October–November on Lake Michigan: Fall Steelhead

From Capt. John King's fishing logs, 2004–2016. Fall on the big lake means Steelhead and next year's Kings high in the water column, whenever the wind lets you out.

The best fall window

"First week of October is best for Lake Michigan with excellent numbers of Steelies. Only problem is after mid-September the big pond gets too rough to fish. You might get out 1, or 2 days during a week in tolerable seas." (Capt. John, 9/15/08)

Surface Steelhead: October 26, 2015, Manistee

  • 8 miles south of port in 80' of water.
  • HRP-pattern Salmon Buster 4.0 spoons on big planer boards with 1/2 oz bead chain keel weights, plain Duo-Lock snaps and 5'6" leaders.
  • A 4.0 Bluetail on a 2-color lead core off a rigger set at 13'.
  • 2.5 mph speed over ground; bites came from 1.5 up to 3+ mph.
  • A 2-person Steelhead limit, including a 35" hen. (Video in John's "Golden Rule of Trolling Speed" article.)

November: fish high

Capt. Bjorn's report to John, 11/3/04: fish were "high" on the second drop-off. Riggers at 20' and 27', Dipsys at 30' and 40' on setting 3.5, and two inline boards with 1/2 oz weights. Orange spoons were hot. The boat kept 6 Steelhead, 2 Kings and 2 Coho and released many more. On John's last big-lake trip of 2016 (11/2/16), Salmon Busters caught fish at speeds from 1.2 to 3.3 mph.

River season

  • River Kings hold through about the 2nd weekend of October.
  • A good run of river Steelhead usually starts around the 3rd week of October, once you can live with the leaf drop.
  • Rain raises the river and brings fresh Steelhead in from the lake.

Recommended tackle

More: Spread Setup Guide · Trolling Cheat Sheet · All months

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