Lake Michigan near Portage Indiana Smallmouth

[TCook]

I was wondering if any of you guys fish Lake Michigan near Portage Indiana? I hear the walls surrounding the plants there can produce tons of big smallies. My buddy is moving there and we planned on fishing this area alot, so any info like what time of year or water temp do the smallies stack up on these walls. Or what walls at what depth are best to hit, and what color tube?

T

[Slipkey]

TCook,

When I lived in the Chicago area, I used to fish between the Burns Harbor and the mouth of the Calumet river quite a bit.  There are some good smallmouth spots in that area, though it's been a few years now since I've fished there. 

The riprap on the entrances to the harbors and rivers usually produce throughout the year,  seawalls can be good at times in the summer as the fish will suspend and hit tubes and other baits on the drop.  Basic watermellon with copper or gold flakes are good colors for tubes and plastics in general.   

Around the Port of Indiana there are some old seawalls along the port entrances that have crumbled over time.  The pilings are there above and below the surface and there's a gap between the old seawall pilings and the riprap they now use to reinforce the shoreline.  The area between the old pilings and the riprap is usually good through the summer.

Further west, the power plant south of Calumet can produce in the fall and early spring when it's cold.  The flats nearby hold bedding fish in the spring.

Last I heard the Port of Indiana was closed to fishing from the shore for security and by boat in some areas.

If the weather's calm and you feel like making the run or launch out of Burnham Harbor in downtown Chicago, skipping baits back under the northern side of Navy pier can produce in the summer when it gets hot.  The breakwalls near Lakeshore drive, north of the Chicago River hold nice fish throughout the year.   The scenery can also be very nice in the downtown area in the summer...

Hope that helps.

[JCOOPER]

I have thought about that area for a long time.  My intital thoughts were to find a gold mine and run there from one of the west side tourneys.  Is it even thinkable?  Or worth it?

[Dan]

What kind of report was that? No mention of where to go for Chicago deep dish pizza. Good fishing report, but before, after and during those trips you got to find all the good local eateries. Ate the chicken they have barbecuing at the Bass Pro in Portage In. and it was great. I would recommend the restaurant they have inside the Bass Pro but have no other local knowledge. Do they fish any rock piles etc. out in the lake off Portage or Chi. town?  Hey T. Cook! How have you been? When are you coming up to the cabin to do some fishing?

[TCook]

Thanks Slipkey, very helpful I will refer to your post when I make it out there. Although I dont believe we will make it near the chicago area.

I dont think it would be possible to run that far south for most west side tournaments, maybe small tournaments out of the st. Joe river but that would not be worth the risk. I know guys in my old club that would fish the portage area of lake michigan for our trailer tournaments and come back with huge sacks of smallies. This was 8 years ago and I have had that in the back of my mind ever since. Its just a perfect opportunity to learn that area with my current partner living right there. Where would be the closest to launch out of, Port of Indiana maybe?

[TCook]

Dan, I been good. Except for my partner moving and dropping half our tournies, so Im bummed about that. Looks like I will have many more weekends open so I can make it out there almost anytime, not to mention gas is cheaper. Would you be interested in making plans for GTB?

Tim

[Slipkey]

What kind of report was that? No mention of where to go for Chicago deep dish pizza.

My bad.  I totally dropped the ball.   For good deep dish, lock in to the Chicago River, tie up west of Michigan Avenue and head north 3 blocks to the original Pizzeria Uno on Wabash.  Alternately walk 4 blocks north on Rush street to Lawry's for Prime Rib.  For steaks, take a cab north to Gibson's.

Now I'm hungry...

[Dan]

Now we're talking. Joe Chicagos here in Grand Rapids, actually Grandville by Rivertown Mall has really good deep dish. Would love to try the original though.

[TritonTR20]

You got to try Geno's east for the best deep dish pizza....

[Dan]

Where's Geno's?

[TritonTR20]

633 N. Wells St. (Ontario and Wells) downtown Chicago

[TritonTR20]

I live less than an hour from Portage and have never fished it. Go figure....will have to give it a try one of these days!

[thedude]

You got to try Geno's east for the best deep dish pizza....

hope you like cockroaches! last i was there ( awhile ago.. ) that place was filthy with them)


there is a crumbled breakwall in the burns harbor area that has an opening in it (large enough for a bass boat to get through if its not rough out) that leads into a protected lake/pond/harbor whatever you want to call it... good fishin in there

[TCook]

I have eaten at most those places, and they are all good. But Genos east has the best chicago style pizza. Dude thanks for the info we will give that a try as well. Dan when would you want to go fishing?

T

[thedude]

also - if its pizza you are concerned about you need to find an Aurelios... mmmmmm beer crust....aarhrhrhahrharhrahhrrrghghggh

[Dan]

I'll be prefishing for our Tear Drop Manistee Lake tournament next week Wed and Thurs. After that I think we fish Cadillac and Mitchell and then Hamlin. You've fished Cadillac, Hamlin is one of my favorites.