Lake Michigan Chicago Fishing Report Today

Name’s Artificial Lure, checking in with your Lake Michigan Chicago fishing report.

We’ve got a cool, stable early‑summer pattern on the Big Lake this morning. Air temps around the city are starting in the upper 50s to low 60s with an afternoon climb into the 70s under partly cloudy skies and a light west to northwest breeze. The National Weather Service is calling for waves 1 to 3 feet along the Chicago shoreline, so small boats and kayaks are workable, but keep an eye on that afternoon chop. Humidity is moderate, visibility good.

According to timeanddate’s Chicago data, sunrise is right around 5:15 a.m. with sunset near 8:25 p.m., giving us a long prime window. Low‑light bites have been best: first two hours after sunrise and the last two before dark. Midday has been slower unless you’re fishing deeper water off the breaks or harbor mouths.

Lake Michigan isn’t tidal like the ocean, but we do get seiche‑driven water level swings and wind‑driven currents. With the light northwest flow, expect slightly clearer water pushed toward the Indiana side and a bit of stain hanging around the downtown and Montrose stretches, especially near river discharges. That stain has been helping the salmon and trout bite close to shore.

Recent reports from local charter captains out of Burnham and Diversey harbors show solid mixed‑bag action in 50–120 feet: good numbers of coho, a few chunky kings, and some lake trout. Most boats are boxing 10–20 fish on a decent morning run with coho making up the bulk. Lakefront anglers on the piers have seen scattered coho and steelhead, plus smallmouth bass and perch when they can find schools.

For salmon and trout, the best producers have been bright spoons and standard Lake Michigan trolling spreads: orange and red‑dodger peanut flies for coho, green‑glow and blue‑silver spoons for kings, and white or chartreuse spin‑n‑glos near bottom for lakers. Shore casters should throw medium Krocodile‑style spoons, Little Cleos, and size 9–11 jerkbaits in white, chrome, and clown patterns. Low light and overcast: lean on glow and chartreuse. When the sun’s high, go more natural—silvers and blues.

Smallmouth around the rock piles and harbor mouths have been chewing tube jigs in green pumpkin and goby patterns, as well as Ned rigs and drop‑shot rigs with 3–4 inch minnow imitations. Live leeches and shiners under a slip float are hard to beat if you’re not throwing artificials. Perch action has been spotty but when they’re in, pieces of soft shell, minnows, or small plastics on drop‑shot rigs will put fish in the bucket.

Two hot spots to circle:

- **Montrose Harbor and the adjacent pier**: good access to mixed depth, rock structure, and current seams. Salmon and trout early and late, with smallmouth and the occasional perch school during the day.

- **Burnham Harbor and the outer breakwall near the museum campus**: consistent salmon trolling lanes, plus inside‑harbor bass action on tubes and finesse rigs along the rocks and weed edges.

Overall fish activity is moderate to strong in the low‑light windows, tapering in the afternoon. If you’re heading out, travel light, keep moving until you find bait on the graph or bird activity on the surface, and match your lure colors to the water clarity.

Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a report.

This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn

Name’s Artificial Lure, checking in with your Lake Michigan Chicago fishing report.

We’ve got a cool start along the lakefront with light winds and a gentle chop, building to a moderate onshore breeze by midday and laying back down toward evening. Skies are partly cloudy with good visibility. According to the National Weather Service forecast for the Chicago lakeshore, temps run in the comfortable zone today, cool near the water in the morning, warming into the 70s later with no serious storms expected. That sets up a very fishable day, especially around low-light windows.

According to time-and-date style almanac data for Chicago, sunrise is right around 5:15 a.m. and sunset about 8:25 p.m., giving a long feeding window. Expect the strongest bites in the first two hours after sunrise and the last two before sunset, with a midday lull unless cloud cover thickens. Lake Michigan doesn’t have true tides like an ocean, but the local “seiche” and wind-driven water movement will matter. With a light to moderate east or northeast breeze, look for a bit of current pushing into harbors and along the piers, which often turns the bite on.

Recent reports from Chicago-area anglers’ groups and local tackle shops around Montrose, Belmont, and Diversey have been showing mixed bags: good **coho salmon** still roaming, a few **chinook** early and late, solid **smallmouth** on the rocky structure, plus **sheepshead**, **white bass**, and plenty of **gobies** pecking at the bottom. Pier and harbor regulars have been bringing in coho limits on the better mornings, with salmon averaging 2–5 pounds and an occasional bigger king mixed in. Smallmouth catches have been steady, with lots of 12–16 inch fish and the odd bruiser over 18 inches taken off the rocks.

