In Search Of SmallMouth ( Lake Michigan )

I am an avid largemouth guy and hit a lot of local lakes for that fix but I have been dying to find a decent place to catch some smallmouths, I live 10 minutes from Bender Park and was wondering if anything's going out in this neck of Lake Michigan for some Smallies? I read about some of the fisheries on the great lakes with smallmouths and can only hope the same holds true for the future here. Thanks!

The milwaukee river on the other hand... overfishing kills the chances of big fish and numbers. It could be awesome in Milwaukee otherwise. Ive had some fun days out there with a flyrod when i got bored with salmon...

Every time i go to the lake front I make sure to look for them. The normal spots i could sight fish no problem years ago. All spots have changed drastically. Silted in, clearer water, no baitfish, developed, etc. The only time i have seen them recently was last year on the McKinley walking out for salmon. Even got a 17 incher on a shad rap. I lived right by south shore yacht club for years. It was easy to walk out my front door and around the corner to one of my favorite spots. Even if the bass didn't cooperate there were always rock bass to catch, some gills, and plenty of pumpkin seeds. Always! And this was 10 years ago. Years before that I could catch 4 lbers in Saint Francis all day on yellow twister tails.... 1999 or so... All those areas are much different. I check them every year still. Growing up on the lake front i have personally seen things change. First the perch, then panfish, then bass and pike... Im not saying they aren't around. But it is drastically different then what it was. I remember seeing bass and panfish swimming around during summer fest even while eating by the lagoon! Not anymore... go try it. But if you figure out the key youd be smart to stay hush hush. Good luck!

Was wondering when the last time anyone actually went to try for some Smallies, I was reading up about that Goby fish being a reason specifically that smallies are blowing up all over lake Michigan because their providing a great food source for them.

I know they do very well in the Chicago River around here, and there is occasionally some good action in the harbors and by Navy Pier. I'm not very familiar with Milwaukee, but I imagine that the rivers and marinas in the city would be your best bet. I've done well up in Michigan fishing old dock pilings in the Manistee river and on the Ludington shoreline flipping near rock piles along the lighthouses.

15 or so years ago it was easy to catch perch, bluegills, smallmouth and largemouth. Even some pike. Now after more invasives, gobies, no perch, no smelt, the lake is very different now then what it was years ago.

Ive never really fished lake Michigan as I have never been much a salmon/trout guy but why have the numbers decreased in the last 15 years? hasn't the lake gotten cleaner? I've also heard about largemouth on lake Michigan around summerfest but have never bothered thinking bout lake Michigan cause to me its just salmon and trout,lol

When they were around in far greater numbers i sight fished them. Texas rigs many times. Twister tails often also. Haven't fished for them in 15 years. Lake is quite a bit different now.

What types of tactics/gear do you utilize while going for them?

Used to get them in the south shore yacht club area and the old Saint Francis power plant. Occasionally they are shallow around McKinley marina swimming around the rocks. They are around but definitely not like they used to be. Needle in a hay stack right now...