Fishing_Content Page_Lake Michigan Outdoor Fishing Report

Lake Michigan Outdoor Fishing Report - May 18, 2026

Fishing Wisconsin

Generally, fishing reports will be updated weekly on Tuesdays. This may change based on the availability of reports and the field staff's work schedules.

Unless otherwise indicated, this fishing report information comes from our creel survey clerks, who work in the lakeshore areas from March through October and in the tributary rivers seasonally in spring and fall. Creel clerk schedules are random and vary in the days and times they are scheduled to be in a specific location. This allows us to generate statistically valid fishing efforts and harvest information.

The information in these reports is based on the days and times of the week that creel clerks are present. You can obtain additional fishing information by contacting local bait shops, charter captains, guides and marinas.

Reminder: Anglers must carry a paper copy of their license/stamps while fishing on Lake Michigan, Lake Superior and the Wisconsin/Michigan, Wisconsin/Minnesota and Wisconsin/Iowa boundary waters.

 

May 18, 2026: West Shore Green Bay Fishing Report

Brown County

Duck Creek: Both shore and boat anglers were out fishing on Duck Creek this week with all anglers targeting bass and panfish. Anglers reported poor catches for all species.

Fox River: Freshwater drum and white bass catches continued to climb this week, with reports of anglers catching flathead and channel catfish as well. Walleye catch was variable from day to day with some anglers catching good numbers of walleyes in the river. Few shore anglers were interviewed this week, and catch was highly variable depending on the day and was presumably tied to the multiple fronts moving through the area throughout the week. Water temperatures were in the upper 50s and lower 60s.

Suamico River: Numerous anglers and non-anglers utilized the Suamico River launch throughout the week, particularly on days with nice weather. Walleye fishing was good, particularly for the tournament anglers on Saturday. Water temperature was 53-58 degrees Fahrenheit.

Marinette County

Light fishing pressure was seen this week on the Menominee and Peshtigo rivers. A few walleyes were being caught in the Peshtigo on jig and crawlers. The best action on the Menominee was upstream around the Hwy. 41 bridge. Trolling crankbaits or crawler harnesses was working well. A few anglers were targeting musky in the Menominee River on the Michigan side as well. Fish were seen but not much was caught. Several windy days kept most boats off the bay this week. Water temps varied greatly from the upper 40s in the bay to the upper 50s in the rivers on the warm days.

Oconto County

Walleye anglers were catching fish this week especially out of the Pensaukee River ramp. There were lighter catches further north. The best presentations were trolling crawler harnesses in 5 to 12 feet of water. Anglers fishing the Oconto River were catching some smallmouth bass and a few walleyes casting jigs and plastics. Water temps were in the 50s but were up and down with the changing weather patterns.

Geano Beach: There was little fishing effort out of Geano Beach this week, particularly on days with strong winds. Those who did fish had mixed luck with walleyes, with the best reports coming from anglers trolling in shallow water. Water temperature was 53-58 degrees Fahrenheit. 

 

May 18, 2026: East Shore Green Bay Fishing Report

Bayshore Park: Heavy fishing pressure was observed on Saturday due to a walleye fishing tournament and limited to moderate fishing activity was observed the rest of the week. Anglers targeting walleye had the best success jigging hair jigs in around 15 feet of water near Red River County Park and Shoemaker Point. The water temperature ranged from 52 to 59 degrees Fahrenheit.

Eagle's Nest: Limited fishing activity was observed this week. Most of the boaters were recreational boaters and were not fishing. One angler reported having success catching walleye trolling flicker minnows near Dead Horse Bay. The water temperature was around 60 degrees Fahrenheit later in the week.

Chaudoir’s Dock: Limited to moderate fishing activity was observed this week. Anglers targeting walleye had the best success trolling flicker minnows and jigging hair jigs in water between 6 and 18 feet deep north of Chaudoir’s Dock. The water temperature was around 51 degrees Fahrenheit.

Little Sturgeon Bay: No report this week.

Sawyer Harbor: One angler reported catching 10 walleyes in water under 15 feet deep while fishing different shorelines using hair jigs. The water temperature was between 47 and 49 degrees Fahrenheit.

