May is a Great time to fish. Nearshore temperatures have risen to the high 40’s to mid 50’s. The Rainbow Smelt have spawned and gone to deeper, colder water. They have been replaced by Billions and Billions of Alewives. We’ll mark many schools the size of your house on the Fishfinder. The St. Joseph Harbor Area is thick with King Salmon.

Thousands of Skamania Steelhead have left the St. Joseph River hungry after their Spring Spawning Run. They’ll move into Deeper, Colder 39-40 degree water to feed. While fishing an In & Out Troll frequently we’ll hit Steelhead on the outside turn. Quite often we’ll take half a dozen Skamania on a Trip.

His Big "Skamania Steelhead"

Lake Trout Season opens May 1. We take Lake Trout on every Trip. They prefer 47 degree water, but will chase down a bait fish to feed in 39. Lake Trout are normally caught near the bottom, but early season we’ll catch them near the surface on Bird Rods also. I’ve caught them on Dodger/Fly Rigs in the stained St. Joseph River Water that flows into Lake Michigan at the St. Joseph Pier Head. In May that water hold a lot of Bait.

During May King Salmon are so abundant their almost too easy to catch. If I set up the whole Program on Kings, it wouldn’t take long, and we’d have our 3/Angler Limit and have to quit. Michigan Law allows each Angler to take 5 Fish, but no more than 3 of any one Species. With Skamania Steelhead, Coho Salmon, and Lake Trout readily available I intentionally set the Program to catch the other Species along with the Kings.

Water Temperature, Depth, Bait Color, Bait Speed and Action, are all determining factors. Each Species has it’s own preferences.

First and Most Important is Water Temperature. King Salmon for example prefer 55 degrees water. That is their “Preferred Temperature Zone” to chase down a Baitfish and Feed. The combination of their Metabolism, Oxygen in the Water, and Nourishment they get from eating an Alewife determine this. They instinctively know if it’s beneficial for them to chase down and eat an Alewife in 45 or 65degree water. They can feel it.

If a King were to chase down an Alewife in 65 degree water it would exert a tremendous amount of energy, low Oxygen in the water, it would get “Temperature Stressed” It's about the same thing as a Marathon Runner running a Marathon in 90 degree Temp & 100% Humidity. The same thing happens if they try to feed in 45 degree water. They become lethargic, sluggish, slow, they’d have to really work hard to catch that Alewife Burn more energy than they’d obtain from eating an Alewife They instinctively make a decision if Bait is out of their “Preferred Temperature Zone” if it's worth their while. All fish do this Trout, Salmon, Blue Gills, and Bass.

Using the “Preferred Temperature Zones” for each of the 5 Species of Sportfish help me Find and Target each. Bear in Mind, all will leave their “Preferred Temperature Zone” if in their judgment “it’s an Easy (Worthwhile) Meal”. Through my experience I believe each Species “Preferred Temperature Zone is as follows:

That puts Skamania Steelhead in the Top Zone of our Fishing Program. King Salmon, Brown Trout, and Coho in the Middle, and Lake Trout in the Bottom Zone.

This is how it all works. The 2 outside Bird Rods have Lead/Core Line fishing 20-25’ down with my best Steelhead Spoons on them. There probably aren’t that many Steelhead in this “Inside Water” so I don’t want to make a big commitment unless we start taking them steadily.

The other 6 Bird Rods are my King Program. They are Lead/Core Rigs fishing 30-50’ down with good King Spoons. Kings are Skittish and Boat Shy, they don’t like bright sunlight. Even though we’re fishing a little under their “Preferred Temperature Zone”, we’ll get good action because their out & away from the boat, and down into a little darker water. I think the Kings will come easy, so I don’t commit too much of the Program to them.

The Boat Program is Targeting Lake Trout. The Riggers are fishing within 10’ of the bottom. I’m running a Rotator down the Shoot with 1 Spoon just below, and 1 just above on the Outdown Riggers. The Rotator will bring them in, and they’ll hit the Spoons because it looks like an “Easy Meal” compared to the fast moving Rotator & Fly. All 4 Dipsey Divers are fishing within 20’ of bottom, and away from the boat. Lake Trout like a bait with a lot of Action, at a slow speed. So I’ll adjust Lead Lengths to the Rotator and Fly to get the Action I want.

If I get the Lake Trout going and Kings are usually slow I would take the Rods not catching Trout and Switch Up to King Baits and move them up to the 30-50’ Middle Zone. If the Trout aren’t going, but we’re hitting Steelhead, I might run Steelhead Baits on the High Divers and get them up to where we’re taking fish. Or commit a couple more Bird Rods to Steelhead with more of the Bait that's working. I’ll Tweek my Program to it’s Maximum Fish Catching Potential trying to give my Clients the Best Chance for Success.

The other Important Factors I pay close attention to are Location, Depth of Water, Depth of Bait Color, Bait Speed and Movement, and Trolling Direction (Are we Trolling with the Current or against it). The Bites tell us “What the Fish Want”. I analyze this information as we fish, and use it to Tweek the Program.

Lake Michigan is becoming more reliably Fishable. The water is warming, the Early Spring Winds have Calmed. The Lake will be Fishable 80% of the Time. Bring a warm Jacket, Hat, and a Rain Coat in case of a short rain.

Limit Catches of King Salmon, Skamania Steelhead, and Lake Trout are Normal. May is the best time for beginners to fish. You’ll get several chances on the Rod, and if you loose one, BIG DEAL, we’ll have another going soon, so DON’T WORRY ABOUT IT. Great time to hone your skills on the Rod. Get ready for the Big Skamania Steelhead Run late June through July.