Episode Details
Back to Episodes
Lake Michigan Fishing Report - September 20, 2025: Salmon Run, Perch, and More for Chicago Anglers
Published 7 months, 1 week ago
Description
Artificial Lure coming to you live with your Lake Michigan, Chicago fishing report for Saturday, September 20, 2025. First light rolled in at 6:38 AM, and sunset will close the day at 6:55 PM. Out on the water, the latest National Weather Service bulletins say to expect southeast winds at 10 to 15 knots this morning, dropping to 5 to 10 knots as the day goes; waves are 2 to 4 feet early, settling to 1 to 3 feet by afternoon, with a few passing showers and perhaps a thunderstorm popping up later. It’s that unmistakable early fall feeling—humid, mild, with the lake clocking a water temperature right around 73°F according to watertemps.com.
Fish activity is on the upswing. According to Chicago Lake Michigan Daily Fishing Report and recent Indiana DNR updates, the salmon run is gathering steam. Kings are the stars right now, with a handful coming in at all Chicago ports. Along the deeper walls and river mouths, anglers are also picking up some coho and steelhead. Out on the lake, late season perch have started to cooperate—not huge numbers, but enough for a tasty fish fry. Smallmouth bass are still aggressive on the rock piles, and drum remain reliable for action. Pike and largemouth bass are showing up in the harbors too.
The best lures for salmon right now are glow spoons and deep diving crankbaits, especially early or late when light is low. If you’re searching for kings, also consider running skein under a bobber or behind a float near the breakwalls—classic Chicago setup. Coho and steelhead are being caught trolling dodgers with flies and small bright spoons. Perch are best targeted with minnows or small plastics tipped with waxworms. For smallmouth bass and drum, go with soft plastics, tube jigs, or live shiners worked along the rocks and drop-offs.
Hot spots this weekend:
- **Montrose Harbor wall**: Kings, coho, and the occasional steelhead have been landed here. Try both casting and float setups.
- **Burnham Harbor**: Smallmouth and largemouth are biting soft plastics near weed edges, especially close to the warm water outflow.
- **Jackson Park Inner/Outer Harbor**: Perch and drum mixed in, especially around the mouth and deeper holes.
Chicago’s river mouths—especially at the Chicago River and Calumet—are holding staging salmon, waiting for the next big rain to make their push up. The tributaries are running low and clear, so patience and drift techniques pay off. According to the Indiana Fishing Reports and local shop chatter, expect more king and coho action once that next cold front or rain moves through.
If you’re headed out tonight, bring rain gear and keep an eye on the radar. Evening showers could spark aggressive feeding, especially for the night owls working glow baits.
That’s the scoop for September 20, 2025. Get out there early, make sure to mix up your presentations, and keep your lines tight. Thanks for tuning in to your Lake Michigan fishing report. Be sure to hit subscribe to stay updated with the latest.
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.
Fish activity is on the upswing. According to Chicago Lake Michigan Daily Fishing Report and recent Indiana DNR updates, the salmon run is gathering steam. Kings are the stars right now, with a handful coming in at all Chicago ports. Along the deeper walls and river mouths, anglers are also picking up some coho and steelhead. Out on the lake, late season perch have started to cooperate—not huge numbers, but enough for a tasty fish fry. Smallmouth bass are still aggressive on the rock piles, and drum remain reliable for action. Pike and largemouth bass are showing up in the harbors too.
The best lures for salmon right now are glow spoons and deep diving crankbaits, especially early or late when light is low. If you’re searching for kings, also consider running skein under a bobber or behind a float near the breakwalls—classic Chicago setup. Coho and steelhead are being caught trolling dodgers with flies and small bright spoons. Perch are best targeted with minnows or small plastics tipped with waxworms. For smallmouth bass and drum, go with soft plastics, tube jigs, or live shiners worked along the rocks and drop-offs.
Hot spots this weekend:
- **Montrose Harbor wall**: Kings, coho, and the occasional steelhead have been landed here. Try both casting and float setups.
- **Burnham Harbor**: Smallmouth and largemouth are biting soft plastics near weed edges, especially close to the warm water outflow.
- **Jackson Park Inner/Outer Harbor**: Perch and drum mixed in, especially around the mouth and deeper holes.
Chicago’s river mouths—especially at the Chicago River and Calumet—are holding staging salmon, waiting for the next big rain to make their push up. The tributaries are running low and clear, so patience and drift techniques pay off. According to the Indiana Fishing Reports and local shop chatter, expect more king and coho action once that next cold front or rain moves through.
If you’re headed out tonight, bring rain gear and keep an eye on the radar. Evening showers could spark aggressive feeding, especially for the night owls working glow baits.
That’s the scoop for September 20, 2025. Get out there early, make sure to mix up your presentations, and keep your lines tight. Thanks for tuning in to your Lake Michigan fishing report. Be sure to hit subscribe to stay updated with the latest.
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.