When most people think about salmon fishing on Lake Michigan, they picture the middle of summer. Warm weather, busy marinas, and peak tourist season usually get all the attention.
But honestly, May can be one of the best months of the entire year for salmon fishing near Whitehall and Montague.
Some years, it’s hands down our favorite month of the season.
Why Is May Salmon Fishing So Good?
The biggest reason is water temperature.
In May, Lake Michigan water is still cool from top to bottom, which creates ideal conditions for king salmon, coho salmon, and steelhead to feed aggressively. Unlike the middle of summer when fish often move deeper searching for colder water, spring fish are comfortable feeding much higher in the water column.
That usually means aggressive bites, active fish, and fast-paced action.
Around Whitehall, we typically start seeing salmon show up around the first week of May, and fishing often stays very consistent through the first week of June.
Covering Water Is Important in May
One thing that’s a little different about May salmon fishing is trolling speed.
Most of the fish this time of year are biting spoons, which allows us to troll a little faster than normal and cover a lot of water efficiently. Since the water temperatures are ideal for salmon throughout much of the water column, fish are usually willing to chase.
We typically focus on trolling speeds between 2.6 mph and 3.1 mph at the ball using our Fish Hawk system. The Fish Hawk sends our exact speed at the downrigger ball back up to a screen on the boat so we can accurately dial in the presentation the fish want that day.
Paying attention to speed at the ball instead of just GPS speed can make a huge difference, especially during spring salmon fishing when currents can vary throughout the water column.
Staying mobile is important during May because fish can move around quickly from day to day.
The Darker Green Water We Look For Every Spring
One thing in particular we pay close attention to every May is water color.
Every spring, there always seems to be darker green water somewhere along the shoreline, and that water consistently holds salmon. When we find the right water color, there’s usually a good chance fish won’t be far away.
It’s something we look for every single season.
Favorite Setups for Cold-Water Kings
Some of our favorite setups during May are micro leadcore lines and high divers.
A few setups we rely on heavily include:
- 4-color leadcore
- 5-color leadcore
- 6-color leadcore
- 7-color leadcore
- High Divers
These setups work great for targeting aggressive cold-water kings that are riding higher in the water column during spring.
And when those fish hit, they hit hard.
Big cold-water angry kings this time of year are some of the most fun fish of the entire season to target.
Don’t Overlook May Salmon Fishing
A lot of anglers overlook May simply because it’s not peak tourist season yet.
But if conditions line up, this can absolutely be one of the best months of the year for salmon fishing on Lake Michigan.
Cool water, aggressive fish, fast action, hungry kings, coho, and steelhead all combine to make spring fishing near Whitehall and Montague something special.
If you’re ever looking for an incredible time to target salmon on Lake Michigan, don’t overlook May. It might just become your favorite month of the season.