Late April through May- Combining
two important factors; #1 being questionable numbers
of fish present in the lake north of the IL-WI state line
and, #2 being the huge number of fish occupying the northern
part of IL waters, Captain Mike heads the Pegasus south to
Winthrop Harbor, IL. Here you will find huge schools of Coho
Salmon, hungry after the long, cold winter season. Add
in the occasional Chinook salmon, Rainbow, Lake or Brown trout
and you’ll see this is a “can’t miss”
time of the year to fish Lake Michigan.
Late
May to mid June- With the sun creeping higher and the
days growing longer, Coho Salmon begin their spring migration
northward. Huge schools of these hungry silver predators invade
both the shorelines and the off-shore waters of the Milwaukee
Wisconsin area with a mission. Eat, Eat, Eat, and that is
just
what they are doing. After the cold lethargic months of winter,
these fish are now active and biting and we are setting the
table! With anywhere from 10 to 20 lines in the water at one
time, trolling through a school of Coho is pandemonium in
the making! With doubles and triples common, 7 or 8 fish on
at one time won't surprise the captain but will sure get him
moving!! This is the time of year for lots of fish and fast
action! To maximize your spring fishing, visit
our Winthrop Harbor page.
Mid
June to Early July- - While the voracious Coho switch
to the off-shore waters, Chinook
salmon and Lake Trout will
begin to orientate into a very predictable summer pattern.
This is the beginning of the "mixed bag" time of
year when you can expect any of Lake Michigan's salmon or
trout to sample our offering of lures. The type of fish caught
will be determined largely in part by our location on the
lake. Coho Salmon and Steelhead will be at or near the surface
over deep water while Lake Trout and Chinook Salmon will be
found closer to the bottom and closer to shore. A great time
of the year to make a friendly wager with the captain as to
what type of fish you have hooked. Don't bet the farm.................80
percent or more of the time he will be right! July
to mid August- With the lake water now warm and stratified
we can really pinpoint the fish. Beware, those 2 to 5lb. spring
Coho are now grown up and ready to fight! Now averaging 6
to 12 lbs. these fish will test the line and drags. Hard runs
and non-stop twisting indicate a mature Coho but wait, what's
that jumping way back behind that planer board? Maybe another
Coho Salmon but more than likely an acrobatic Steelhead, intent
on stealing that fly on the end of your buddies line! But
don't forget about Mr. Lake Trout, you can bet he's lying
close to the bottom, just waiting to ambush some unlucky lure
dragged into his "red zone". At first you will think
you are snagged on the bottom, then the bottom will start
moving. By the time you have brought that fish to the net
your hands and arms will be cramped and your brow sweated
up, and not from the sun! The next time that deep line goes
off you'll cry FISH ON, you'll see the rod double over and
proclaim "another Laker". Then the drag will start
singing and not stop. From the rod movement you
can see its not bottom but what is it? "KING" exclaims
your captain, you've just hooked into 15 to 30+ lbs. of pure
muscle!! Clearing a line or two while shouting orders to the
first mate, your captain and mate will position the boat and
you to most advantageously fight this brawny battler. 15 to
40 minutes later the captain going for the net signals the
fish is nearing. The "Oh my Gods" and "Holy
S----'s" from the rest of your party affirm the captains
actions. "Easy", "gently", "not quick,
smooth and steady", the captain offers advice and then,
all pull disappears from the rod. The fish is in the net and
"Ooo's and Ahhh's" guide the fish into the cooler.
"Just bend his tail", "he'll fit", even
though it's a 40" wide cooler.
