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Second year fishing the south end. Still learning a lot but need some advice. Seems as though this water clearly has hurt the fishing as of recent on the south shore. Need advice on finding them right now. Been out a couple times but water was cloudy at beat and not much bait. Caught a few cohos but that was it.

Do I go to deeper water to find clearer water if I want to find them or do I start at what seems the usual for this time of year around 45-55 fow and is it too early for meat rigs.

Just looking for strategies right now before I have to trailer way up north to get on them since I have a smaller boat.

Thanks in advance for any help you can provide this rookie

Usually find the food you find the fish, There’s plenty of food down here and it sounds like the Kings are scarce with lots of Coho and Lakers. Guessing the kings are not here. Been seeing reports between Holland and Ludington with lots of kings up there so my guess is the kings move north. Mike

Thank you. So I hear lakers aren’t that great to eat but figured I might try them. Any advice on how to catch them or just normal trolling as you would for salmon. Thanks again for the reply. I really enjoy fishing Lake Michigan just trying to get better as I come up from central Indiana so can only hit it every now and then and have to watch waves with my boat 18.5 foot deep v Lund w/200 hp mercruiser. Works good but have to be careful heading too far out unless day makes sense

I have seen some good reports yet coming out of Michigan City to South Haven, so there are still some kings around. But as said above, usually when you see good reports rolling in from central and northern Michigan ports, the fat lady is singing for Indiana kings

Lake trout are pretty easy to catch. Slow down a bit (1.7 to 2.2 mph is a good starting place) and get your baits near the bottom. You can catch lakers going
faster and up in the water column, but you'll catch a lot more by going slow and staying near bottom

Dipsy divers with spoons, downriggers with 8 inch dodger or spin doctor and a fly or a spin and glow/fly combo is the standby. Riggers occasionally ticking bottom

Right now they can be caught just about anywhere, because the water is cold. As the water warms, the lakers will move out to 60-120 feet. 80-90 feet is a good starting spot once mid-summer rolls around

Lakers get a bad culinary rap but the smaller ones are quite good eating in my opinion. Many people have commented saying that the flavor has improved greatly compared to 20 or 30 years ago, likely due to shift in diet.

I like to keep smaller trout to eat. In fact I'd rather eat a 5 pound laker than a 20 pound king.