Trio of Salmonidae

Fished with Leann and Terry this weekend on Big Green Lake on Saturday and on Lake Michigan out of Milwaukee on Sunday. It rained Saturday morning on Green Lake, so when we launched the boat we had the lake mostly to ourselves. We trolled with a variety of spoons and crankbaits in about 90 feet of water. Only caught one fish, but it was a lifer lake trout for me! It was also the biggest lake trout Terry has pulled into his boat from Green Lake, and it's the first time he's caught one trolling (he's caught plenty ice fishing in the winter). Forgot to get length or weight, but it was a nice fish! (The facial hair was part of our annual redneck games, which took place Saturday afternoon.)

Lake Trout (Salvelinus namaycush) - new hook & line species #52


Saturday night we went back to Terry's house in Milwaukee. Blew out a tire on the highway going 75, but luckily I was able to get the spare on just a few minutes before it started down-pouring. Sunday morning we got up early and went out on Lake Michigan to fish for salmon. In about 100 feet of water Terry and I each pulled in 12 lb chinook salmon, I caught a 4 lb coho salmon, and Terry caught a small lake trout.

12 lb Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha)

4 lb Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch)


We didn't have any live bait, but I really wanted to show Leann what the round gobies look like that are all over Milwaukee harbor. (Sorry if this next part is a little gross to some people.) We tried fishing jigs with plastic tails with no success, so I had to improvise by cutting open the lake trout and using his stomach contents for bait. Pieces of an alewife did the trick. Caught a few gobies to show Leann, and we headed back to the house to clean the salmon and trout and get them in the freezer.

Round Goby (Neogobius melanostomus)