Early Summer Coho and Bass: Chicago Lakefront Fishing Report

This is Artificial Lure with your Lake Michigan Chicago fishing report. We’ve got a classic early-summer pattern setting up along the Chicago lakefront. Air temps are sitting in the low to mid 60s early, climbing into the mid to upper 70s by afternoon with a light west to northwest breeze backing more onshore later. Skies are mostly clear to partly cloudy, so expect good visibility and a decent afternoon chop rather than big rollers. Sunrise is right around 5:15 a.m. with sunset close to 8:30 p.m., giving you a long, workable window. Lake Michigan isn’t tidal like the ocean, but seiches and wind-driven water levels still matter. With the lighter winds overnight and a modest onshore push later, piers and breakwalls should see a gentle rise and a little current sweeping along the structure by mid-morning and again toward evening. That subtle movement is often just enough to turn the bite on. Recent action up and down the Chicago shoreline has been solid for **coho and king salmon**, mixed **lake trout**, and plenty of **smallmouth bass** in the harbor mouths and rock piles. Shore and small-boat anglers have reported steady coho and the occasional king off Montrose and Diversey, with fish running eater-size on up to a few solid teenagers. Lake trout are still hanging on deeper breaks and along the offshore rocks, but a few are sliding shallower during low-light periods. Smallmouth catches have picked up on rocky stretches near Navy Pier, Burnham, and down toward Calumet, with a lot of fish in the 14–18 inch range and some bigger. For **lures**, think early-summer staples. Trollers are doing well with small orange-and-gold spoons, silver/blue and green/glow patterns, and flasher-fly combos in white, chartreuse, and blue. Inside 40–70 feet, thin spoons and smaller dodger flies are getting more bites than big, heavy metal. Shore guys tossing crankbaits and spoons off the piers should lean on 3–4 inch shad or alewife profiles: silver/black, firetiger, and clown patterns. Low light is your best window for a surprise king or big coho from shore. For **bait**, alewife and fathead minnows fished under a slip float are solid around harbor mouths for trout and the odd salmon cruising close. Spawn sacs still get bit, especially early or on cloudy days. Smallmouth are chewing on live leeches and nightcrawlers dragged slowly over the rocks, and if you’re throwing plastics, go with green pumpkin tubes, ned rigs, and 3-inch swimbaits. Work them slow; that clear water and light wind call for natural colors and light fluorocarbon leaders. A couple of local **hot spots** to focus on: - **Montrose Harbor and the Montrose Horseshoe**: Inside the harbor, target smallies around rocks and pilings with tubes and live bait. Out on the horseshoe, cast spoons and cranks along the current seams for coho, the occasional king, and roaming trout during low light. Trollers just outside the harbor mouth are picking up mixed salmon and lakers over 40–80 feet. - **Burnham to Northerly Island**: The rock edges and points along this stretch are producing smallmouth on tubes, ned rigs, and leeches. On calm mornings, you can find fish cruising shallower, then sliding a bit deeper as the sun climbs. Casting jerkbaits and small swimbaits along the breaks can draw reaction bites, especially if there’s a little wind pushing in. Timing-wise, aim for the **first light** bite for your best shot at salmon and trout, then slide into the harbors and rocks for bass once the sun gets up. Evenings can bring a second push of activity, especially if that onshore breeze builds a little chop and clouds roll in. That’s the latest from Artificial Lure on the Chicago lakefront. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe for more fishing reports and stories from the water. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn