Lake Michigan Outdoor Fishing Report - June 20, 2022

Yellow Perch caught by a young angler in Little Sturgeon Bay. This fish measured in at 15-inches long and 1.9-pounds!

Generally, fishing reports will be updated once per week, usually on Tuesdays. This may change based on the availability of reports and the work schedules of field staff.

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.

Information for 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, marinas, etc.

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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.

• Green Bay Fishing Report
• Southern Lake Michigan Fishing Report
• Northern Lake Michigan Fishing Report

June 20, 2022: Green Bay / Peshtigo Area Fishing Report

Fox River: 

• Fox River Shore anglers:  Shore anglers reported success catching yellow perch, white bass, catfish, sheepshead, carp, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, rock bass, and round gobies. These species were all caught on nightcrawlers. White colored soft plastics were also successfully used to catch smallmouth bass. White bass and sheepshead were also caught using minnows, and the catfish were also successfully caught using minnows and shrimp.
• Fox River Boat anglers:  Many of the boats on the Fox River this week were non-angler pleasure boaters. The boat anglers this week caught white bass on crankbaits. They also reported catching yellow perch, walleyes, and sheepshead on nightcrawlers. The perch and walleye fishing has been a bit tougher this week at all of the launches. The water temperature was reported to be around 73- to 75-degrees Fahrenheit.

East Shoreline of Green Bay:

Bown County

• Bayshore Park: There was limited fishing activity observed most of the week due to storms and windy conditions. The fishing activity picked up later in the week. Boating anglers were targeting walleye and perch. The boating anglers that were targeting walleye had success using hair jigs, live minnows on slip bobbers, crawler harnesses, and flicker minnows fishing from around 12 to 24 feet deep. The number of reported walleyes caught per boat ranged from 0 to 13 fish. The sizes of the walleye kept ranged from 15.5 to 18.5 inches long. A boating angler targeting perch caught two perch using live nightcrawlers fishing from around 12 to 15 feet deep. There were limited shore anglers observed and no reported catches. The reported water temperature was between 65 to 68 degrees.  

Door County

• Chaudoir’s Dock: There was limited fishing activity observed most of the week due to storms and windy conditions. Boating anglers were targeting walleye and perch. One boating angler caught two walleyes by trolling a crawler harness. Boating anglers targeting perch had success using live minnows and worms. The number of reported perch caught per boat ranged from 1 to 15 fish. The sizes of the perch kept ranged from 7.7 to 11.5 inches long. The reported water temperature was between 63 to 72 degrees throughout the week.   
• Little Surgeon Bay: There was limited fishing activity observed most of the week due to storms and windy conditions. Boating anglers were targeting smallmouth bass and perch. A boating angler that was targeting smallmouth bass had the best success using dark green plastic tubes fishing from 4-8 feet deep. The angler reported catching 17 smallmouth bass.  The boating anglers that were targeting perch had success using live minnows and nightcrawlers. The number of reported perch caught per boat ranged from 1 to 20 fish. The sizes of the perch kept ranged from 6.7 to 15 inches long. One young angler caught a 2-pound pound perch that was 15 inches long. The reported water temperature later in the week was between 62 to 65 degrees.      
• Sawyer Harbor: There was limited fishing activity observed most of the week due to storms and windy conditions. Boating anglers were targeting smallmouth bass using plastic tubes, ned rigs, and Berkley PowerBaits fishing from 10 to 15 deep. The reported number of smallmouth bass caught per boat ranged from one to eight fish. The reported water temperature later in the week was around 63 degrees.  

West Shoreline of Green Bay:

Brown County

• Metro Boat Launch: Many of the boats at this boat launch were non-angler pleasure boaters. The boat anglers this week caught walleye, white perch, and sheepshead. These were all caught primarily on crankbaits. Pink was reported to be an effective color this week. The water temperatures on the bay near the mouth of the river was reported to be around 68- to 71-degrees Fahrenheit. One of the walleyes caught this week was reported to be about 26 inches long.
• Suamico River:  Shore anglers reported catching largemouth bass and white bass using nightcrawlers. The largemouth bass was reported to be about 7 inches long. Boat anglers reported catching yellow perch, walleye, sheepshead, largemouth bass, white bass, and bowfin. The walleye, sheepshead, and white bass were caught on crawler harnesses and crankbaits. The yellow perch, largemouth bass, and bowfin were caught on minnows. Most of the yellow perch were about 8 inches with one being reported to be about 13 inches long. Orange was reported to be an effective color this week. Water temperatures were reported to be between 65- and 70-degrees Fahrenheit.
• Duck Creek: There were quite a few shore anglers along duck creek this week, but the shore anglers that were interviewed hadn’t had luck catching any fish. Boat anglers reported catching black crappies and rock bass on soft plastics. White and pink were reported to be effective colors this week.

Oconto County

• Geano Beach: Boat anglers reported catching yellow perch, walleyes, sheepshead, white bass, and white perch. The yellow perch was caught on nightcrawlers, and all of the other species were caught on both nightcrawlers and crankbaits. There did not appear to be a color preference this week. The walleyes were between 15.5 and 22 inches long. Water temperatures were reported to be between 64- and 70-degrees Fahrenheit.

• Fishing pressure picked up over the weekend with area ramps seeing high numbers of boats.  Walleye catches were on the rise over the weekend.  Anglers casting hair jigs and shiver minnows reported catching fish around weeds and rocks in water 8 to 12 feet deep.  A few yellow perch were being caught in the same areas as well also in shallow water of 3 to 4 feet around weeds.  Shore anglers at Oconto Park II were finding the bullheads to be very active along with the occasional northern pike and catfish.  Water temps were holding in the mid 60’s.

