Fourth of July Salmon in Saugatuck

[westrate]

July 3, 2006

Chinook salmon and steelhead in 90 to 140 foot of water are starting to produce some consistent catches. We have been taking from 6 to 20 fish this past week, depending on how many fish you lose. Some of the days you had to have 5 fish on to land one, however the fish where all good size (8 to 17 pounds) with some steelhead weighing in at 16 pounds. There is a great deal of bait and one of the salmon had 18 alewife in the stomach.

The most productive method was once again lead core (7 color), 300 foot of copper and 200 foot of copper. Raider Orange Crush, Crippled Alewife Easter Egg and the Yuck Frog were the most consistent lures on the long lines. Dipsy Divers at 100 ft. with wire and 200 foot with braid produced with mixed veggie and silver green Pro chip flasher and mirage fly. Downriggers produced sporadically at 40 to 80 foot with a variety of different lures.

With all the bait that is the 80 to 100 foot depth, the fish should hold in this area and, with all this bait, I think we should see some very large salmon by time the run starts mid August. Check back and keep track of the fishing in Saugatuck through out the year.