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I was introduced to salmon fishing on the big lake about 13-14 years ago. I had a friend take me to the hole in the wall at midnight, casting glow in the dark Little Cleo's.
I was immediately hooked and rigged my boat for the year round chase.

5 years ago my career changed and I haven't been able to go casting in the middle of the night until dawn like I used to. We would sometime go 3-4 times a week back in the day. We hit all the spots - the Hole in the Wall, the discharge at Aamco, inside Buffington, Hammond, and Pasrtick marina's, the mouth of the Ditch and the Port - and we killed it a ton of times catching 2-5 fish each night each guy. We caught small-mouth, northern,
catfish and even a nice walleye once. It was great.
Now I haven't casted for 4 years and 5 years ago I went three times without even as much as a short hit. Between the job change and no action I quit going.
I understand fall casting and finding "the spot" causes anyone to be tight lipped about what they did and where because everyone and their brother would be there the next night.
Is that why I have never seen a report casting for kings - or maybe it is because no one does it anymore - or is it because the fish aren't there anymore?

Question is - does anyone out there still cast any anymore? I'm not talking about creek fishing, I talking from a boat on the big lake.

I am sure people would be doing it if the fish were there. Currently Indiana 3 yrs ago only stocked around 63k kings and they all went to Michigan City. That would be the place to cast if you wanted to cast, other than that the ditch should have Coho coming in and Steelies hanging around. The kings you would catch casting at the ditch are from the stocking in 2018 so 2 yr olds or natural reproduced fish which I am not sure much happens. In 2021 casting would be best from the ditch as all the 67k kings in Indiana went to the ditch.

What Tim said.... Spot on.

You ever think about going outa state for them?? I’d go to Wisconsin!!! Lots of fish and they kill em on spawn up there.. right about now is perfect timing!!! I was there yesterday

I am guessing a bit of information would go a long way in helping guys. Did you catch Kings? How far up in Wisconsin? This site is about helping our fellow angler - lend a hand

It will be real interesting to see what returns to MC this year. I may give it a shot one morning in the boat this weekend and may try casting a few weekday evenings. Regular trips to the lamprey barrier will tell the story.

I feel like the water is still a litter warm in tight. Not that there cant be fish there, but to me it seems it would be far and few between. what are your thoughts Craig?

The MC buoy is down so hard to tell. The Cook buoy shows 50 ish degree water down 49’. Assuming that is the same in MC the fish have some decent water temp near the bottom to get the oxygen they need. The time of year is right to give it a try. Hopefully the cooler temps forecast don’t mean 4’+ waves from North winds.

I’m still not sure on the stock year vs return.year. I was looking at the stocking data and old pictures on my phone and it sure seems to be like they are coming in 2 years after they’re stocked. They’re spawned in fall, stocked in spring so it’s a little confusing to me.

If momma and papa ran the river in September‘17, then the eggs hatch and the fingerling is stocked in May of ‘18 is it a 3yr old in ‘20. My anecdotal evidence is that we’ve had one year of stocking at Jeorse in the past decade. I had a pretty decent year in the harbor 2yrs later. The next year, there wasn’t squat and I checked frequently. I’m betting this year is a ditch year.

All that said, I bought a house near Washington park last month and plan on hitting the pier/harbor regularly. I made my first outing this morning and saw nothing but sheepshead. I stopped by the weir and it was dead, last nights rain barely did anything. Washington Park is locked up again, not sure what the plan is there. May require ninja tactics if you want to fish the pier this fall. Apparently standing on a pier by yourself across the harbor from a packed restaurant and mall is high risk.

Dirty I only didn’t report for lack of time n sleep saw this thread and replied. But will do now!! Lol