Beginning in August, when the first salmon runs start, Great Lakes rivermouths offer nearshore anglers great opportunities for huge fish. Consider the biological needs of salmonid species and head to rivermouths, where fish can be reached with conventional casting tackle as they feed and then stage in preparation for their spawning journey. Before beginning their forced march upstream, fish linger for hours, days, or even weeks at these deltas, awaiting some undocumented cue that tells them to move en masse up the river, dance in the gravel, and die (or, in the case of steelies, return to the lake at their leisure).
In some situations, fish hold a long cast from the bank, offering great opportunities for anglers without big boats and deep-sea tackle to take on these exciting gamefish. Moreover, the timing of runs in different rivers and for different species can keep you on a hot bite through fall, when winter steelhead runs arrive.
Analyzing Rivermouths
Each river that drains into the Great Lakes is different, though several categories can be defined. Some are shallow tongues flowing over sandy beaches before reaching the big water. Others are fat, lazy rivers with no discernable current. Lively rivers falling from higher elevations can cut deep channels into the lakebed or spread out into wide marshy deltas. Some rivers dump into small natural lakes that then pour through pier heads as they branch into one of the Great Lakes. These complex systems of creeks, rivers, and inland lakes offer diverse opportunities. In some locales, anglers can find each type of rivermouth within a half day’s drive.
Despite the variation in rivermouth architecture, a few universal concepts apply. According to Kevin Morlock of Indigo Guide Service, who fishes deltas on the sandy eastern shore of Lake Michigan, low and clear river conditions tend to gather more fish at the mouth since big, spooky salmonids hesitate to migrate into the shallower waters upstream before they must. In fall, a hard offshore wind that moves warm surface water out into the big lake and simultaneously brings cold water to the mouth often carries with it a new crop of fish.
But rain can be a deal-breaker. “Every weather change has potential to call new fish from out in the lake into the rivermouth,” explains Morlock, “but certain conditions like heavy rain can empty the mouth as fish move up into the river.” As spawning reaches its peak, usually in October for salmon and November and April for Great Lakes steelhead, fish spend less time staging before beginning their journey.
Those rules of thumb hold true for other Great Lakes, too. On Lake Erie, Craig Lewis of Erie Outfitters (erieoutfitters.com) also finds that low and clear river conditions keep salmon stacked at the mouth, though he claims overcast skies and a light drizzle can stimulate the bite. Matt Kormos, who fishes southern Lake Ontario in New York, where large, sluggish rivers dump into flooded, currentless deltas, says visibility is key. In water with visibility of about 8 feet, he’s found the zone between 10 and 25 feet to be the sweet spot. When visibility drops, however, the bite abruptly stops.
Presentation Particulars
Each region boasts favorite local lures, and guides have devised systems that work best where they fish. All are simple, however, compared to intricate trolling approaches required when fish hold offshore.
