Recent Great Lakes Trips

Went 17 for 21-plus aboard Dreamweaver III—16 chinooks and a coho for a group of five from all over the country. Started one for four in the dark, then the melee hit; at one point had five on at the same time. Landing percentage wasn't great, but we put plenty of fish in the box. Fished 7.3 miles NNW of Ludington, covered 27.3 miles on the troll over just under eight hours on the water. Good trip with a bunch of self-proclaimed idiots.

Twenty-six landed — one steelhead and twenty-five salmon and coho — out of Ludington, working eight-point-seven miles north-northwest of the harbor. Started the morning with all five guys hooked up at once and a dozen fish before the sun cleared the horizon, then steady picking through the rest of the day. Small plugs carried the early bite, then the program shifted to flashers with flies and meat. Standout producer was a white Bigfoot pulling an isotope meat rig.

Twenty-one landed — three coho, one steelhead, seventeen kings. Left out of Ludington and ran north-northwest about nine and a half miles. The morning program was coppers with small mini plugs, then picked away at them the rest of the day on flashers and meat, divers, and the big foot down the shoot with the isotope meat rig. Early action came down eighty on the riggers and the high diver back one-fifty.

7 strikes, 5 landed. Left out of Ludington and fished 4.6 miles northwest of the harbor. The bite was fast enough that the crew boated five big mottled kings in the first half hour to forty-five minutes before conditions got the better of them and they called it. Two other bites didn't stick. No individual gear detail was logged—the family was aboard and rough water cut the morning short when little Jack got seasick.

19 landed, mixed bag of coho and chinook. Seven-point-six miles north-northwest of Ludington, working 194 to 254 feet of water. Morning flurry went eight for a whole lot more on coppers and cores throwing small plugs and flasher-fly or meat combos—black crush spin doctor put one chinook in the box, seven color with king salmon and slayer patterns on a captain's choice mini accounted for another. Coho finally showed up in some numbers. Picked away at them the rest of the day after the early bite cooled off.

Sixteen strikes, twelve landed — ten kings and two coho. Left out of Ludington and ran eight-point-seven miles north-northwest of the harbor. Green back black ladder back, wonder bomb spin doctor, natural glow bug, and black bigfoot with isotope meat rig all put fish in the box. The rigger that went was working at sixty down. Morning bite was good, we boxed eight before it slowed, then picked away the rest through midday. Group of six from the East Side put together a solid mixed bag over 320 feet of water. Missed four or five others that came unbuttoned. Copper, diver, and long line programs all contributed to the spread.

Nine landed out of 7.2 miles north-northwest of Ludington. A tough day with the boys from Ohio — nine fish isn't terrible, but we lost a bunch that should have been boated. The middle downrigger went six times and missed all of them. Nine hours on the water, 43 miles trolled.

Went 10 for 15 eight miles north-northwest of Ludington. Boated eight kings, a coho, and a steelhead. Morning started hot with about six fish landed in the early flurry, then picked up another four offshore through the day, losing four or five in between. Downriggers 95 to 120 down produced. Double orange slice got the coho at 95.

Fourteen landed—13 kings and a coho—out of Ludington, 7.4 miles northwest of the harbor. Hot and heavy to start on the bank but didn't convert as many as we wanted, then moved offshore and picked away at them through the day. Nice family group from Ohio. Down deep the water warmed up quite a bit. Kept at them and boxed the limit with the crew.

Twenty landed—17 kings and 3 coho—and back to the dock by 9:30. Capt. Justin and Landon put the four-man group on fish early and kept them coming. Quick morning limits don't leave much time for detail, but when they're biting like that you don't ask questions. Clean boxes and happy customers before the coffee runs out.

Went 10 for 20 north-northwest of Ludington, 6.9 miles out. Tough day with the west wind right on the bank and plenty of traffic to work around, but we put fish in the box. The Wonder Bomb SS accounted for one of the boated kings in the log. Long lines weren't all we ran, but the other programs didn't make it into the catch entries. West-southwest wind at 15 blowing two-foot waves early, water depths from 100 to 230 feet where we were marking fish.

22 landed. Left out of Ludington and fished about 6.6 miles north-northwest of the harbor. First cooler was full by 6:43 in the morning. Group of four guys from all over the country running alongside Fishing Affair — eight man, two boats, 42 fish between them by mid-morning.

15 strikes, 11 landed. Left out of Ludington and fished 5.2 miles west of the harbor. Started inside this morning because of all the cold water that flipped from yesterday's weather, taking half a dozen or so there before running a scouting mission rolling out and picking up another five. Very tough bite all day. Ran outside looking for warmer water but never found any defined breaks or anything that looked promising. Covered 23.8 miles over six hours and forty minutes on the troll.