For **salmon and trout** from shore, stick with:

- Bright spoons in silver/green or silver/blue

- Crankbaits and stickbaits in natural alewife patterns

- Float rigs with medium shiners or spawn sacs when the water’s a bit stained

Boat anglers running out of Chicago and Wilmette have been doing well with:

- Orange and green dodger–fly combos

- Thin trolling spoons in orange, UV, and glow patterns

- Flasher flies 30–80 feet down, targeting temperature breaks

For **smallmouth bass** along the rocks:

- Ned rigs in green pumpkin or goby colors

- Tubes in brown, green, and copper flake

- Small swimbaits and jerkbaits in natural shad or smelt patterns

Live bait like leeches and fathead minnows under a slip float has been deadly when the bite gets finicky, especially inside harbors and along the calmer walls.

Two hotspot suggestions for today:

- **Montrose Harbor & Montrose Horseshoe**: Classic Chicago setup. Work the inside harbor walls for smallmouth and panfish with finesse plastics and live bait. Then slide out along the horseshoe and the outer pier at first light or last light for salmon with spoons and crankbaits. Watch the gulls and bait flicking on the surface to dial in the most active pockets.

- **Burnham Harbor & Northerly Island wall**: Great mix of access and structure. Hit the riprap and points for smallies and the occasional pike with tubes and swimbaits. When there’s a bit of wind pushing in, run spoons or live bait under a float along the outer wall for coho and the odd steelhead.

From a local’s perspective: travel light, keep a couple of rod combos rigged—one for bottom or finesse, one for casting hardware—and stay mobile. If you don’t see bait or feel a bump in 20 minutes, slide down the wall or hop to the next corner. The guys who move today will out-fish the ones planted in one spot.

That’s your Lake Michigan Chicago fishing check-in from Artificial Lure. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a report.

This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn

**Artificial Lure** here with your Lake Michigan, Chicago fishing report.

No tide change to worry about on Lake Michigan, but the wind and current are the real game today. For this morning in Chicago, expect a cool start with a strengthening lake breeze, and that usually means better action near current breaks, harbor mouths, and shoreline structure once the sun gets up. Sunrise is early enough to kick-start the bite, and sunset will give you another strong window this evening.

Right now, the most reliable action around Chicago has been **coho salmon**, **rainbow trout**, and an occasional **brown trout** along the lakefront and near the harbors. Reports from recent days have also mentioned mixed catches of **smallmouth bass** tight to rocks and breakwalls, plus scattered **sheepshead** and **yellow perch** in the calmer water. The best numbers lately have come on the cooler dawn bite, with fish moving shallow early and sliding deeper as the day brightens.

For **lures**, the hot tickets are still spoons, small crankbaits, and bright inline spinners for the trout and salmon bite. If you’re working the shoreline or harbors, a silver, green, or orange spoon can be deadly when fish are chasing. For bass, throw tubes, soft plastics, or small swimbaits around the rocks and riprap. If you want a more natural presentation, a slip sinker rig with **nightcrawlers** or **cut bait** can still put fish in the boat when the bite gets finicky.

For **bait**, the standouts are **spawn sacs**, **nightcrawlers**, and **cut alewife or minnows** where legal and practical. Anglers targeting salmon and trout near the river mouths and harbor edges often do best with bait fished slow and close to the bottom, especially if the water has a little color to it. Perch anglers should stick with small pieces of worm or minnow on light tackle.

A couple of **hot spots** to check:

- **Montrose Harbor and the nearby lakefront structure**

- **The Chicago River mouth and the breakwalls around the harbor entrances**

Those spots tend to concentrate bait, and where the bait goes, the fish usually follow. Early and late are your best bets, especially before boat traffic and sun get heavy.

If you’re heading out, start shallow, watch for bait flipping on the surface, and be ready to move if the fish aren’t showing in the first hour. A slow, steady retrieve is often better than burning lures through cold water, and a little patience around the structure can pay off fast.

Thanks for tuning in, and be sure to subscribe. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn

This is Artificial Lure with your Lake Michigan Chicago fishing report.

