The fishing around Whitehall has simply been incredible lately and is shaping up to be some of the best midsummer fishing we have seen this year!

Whitehall Salmon Report

Lately, the bite has been fairly shallow during the morning hours. We have been setting up in 65–75 feet of water, generally 3–5 miles north of Whitehall, putting it on a north troll, and boy has it been lights out. Most morning trips over the last week have resulted in salmon limits by 7:00 AM, and on a few mornings we were heading back to the dock by 6:45 AM!

With the cool water not being down very far right now, we have been seeing surface temps in the low 60s, mid-50s just 10 feet down, and 48 degrees by 30 feet. Because of that, lead core rods have absolutely been carrying the load for us lately.

Top producers have been: Dreamweaver 4 inch Luckycharms single treble hook

One little trick I’ve learned over the years with the 4-inch salmon plugs is to remove the front hook completely and go up one size on the back hook, running just a single treble. It really doesn’t seem to hurt the hook-up ratio at all, and it makes getting fish out of the net a whole lot easier with far less of a mess. When the bite is this crazy and multiple rods are firing, every second counts because you want to get rods back in the water as fast as possible.

Our downriggers have also been productive, but we have been keeping them fairly high in the water column during low light conditions, generally running them 20–35 feet down. We haven’t even been running sliders in the mornings because the fishing has simply been too good and they just haven’t been needed.

One spoon that has absolutely been living on our starboard downrigger lately is the Moonshine Raspberry Carbon. That thing has been one of our hottest rods for nearly two weeks now.

Another thing that has been a little different lately is that I really haven’t been running low divers in the mornings at all. We’ve been keeping it simple and just running high divers back 80–100 feet with Yeck glow spoons, and they have been taking their fair share of fish as well.

Honestly, I haven’t been running many paddles and flies lately because they just haven’t been needed. The fish have been crushing spoons and plugs. That being said, things can change fast on Lake Michigan, and it wouldn’t surprise me one bit if in another week or two a white paddle is living on the downrigger and becoming one of the hottest rods in the spread.

If you’re fishing evenings or low-light conditions though, don’t put the meat away yet. We’ve still been getting plenty of bites running meat rigs 120–150 feet back, especially on some of those deeper fish.

Evening Salmon Update

The evening bite has been phenomenal as well, although we have been making longer runs for those trips. We have been starting north of Stony Lake, roughly 12–15 miles north of Whitehall, and working our way back south.

Fish have been heavily stacked in the evenings around 120–130 feet of water. Some fish are down deep and have been targeted effectively with meat rigs back approximately 150 feet, while plenty of active fish are suspended higher in the water column.

There are also very good numbers of steelhead and lake trout mixed in with the salmon right now, providing anglers with excellent mixed-bag opportunities.

Overall, this is some of the best fishing we have seen this season, and I truly believe it is only going to continue improving as July progresses into August.

We do have some stronger winds forecasted for Tuesday and Wednesday, which may shuffle things around a bit, but that is Lake Michigan fishing. We will adjust, figure out the new program together, and get right back to deck-loading fish!Angler holding a giant king salmon aboard a fishing boat during an early morning Lake Michigan salmon charter near Whitehall, Michigan.

White Lake Fishing Report

White Lake continues to fish really well right now. The walleye bite has been excellent, and we’ve been catching fish consistently along weed edges and transition areas in 10–17 feet of water.

One thing I’ve noticed lately that has me really excited is the number of smaller walleye we’re catching. Sure, you have to sort through a few fish to find your keepers, but that’s actually great news. Seeing that many young walleye tells me the lake has a really healthy year class coming up, and I think the future of White Lake’s walleye fishery looks as good as it has in a long time.

Bluegill fishing has stayed solid too. Most of the fish have moved a little deeper now and are hanging around 17–20 feet near basin flats and deeper weed edges.

I’ve been saying it for years, but White Lake is one of the most underrated fisheries in West Michigan. Between the walleye, bluegills, perch, pike, and bass, it’s an incredible fishery, and I honestly think it’s only getting better every year.

Helpful Whitehall Fishing Resources

If you’re planning a trip, be sure to check out our:

These guides can help dial in patterns if conditions change following this week’s stronger winds.

FAQ

Where are the salmon being caught near Whitehall right now?
Most fish have been coming from 65–75 feet of water in the mornings, generally 3–5 miles north of Whitehall.
What are the best lures for Whitehall salmon right now?
Yeck Glow Balls, Yeck Green Dolphin with glow tape, Yeck UV Fireball spoons, 4-inch glow salmon plugs, Dreamweaver Lucky Charms, and Moonshine Raspberry Carbon have all been excellent producers.
How deep is the cold water currently?
The cold water has been fairly shallow lately. We have been seeing surface temperatures in the low 60s, mid-50s about 10 feet down, and around 48 degrees by 30 feet. That has made lead core rods and higher downriggers extremely productive.
Are meat rigs working on Lake Michigan salmon?
Yes. Meat rigs have been especially productive during evening trips and low-light periods, particularly when run 120–150 feet back.
Are steelhead and lake trout around right now?
Absolutely. There are good numbers of both steelhead and lake trout mixed in with the salmon bite right now.
What is the evening salmon pattern near Whitehall?
Fish have been stacking in 120–130 feet of water north of Stony Lake. Some fish have been down deeper, while others have remained suspended higher in the water column.
Will the upcoming winds affect fishing?
Absolutely. Strong south winds typically push warm water in and set the thermocline deeper in the water column. North winds usually bring cold water back inshore and can sometimes flip the lake, changing fish locations and trolling programs overnight. Pay close attention to water temperatures after a big blow.