Went 12 for 25 seven miles north-northwest of Ludington — eleven kings and a coho. Rough conditions on the north side of the point early, and equipment trouble cost us fish all day with broken lines and malfunctions through the morning bite. The group of six stuck it out and we scrounged the dozen together over seven hours on the water. Just one of those days where you grind for what you get.

Fourteen landed out of roughly twenty bites — got off to a slow start, only boating a couple of our first ten strikes, then things came together after the sun came up. One steelhead, two coho, and eleven chinook. Seven-point-one miles northwest of Ludington. The big winner once the sun was up was the big foot down deep with isotope meat rig — went seven times later in the day.

Twenty-seven strikes, nineteen landed — fifteen kings, two coho, a steelhead, and a lake trout. We fished about seven and a half miles north-northwest of Ludington, set up in 130 feet of water before the crowd showed, and hammered fifteen-plus in the first hour before the bite settled into a pick. Small plugs on five, seven, and ten color lead cores produced early, riggers running 40 to 60 down, divers out 60 to 100 with flasher-fly combos. After sunrise we switched to meat rigs and dug deeper, picked away at a few more through the rest of the day. Five guys in the boat, good morning bite that tapered but stayed steady enough to keep working the same zone all day.

14 strikes, 10 landed. Fished 7.3 miles northwest of Pentwater. The early bite was hot down by the project, with fish coming on everything from three colors to ten colors, the out downs, and divers. Small plugs with black foot plan produced, along with Spin Doctors on the divers. Once the sun came up the bite shut down to nothing and stayed slow the rest of the trip.

Went 14 for a few over that — really put the hammer down out there. Left out of Ludington and set up about 6.5 miles northwest of the harbor, trolled over a hundred feet of water all morning. The mini plug on the rigger at 25 down got bit early but came off, and we had another shake on the eight inch spin doctor pickled sunshine. After that it was steady action through the day with Dan and his daughter. Boated kings and only missed a handful when the bite was on.

The Dreamweaver III put together a solid mixed bag on July 24th, boating 10 fish including six chinook salmon, two steelhead, one coho salmon, and a lake trout. The crew also had a couple of strikes that didn't stick. Surface temperatures ranged from 50 to 68 degrees with light chop between one and two feet throughout the morning. Lead core setups were the top producers, with seven color presentations accounting for multiple chinook and the coho. The wonder bomb on seven color was particularly effective, while mini plugs and the green splatter black small plug also produced kings. A rigger set down 60 feet connected with a chinook, and the lake trout came on a rigger dropped to 170 feet running an eight inch spin doctor with a two face fly. Most of the action came over 170 to 200 feet of water as the fleet worked the temperature breaks offshore.

The crew aboard One Trick Loner put together a solid morning on July 8th, boating nine fish including six chinook salmon, two cohos, and a steelhead. The chinook ranged from 4 to 17 pounds, with a nice morning king leading the way. Action was steady from first light through mid-morning, though the crew also had six strikes that didn't stick. Productive trolling speeds ran between 2.5 and 2.8 mph over bottom depths of 57 to 74 feet. Water temperatures held in the upper 60s to low 70s throughout the morning. Conditions were favorable with light east-southeast winds around 4 to 5 mph, calm seas under a half foot, and steady barometric pressure at 30.05 inches. The bite was consistent across the spread with fish coming steadily through the early morning hours into mid-morning.

DanDanTheMattressMan put together a solid evening trolling session on July 7th, boating four salmon between 8:06 and 10:03 PM. The crew landed three Chinook salmon ranging from 8 to 12 pounds along with an 8-pound Coho. They also had one strike early in the trip that didn't stick. Conditions were favorable throughout the evening with light winds shifting from west to south at 2 to 7 mph, flat to calm seas under a foot, and surface temperatures holding at 72 degrees. The bite was consistent during the twilight hours with fish coming to the boat at regular intervals as pressure held steady around 30.05 inHg.

The crew aboard Just One More put together a solid mixed-bag outing on June 27th, boating 9 salmon and steelhead while also recording 4 strikes that didn't stick. The haul included 6 cohos ranging from 3 to 5 pounds, a pair of chinooks with the largest tipping the scales at 15 pounds, and a 6-pound steelhead. Trolling speeds between 2.2 and 2.7 mph produced consistent action throughout the morning. Conditions were calm and stable with northeast winds around 7-9 mph, seas under a foot, and surface temperatures holding in the low 60s. The bite started in shallow water around 40 feet and improved as the boat worked progressively deeper, with fish coming over bottom depths from 39 to 120 feet. Greg's Lure accounted for a chinook and a coho, while Double Orange With Ladder and Lemon Ice also produced. When rigger depths were recorded, fish were taken at 60 and 75 feet down, suggesting salmon were holding in the mid-depth column over deeper water as the morning progressed.

The crew aboard One Trick Loner put together a solid mixed bag on June 26th, boating five fish including four chinook salmon and a lake trout. The morning bite started strong over 61 feet of water at 2.8 mph, producing a pair of kings by 7:42 AM with the better fish coming on a rigger down 50 feet. The action included one strike that didn't stick mid-morning over 71 feet. As the day progressed, the bite moved shallower with chinook coming from water as thin as 33 feet by early afternoon. Water temperatures ranged from the mid-50s in the shallower zones to 62 degrees in deeper water. Trolling speeds between 2.4 and 2.9 mph kept rods bending throughout the trip, with the lone laker mixing in around 10 AM over 69 feet of water.

The crew aboard Just One More put together an excellent mixed-bag outing on June 21st, boating 13 fish consisting of six steelhead, two chinooks, three lakers, and two cohos. Conditions were ideal with calm 0.3-foot waves, light east winds shifting south by midday, and surface temperatures holding in the mid-60s. The bite started early with a 5-pound chinook at 6:38 AM on a Yellow Green Glow spoon down 50 feet, followed by a quick flurry of steelhead action between 7:06 and 7:10 AM that produced three fish to the boat. The morning steelhead bite continued through 9:45 AM, with the larger fish in the mix running up to 9 pounds. A Green Bubble Flasher with Green Aqua Sunshine Fly accounted for one of the steelhead at 9:21 AM. Riggers set at 50 and 70 feet produced well, with the deeper presentation taking a 12-pound laker at 10:29 AM on a Glow Mirage Fly. Speeds between 2.4 and 2.5 mph proved effective throughout the trip. The afternoon session saw the crew move deeper, working over 137 to 165 feet of water where they picked up an 18-pound chinook on a Blue Green Dolphin and added three more lakers to round out their limit. The deepest fish came on a rigger down 150 feet with a Blue Spin Glow Mop Fly at 12:36 PM. The crew also had three strikes that didn't stick, including a laker that came unbuttoned at 70 feet down.

The Blue Legacy put together a steady morning on June 20th, boating four chinook salmon despite tough conditions. The action started early with a pair of kings in the first few minutes, including a nice 10-pounder that hit a rigger down 120 feet at 2 mph. The other fish came trolling over 120 to 188 feet of water at speeds between 2.5 and 2.6 mph. Water temperatures ranged from 49 to 60 degrees as the crew worked various depths throughout the morning. The bite tapered after the early flurry but picked up again mid-morning for a couple more fish. The crew also had one strike that didn't stick around 9 AM. All fish landed were chinooks, though a couple were on the smaller side at 1 and 2 pounds.

The CatPack crew put together a solid mixed bag on June 19th, boating 12 fish during an evening troll over 125 to 130 feet of water. The action started with lake trout early in the session, with riggers set at 125 feet producing three lakers including a nice 10-pounder. As the evening progressed, chinook salmon took over with eight kings coming aboard between 8:31 and 9:35 PM. The crew also had three strikes that didn't stick during the outing. Silver Streak Orange Crush was the clear standout spoon, accounting for seven of the eight chinooks. Riggers running at 100 to 110 feet down were most productive for the kings, while the deeper 125-foot presentation consistently connected with lake trout. Conditions featured light south to south-southwest winds at 9 to 11 mph with calm seas and surface temperatures in the low 53-degree range. Yeck Sunshine and Warrior Blue Yellow Dolphin each chipped in a chinook to round out the catch.

The CatPack crew put together a solid king salmon outing on June 14th, boating five chinooks ranging from 2 to 18 pounds. The bite came early and stayed consistent through the first two hours of the trip, with fish holding in the 68 to 69 foot zone on downriggers. Trolling speeds between 2.3 and 2.4 mph proved productive over bottom depths ranging from 115 to 175 feet. Black Screwball spoons accounted for three kings including both of the 18-pounders, while Silver Streak Orange Crush and Mr Chrome Letner Eat also produced fish. Conditions were favorable with light south winds under 7 mph, one-foot waves, and surface temperatures around 51 degrees. Water temps at depth held steady at 52 degrees throughout the morning.

The CatPack crew put together a respectable June morning on the big water, boating four chinook salmon despite a flurry of missed opportunities. The action started mid-morning and continued through early afternoon, with the fish ranging from a couple scrappy one-pounders up to a nice 7.4-pound, 27-inch king that came to the boat at 1:30 PM. The logged catch showed productive water around 175 feet down while pulling 2.5 mph, though specific depth and speed data wasn't recorded for every hookup. The crew also dealt with three additional strikes that didn't stick, suggesting the fish may have been hitting short or the bite was finicky. With seven total hits for four fish in the box, the conversion rate left some room for improvement, but that's often the story when chinooks are being temperamental. Overall, a solid outing with all four landed fish being kings and the best fish pushing the upper end of the early-season average.

The CatPack crew put together a solid early morning chinook bite on June 7th, boating four kings between midnight and 2:00 AM. The fish ranged from 2 to 5 pounds, with the best action coming in two waves—first around midnight and again just before 2:00 AM. Trolling speeds between 2.4 and 2.6 mph proved effective throughout the session. Productive depths ran from 90 to 120 feet, with the deeper presentation taking the first two fish at the slower speed before the bite shifted slightly shallower later in the trip. The crew also had three strikes that didn't stick, suggesting the fish were active but perhaps a bit finicky. Conditions appeared favorable for the midnight run, with chinooks willing to chase despite the smaller average size.

The Blue Legacy crew put three Chinook salmon in the box on June 7th, working deep water in the 125 to 144-foot range. The action started mid-morning with a quick double header at 125 feet, both fish hitting while trolling at 2 mph. The boat picked up one more King early afternoon running slightly deeper at 144 feet in 44-degree water, maintaining a similar speed of 2.2 mph. The landed fish were smaller grade Chinook ranging from 2 to 4 pounds, typical of early summer staging fish. The consistent depth zone and trolling speed pattern proved productive throughout the day, with all three fish coming on similar presentations in that 125 to 145-foot corridor.

The CatPack crew put two fish in the box during an early morning trolling session on June 6th, landing a 2-pound steelhead and a 5-pound chinook. The steelhead came at 450 feet back while the king hit shallower at 250 feet, both taking at a consistent 2.5 mph trolling speed. Water temperature registered 45°F. The crew also experienced a couple of strikes that didn't stick, with fish shaking off before making it to the net. With action spread across different depths and two different species willing to bite, the night trolling produced steady opportunity even if not every fish made it aboard.

**P joy - May 25, 2026** The P joy put together a solid afternoon trolling session on May 25th, boating three fish in just over half an hour of action. A pair of chinook salmon weighing 7 and 5 pounds were landed along with a 3-pound steelhead, all holding in the 92 to 98 foot zone. Water temps ran cold at 42-43°F where the fish were stacked. Trolling speeds between 2.0 and 2.4 mph produced consistent results in the mid-90s depth range. The bite window was tight but productive, with all three fish coming to the boat within 36 minutes during the early afternoon period. The cold water column and tight depth pattern suggest fish are still grouped up in their spring holding zone.

The Blue Legacy put together a solid chinook salmon outing on May 25th, boating 10 kings between mid-morning and late morning. The bite was consistent throughout the session, with fish ranging from 2 to 9 pounds and most running in the 4-pound class. All fish came on a straight chinook troll in the cold water column. The most productive pattern developed between 160 and 170 feet down, where water temperatures held in the 42 to 48-degree range. Trolling speeds between 2.2 and 2.5 mph produced steady action, with the best fishing coming in two distinct windows around 10 AM and again just after 11 AM. A double header at 10:16 AM targeting different depths showed fish were stacked in the zone. Cooler water temperatures in the low-to-mid 40s marked the sweet spot as the morning progressed. The kings were holding deep and willing to bite, making for excellent early-season action with limits reached by late morning.

The CatPack crew put in a pre-dawn grind on 5/24 that produced a single chinook salmon in the 8-pound class. The fish hit at 40 feet down while trolling at 2.6 mph in 45-degree water around 1:30 AM. Surface temps ran 54.5 degrees with light southeast winds at 6-7 mph and calm seas under a foot. Conditions were favorable with stable barometric pressure at 30.08, but the bite was slow overall with just the one fish boated. The early-morning window showed potential at that 40-foot depth zone, though it didn't develop into sustained action.

The crew aboard Just One More put together a solid seven-fish outing on May 24th under calm conditions with light winds and flat water. They boated five chinook salmon ranging from 1 to 6 pounds and two coho salmon at 4 pounds each, though they also had three strikes that didn't stick throughout the day. The bite was most consistent in the 60 to 90 foot zone, with chinooks coming from depths between 68 and 90 feet and cohos connecting shallower at 60 and 62 feet. Water temps ranged from 48°F in the deeper zone early in the trip to 51°F later in the day at mid-depths. Trolling speeds of 2.4 to 2.5 mph produced steady action from midday through early evening, with the fish holding in that 48 to 51 degree water column as surface temps hovered in the low 50s.

The CatPack crew put together an excellent late May outing, boating 13 fish including four chinook salmon and nine lake trout. The bite was steady throughout the morning and into the early afternoon, with action picking up considerably around midday when the crew landed six fish in a 25-minute span just before 1 PM. The best king weighed 16 pounds, while lakers ranged from 4 to 14 pounds, with the largest measuring 34 inches. The 40-foot zone was the sweet spot all day, producing fish consistently in 44-48 degree water. Leadcore was the dominant presentation, accounting for nine fish, while copper, wire divers, and a rigger also contributed to the tally. Trolling speeds between 2.4 and 2.6 mph kept the spread working effectively. Conditions were excellent with calm seas under a foot, light winds shifting from southeast to northeast throughout the day, and surface temps in the low 53-degree range. The combination of stable weather and fish concentrated at that 40-foot depth made for a productive spring trolling trip.

The Blue Legacy put together a solid 11-fish box of Chinook salmon on May 24th, with action starting mid-morning and continuing into the afternoon. The bite was consistent between 130 and 160 feet during the morning session, with water temps holding at 45°F and trolling speeds between 2.1 and 2.3 mph producing best. Fish ranged from shakers to a pair of nice 12-pounders, with most running in the 8-12 pound class. As the day progressed, kings pushed deeper with the afternoon bite coming in 200 to 265 feet of water where temperatures dropped to the low 40s. The fish were smaller in the deeper zone, mostly juveniles in the 2-5 pound range. Maintaining speeds around 2.2 mph kept rods bending throughout the trip, demonstrating that Chinooks were holding at multiple thermal layers and willing to chase presentations at varying depths.

The CatPack put together a solid mixed bag during an early morning session on May 23rd, boating four fish in fair conditions. All action came between 11 PM and 2 AM, with three chinook salmon and one lake trout hitting the spread. The kings ranged from 10 to 16 pounds, with the best fish taken shallow at 22 feet on a starboard diver. Divers and leadcore both produced, working depths between 22 and 40 feet in water temps climbing from 44 to 49 degrees. Maintaining speeds between 2.6 and 2.7 mph kept rods bending consistently. The bite definitely improved as the night progressed and fish moved shallower into warmer water, with three of the four fish coming in the final hour of the trip in that 48-49 degree zone.

**Salmon Trolling Report - May 23, 2026** Anglers put together a solid mixed bag on Saturday, boating 12 fish including six chinook salmon, five lake trout, and a coho. The bite was steady from late morning through early afternoon, with the chinooks running 5 to 9 pounds and lakers ranging from 3 to 13 pounds. Water temperatures held consistent in the 43 to 45 degree range throughout the day. The most productive zone was 70 to 78 feet down, where the majority of fish were marking and feeding. Maintaining trolling speeds between 2.2 and 2.4 mph triggered the most strikes. The chinooks showed a preference for the 70 to 78 foot depth range, while lakers were scattered slightly deeper at times, with one quality 13-pounder taken at 62 feet. Action peaked during the noon hour when four fish came aboard in quick succession, all working that 72 to 78 foot column at 2.3 to 2.4 mph.

The CatPack put together a solid mixed bag on May 23rd, boating 12 fish including nine Chinook salmon and three lake trout. The bite was consistent throughout the morning into early afternoon, with water temperatures running 44 to 48 degrees. Kings ranged from a couple shakers to a respectable 10-pounder, while lakers ran 4 to 6 pounds. The productive zone was tight, with nearly all fish coming at 40 feet on leadcore and copper setups. Trolling speeds between 2.6 and 3 mph triggered the most action. After a quick flurry with two fish in the first few minutes, the bite steadied through mid-morning with several doubles between 10:30 and noon. The lakers showed up late in the trip, all hitting leadcore presentations at the same depth as the kings, suggesting both species were keyed in on the same baitfish zone.

The CatPack put together a solid mixed bag during an overnight trolling session on May 22nd, boating six fish with lake trout dominating the action four to two over chinook salmon. The lakers ran on the smaller side, with weighed fish coming in at 3 and 4 pounds, while a chunky 9-pound king provided the highlight of the trip. Fish were holding at 40 feet in 50-degree water during the most productive window around midnight, with the bite tapering off after 1 AM. The late night to early morning transition produced consistent action, with fish coming to the boat every 15 to 30 minutes during the prime period. Typical early season conditions had both species suspending in that thermocline sweet spot as they staged in the cooling surface temps.