This page was last updated on AUG 10 2012 03:13 P.M.
Lake MichiganFor more information about the lake please click on the lake name above.
Description:
N/A
Fish
Channel catfish
Description:
The channel catfish has a smooth scaleless skin and barbels on its face resembling cat whiskers. The barbels help the channel catfish taste and feel objects and enable it to locate food in dark and turbid water. The channel catfish has 24-29 rays in its rounded anal fin. The caudal fin is deeply forked and the fish has dark spots on its sides when young.
Bait: Your favorte catfish bait
Depth: On or near the bottom
Comments about fish:
Channel catfishing remains strong, especially in the Michigan City area. Catches also reported at the Portage Lakefront Park and along the “ditch”. Fish your favorite catfish bait on or near the bottom.
Chinook salmon or king salmon
Description:
Members of the pacific salmon family, the chinook or king salmon and the coho salmon can be found in Lake Michigan and its tributaries in northern Indiana. Pacific salmons do not feed during spawning, but will strike a lure during their runs. Cohos will spawn in the fall in their third year of life and die, while chinooks will spawn in the fall, winter or spring in the fifth year of life, allowing them to grow larger. The chinook or king salmon teeth are set in dark gums, with black spots on the back and both lobes of the square caudal fin. The chinook or king salmon has 15-17 anal fin rays and averages 30 pounds though some can reach over 100 pounds.
Bait: Spoons, Dodger & Fly combos
Depth: 110-140 FOW
Comments about fish:
We received no trout & salmon reports from boat anglers this past week due in part to unfavorable lake & weather conditions.
Coho salmon
Description:
Members of the pacific salmon family, the chinook or king salmon and the coho salmon can be found in Lake Michigan and its tributaries in northern Indiana. Pacific salmons do not feed during spawning, but will strike a lure during their runs. Cohos will spawn in the fall in their third year of life and die, while chinooks will spawn in the fall, winter or spring in the fifth year of life, allowing them to grow larger. The teeth of the coho salmon are set in light color gums. The coho salmon has black spots on the upper lobe of a slightly forked caudal fin with 12-15 anal fin rays.
Bait: Dodger/Fly combos & spoons
Depth: 110-140 FOW
Comments about fish:
See chinook salmon report.
Rainbow or steelhead trout
Description:
Ever popular among Indiana anglers is the trout family, which includes the brown, lake and rainbow or steelhead trout. Many fisherman can be spotted on the shores during spawning season when the trout begin their runs into the tributaries. Rainbow or steelhead trout have a white mouth, teeth and gums and small black spots on their backs, sides, and caudal and dorsal fins. The caudal fin margin of the rainbow or steelhead trout is square and the fish has 9-12 anal fin rays.
Bait: Pier: Shrimp, N/C, spoons Tribs: Spawn sacs, shrimp, spinners
Depth: Deeper holes & runs
Comments about fish:
No salmon or steelhead shore action to report this week along the southern shorelines of LM. Very little to report as creel clerks interviewed very few anglers this week. A couple of steelhead were caught in the middle/upper reaches of Trail Cr on shrimp floated just off the bottom in the deeper holes. No action to report on the E Br or Salt Cr.
Smallmouth bass
Description:
Sunfishes include some of the best-known fish in Indiana. Bluegill, redear sunfish, black and white crappie, largemouth, spotted and smallmouth bass are all members of the sunfish family. The last rays on the dorsal fin of the smallmouth bass are separated from the rest of the fin. Also, the upper jaw does not extend beyond back of eye, as it does with the largemouth bass. The smallmouth bass commonly reaches 3-4 pounds.
Bait: Jigs, crankbaits, live bait (minnows, N/C)
Depth: Up to 20 FOW
Comments about fish:
SMB anglers continue to report good action along the southern shorelines of LM. Boat anglers should concentrate their efforts along rocky rip rap that is prevalent along the outside of the Port of Indiana breakwall as well as from the city of Gary W to Hammond. As far as lures, anglers have had good success with crankbaits, small spinnerbaits & tube jigs that resemble gobies. If you like to use live bait, one cannot beat a lively minnow under a bobber. SMB in the 14-18 inch range are abundant in LM with some fish up to 6 lbs caught every year.
Yellow perch
Description:
Indiana anglers have long since sought perch for their tasty flavor. The yellow perch, walleye and sauger are members of this popular family. The yellow perch ranges from 6 to 12 inches long and up to one or two pounds.
Bait: Minnows
Depth: 15-21 FOW
Comments about fish:
Michigan City boat anglers targeting yellow perch reported action has picked up over the past couple of days as some cooler water has moved into the area. Best action was occurring in water depths ranging from 15-21 FOW east of the MC Lighthouse. Nice limits were brought in with many perch up to 14" harvested. No reports from Portage, East Chicago or Hammond Marinas.
Comments about body of water:
Surface water temp just E of the MC Lighthouse Pier was 74 F° while at 24' down, it was 63 F° Water temp in the harbor of MC next to the DNR building was 70°F as of this afternoon. The MC area received some brief showers this morning which really did not affect Trail Cr. Trail Cr continues to run low & clear. The E Br is running at average levels with stained to muddy water conditions. Salt Cr is up slightly with muddy water conditions. If you are planning a trip to the creeks, check out the US Geological Survey Water Resources for IN web page. It will provide you with current stream flow & stage height to help you gauge stream conditions. Trail Cr temps have fallen to 65 F° as of Friday morning, down 11 F° since last week.
