Great Lakes fishing report for the week of September 10, 2026. September on the Great Lakes belongs to the salmon, and this week the kings have started staging off the river mouths on Lake Michigan and Lake Ontario ahead of the fall run. On Lake Erie, the walleye have moved toward the central basin with the cooling water, and the perch have stacked up on the western basin bars. It has been a productive week across all five lakes for anglers who adjusted to the changing water temperatures.
What’s Hitting
What’s hot this week is king salmon staging at the river mouths. On Lake Michigan, the fish are off the piers and in the harbors at Manistee, Ludington, and Grand Haven, and on Lake Ontario the Salmon River area at Pulaski and the Niagara Bar have kings and cohos moving in. Steelhead are mixed in on the deeper edges. On Lake Erie, walleye are in the central basin off Ashtabula and Conneaut in 60 to 75 feet, with some fish still in the western basin. Yellow perch are on the bars and reefs of the western basin near Kelleys Island and the Bass Islands. Smallmouth bass are on the rock piles and drop-offs on Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair.
Lake trout are on the deeper structure on Superior and Huron, and the whitefish are starting to move toward the shallows.
Where to Find Them
For salmon, the piers and the harbor mouths at first light on Lake Michigan, and the deeper water just outside the harbors in 40 to 80 feet during the day. On Lake Ontario, the mouth of the Salmon River and the Oswego Harbor area, and the Niagara Bar. Walleye on Erie are in the central basin in 60 to 75 feet off Ashtabula and Geneva, and around the deeper water north of the islands. Perch are on the bars near Kelleys Island, Catawba, and the reef complex in 25 to 35 feet. Smallmouth are on the rock piles off the Bass Islands and the Lake St. Clair drop-offs.
Tides & Conditions
The new moon this weekend and the shorter days have pushed the salmon closer to the rivers. Winds have been northeast at 10 to 20 on Erie and Ontario with some rough days, and Lake Michigan has been calmer. Water temps are dropping — the surface on Michigan is in the mid-60s, Erie is in the low 70s, and the nearshore water at the river mouths has been cooling at night. Clarity is good on Michigan and fair on Erie after the wind.
Tackle & Tactics
For staging salmon, troll J-plugs and spoons on downriggers in 30 to 60 feet, and cast glow spoons and crankbaits from the piers at dawn. For walleye, troll crankbaits and spoons on dipsy divers and lead core in the central basin, or drift worm harnesses on the western basin reefs. Perch want a spreader rig with emerald shiners or minnows on the bottom. Smallmouth are taking drop-shot rigs and tube jigs on the rock piles.
Local Intel This Week
Public ramps: on Lake Michigan, the Manistee municipal ramp and the Ludington municipal ramp are the closest to the staging fish, and the Grand Haven ramps serve the south side. On Lake Ontario, the Pulaski area ramps and the Oswego Marina ramp cover the salmon grounds. On Erie, the Catawba State Park ramp and the Mazurik ramp serve the western basin, and the Ashtabula and Conneaut public ramps cover the central basin. Pier anglers have been catching salmon at Manistee, Ludington, and Grand Haven. Fish are concentrating at the river mouths and harbors at dawn and on the deeper structure during the day. Check current state DNR regulations before keeping fish — salmon, walleye, and perch limits differ by state and by lake, and some rivers have seasonal closures during the salmon run.
This Week’s Tip
Staging salmon at the piers feed in the low light and shut down when the sun gets on the water. Be on the pier before first light, cast glow spoons and glow crankbaits, and fish the first hour hard. When the light comes up, switch to the deeper water outside the harbor or go find the perch. The pier fish will be there again at dusk.
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