Episode Details
Back to Episodes
Title: Chicago's Lakeshore Fishing Report: Coho Salmon, Browns, and Late Steelhead on the Bite
Published 1 year ago
Description
This is Artificial Lure with your Lake Michigan Chicago fishing report for April 16th, 2025.
We woke up to a mild, partly cloudy spring morning in Chicago. The thermometer started around 42 degrees and should hit the mid-50s by afternoon. Winds are light out of the south-southeast at about 7 mph, giving us calm water—ideal for both shore and boat fishing. Sunrise was at 6:30 AM and sunset will be at 7:28 PM, so the golden morning and evening hours are primed for success. While Lake Michigan doesn’t have real tides, wind-driven currents and temperature breaks are definitely the keys to finding fish right now. Water temps are holding in the 38 to 42 degree range, perfect for trout and salmon action along the city’s lakeshore[4].
This week the main story has been coho salmon. Anglers at Montrose Harbor and Navy Pier are landing steady numbers of coho in the 2-4 pound range, often filling daily limits. Browns are also in play, with a few fat ones up to 8 pounds reported, especially near warm water outflows and industrial shorelines. There are still some late steelhead in the tributaries, with fish running 26 to 30 inches turning up in the deeper river holes[4][1][3].
Best baits for coho right now are body baits like Thin Fins, Rapalas, and Berkley Flicker Shads in flashy silver, green, or blue patterns. Spoons, especially Little Cleos in silver or blue, are also hot from shore. For browns, try those same spoons or switch to Rapala Husky Jerks and Jointed Minnows in brown trout, gold, or perch colors. Steelhead chasers should drift spawn sacs or beads under floats in harbors and the lower reaches of the local rivers. If you like experimenting, minnowbaits like Storm Thundersticks are working well, and don’t overlook a simple white jig tipped with a Gulp minnow for a subtle approach[4][6][10].
Recent catches have mostly been coho and browns, but a few steelhead are still in the mix. Perch fishing has been slow from the boats, and bass season remains catch-and-release only until later in the spring[3][7].
A couple hot spots for today: Montrose Harbor and Navy Pier are your best bets for coho and browns. If you’re after steelhead, Trail Creek and the Little Calumet River are still holding a few late spawners near bridges and deeper pools[4].
Overall, it’s shaping up to be a banner spring for Chicago’s lakeshore anglers. Remember, check your 2025 license before heading out. Tight lines out there on the lake—go hook ‘em!
This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
This episode includes AI-generated content.
We woke up to a mild, partly cloudy spring morning in Chicago. The thermometer started around 42 degrees and should hit the mid-50s by afternoon. Winds are light out of the south-southeast at about 7 mph, giving us calm water—ideal for both shore and boat fishing. Sunrise was at 6:30 AM and sunset will be at 7:28 PM, so the golden morning and evening hours are primed for success. While Lake Michigan doesn’t have real tides, wind-driven currents and temperature breaks are definitely the keys to finding fish right now. Water temps are holding in the 38 to 42 degree range, perfect for trout and salmon action along the city’s lakeshore[4].
This week the main story has been coho salmon. Anglers at Montrose Harbor and Navy Pier are landing steady numbers of coho in the 2-4 pound range, often filling daily limits. Browns are also in play, with a few fat ones up to 8 pounds reported, especially near warm water outflows and industrial shorelines. There are still some late steelhead in the tributaries, with fish running 26 to 30 inches turning up in the deeper river holes[4][1][3].
Best baits for coho right now are body baits like Thin Fins, Rapalas, and Berkley Flicker Shads in flashy silver, green, or blue patterns. Spoons, especially Little Cleos in silver or blue, are also hot from shore. For browns, try those same spoons or switch to Rapala Husky Jerks and Jointed Minnows in brown trout, gold, or perch colors. Steelhead chasers should drift spawn sacs or beads under floats in harbors and the lower reaches of the local rivers. If you like experimenting, minnowbaits like Storm Thundersticks are working well, and don’t overlook a simple white jig tipped with a Gulp minnow for a subtle approach[4][6][10].
Recent catches have mostly been coho and browns, but a few steelhead are still in the mix. Perch fishing has been slow from the boats, and bass season remains catch-and-release only until later in the spring[3][7].
A couple hot spots for today: Montrose Harbor and Navy Pier are your best bets for coho and browns. If you’re after steelhead, Trail Creek and the Little Calumet River are still holding a few late spawners near bridges and deeper pools[4].
Overall, it’s shaping up to be a banner spring for Chicago’s lakeshore anglers. Remember, check your 2025 license before heading out. Tight lines out there on the lake—go hook ‘em!
This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
This episode includes AI-generated content.