Date: May 20, 2026
Water Temp: 49–53°F
Target Species: Coho Salmon, Chinook Salmon, Rainbow Trout (Steelhead)
If you have been waiting all spring for flat water and heavy coolers, your window is officially open. Right now, charter fishing in Wisconsin is offering some of the most consistent, action-packed multi-species trips you can find anywhere on the Great Lakes.
Milwaukee Report: Mixed Bag in the Flats
Our trips for charter fishing in Milwaukee have been treating clients to fantastic mixed-bag action. We are finding huge schools of hungry Coho Salmon feeding heavily between 40 and 60 feet of water. Downriggers set in the top half of the water column have been popping constantly. Alongside the Coho, we are starting to see an influx of acrobatic Rainbow Trout (Steelhead) and some early-season Chinook Salmon smashing spoons further out in the deeper pressure cracks.
Racine Report: Cooler-Filling Coho Limits
Down the road, charter fishing in Racine continues to live up to its reputation as a spring powerhouse. The Coho bite remains fast and furious in the 30 to 50-foot depths. We are focusing our efforts around the shoreline breaks where the water is a couple of degrees warmer. Running a tight, aggressive spread of bright green or orange peanut flies has been the ticket to filling the box in just a few short hours.
Lake Michigan Outlook
As we slide toward Memorial Day weekend, the weather looks excellent for charter fishing in Lake Michigan. The stable southern winds are keeping the bait fish pinned to our side of the lake, meaning the bite should hold strong well into next week. Both Leader and Leader II are fully rigged and our open dates are vanishing quickly.