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Chicago Lakefront Fishing Report: Perch, Salmon, and Bass on the Bite
Published 7 months, 2 weeks ago
Description
Hey anglers, this is Artificial Lure coming to you live on this Friday, September 12th, with your up-to-the-minute Lake Michigan fishing report, right out of Chicago.
Sunrise hit at 5:55am this morning and sunset’s expected at 6:09pm, so you’ve got a solid 12 hours and 14 minutes of daylight to chase a bite. The tidal situation is lively: we saw a high tide at 5:33am, a low at 11:42am, and another high rolling in around 5:53pm. Tidal coefficients are strong today—a 71 rating means brisk currents and some extra movement in the fish, especially around those changeover windows according to Tides4Fishing.
The weather’s been mild, with South winds picking up at 10–15 knots early and shifting to southeast at 5–10 knots by evening, keeping waves manageable at 1 to 2 feet along shore. Foggy conditions lingered west of the lake last night, and scattered clouds are expected through the day, with rain and T-storms likely pushing in overnight as per the National Weather Service marine forecast. Not much surf, so access and boat conditions are good for morning and evening runs.
In terms of fish behavior, big tidal shifts and stable summer water temps have the bite cranking up. Perch action has picked up near Navy Pier and Montrose Harbor—most are finding them stacked in 8 to 15 feet, especially tight to rock piles and docks. Minnows on slip bobbers and perch rigs are getting it done best. Anglers on the north side are reporting steady limits with some jumbos in the mix lately.
Salmon are beginning their seasonal push in from the lake, staging near river mouths and deeper harbor cuts. Cohos and some Kings are showing near Burnham and Diversey, with spoons, glow stick plugs, and bright moonshine patterns scoring strikes at dusk and dawn. Trollers working deeper water are getting action between 40 and 80 feet using salmon rigs tipped with herring or a small piece of skein. Scent matters right now.
Smallmouth bass are solid in the breakwalls and drop-offs off Jackson Park, with vertical jigs, medium-sized tube baits, and drop-shot rigs on live goby or worm profiles turning up quality catches. For shore anglers, green pumpkin or chartreuse soft plastics like the “Worm 6-1/4” are a good bet—change up with a purple flake if the water’s fouled according to Custom Jigs.
Walleye reports are thin but improving as water cools, with a few caught after dark from the downtown rock piles using crankbaits and crawler harnesses. Try slip bobber setups with leeches for bonus channel cats in slow water, especially after sundown.
Top baits on hand right now:
- Fathead minnows or soft plastic minnow imitations for perch
- Glow spoons, dodgers with flies, and herring strips for salmon
- Tube jigs, drop-shot worms, and live gobies for smallmouth
- Crawler harnesses and deep-diving crankbaits for walleye at dusk
Best hot spots:
- Montrose Harbor’s outer wall and nearby rocky pockets for perch and bass
- Navy Pier and Diversey for salmon staging, especially mornings and evenings
- 95th Street breakwall for a shot at mixed bag—perch, drum, and the occasional trout
Live bait’s always in play, but don’t overlook vertical jigging or trolling a bright spoon through current edges—those bigger tidal swings are pushing baitfish, and predator fish are in feeding mode.
That’s all for today’s Lake Michigan fishing report from Artificial Lure. Thanks for tuning in—tight lines, be safe out there, and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a bite! 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 content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
This episode includes AI-generated content.
Sunrise hit at 5:55am this morning and sunset’s expected at 6:09pm, so you’ve got a solid 12 hours and 14 minutes of daylight to chase a bite. The tidal situation is lively: we saw a high tide at 5:33am, a low at 11:42am, and another high rolling in around 5:53pm. Tidal coefficients are strong today—a 71 rating means brisk currents and some extra movement in the fish, especially around those changeover windows according to Tides4Fishing.
The weather’s been mild, with South winds picking up at 10–15 knots early and shifting to southeast at 5–10 knots by evening, keeping waves manageable at 1 to 2 feet along shore. Foggy conditions lingered west of the lake last night, and scattered clouds are expected through the day, with rain and T-storms likely pushing in overnight as per the National Weather Service marine forecast. Not much surf, so access and boat conditions are good for morning and evening runs.
In terms of fish behavior, big tidal shifts and stable summer water temps have the bite cranking up. Perch action has picked up near Navy Pier and Montrose Harbor—most are finding them stacked in 8 to 15 feet, especially tight to rock piles and docks. Minnows on slip bobbers and perch rigs are getting it done best. Anglers on the north side are reporting steady limits with some jumbos in the mix lately.
Salmon are beginning their seasonal push in from the lake, staging near river mouths and deeper harbor cuts. Cohos and some Kings are showing near Burnham and Diversey, with spoons, glow stick plugs, and bright moonshine patterns scoring strikes at dusk and dawn. Trollers working deeper water are getting action between 40 and 80 feet using salmon rigs tipped with herring or a small piece of skein. Scent matters right now.
Smallmouth bass are solid in the breakwalls and drop-offs off Jackson Park, with vertical jigs, medium-sized tube baits, and drop-shot rigs on live goby or worm profiles turning up quality catches. For shore anglers, green pumpkin or chartreuse soft plastics like the “Worm 6-1/4” are a good bet—change up with a purple flake if the water’s fouled according to Custom Jigs.
Walleye reports are thin but improving as water cools, with a few caught after dark from the downtown rock piles using crankbaits and crawler harnesses. Try slip bobber setups with leeches for bonus channel cats in slow water, especially after sundown.
Top baits on hand right now:
- Fathead minnows or soft plastic minnow imitations for perch
- Glow spoons, dodgers with flies, and herring strips for salmon
- Tube jigs, drop-shot worms, and live gobies for smallmouth
- Crawler harnesses and deep-diving crankbaits for walleye at dusk
Best hot spots:
- Montrose Harbor’s outer wall and nearby rocky pockets for perch and bass
- Navy Pier and Diversey for salmon staging, especially mornings and evenings
- 95th Street breakwall for a shot at mixed bag—perch, drum, and the occasional trout
Live bait’s always in play, but don’t overlook vertical jigging or trolling a bright spoon through current edges—those bigger tidal swings are pushing baitfish, and predator fish are in feeding mode.
That’s all for today’s Lake Michigan fishing report from Artificial Lure. Thanks for tuning in—tight lines, be safe out there, and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a bite! 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 content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
This episode includes AI-generated content.