Wind Keeps Things Interesting, Kings Holding & Lake Trout Stay Hot
If you’ve been following the weather, you already know the story—wind, and lots of it. Last weekend, strong conditions forced us to cancel a couple of Manistee charter fishing trips, but we still managed to get several groups on the water.
The wind scattered fish for a few days, but king salmon are still holding on the shelf, and lake trout continue to provide consistent action, especially north toward Onekama. Another round of north winds, with gusts approaching 30 mph midweek, will likely shuffle things around again, but fishing should improve as the lake settles.
King Salmon
King salmon are being found in 80–150 feet of water.
Top-producing presentations include:
Megatron Spin Doctors paired with green flies
Moonshine spoons in Raptor RV and Happy Meal
We spent some time pulling plugs but didn’t see much success. With the calendar moving toward late summer, the plug bite should begin any day now, so it’s worth keeping a few ready.
The best king salmon action continues to be during first light and the last hour before dark.
Lake Trout
Manistee lake trout fishing remains very good in 80–100 feet of water, with the Onekama area producing some of the best action.
Our best setups have been:
Downriggers bottom to 10 ft above bottom
Spin Doctors with Spin-N-Glo combinations
Wire divers ticking bottom
Be sure to check and clean your lines often, as zebra mussels and floating weeds have been collecting on gear and can dramatically reduce your presentation.
Hopefully this wind can check out for a while!
Captain’s Tip: Wind can change the bite overnight on Lake Michigan. If you’re willing to adapt and cover water, you’ll usually find active fish. Conditions change quickly this time of year, so stay flexible and keep an eye on water temperature.
Planning a trip? Copperhead Sportfishing Charters offers professional Manistee charter fishing trips targeting king salmon, lake trout, steelhead, and more. If you’re looking for one of the top Manistee fishing charters, now is a great time to get on the water before the late-summer salmon run really heats up.