Milwaukee Fishing Lake Michigan Salmon Report 7/29/11
By Milwaukee Wisconsin fishing charter Capt. Jim Hirt
Specialize your tackle for fishing in Milwaukee!
Grand slam is a normal catch with all species available. You must fish top to bottom to put numbers in the box. Most normal years pounding the big Chinooks was the way to go but to this point fishing has been far from normal. Coho action has slowed but hard work on the water will produce. Everyone likes big fish and Clayton Robinson after a long battle boated this 19 pound 2 ounce Chinook. Magnum spoons are a good bet for the big fish. Surface water has warmed to 68 degrees and most of the action is 15 to the bottom. To get my fish reports and how to videos first go to http://www.jimhirt.com By subscribing you will keep ahead of the other anglers. When I post you will get it fast!
How
Top to bottom presentation is answer with fish scattered and a lot of good water available. I run a mix of all size spoons on boards, divers and downriggers. Throw in a flasher fly and keep moving till you find action. On the high board lines regular Vulcan spoons in silver, silver blue and silver green is the best for Brown Trout. Coho will hit all size spoons from 30 to 55 down off downriggers fifty to one hundred feet behind the ball. Some Rainbows hitting at the same depth or a little higher. When you can find them the Reaper Magnum Big Joe on a SWR has been the best for Chinooks. Looking for Reapers and Vulcans made by http://www.badgertackle.com you may only order them online. Try them their shipping is cheap and they arrive fast. It hasn’t been a easy bite but changing presentations and depths will offer rewards. 225 copper behind a Church Walleye Board is one of our best presentations. Three, six, eight and ten color leadcores are also working. Wire divers have replaced the braid divers set to #2 with 120-150 feet if line out. Silver spoons have taken Rainbows to twelve pounds the last several days. A little faster speed about 2.5 is required for Rainbows. I use the Depth Raider to measure speed at the ball. The boat speed of 1.9 to 2.2 has been best. Don’t forget the Lake Trout near the bottom magnum Reaper glow spoons SLOW, SLOW, SLOW 1.5 or less will net Poor Mans Lobster. Currents are crazy out there if your not catching fish change directions and speed.
Where!
Fish east of Milwaukee 65 to 120 feet of water. Head out the Main gap Milwaukee north or south there is no hot spot for the best action. Have a great fishing season. Let’s go fishing! Jim charters out of Milwaukee, WI. with Blue Max Charters. He can be reached at 414-828-1094 or visit his web site at http://www.bluemaxcharters.com Copyright© 2011, James J. Hirt, All Rights Reserved.
Milwaukee Fishing Lake Michigan Salmon Report 7/18/11
By Milwaukee Wisconsin fishing charter Capt. Jim Hirt
Consistent and productive fishing in Milwaukee!
Coho are the majority of the catch with some Chinook salmon to 19 pounds like this 16 pound 12 ounce King caught by Bill Smith. Bill caught his trophy on a Reaper Magnum Peacock spoon. Surface water has warmed to 65 degrees and most of the action is 45 to 65 down in the 48 degree water. Magnum spoons are working on the leadcores. To get my fish reports and how to videos first go to http://www.jimhirt.com By subscribing you will keep ahead of the other anglers. When I post you will get it fast!
How
With the warmer water the most aggressive Coho and Chinooks are coming on magnum spoons. Reapers and Vulcans made by http://www.badgertackle.com have been working for us. The Magnum Reaper Fish n Chip is the hot bait for the bright blue sky condition we have had the last five days. I have been running this spoon on all twelve of my lines and getting action all day long. 150 copper behind a Church Walleye Board is one of our best presentations. Six, eight and ten color leadcores are also working. Coho are from 25 feet to 50 down on downriggers as well. Chinooks are in pockets of colder 46-48 degree water. Wire divers have replaced the braid divers set to #2 with 60 to 120 feet if line out. The surface is almost sixty degrees and it is time to work the Rainbow Trout in the top twenty feet. Two and Three color leadcore with the Regular Vulcan Dolphin Green and Silver has taken Rainbows to twelve pounds the last several days. A little faster speed about 2.5 is required for Rainbows. I use the Depth Raider to measure speed at the ball. The boat speed of 1.9 to 2.2 has been best.
Where!