Marinette County

• Angler effort was rather low this week between the Menominee and Peshtigo Rivers.  Northern pike and smallmouth bass were biting the best on both rivers.  Walleye anglers were having a hard time finding cooperating fish.  Many anglers reported still finding lots of alewife at all the locations they were trying including the rivers and the bay.  Water temps were in the mid to low 60’s over the weekend.

June 20, 2022: Southern Lake Michigan Fishing Report

Kenosha County

• No report is available this week. Please check back again for more up-to-date information. Thank you.

Racine County

• No report is available this week. Please check back again for more up-to-date information. Thank you.

Milwaukee County

• No report is available this week.  Please check back again for more up to date information.  Thank You.

Ozaukee County

• Port Washington harbor and piers:  Water temperatures averaged between 48- and 55-degrees Fahrenheit this week.   Some anglers reported success with various trout near the South pier using alewives and various spoons.
• Port Washington Ramp:  This week produced good catches of coho and chinook salmon with some reports of rainbow and lake trout.    There’s been some impressive catches already for this time of year.  The largest coho in our survey this week weighted in at just shy of 10-pounds and was 29-inches long.  The largest Chinook this week was 21-pounds and 36-inches long.  Anglers reported success fishing between 140 and 350 feet of water on warmer days, and on the cooler days they spread out between 70 and 220 feet of water.  The most successful baits this week were spoons but anglers also caught fish on spin doctors, and various dodger/flasher/fly combos.

Sheboygan County

• Sheboygan Harbor and Piers:  Shore anglers fishing from either the south or north pier reported no catches this week.  The popular bait choices consisted of spoons, alewives and various jigs.  Water temperatures averaged between 48-58 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Sheboygan Ramps:  Good catches of Coho Salmon this week with some reports of Chinook Salmon, Lake Trout, and Rainbow starting to show up.  The largest Coho in our survey this week weighed in at 6-pounds and was 25.25-inches long.  Successful anglers were targeting areas between 80 and 280 feet on warmer days, while on cooler days they fished 100-320 feet.  Orange dodgers with a peanut fly, various spoons and flasher fly combos all produced fish.
   

June 20, 2022: Northern Lake Michigan Fishing Report

Manitowoc County

• Anglers this week saw some success both on the shoreline and on the water. One contestant of the Wisconsin Carp Championship landed over a dozen carp in the East Twin River, and a recreational fisherman landed four carp in the West Twin days after the tournament. Surface temps on Lake Michigan have finally reached 50 degrees late in the week. However, bottom temperatures remain in the mid to low the 40s. The bite earlier in the week was slow, but this improved later in the week, as some anglers coming in off Lake Michigan at the Manitowoc Marina had some fish to take home with them. Saturday a king salmon, a couple of steelheads and a lake trout were all caught. Fishing will continue to get better as water temperatures rise.

Kewaunee County

• Kewaunee: Most anglers in Kewaunee were fishing from their boats with very few fishing from shore. Targeted fish species in the open water included brown trout, rainbow trout, lake trout, coho and chinook salmon. These boaters reported temperatures that ranged from 43 to 49 degrees Fahrenheit. With many boaters marking fish and bait balls, only one group was able to bring in a fish to be measured. One rainbow trout/steelhead was caught and recorded at 720 mm (~28.3 in) and 3.6 kg (~8 lbs). The depth of the bite was around 100 feet and was caught using a pink spoon.
• Algoma: Algoma had very low fishing pressure this week in part due to inclement weather which included a mix of rain and fog. This, in part, led to murky water clarity in Olsen Park. One angler fishing for smallmouth bass reported a depth of clarity of around 0.5 feet deep. Few fish were seen jumping on the surface as well.

Door County

• Sturgeon Bay: Sturgeon Bay’s shoreline saw anglers targeting primarily smallmouth bass, northern pike and walleye. From shore, water clarity was good ranging from about 4-5 feet. One angler was catching plenty of rock bass from shore. Boaters had lots of success when it came to smallmouth bass fishing. Soft plastics, purple and black in color, was the lure of choice for some of these anglers. Smallmouth bass were biting in 1 to 10 feet of water. Recorded water temperatures spanned from 56 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit with an average of around 60 degrees being most common. 
• Northern Door: Smallmouth bass remain the most targeted fish in Door County.  Most anglers fishing the Bay side landed 15-20 in a day, with many reported in the 3-5 pound range.  Ephraim and Sister Bay had the most action, and anglers there reported using a variety of lures from swim baits to tubes but more frequently drop-shots and Ned rigs.  Brighter colors were favored, including pink, yellow, and orange in addition to the more natural olives and greens.  Anglers that caught lower numbers reported targeting transition areas away from beds hoping to catch fish that were still cruising.  Some groups reported catching these casting crankbaits but most said the fish avoided their presentations.  These fish were reported to be smaller, around 1 pound or 12 inches.  Anglers commented that smallmouth are holding tight to beds throughout the Bay side.  Some anglers have started to catch bass from the marinas and piers using stickbaits or plastic worms.  Water temperatures vary by location and depth, but most shallow water was reported in the high 50s to low 60s and deeper spots in the mid to upper 50s.
• Anglers on the Lake side of Door County were focused on Rowleys Bay, and shallow water specifically. Anglers reported similar bedding activity with cruising fish harder to find and catch. Catches dropped over the weekend, but rain Saturday cooled water temps into the low 50s. Ned rigs and drop shots in natural colors were used most.