We’re sitting on a cool, early‑summer pattern along the Chicago lakefront. Skies are mostly clear with a light west to northwest breeze and air temps starting in the low 60s, pushing into the low 70s by afternoon. Water temps along the downtown and North Side piers are hovering in the mid‑50s to around 60, still on the cool side but stable. With no real tidal swing on the lake, water level changes are minimal; what matters is wind direction. A west or northwest wind today should keep the water a touch clearer and push warmer surface water tight to the rocks.

Sunrise is right around 5:15 a.m. with sunset close to 8:25 p.m., so you’ve got a long light window. The best bites have been in the first two hours after sunrise and again the last 90 minutes before dark, especially on the calm or lightly ruffled stretches of shoreline. Midday has been slower unless there’s solid cloud cover.

Recent action has been a mixed bag but good for June. Shore anglers have been picking up **coho salmon** and a few bonus **chinook** off Montrose and Belmont on smaller spoons and crankbaits, with fish mostly in that 2–6 pound range. Brown trout are still hanging around the harbors and inside breaks, but numbers are thinning; early‑morning slip bobbers with live minnows are taking the better browns.

The **smallmouth bass** bite is ramping up on rock structure from Calumet up through Montrose. Lots of 12–16 inch fish, with occasional 18‑inchers. Work the edges of riprap, concrete walls, and any broken rock piles. Perch are spotty but starting to show more consistently near Navy Pier, 31st Street, and down by Calumet when the water isn’t too clear.

Best lures right now:

- For salmon and trout:

Small to medium spoons in silver/blue, silver/green, and orange‑accent patterns. J‑plugs and slim crankbaits in natural baitfish colors are producing on the outside of the harbor mouths and along the north‑facing walls.

- For smallmouth:

Ned rigs in green pumpkin, tubes in goby or dark melon, and 3–4 inch swimbaits in natural shad or smelt colors. A white or chartreuse spinnerbait slow‑rolled along the rocks will move bigger fish when there’s a little chop.

- For perch:

Sabiki or spreader rigs tipped with small pieces of soft shell, minnows, or gulp minnows. Keep your gear light and stay tight to bottom.

Best baits:

- Live shiners or fathead minnows under a slip float for browns and bonus coho around harbor mouths.

- Nightcrawlers or soft shell crawlers on a simple drop shot for perch and smallmouth.

- Fresh spawn sacs will still tempt trout early in the morning on the deeper walls, especially if the water has a touch of stain.

Couple of hot spots to circle today:

- **Montrose Harbor and the Montrose horseshoe**: Classic early‑summer mix. Cast spoons off the horseshoe for coho and the occasional king at first light, then slide inside and work Ned rigs or tubes along the rocks for smallmouth once the sun gets up.

- **Belmont Harbor walls and pier heads**: Good shot at coho and browns on crankbaits and spoons during low‑light. Once the trout bite fades, switch to finesse plastics for bass along the inside walls.

If you’re looking to stay closer to downtown, the rock walls near Navy Pier and the Ohio Street beach area are holding smallmouth when the boat traffic is light. Down south, Calumet’s outer breakwalls are worth a look for mixed trout and salmon if the wind lets you fish safely.

That’s your Chicago lakefront rundown from Artificial Lure. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss the next report.

This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn

Artificial Lure here with your Lake Michigan Chicago fishing report.

We’re sitting on a cooler, breezy stretch of early June. Around the lakefront this morning, air temps ride the upper 50s to low 60s, pushing into the low 70s this afternoon with a light west-to-north breeze. Skies run partly cloudy with good visibility and only a slight shot at a brief shower. Sunrise hits a little after 5:15 a.m., sunset just before 8:30 p.m., giving you a long, workable light window. Being a Great Lake, there’s no real tide swing, so water levels are steady; boaters just need to watch wind-driven chop.

Nearshore water temps are generally in the low to mid‑60s, warming fastest inside harbors and along rock walls. That’s had the smallmouth bass bite picking up again on the Chicago cribs, Navy Pier, and the rocky stretches from Montrose down to Burnham. Shore anglers the last few days have been reporting mixed bags: smallmouth in the 1–3 lb class, plenty of rock bass, plus the odd bonus coho or lake trout when casting deeper edges off the piers.