Fish east of Milwaukee 45 to 130 feet of water. Head out the Main gap Milwaukee 65 degrees. Fish northeast in White Fish Bay for the best action. Have a great fishing season. Let’s go fishing! Jim charters out of Milwaukee, WI. with Blue Max Charters. He can be reached at 414-828-1094 or visit his web site at http://www.bluemaxcharters.com Copyright© 2011, James J. Hirt, All Rights Reserved.
Milwaukee Fishing Lake Michigan Salmon Report 6/13/11
By Milwaukee Wisconsin fishing charter Capt. Jim Hirt
Coho Everywhere In Milwaukee!
Had limits on Coho Salmon and the Chinook are there if you can keep the Coho off the line. To get my fish reports and how to videos first go to http://www.jimhirt.com By subscribing you will keep ahead of the other anglers. When I post you will get it fast!
How
Coho are coming on all size spoons. Reapers and Vulcans made by http://www.badgertackle.com have been working for us. The small Reaper Peacock and Fish n Chip has been hot on the lead cores. Six inch flashers or dodgers with green or blue Johnnie peanut flies must be part of your presentation for Coho. A hot presentation for us was a size O orange dodger with a 22 inch lead to a medium size blue fly. Coho are in the top 35 feet and Chinooks are 60 to 85 down. Steady action on Slide Divers set to #3 no ring and 55 feet of line out. Run 4 and 5 color Cortland lead core and downriggers 60 to 95 feet down. Speed has been very critical with the 47 degree water. I use the Depth Raider to measure speed at the ball. The big Chinook are hitting on Reaper Magnum Glow spoons. The boat speed of 1.9 to 2.2 has been best. Tie your flies 16 inches on 6 inch dodgers, 18 inches for 6 inch flashers. All orange dodgers and flashers. I hope this helps.
Where!
Fish are from the harbor break wall and all the way out east of Milwaukee to 150 feet. It can be a zoo in close with all the traffic and it may be better to head out the Main gap Milwaukee 85 degrees. Fish east out to 100 to 140 feet of water for the best action. Have a great fishing season. Let’s go fishing! Jim charters out of Milwaukee, WI. with Blue Max Charters. He can be reached at 414-828-1094 or visit his web site at http://www.bluemaxcharters.com Copyright© 2011, James J. Hirt, All Rights Reserved.
Milwaukee Fishing Lake Michigan Salmon Report 6/1/11
By Milwaukee Wisconsin fishing charter Capt. Jim Hirt
Best Coho Fishing ever in Milwaukee!
Had fantastic action on Coho Salmon and the Chinook are coming on strong. Photo of Joe Milton and company. They know how to put them in the box. To get my fish reports and how to videos first go to http://www.jimhirt.com By subscribing you will keep ahead of the other anglers. When I post you will get it fast!
How
Coho are coming on all size spoons. Reapers and Vulcans made by http://www.badgertackle.com have been working for us. The small Reaper Peacock and Fish n Chip has been hot on the lead cores. Six inch flashers or dodgers with green or blue Johnnie peanut flies must be part of your presentation for Coho. A hot presentation for us was a size O orange dodger with a 21.5 inch lead to a medium size blue fly. Coho are in the top 35 feet and Chinooks are 30 to 45 down. Steady action on Slide Divers set to #3 no ring and 55 feet of line out. Run 4 and 5 color Cortland lead core and downriggers 12 to 48 feet down. Speed has been very critical with the 47 degree water. I use the Depth Raider to measure speed at the ball. The big Chinook are hitting on Reaper Magnum Glow spoons. The boat speed of 1.9 to 2.2 has been best. Tie your flies 14.5 inches on 6 inch dodgers, 12 inches for 6 inch flashers. All orange dodgers and flashers. I hope this helps.
Where!
Fish are from the harbor break wall and all the way out north of Milwaukee to 120 feet. It can be a zoo in close with all the traffic and it may be better to head out the north gap Milwaukee 70 degrees and fish northeast out to 70 to 100 feet of water. Have a great fishing season. Let’s go fishing! Jim charters out of Milwaukee, WI. with Blue Max Charters. He can be reached at 414-828-1094 or visit his web site at http://www.bluemaxcharters.com Copyright© 2011, James J. Hirt, All Rights Reserved.
Milwaukee Fishing Lake Michigan Salmon Report 5/9/11
By Wisconsin fishing charter Capt. Jim Hirt
Coho, Chinook and Brown Trout filling the cooler!
We were out the last three days and action is good to excellent. Finally a weekend with moderate to light wind this allowed everyone to enjoy the great fishing on Lake Michigan out of Milwaukee.
