmon caught from Manitou Park up to Cato Falls and the Clarks Mills dam. At Manitou, anglers continue to use green/silver and gold champs and spoons.
Kewaunee Co.
No report.
Door Co. (Lake and Bay sides)
The third week of October saw the beautiful Door County fall colors hit their peak and move on until next year. Steady winds out of the west were had over the weekend which made it difficult to fish on Green Bay, however conditions in Sturgeon Bay were decent allowing fisherman to hit the water. Very cool evenings and mornings were persistent throughout the week, but moved into comfortable conditions by the afternoons. Salmon continue to be seen throughout the county in most of the marinas and bays. Most action hasn?t picked up until the evening hours, especially in the Sturgeon Bay marinas and the Egg Harbor marina where a few fish have been taken. Action at Baileys Harbor and Rowleys Bay has been minimal, with almost all reports of fish being caught coming from the Green Bay side of the county. Most fish being caught are very dark and well into their spawning phase, however throwing a variety of spoons for aggression bites has produced some fish. Occasional brown trout have been seen in Egg Harbor and Sister Bay, but no reports have been had of any being caught. Fishing on the Sturgeon Bay piers and through the canal has been slow with minimal fishing pressure as well. Perch fishing in Sturgeon Bay and up the county out of Fish Creek has been consistent. Most fishermen have been able to reach their limits working the usual spots between the bridges in Sturgeon Bay and even out onto the flats just west of Sturgeon Bay. Minnows continue to be the selection fishing along the edge of the shipping channel in toward the moored sailboats. Good sized fish have been seen with regularity for some time now. Some northern pike fishing has picked up in Sturgeon Bay as a group of anglers was out targeting them this week. Good catches were reported jigging minnows along the short stretch of the channel between the old steel bridge and the new Oregon St. bridge. Size has averaged in the mid 20 inch range but a few nice 36 plus inch fish were reported. Smallmouth bass fishing has been slow all over the county. Fishermen out of Gills Rock, Ellison Bay, and Sister Bay reported a sharp decrease in the number of fish being caught over the last two weeks. Few anglers were seen targeting smallmouth out of Sturgeon Bay, and action has been slow at the Old Stone Quarry too.