Out deeper, trollers running 60–140 feet of water off Chicago and up toward Evanston have been doing well on coho and a few early‑summer kings. Crews are coming back with 5–15 fish boxes on good mornings: mostly coho in the 3–5 lb range, a couple of bigger kings, plus steelhead and lakers mixed in. The best action has been early, then again in the last two hours of light as the sun drops and the lake settles.

For lures, nearshore smallmouth have been chewing on natural‑colored tube jigs, 3–4 inch paddletail swimbaits, and Ned rigs in goby or green pumpkin patterns. A simple drop‑shot with live nightcrawlers or fathead minnows is still money for both bass and rock bass along harbor walls. If you’re chasing trout and salmon, run standard coho spreads: orange or red dodgers with small peanut flies or Howie flies in green and silver, plus a few thin‑profile spoons in orange, UV, and bloody nose patterns higher in the water column. Flatlines and planer boards with small stickbaits or thin minnows in firetiger and silver/black have also been producing.

A couple of hotspots to circle today:

– Montrose Harbor and the adjacent pier: great multi‑species action from the rocks, with smallmouth, rock bass, and some trout cruising the edges. Pack light tackle, bring both plastics and live bait, and work the transitions where rock meets sand.

– The 80–120 foot band off the Chicago skyline: if you’ve got a boat, point the bow east out of Burnham or Monroe and set your spread. Work north–south troll lines until you mark bait and hooks, then stay on them. Early morning surface‑to‑30‑feet has been strong for coho; as the sun climbs, drop a few lines deeper for kings and lakers.

Fishing pressure has been moderate, so if you hit it at first light or slip out for the evening bite, you can still find some elbow room. Just remember to keep an eye on the wind; a quick north blow can stack some surprising chop against the concrete.

That’s the rundown from the big pond. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a report.

This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn

This is Artificial Lure with your Lake Michigan Chicago fishing report.

We’re in a warm early‑summer pattern on the big lake. Overnight temps slid through the low 60s, climbing toward the mid to upper 70s this afternoon with light southwest wind early, building to a breezy chop later. Skies are partly cloudy with decent sunshine windows, and humidity is up just enough to make it feel sticky on the piers. Sunrise came early over the lake and sunset will stretch well into the evening, giving you a long, fishable day with prime low‑light windows at both ends.

Lake Michigan doesn’t have true tides, but we’re seeing the usual seiche‑driven water level bumps with the southwest wind pushing water around. That means you can expect slightly higher water and a bit more surge on the outer walls by midday. Early morning, water temps nearshore are hanging in the low to mid‑60s, cooler where there’s recent north wind or discharge.

Nearshore trout and salmon action has been solid. This past week, charter captains out of Burnham and Diversey have been putting good numbers of coho and a few chunky kings in the box in 60–120 feet of water, with bonus lake trout and the occasional steelhead. Coho are still the headliner, running eater‑size with some bigger fish mixed in. Kings are fewer but quality when they show. Lakers are steady on the bottom humps.

Best producers have been bright spoons and small flasher‑fly combos. Run orange and red‑dodger rigs with green or blue flies for coho, and larger silver or UV spoons for kings. Thin‑fin–style crankbaits and shallow‑running stickbaits in orange, firetiger, and chrome/blue are still taking fish higher in the column early and late. When the sun gets high, get your presentations down with dipsies and riggers.

From shore, the bite’s been a mixed bag but worth the effort. Perch reports are scattered; a few better catches have come from deeper bends and rock transitions rather than straight harbor walls. Minnows, soft‑shells when you can get them, and small pieces of shrimp on drop‑shot or simple bottom rigs are the go‑to. Downsized jigging spoons and tiny paddle‑tails in natural shad or gold can pick off the more aggressive fish.

Smallmouth bass around the Chicago lakefront structure have been active in that low‑light window. Rocks, pier corners, and current edges are holding fish. Ned rigs, 3–4 inch tubes in green pumpkin, and small swimbaits have been doing work. If you like power fishing, squarebill crankbaits ticking the rocks and 1/4‑ounce spinnerbaits in white or white/chartreuse are classic producers when there’s a bit of chop.

Couple of hot spots to circle today:

– Montrose Harbor and the adjacent horseshoe and outer wall. Good mixed bag potential: smallmouth along the rocks, a shot at perch, and occasional trout or salmon cruising the edges when the bait’s in. Work the inside early, then slide to the lake side as the sun climbs.