How
Coho are coming on all size spoons Reapers and Vulcans made by http://www.badgertackle.com have been working for us. Six inch flashers or dodgers with green or blue Johnnie peanut flies must be part of your presentation for Coho. A hot presentation for us was a size O orange dodger with a 21.5 inch lead to a medium size blue fly. Coho are in the top 20 feet and Chinooks are 30 to 45 down. Steady action on Slide Divers set to #2 and 25 feet of line out. Run 2,3,4,and 5 color Cortland lead core and downriggers 12 to 45 feet down.
Where!
Head out the main gap Milwaukee and fish east out to 40 to 60 feet of water. Water color may be an issue if it is cloudy move in and out of the cloudy water for the best action. The color break is holding most of the fish. Fish slow, very slow for great action. The Lake Trout bite has slowed down with a few on long leads on downriggers with magnum spoons along the bottom.
Have a great fishing season. Let’s go fishing!! Jim charters out of Milwaukee, WI. with Blue Max Charters. He can be reached at 414-828-1094 or visit his web site at http://www.bluemaxcharters.com Copyright© 2011, James J. Hirt, All Rights Reserved.
Milwaukee Fishing Lake Michigan Salmon Report 4/24/11
By Wisconsin fishing charter Capt. Jim Hirt
Early Coho! Early Coho! Early Spring Coho!
We had two charter trips this weekend with great action both time periods. In the morning we had good numbers on Coho, one twelve pound Lake Trout and a small Brown Trout. Afternoon was even better with sixteen fish total. Mostly Coho both charters with a nice eleven pound Chinook in the afternoon. The hot bait was the regular size Reaper Peacock made by http://www.badgertackle.com We also had action on orange flashers and flies. If you would like all my reports go to http://www.jimhirt.com and subscribe they will go to you first every time I post.
How!
April fishing remains very good when you can get out. The weather has created some problems with presentation and access to the best fishing areas. Our best presentations are 2,3,4,and 5 color Cortland lead core and downriggers 12 to 45 feet down. The fish have been on regular and magnum spoons. The Reaper Magnum and regular Peacock Silver spoon by Badger Tackle have caught most of our fish. Six inch orange dodgers and Johnnie Peanut Flies are also doing a good job. Our best boat speed is 1.7 to 2.0 mph. Slide Divers are producing very well set to #2 with 30 feet of line out.
Where!
Head northeast out the north gap Milwaukee and fish north in 45 to 70 feet of water. Water color may be an issue if it is cloudy move in and out of the cloudy water for the best action. The color break is holding most of the fish.
Have a great fishing season. Let’s go fishing!! Jim charters out of Milwaukee, WI. with Blue Max Charters. He can be reached at 414-828-1094 or visit his web site at http://www.bluemaxcharters.com Copyright© 2011, James J. Hirt, All Rights Reserved.
By Wisconsin fishing charter Capt. Jim Hirt
Don’t know which way to go for spring salmon fishing. Allow me to break it down and offer some suggestions for wherever you fish. Let’s discuss presentation lures and location to jump start your spring. Should you have a question please e-mail me from my Website contact us page http://www.bluemaxcharters.com I will be pleased to answer. My charter season will be under way soon and it may take a while to get back to you. Read all my articles and see video fish reports at http://www.jimhirt.com
Top producing presentations
Here are some ways to present lures in spring. This time of year look for most of your fish in the top 50 feet. Keep your eye on your locator and also work deeper marks when you see them. My experience this time of year is the deeper fish are less active and tend not to bite. Most often you will not mark well above 30 feet because those fish are outside the cone of your locator’s transducer. However that’s where most of the fish are.
Leadcore on boards first choice
The primary presentations I use at this time of year are Church Tackle Walleye boards, Slide Divers and leadcore. If your budget allows, I would recommend trying a leadcore line set up. This presentation will work when all others are dead and this is the best bet for spring
Basics
The basics of leadcore are simple. The most expensive part is the reel. It must have enough line capacity to handle the twenty seven pound leadcore line plus Seaguar fluorocarbon leader and Power Pro 50 pound backer line for a total of anywhere from 300 yards on a half core to 600 yards double core. I run my half cores or five colors on a reel that holds 300 yards of 20 pound test. This is the smallest reel a half core ( five colors ) will fit on. Line counter reels are not necessary. Leadcore sinks at a rate of 4-5 feet per color. A half core will run about 24 feet deep.
Loading the reel
When loading this reel, start with 200 yards of Power Pro 50 pound then strip the lead out of the end of the leadcore and tie a Willis Knot to the leadcore. Finish with another Willis Knot and 30 feet of a 20-pound Seaguar fluorocarbon to a ball bearing cross lock snap. You will need a medium heavy action 8-foot rod to work with lead. You may run this with a Church Tackle Walleye planer board if you are going to use multiple set ups.
Presentation Tips
Snap on your favorite lure and let out all of the line to the Power Pro backer. Then install your board so it does not release. I usually run them 150 feet off each side of the boat. Very wide turns and low boat traffic are a must to avoid tangles and getting run over. I set my drags light. When the reel starts to scream, adjust the drag as necessary. Reel in the line until you can reach the board and hand release it. Now the line is clear to bring in the fish. I don’t fish lead early in the morning. I use it when the early bite is over. Some of my biggest fish are caught on this presentation.
Lures for leadcore
I keep talking about Vulcan spoons and more anglers are finding out that this spoon will out produce most spoons in their tackle box. Reasonably priced and nearly indestructible they just keep on producing. The regular size is a good bet for spring. Vulcan spoons are sold by http://www.badgertackle.com Three Must Read Salmon Tips number two will continue with more lure choices in the next post. Good Luck let’s go fishing! Jim charters out of Milwaukee, WI. with Blue Max Charters. He can be reached at 414-828-1094 or web site at http://www.bluemaxcharters.com Copyright© 2011 James J. Hirt, All Rights Reserved.
By Lake Michigan fishing charter Capt. Jim Hirt
This is article number two of a two part article. Look for part number one for rigging tips. This article will focus on reacting to change. Read all my articles and see video fish reports at http://www.jimhirt.com
Reacting to time of year
Time of year is also to be considered when trying to catch moody fish. As the seasons change, so do the temperatures of the water. Fish are cold blooded and their metabolism changes as their body temp changes. Most anglers know there are cold and warm water species of fish. Which means all fish if given a choice will find their preferred temperature range. In fact too high or too low beyond their limits will cause stress and eventual death. In large fresh water lakes, the time of day isn’t nearly as critical at locating the depth of the preferred temperature level for the fish species you’re seeking.
Thermocline Explained
Lakes layer into three separate layers of water in the spring and stay that way until cold weather. The middle layer, where there is a larger concentration of dissolved oxygen, baitfish and therefore predator fish, is called the thermocline. It can usually be found anywhere from ten feet to the bottom. This is a temperature layer, as well as an oxygen-saturated layer, and fish will relate to it as both a comfort zone and one where their body metabolism functions the most efficiently. These fish will be suspended and feeding on alewives, smelt or other forage fish.
Temperature by species
The peak feeding and optimum temperature for Coho and Chinook is 52°, with an active range from 44° to 58°. For Lake Trout the peak feeding and optimum temperature is 51°, with activity from 43° to 53°. Fish will rarely venture out of these zones, once stratification has taken place, except to catch a meal and then will quickly return to it. The only exception is when fish are spawning. One thing to remember when fishing the thermocline is that its depth can change from day to day because of wind and wave action. It may be several feet deeper or shallower from one day to the next so you’ll have to relocate it each time you go out. Having said all that, when fishing in water temperatures near the bottom of your target species preferred temp, adjust to small spoons like the regular size Vulcan Spoon exclusively sold at Badger Tackle in a slow presentation. At their optimum temp go aggressive with large baits in quick presentations. Most anglers under estimate the speed of their quarry.
Keep good records
I cannot stress record keeping too much. Your ability to document good and bad days will be your magic rabbit in the hat. This info will shorten your learning curve and should be reviewed before every fishing outing. Record the date, location, weather, lures or bait, presentation, for each type of fish you catch. Good Luck let’s go fishing! Jim charters out of Milwaukee, WI. with Blue Max Charters. He can be reached at 414-828-1094 or web site at http://www.bluemaxcharters.com Copyright© 2011 James J. Hirt, All Rights Reserved.
Great Lakes Lure Set Ups 2011 Part #2
By Lake Michigan Fishing Charter Milwaukee Capt. Jim Hirt
Current information is critical to being at the top of your game in any sport. Fishing is no exception and perhaps more critical than other sports. This article will focus on what to use and where for the 2011 season. Read all my articles and see video fish reports at http://www.jimhirt.com
Mini sets what goes where?
On the deepest lines in the coldest water I fish for Lake trout. All the deep lines are matched for speed, color and preference of the target. This is a good time to talk about color as it relates to the amount of light. You may or may not remember learning the colors of the rainbow in school. The colors are remembered by this acronym “ROY G BIV”. These letters mean red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. There are exceptions to every rule. Most of the time I run lure colors of red, orange, or yellow when that lure is presented in the portion of the water column with the most light. The other end of the rainbow blue, indigo and violet are used in darker or low light situations. You may ask what about silver and white? I consider these as neutral or they will work in any type of light. All the other colors fall into either bright or dark. Bright lures are used in bright light conditions dark lures in low light.
Now let’s get back to setting our deep lines. Go with colors for low light that work well at a speed you intend to run and in the size of the baitfish. Large Reaper magnum glow spoons, dodgers or flashers with flies, or spin-n-glows and lake trolls work most days. Look for temps below 45 degrees for the biggest Lake Trout. This presentation is usually on downriggers working below 100 feet deep. I will get into downrigger presentation in another article.
Midway down the water column
The next mini set will run in water above the deep lines. Fish the 48-53 degree water spreading the lines to run about every ten feet of depth. Here we are looking for Chinooks and Coho salmon. I like a mix of dodgers, flashers flies and spoons. Of these three choices spoons are the easiest to present and most productive. There is a variety of ways to work the middle of the water column but, without a doubt lead core and copper lines on planner boards will be the most successful.
High lines
The balance of my lines will run in 54 degrees or warmer water looking for rainbows and browns. Depending on how much warm water you have to work with you can cover it with long lines, diving planers and lead core. The mini set in the warmest water with lots light should have the lures with fastest action and brightest colors. Minnow type lures are a great productive choice with their fast action.
Summary
Run Mini Sets for all your targets in the temperature zone you expect to find them. Temperature is the key to success with the correct color and action in the depth of water you are fishing.
Check out http://www.badgertackle.com for Reaper, Vulcan and Nestor Wobbler spoons proven and tested by anglers worldwide. Have a great fishing season. Captain Jim. Let’s go fishing!! Jim charters out of Milwaukee, WI. with Blue Max Charters. He can be reached at 414-828-1094 or visit his web site at http://www.bluemaxcharters.com Copyright© 2011, James J. Hirt, All Rights Reserved.
Great Lakes Lure Set Ups 2011 Part #1
By Lake Michigan Fishing Charter Milwaukee Capt. Jim Hirt
Current information is critical to being at the top of your game in any sport. Fishing is no exception and perhaps more critical than other sports. This article will focus on what to use and where for the 2011 season. Read all my articles and see video fish reports at http://www.jimhirt.com
What to use and where?
In this article I would like to help you define when and where to use spoons, minnow type baits, flasher flies, dodger flies, squids and a variety of other lures. The way I decide what to use is determined by many variables. Let’s look at each of them separately. What we are looking for is the right color, size, lure action and location that will get your target species to strike.
Two ways to go
This is the first of two approaches with every fisherman putting his own twist on each. Some fishermen believe it is better to run all of the same kind of lure at one time and use a selection of colors or sizes. This type of presentation is called bait sets. Let’s say they are running six rods. They will run the same type of spoon on each rod in a variety of colors and sizes, or all flashers and flies in different colors. Bait sets work well when you know what’s happening but you leave no room for error. If you’re hot you’re hot or if you’re wrong you may not be in the game.
Second set up
The other approach to presentation is running a different lure on every line. This set up is called shotgun. Mixing lures this way is tricky; some lures may be too fast or too slow to work well. On most days, I run a mix of different lures doing what I call Mini Sets to minimize this problem. This is what I might do in a summer presentation. I am usually running 12-16 rods. I split up my rods into three mini sets.
Check out http://www.badgertackle.com for Reaper, Vulcan and Nestor Wobbler spoons proven and tested by anglers worldwide. Have a great fishing season. Captain Jim. Let’s go fishing!! Jim charters out of Milwaukee, WI. with Blue Max Charters. He can be reached at 414-828-1094 or visit his web site at http://www.bluemaxcharters.com Copyright© 2011, James J. Hirt, All Rights Reserved.
Fishing report | captjim | 
July 29, 2011 5:29 am | 
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