south basin lake michigan WALLEYES ?

[jrpez32]

looking for firsthand knowledge of walleyes being caught in suothern lake michigan thanx.

[SeaCat]

The only consistant fishery for Southern Lk Michigan walleye is in the larger river mouths and river mouth lakes.

Good catches of walleye happen every year in the St. Joe (at St. Joseph), Black (South Haven), Kalamazoo (Saugatuck), and Muskegon (Muskegon). Spring is usually best, but I have caught many 5#+ fish in the summer trolling the breakwalls at St. Joe and Muskegon Lake is top notch walleye water. It is always a viable option when Lk Michigan is too rough.

Last spring when trolling for steelhead, we also caught a couple nice walleyes on the Little Rippers we were running off inline boards right up near the breakwall.

In June of last year a 9#er was caught in the St. Joe channel.

I would assume that the Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin waters also have a similar fishery.

Ryan

[Wallygetter]

jrpez32, I live 25 miles north of Muskegon,Mi. A few of my fishing buddies and myself have done very well fishing Lk. Mi. at nite in the channels flowing into Lk.Mi. and just outside the breakwalls. The most important factor in catching these fish is water tempature, our rule of thumb is 45 deg. in spring and 50deg. in the fall. In the spring they drop back down from the rivers after spawning, and hang around the pierheads feeding on smelt and alewives, smelt and alewives spawn in water temps from 43 to 48 deg., and almost always around pierheads, channels, rivers, and small streams along the Lk.Mi. shoreline. In the fall as Lk.Mi. water temp drops, the baitfish move closer to shore and bring a lot of predator fish with them. Try casting #9 and #11 countdown Rapalas of the pierheads,black back silver body, black back brown body, char. and rainbow are our best colors. If you troll Smithwick Rouges in same color, and jointed Rapalas. We have had many limited out nites, and the size of these fish from Lk. Mi. is enormous. We have averaged 10lbs a few times. I'm certain any major river that dumps into Lk.Mi. should have the same results. Good Luck!

[jrpez32]

thanx for the reply. i was talking to mike starcevich who wrote an artical for currentbreaks(dave truett sportfishing)where he has been catching walleyes from the port of indiana to 95th st. in IL. also he showed me several pictures of fish 10lbs plus caught at night. i live in IL.and couldnot belive this type of fishing exist so close.it appears that this maybe an untapped fishery if reports are true.he to fished at night and used cranks thanx.

[schrof]

Jrpez,

I've been out several times were your talking about, caught a few eyes, biggest 8.5(28") right before Christmas, was out two weeks ago and didn't get anything but shad(snagged by accident). I know Mike, he is dead on about the eyes, they are their! If you want more details of time/where to set up/cast and what's worked best for him, call him direct @ 219-989-0575 he will give you honest info.

[Scott Richardson]

I wrote this for my newspaper just before Christmas.

LAKE MICHIGAN OFFERS SIZZLING ... 12/20/2001
Publication: The Pantagraph
Section: SPORTS
Edition: Main
Published: 12/20/2001
Page: B6
Lake Michigan offers sizzling winter fishing
Byline: SCOTT RICHARDSON
Is warm weather playing havoc with your ice-fishing?
Join the anglers heading to the Chicago area to enjoy hot winter fishing on Lake Michigan.
Lake trout are always good this time of year for those hearty enough to go. The unseasonably warm weather is making the trip a delight.
Santa's extra surprises are trophy walleye and perch.
"It's been great," said Hook, Line & Sinker friend Mike Norris, a fishing educator, outdoor writer and broadcaster in the Chicago area.
Great walleye fishing is expected in the bays of Lake Michigan farther to the north well above the Illinois state line. Even though walleyes were once indigenous to the Illinois portion of Lake Michigan, their presence has been sporadic until the past few years. But, lately, fishermen are connecting with big walleyes near the Port of Indiana at Portage, Ind., Norris said.
Using underwater cameras like Aqua-Vu, anglers are seeking large schools of walleyes holding on artificial reefs just outside the port, he said.
Trolling with spinner rigs and nightcrawlers are the most common way to take them.
Lake trout up to 20 and 25 pounds are being caught on the artificial reef outside the port, too. Use Mann's deep-diving DB7s in shad colors. When big hooks appear on the sonar screen just off the reefs, try jigging 3/4-ounce spoons, a fun way to catch big fish, he said.
Big brown trout can be expected to bite in the same locations in January and February.
Norris said shore anglers are getting in the act at Wolf Lake which straddles the Illinois/Indiana border. Perch America and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources began walleye stockings in the lake, which is connected to Lake Michigan.
Lots of smaller fish are being caught casting blue and silver Husky Jerks near the boat ramp, Norris said. But, one group of fishermen caught three 8-pounders that same way. Those trophies must have migrated from Lake Michigan into Wolf Lake, he said.
Other hot spots? Hot water discharges from factories.
Perch fishing in Lake Michigan has become a success story since the Illinois DNR put strict limits on sportfishermen and banned commercial fishing a few years ago when fear arose their population was dwindling.
The result - anglers are catching perch up to 13 inches with an occasional jumbo reaching 15 inches all along the western shore line in the shadow of Chicago's skyline. Most use live bait and double-hook rigs with a bell sinker on the bottom to take them down. Or try a one-quarter-ounce jigging spoon. Hot spot is 95th Street at Calumet Park, Norris said.
Those same underwater cameras are discovering walleyes beneath the schools of perch at 95th Street. But, getting live bait down past the aggressive perch to the walleyes has been a hard task.
Norris will be among presenters at the annual Walleye Masters Institute from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 2 at the Holiday Inn in the northwest Chicago suburb of Rolling Meadows. Cost is $89 including lunch and free give-aways. Phone (218) 825-8681 or (630) 842-8199.