– Burnham Harbor and the mouth of the harbor. Inside walls for perch and panfish on live bait, outside rocks for smallmouth and the odd trout. If you can get out a bit deeper by boat, that 60–90 foot band off Burnham has been a consistent coho and laker zone.

For bait, keep it simple: fatheads or golden shiners, nightcrawlers for panfish and bass, and fresh spawn sacs if you’re targeting trout and salmon from shore. For artificials, think contrast: bright and flashy early and when it’s overcast, more natural chrome and shad tones as the sun gets high and the water clears.

That’s your Lake Michigan Chicago rundown from Artificial Lure. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a report.

This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn

Name’s Artificial Lure, checking in with your Chicago Lake Michigan fishing report.

We’ve got classic early‑June conditions on the big pond. Overnight air temps slid through the 60s, climbing into the low 70s this afternoon with light west to northwest winds and mostly clear skies. Nearshore surface temps are sitting in the upper 50s to low 60s, just warm enough to wake things up but still cool enough to keep the spring bite going.

Chicago doesn’t have real ocean tides, but we do get seiches and small water‑level swings. Today they’re minor, so focus more on wind direction and current lines than “tides.” West and northwest winds will keep the water fairly clear and push warmer surface water a bit offshore. Work the color changes where that clearer water meets any stained pockets near harbors and river mouths.

Sunrise came early and the low‑light window was money. Sunset will give you another prime feeding window; expect that last hour of light to fish just as well as dawn if the wind lays down.

Lake trout, coho, and a few steelhead have been the headliners for boat anglers running out of places like Burnham, Diversey, and Montrose. Charter captains have been reporting mixed bags of lakers and coho in 60–120 feet, with the better action on fish hugging the lower half of the water column. King salmon are around but spotty; you might pick one or two while working deeper spreads.

Best producers offshore have been:

- Spoons in green, blue, and UV patterns run on downriggers and leadcore.

- Flasher‑fly combos in white/green or white/blue.

- Small crankbaits and thin trolling plugs in orange or firetiger when coho are higher.

Closer to shore and from the piers, smallmouth bass and perch are the main game. Rock piles, breakwalls, and harbor mouths are holding bronzebacks, especially where there’s a mix of rock and sand. Fewer numbers but good size. Ned rigs in natural colors, 3–4 inch tubes in green pumpkin, and small swimbaits are putting fish in the net. Live shiners or fatheads under a slip float will out‑fish plastics when the bite gets finicky.

Perch action has been hit‑or‑miss but worth a look when the lake lays flat. Best baits are:

- Live minnows or soft shell crawlers on simple perch rigs.

- Small emerald‑shiner‑style soft plastics when minnows are tough to find.

Couple of local hot spots to circle:

- **Montrose Harbor and the horseshoe pier**: Good multi‑species zone. Early morning smallmouth along the rocks, with a shot at a bonus brown or coho cruising the outer wall if you run spoons or medium‑size cranks.

- **Burnham to Northerly Island shoreline**: Work the riprap and points with tubes and Ned rigs for bass. When the wind is light, you’ll also see roaming schools of perch—keep a sabiki or simple minnow rig handy.

As always on this lake, watch the marine forecast. Storms and wind shifts can blow in fast and turn a calm morning nasty in a hurry.

That’s your Lake Michigan Chicago update from Artificial Lure. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a report. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn

Name’s Artificial Lure, checking in with your Lake Michigan Chicago fishing report.

We’ve got a classic early‑June pattern on the big lake. Water temps along the Chicago shoreline are sitting in the upper 50s to low 60s, warming faster in the harbors and inside the breakwalls. Winds have mostly been light to moderate out of the north‑northeast and should lay down more by late morning, giving you manageable chop and decent clarity close to shore.

No real tide here on Lake Michigan, just seiche sloshing, but water levels have been stable, with a slight rise and fall on wind shifts. Sunrise is right around 5:15 a.m., sunset about 8:25 p.m., so you’ve got long low‑light windows to work with. Best activity has been first light to about 9 a.m., and then again the last two hours before dark, especially if clouds roll in.

Salmon and trout action offshore has been steady. Charter captains running out of Burnham and Diversey have been picking up mixed bags of coho, kings, and a few lake trout in 70–120 feet of water. The coho are still favoring bright orange and red dodger‑fly combos and small orange spoons, trolled 2.0–2.4 mph. Kings are coming a bit deeper on magnum spoons in green‑glow and UV patterns, plus flasher‑fly rigs in white‑green. Average catches have been 5–10 fish on decent mornings, more when the wind and temp breaks line up.