 

May 18, 2026: Northern Lake Michigan Fishing Report

Door County

Sturgeon Bay: Shoreline anglers and canal boaters were targeting smallmouth bass throughout the week. Most smallmouth bass boaters were fishing in 4 to 6 feet of water with brighter colored lures (orange/yellow) being preferred. Walleye and northern pike were also caught during the week. Walleye boaters were mainly fishing in 20 to 24 feet of water using hard plastics and northern pike boaters were typically in 12 feet of water using mostly soft plastics. Surface temperatures around Sturgeon Bay ranged from 48 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit with an average of about 52 degrees.

Kewaunee County

Algoma: Shoreline anglers fishing the Ahnapee River reported catching northern pike, smallmouth bass, and brown trout throughout the week. A mix of hard and soft plastics along with live bait was used for the pike and bass. Spoons were the preferred lure for brown trout. Water clarity was around 2 feet of visibility. Lake Michigan boaters were mainly targeting brown trout. Fish were marked as deep as 70 feet. Surface temperature average was about 46 degrees Fahrenheit.

Kewaunee: Pier anglers were after brown trout while shoreline anglers fishing the harbor were targeting common carp. Boaters on Lake Michigan were fishing for both brown trout and lake trout with catches reported in water just over 100 feet deep. Surface temperatures fell between 44 to 46 degrees Fahrenheit. 

 

May 18, 2026: Southern Lake Michigan Fishing Report

Kenosha County

Pier/Shore: Anglers along the shoreline continue to have mediocre success. A few Coho still pull in close enough to the ends of the piers while other anglers are seeing mostly catfish and bullhead along the mouth of the Pike River. 

Ramps: Fishing this week continued to be very good for Coho salmon. Many anglers were catching limits of Coho in 20-30 feet of water both out in front of the harbors and down by the water treatment facilities. A few Chinook salmon also made their way into the catch this week, however they were caught out near 140 feet of water. Bright colors had done best with orange and green being popular options this week.

Milwaukee County

With the increased turbidity (due to weather) close to shore, most fishermen saw increased hook-ups using lighter colored gear than the previous weeks. Coho were the most targeted and landed fish, but an increasing percentage of fishermen were also targeting Chinook salmon compared to the weeks prior. Fishermen were generally setting their tackle at 30-60 feet depths, although some reported having success setting tackle at 15 feet. Most commonly, boaters were using flasher flies with dodgers in light blue, blue/silver and light green colors. Some fishermen specifically targeting Chinook salmon reported spoons as the most effective lure.

North Milwaukee: In general, the higher winds of the last week created swell that impacted both people fishing from shore and from boats on the water. The swell made casting and bait presentation more difficult from piers and the shore, made people on boats in the water seasick and created lower visibility close to shore. The wind and wind-driven swell also concentrated debris at places like McKinley Pier and Ramp, which made things more difficult for shore fishers and boaters alike; boaters using the ramp needed to use more caution avoiding woody debris.

Shore/Piers: Shore fishermen were generally using KO Wobblers, Gulpers, waxies and tube jigs. The most common colors used were blue/silver and white. Most shore fishers were using shrimp as bait, usually in combination with tube jigs.

Ozaukee County

On Saturday, sunny conditions and warm weather brought in anglers from a variety of locations. Coho salmon were being harvested mostly from boat anglers with a few caught from the pier. Storms and fog contributed to low fishing effort and harvest on Sunday.

Racine County

Pier/Shore: The piers this week still brought in a few fish but have mostly dropped off. Many anglers come away empty handed while a few others catch one or two Coho salmon. Anglers on the pier are mostly using lures with a few still fishing with spawn. Success with either bait has been about the same.

Ramp: Coho fishing was at its peak this week. Tons of anglers came back with large quantities of Coho that were caught anywhere between 15-30 feet. Fishing has been nonstop success out of Racine. A wide variety of colors were used this week so it would seem almost anything is working.

Sheboygan County

Fishing effort was high Saturday from the pier. Many anglers were targeting Coho salmon. Little success took place from boaters. Fisherman from the pier had no success in harvest. On Sunday, fishing effort was extremely low due to storms throughout most of the afternoon. No fish were caught or harvested on Sunday.