Date: May 13, 2026
Water Temp: 47–50°F (Surface)
Target Species: Coho Salmon, Chinook Salmon, Lake Trout
The mid-May “Spring Bite” is firing on all cylinders. We are seeing some of the most consistent action of the year right now. If you’ve been waiting for the “easy” fishing where the coolers fill up fast, this is your window.
Milwaukee Report: Action in the Bay
Charter fishing in Milwaukee has been incredible this week. We are seeing massive pods of bait moving through the Milwaukee Bay and near the filtration plant. We are running a deep spread of downriggers to target the active schools. Orange “peanut” flies behind 00 dodgers are still the king for Coho, but we’ve also started picking up more Chinook (King) Salmon on spoons in the deeper 50–70 foot range.
Racine Report: The Coho Capital
For those looking for charter fishing in Racine, the schools are dense and aggressive. Most of our limits this week have been coming in under 3 hours. The fish are sitting in 25–40 feet of water, often hugging the shoreline breaks. We’ve had a few “double-digit” Lake Trout show up on the downriggers to keep things interesting, but the Coho are the stars of the show.
Lake Michigan Outlook
The visibility is clearing up, and for anyone interested in charter fishing in Lake Michigan, the next 10 days look prime. The winds are shifting to a southern pattern, which usually pushes even more baitfish into the Wisconsin side. Our boats, Leader and Leader II, are fully rigged and finding fish every single morning.