Closer to shore, smallmouth bass are the big story. Rock piles, crib structures, and the armor stone along the city front are holding good numbers. Plastics on light jigheads are doing work: green pumpkin tubes, goby‑style baits, and ned rigs in natural brown. Work them slow along bottom, especially around Montrose and the crib line. A lot of 14–18 inch fish being reported, with a few bruisers over 20.

Perch are spotty but worth the effort when you find a school. Navy Pier, the south side of Montrose, and the Calumet mouth have all kicked out keeper fish recently. Best bait has been soft‑shells when you can get them; otherwise minnows and red worms on simple drop‑shot or perch spreaders. Morning bite has been stronger; once the sun gets high, they slide off a little deeper, so bring enough weight to stay near bottom.

For multi‑species fun in the harbors—Burnham, Diversey, Montrose—float rigs with live minnows will draw perch, rock bass, and the occasional smallmouth. Nightcrawlers on simple bottom rigs are still catching freshwater drum and catfish along the inner walls and slips.

If you’re throwing artificials from shore and want to cover water, tie on:

- 3–4 inch swimbaits in smelt or alewife colors

- Small silver or blue spoons

- White or chartreuse inline spinners on overcast days

Two hot spots to circle on your map:

- Montrose Harbor and the adjacent pier and rocks: early‑morning smallmouth on tubes and ned rigs, plus roaming coho just outside the harbor mouth when bait shows.

- Calumet River mouth and nearby breakwalls: perch and mixed bag on live bait, with a shot at shallow‑running coho and the odd brown trout on small jointed crankbaits and spoons.

Keep an eye on the wind; if it swings around and stacks warm water on the city side, that nearshore bite can light up in a hurry. On flat, sunny days, drop a size on line and go more natural on colors.

That’s your Chicago lakefront report from Artificial Lure. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss the next update.

This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn

This is Artificial Lure with your Lake Michigan Chicago fishing report.

We’ve got a classic early‑June setup on the big lake. A cool start, light to moderate west and northwest winds, and small chop along the Chicago shoreline. Air temps climb through the 60s into low 70s with partly cloudy skies and only a slight chance of a brief shower. Pressure is steady to slightly rising, which usually keeps fish predictable and on the chew through the morning.

Sunrise is right around 5:15 a.m. local, with sunset near 8:25 p.m., giving you a long light window. Low‑light periods are still the prime bite: first two hours after sunrise and the last two hours before dark.

Lake Michigan isn’t tidal like the ocean, but we do get seiche and wind‑driven level changes. With today’s west and northwest breeze, expect slightly lower water along the Chicago side and a firmer, more defined breakline just off the piers and harbor mouths. That sets up nicely for salmonids and smallmouth to pin bait against structure.

Recent reports from local anglers and shop chatter around Montrose and Diversey have coho salmon still hanging around in good numbers, with a mix of smaller kings and a few bigger lake trout deeper off the breaks. Shore casters have been seeing steady action at dawn tossing spoons and crankbaits, while boaters trolling 40–80 feet down over 80–140 feet of water are putting decent boxes together.

In the harbors and along rock walls, smallmouth bass activity is picking up as water creeps through the 50s and into the low 60s in the shallows. Guys walking the rocks at Burnham, 31st Street, and Navy Pier have reported solid mixed bags of smallmouth and rock bass, with an occasional bonus brown trout early.

Best lures right now for salmon and trout:

- Bright casting spoons in orange, green, and chartreuse patterns

- Size 9–11 minnow baits in natural alewife or blue‑silver

- For trollers, standard and mag spoons in orange/UV, plus small flasher‑fly combos in green and white

For smallmouth:

- 3–4 inch tube jigs in green pumpkin or goby colors

- Ned rigs with natural‑tone plastics

- Small paddle‑tail swimbaits on light jigheads for covering water

- On calmer, sunny afternoons, finesse drop‑shot rigs with goby‑style baits

Best bait:

- Spawn sacs and skein for trout and salmon under a float near harbor mouths

- Golden shiners or fathead minnows on slip‑floats around the rocks for mixed species

- Nightcrawlers drifted near the bottom will still catch just about anything this time of year

A couple of hotspot suggestions:

Montrose Harbor and the adjacent pier:

Good mix of shore‑accessible coho, the odd king, lake trout out deeper, and smallmouth along the rocks. Work the outer pier at first light with spoons, then slide into the harbor mouths with live bait or jigs as the sun gets higher.

