UTERCoho (silver) salmon fishing in Lake Michigan
In Lake Michigan, Coho (silver) salmon peak March–May and September–October and are around February–November, spawning in September–October, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. March: Shore coho at Michigan City, Portage and the warm-water discharges — spawn and nightcrawlers.
Tail of the run; browns and steelhead follow; Green Bay muskie. Steelhead behind the salmon; big browns in the harbors; Green Bay's trophy muskie season.
Coho (silver) salmon in Lake Michigan, month by month
- JanuaryNot here
- FebruaryArrivingSpring coho may show early off the Indiana shore.
- MarchPeakShore coho at Michigan City, Portage and the warm-water discharges — spawn and nightcrawlers.
- AprilPeakIllinois harbors fill with coho.
- MayPeakKings show in the south; smallmouth stack in Door County. Troll the spring kings off St. Joseph and Grand Haven; Sturgeon Bay smallies pre-spawn — catch-and-release early season.
- JuneAround
- JulyAround
- AugustAround
- SeptemberSpawningCoho run up the rivers with the kings.
- OctoberSpawningTail of the run; browns and steelhead follow; Green Bay muskie. Steelhead behind the salmon; big browns in the harbors; Green Bay's trophy muskie season.
- NovemberLeaving
- DecemberNot here
Where to fish Coho (silver) salmon near Chicago, Michigan City, St. Joseph
The salmon lake: open water to 900 feet with kings and coho over the thermocline, the river mouths and pier heads of Michigan's west coast where the runs stage, the shallow southern end where the spring coho come in, and Green Bay — a walleye, pike, muskie, perch and whitefish fishery all its own.
Fish Scouter charts 434 lake spots in the Lake Michigan map area — the kinds Coho (silver) salmon hold on.
What to use for Coho (silver) salmon
- HerringCut-plug for salmon: head off at an angle, guts out, two hooks in tandem so it spins slow behind a flasher or a banana weight. Whole and live on a circle hook for stripers where the herring run.
- Anchovies (Pacific)Nose- or collar-hooked on a #4 to 1/0 hook and fly-lined with no weight, or on a dropper loop; a dozen tossed over the side as chum keeps the bass and bonito up.
- Salmon eggs (roe)A dime-sized spawn sac tied in mesh, or single eggs on a #10 to #6 egg hook, drifted along the bottom for steelhead, trout and salmon. Check the state's rule — bait is banned on many trout and salmon waters.
- Leader40–60 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook4/0–8/0
- Braid50–100 lb
Feeds in 46–62°F water, best at 50–58°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch Coho (silver) salmon in Lake Michigan?
Peak season is March–May and September–October, with fish spawning in September–October (often a closed or catch-and-release window — check the rule). Coho (silver) salmon are in Lake Michigan February–November. March: Shore coho at Michigan City, Portage and the warm-water discharges — spawn and nightcrawlers.
Where do Coho (silver) salmon hold in Lake Michigan?
Look on fishing pier, river, creek / stream, lake — around Chicago, Michigan City, St. Joseph, Ludington, Manistee, Milwaukee.
What is the best bait for Coho (silver) salmon in Lake Michigan?
Live bait: herring, anchovies (pacific), salmon eggs (roe). Herring: Cut-plug for salmon: head off at an angle, guts out, two hooks in tandem so it spins slow behind a flasher or a banana weight. Whole and live on a circle hook for stripers where the herring run. Tackle: leader 40–60 lb fluorocarbon, hook 4/0–8/0, braid 50–100 lb.
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All about Coho (silver) salmon · Lake Michigan, the whole year