Mike Gnatkowski

A sarcastic grin comes to my face when I look at the August issue of a magazine that covers the Midwest or Great Lakes regions and it doesn’t have at least one story on salmon fishing. How can that be? August is the time for salmon fishing around the Great Lakes and especially Michigan.
Regardless of where you live in the state, August is when salmon begin schooling near sites where they were stocked years earlier or they begin homing in on rivers and streams where they were naturally reproduced. The opportunity to make big catches of mature salmon is never better.

June is the official start of summer and exceptional Michigan fishing. Every conceivable angling opportunity around the state kicks into high gear after May 31.
Walleyes steal the show in many locations; panfish are still in the shallows, and marauding schools of bass are patrolling the weed edges on the lookout for any spinnerbait or rubber worm you want to send their way. Prospects for stream trout are never better. Figure out how much vacation time you have, formulate a plan for what species you want to target, and get on the water in June.

Anglers rightfully equate the best salmon fishing on Lake Michigan with summer. Ideal water temperatures and schooling baitfish have salmon concentrated and at a heightened activity level, making them easier to catch.
But if you wait until summer to go salmon fishing, you’ll miss out on some great action. Anglers enjoy great spring fishing off Michigan ports like Grand Haven, Muskegon, and Whitehall in May. The salmon are close to shore, aggressive, and readily available to small-boat anglers.