Burnham Harbor and 31st Street rocks:

Great stretch for smallmouth right now. Walk the riprap with tubes and Ned rigs, focusing on transitions in rock size, current seams from boat traffic, and any warm‑water pockets. Early morning and late evening have been the most consistent, but a light breeze and some cloud cover can extend the bite.

If you’re boating, setting up just off the city in 90–130 feet and trolling a spread of spoons at staggered depths is a strong play. Watch your graph for bait pods and temp breaks; when you mark consistent arcs at a certain depth, park a couple of rods there and work that line.

That’s your Lake Michigan Chicago fishing rundown from Artificial Lure. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a report.

This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn

This is Artificial Lure with your Lake Michigan Chicago fishing report.

We’ve got a cool, early‑season pattern hanging on the big lake. Along the downtown and North Side shoreline, winds have been mostly light to moderate out of the north‑northeast, keeping nearshore water a little chilly but pretty clean. Air temps are riding in the 60s along the water, with a mix of cloud cover and sun breaks, and only a light chop on most piers and harbor mouths.

Lake Michigan’s a freshwater inland sea, so no true tides, but you will see seiche swings and slight water‑level changes with the wind. That north‑northeast push has been stacking a bit more water and bait against the Chicago shoreline, especially around harbor mouths and the concrete walls with deeper water close in.

Sunrise is right around 5:15 a.m., with sunset about 8:25 p.m., so you’ve got a long prime window. Best bite has been classic low‑light: first two hours after sunrise and the last two before sunset. Midday is slower unless you’re fishing deeper water or shaded structure.

Harbors and nearby lakefront have been putting out a mixed bag. Perch are spotty but definitely around: smaller schools sliding in and out of Montrose, Diversey, and up toward Belmont. Most fish are in the 8–10 inch range with an occasional bigger slab. Fathead minnows on a drop‑shot, small crappie rigs tipped with pieces of nightcrawler, or soft plastic minnows in natural shad and smelt colors are doing the work. Keep your presentations tight to the bottom and around any rock or crib structure.

Coho and a few bonus kings are still in play for boaters running just off the Chicago and Wilmette lines. Most of the chatter has limits or near‑limits of coho coming on small orange and red dodgers with peanut flies in green, blue, and chartreuse, 15–40 feet down over 60–90 feet of water. A few lake trout mixed in, mostly deeper and hitting spoons run close to bottom. Trollers running standard spoons in silver/blue, silver/orange, and UV patterns have been connecting when the flies slow down.

Shore anglers are picking off occasional trout and salmon off Montrose and Navy Pier with casting spoons and crankbaits. Think 3/4‑ounce silver and blue, glow‑white, or firetiger spoons, along with size 10–12 jerkbaits in natural smelt patterns. Work a slow, steady retrieve with a few pauses; the water’s still cool enough that they’ll track a bait a long way.

Smallmouth bass action is building along rock edges and harbor walls. Fish are running mostly 12–16 inches, with a few bigger bronzebacks showing. Ned rigs in green pumpkin, tubes in goby and alewife tones, and small swimbaits have been hot. If the wind muddies things up, switch to something with a bit more thump—small chartreuse spinnerbaits or paddle tails.

Live bait: minnows and nightcrawlers remain the best all‑around options. For perch and panfish, keep the rigs light and the hooks small. For smallmouth, a lively shiner under a slip float, set just off bottom along the rocks, can be deadly in the low‑light windows.

Today’s hot spots:

- **Montrose Harbor and the outer wall**: perch near the rocks and occasional trout/salmon for casters. Work the corners where the current wraps.

- **Belmont Harbor mouth and nearby rock shoreline**: good shot at smallmouth, with roaming schools of perch sliding through. Fan‑cast Ned rigs and tubes along the breaks.

If you’re heading out, pack a mix of small spoons, peanut flies, natural‑color plastics, and live bait. Stay mobile: ten yards can be the difference between dead water and a school of active fish.

Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe for more local fishing reports and tips.

This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn