When does it end?

Hi all.. So I finally - after many years of wait - bought my first larger boat for for salmon fishing on michigan and superior.. Sylvan 22' offshore.. Wondering if I have missed the bite/fish for the year.. It would be around a 200 mile trip one way to sheboygan for me or give or take from there if you have recommendations ... coming from park falls wi area.. would appreciate advice on whether I should just winterize it for the year or still have decent chance of boating some. I do consider myself a rookie at best , lol..

It never ends, or not for long. I went fishing in a boat at the nuclear power plant on Dec. 30, 1979. We caught some fish too. A brown and something else, I think a rainbow but both sure. Fished at night too. 

Almost forgot one of the fastest limits was October 16, 2011 fishing 100fow out to180 before we could turn needing only 3 more. We were taking pictures just after 8AM starting around 6. Most came off riggers 85-110 down and a couple on 300' copper.

That as an expensive day for Boog and John because that was John's first outing and Boog's fastest limit. Now both thier boats are fully Lake MI equiped catching more than thier share of salmon when they are not guiding for walleye. 

As someone else said late fall fishing is different each year. When all the water cools and if the young of the year alewife show on the shallow structure kings and browns can come fast. One day cleared 8 rods before we could turn. Problem is finding a day with low winds and few others fishing to help with location. Nice thing is even the kings seem to bite all day when you find them.

My latest trolling is the first picture taking 12 nice browns and releasing some LT in 40fow off the filter 2Jan04

Second picture is the day before deer hunting 2006 40-60fow off the Filter.

Third is the day after Thanksgiving 2009 full cores and riggers off the shipwreck. I remember the full cores because little Shane reeled those in without complaint.

Thanks. All positive replies. Will report when I do get out..

I got this brown trout on Dec. 14 from in the Milwaukee harbor.

Those fish never stop eating. If you can get a boat in the water you can usually catch fish throughout the winter. I took Hockeyguy out on October 17th and have fished the Milwaukee area many times in December and January. Thanks Josh for putting me on to that many years ago! I haven't been able to get much salmon fishing in yet this year but plan on fishing the Algoma area more in the next 2 months.

First pic:  11/08/06  Solo trip.  I kept the biggest 5 out of 16 boated in 3 hours.  Several doubles and one triple.  All caught in less than 50' of water a couple miles from McKinley Marina in Milwaukee.

Second and third pics: 12/26/04

It doesn't end.  

11/30/03

One of my best days ever on the Big Pond.  We released just as many.  I never winterized a boat when I lived in Wisconsin.

300' is about 10 miles straight east of the gap. You may not have to fish that deep.

Thanks for the input... I really do want to get out for the "maiden" voyage.. when you suggest out deep - can you be more specific -- basically out of sheboygan or port.. and how many miles would that depth you suggest be? Thanks again..

Limits of silver fish still coming into Sheboygan, you just he to go out deep after them. Can't be much easier fishing as everything is in the top 50' feet and spoons usually will get the most bites.

Had one of my best trips ever on Christmas Eve. about 5 or 6 years ago, snowing and silvers, all 3 year olds in 40 ft. of water. Got 20 that day for the 4 of us. There is always good action out deep from Port washington from now until launch gets plowed in.

There are some steelhead still hitting down in Racine-Kenosha out in 120+ fow. Otherwise it is harbor patrol for zombies. If Lake trout are your thing they are always there right around 100-140 fow.

Every year is different, but I can tell you a few years ago a fellow LLer took me out on Lake Michigan in later October and we had fantastic action, 15 fish between the three of us. I think a lot of it will depend on the weather/water temps. That's kind of a hike for you though. I guess it all boils down to if you want to get the boat wet and spend the $ on gas.