Fish move shallower as water cools in Saugatuck

The fishing has slowed this past week. Not so much in the number of fish caught, but in the number of hits we are getting. The creel numbers were 8 to 14 fish per trip with the majority being Chinook salmon and steelhead. Early in the week we were fishing 170 to 240 foot of water and then after a couple of days of strong east winds, the fish were in the 80 to 140 foot range by the weekend. Regardless, if you are fishing 200 foot of water or 70 foot of water, the fish are found in the top 45 foot.

Orange double crush and orange green crush Stingers have produced very well in the top 15 foot with 2 color lead core, 30 foot copper or 75 foot copper line. Slide divers at 120 foot out with Stingers and Super Slim double orange and orange and green produced well. Downriggers did not produce many fish, however every day the green/glow frog Stinger would produce 45 to 65 foot down.

There have been no reports on the perch fishing, however, pier fishermen are catching a lot of sheephead, catfish and some small mouth bass. There have been some walleye taken by trollers in the river with Loco lures and Fast Trac plugs.

For more information and/or charter reservations, email me at captron@chartermichigan.com.