Great Lakes Fishing Report — Week of November 5, 2026: Lake Trout, Brown Trout, Smallmouth Bass

Updated: Thursday, November 5, 2026 · Next update: Thursday, November 12, 2026

This Great Lakes fishing report is a seasonal outlook for the week of November 5, built on early-November patterns from Lake Erie to Lake Superior. Water continues to cool, and lake trout, brown trout and late smallmouth tend to define the shoreline and harbor picture. Wind and wave height from November gales are the main variable, and the Monday, November 9 new moon could influence feeding periods.

What’s Hitting

By early November the Great Lakes are in a cold-water mood. Brown trout typically push into harbors and river mouths along Lake Michigan and Lake Ontario, and lake trout often move shallower to spawn on rocky reefs. Steelhead should keep entering tributaries on rain-driven rises, while walleye hold on deeper structure in Lake Erie’s western basin and Saginaw Bay, often feeding best near dusk. Smallmouth bass usually slide to deeper rock and gravel as water cools, and yellow perch school over sand and mud in the same stretches. Pier anglers in Chicago and Milwaukee may find browns and lakers on calm evenings. Wind is the controlling factor: a big blow can end boating for days, while a lull can open an excellent window.

Where to Find Them

On Lake Michigan, Chicago’s Montrose Harbor and the Milwaukee lakefront piers are classic shore options for browns and trout, and the Kewaunee and Algoma harbors in Wisconsin hold fish near river mouths. Lake Erie’s Maumee Bay and the reefs near Put-in-Bay hold walleye for boat anglers, while the Cattaraugus and Elk Creek tributaries near Erie, Pennsylvania draw steelhead on rising water. Lake Ontario’s Oswego Harbor and the Niagara Bar are long-standing favorites. In the upper lakes, the St. Marys River near Sault Ste. Marie and Whitefish Bay offer cold-water options when weather permits.

Tides & Conditions

The Great Lakes have no real ocean tide, so wind and barometric pressure create the movement. A steady wind can stack water against a shoreline and produce seiches, shifting temperatures and clarity within hours. The new moon on Monday, November 9 may still influence feeding periods at dawn and dusk. Falling pressure ahead of a front often triggers a brief feeding burst, while a hard northwest blow behind it usually muddies shorelines. Lake levels remain lower than summer peaks in many areas, so launches may be shallower. Daylight saving ended Sunday, giving earlier sunrises and quicker twilight, so plan accordingly.

Tackle & Tactics

Shore anglers typically use a medium spinning rod with eight to ten pound line for browns, casting stickbaits, spoons and jigs. Trollers rely on downriggers, lead-core line and large spoons for lake trout in deeper water. For walleye, crankbaits, blade baits and nightcrawler rigs are staples. Steelhead anglers favor float rods, beads and egg patterns. For perch, minnows on a small dropper rig work well. Bring waders, ice cleats for slick piers, a personal flotation device and warm layers, since cold spray can be dangerous. A spare spool of fresh line is wise in November, since cold water stiffens older mono.

Local Intel This Week

Public access is widespread. In Chicago, Montrose Harbor and the Navy Pier area give urban anglers shore options, and Milwaukee’s McKinley Pier is a long-standing fishing spot. On Lake Erie, Maumee Bay State Park and Presque Isle State Park near Erie provide access, and Oswego Harbor on Lake Ontario has a well-known pier. Many ramps have limited winter service, so verify hours. Cold water raises risk, so wear a life jacket on every boat trip. Check current state and federal regulations and seasons before keeping fish. Local bait shops can share which harbors have fish and which rivers are fishable. Parking at popular piers can fill on sunny weekends, so early arrival usually helps, and winter wind advisories can close harbor breakwaters to foot traffic.

This Week’s Tip

Choose a harbor with a river mouth on the Lake Michigan shore, arrive an hour before sunrise, and cast a small silver spoon or stickbait along the break line. Work it slowly, pause often, and watch for rising bait. Leave if waves build.