Mid-August
to Late September- While the off-shore fishing remains good
those brutes called "Kings" are now answering natures
call to reproduce and are headed back to the harbors and rivers
where their introduction to this Lake Michigan began. After
"staging" off the area where they were planted,
they are now entering their "home" river to complete
their life cycle. Traveling upstream to spawn and then eventually
die, this is the one time of the year when enormous numbers
of mature Chinook Salmon are concentrated in a very small
area. Far from "shooting fish in a barrel", they
are still not a pushover to catch. They are no longer feeding,
now their only focus is to reproduce. We catch these fish
by eliciting from them a "reactionary strike", maybe
their maddened by the passing lure or maybe they are just
moving it away from their "bed", an area they have
chosen to lay their eggs. Whatever the reason, 15 to 30+ lbs.
of enraged fish in a confined area will test your tackle and
crew to the limit.
of fish present in the lake north of the IL-WI state line
and, #2 being the huge number of fish occupying the northern
part of IL waters, Captain Mike heads the Pegasus south to
Winthrop Harbor, IL. Here you will find huge schools of 
Late
May to mid June- With the sun creeping higher and the
days growing longer, Coho Salmon begin their spring migration
northward. Huge schools of these hungry silver predators invade
both the shorelines and the off-shore waters of the Milwaukee
Wisconsin area with a mission. Eat, Eat, Eat, and that is
just
what they are doing. After the cold lethargic months of winter,
these fish are now active and biting and we are setting the
table! With anywhere from 10 to 20 lines in the water at one
time, trolling through a school of Coho is pandemonium in
the making! With doubles and triples common, 7 or 8 fish on
at one time won't surprise the captain but will sure get him
moving!! This is the time of year for lots of fish and fast
action! To maximize your spring fishing, 
Mid
June to Early July- - While the voracious Coho switch
to the off-shore waters, 
July
to mid August- With the lake water now warm and stratified
we can really pinpoint the fish. Beware, those 2 to 5lb. spring
Coho are now grown up and ready to fight! Now averaging 6
to 12 lbs. these fish will test the line and drags. Hard runs
and non-stop twisting indicate a mature Coho but wait, what's
that jumping way back behind that planer board? Maybe another
Coho Salmon but more than likely an acrobatic Steelhead, intent
on stealing that fly on the end of your buddies line! But
don't forget about Mr. Lake Trout, you can bet he's lying
close to the bottom, just waiting to ambush some unlucky lure
dragged into his "red zone". At first you will think
you are snagged on the bottom, then the bottom will start
moving. By the time you have brought that fish to the net
your hands and arms will be cramped and your brow sweated
up, and not from the sun! The next time that deep line goes
off you'll cry FISH ON, you'll see the rod double over and
proclaim "another Laker". Then the drag will start
singing and not stop. From the rod movement 
you
can see its not bottom but what is it? "KING" exclaims
your captain, you've just hooked into 15 to 30+ lbs. of pure
muscle!! Clearing a line or two while shouting orders to the
first mate, your captain and mate will position the boat and
you to most advantageously fight this brawny battler. 15 to
40 minutes later the captain going for the net signals the
fish is nearing. The "Oh my Gods" and "Holy
S----'s" from the rest of your party affirm the captains
actions. "Easy", "gently", "not quick,
smooth and steady", the captain offers advice and then,
all pull disappears from the rod. The fish is in the net and
"Ooo's and Ahhh's" guide the fish into the cooler.
"Just bend his tail", "he'll fit", even
though it's a 40" wide cooler. 
Mid-August
to Late September- While the off-shore fishing remains good
those brutes called "Kings" are now answering natures
call to reproduce and are headed back to the harbors and rivers
where their introduction to this Lake Michigan began. After
"staging" off the area where they were planted,
they are now entering their "home" river to complete
their life cycle. Traveling upstream to spawn and then eventually
die, this is the one time of the year when enormous numbers
of mature Chinook Salmon are concentrated in a very small
area. Far from "shooting fish in a barrel", they
are still not a pushover to catch. They are no longer feeding,
now their only focus is to reproduce. We catch these fish
by eliciting from them a "reactionary strike", maybe
their maddened by the passing lure or maybe they are just
moving it away from their "bed", an area they have
chosen to lay their eggs. Whatever the reason, 15 to 30+ lbs.
of enraged fish in a confined area will test your tackle and
crew to the limit. 