Fall King Salmon Fishing: Trophy Time for Small Boat, Shore, and Wading Anglers

From offshore trolling to pier casting and river wading, here’s how to catch bruiser Great Lakes kings during their fall movement toward shore.

As king salmon feel the impulse to spawn in fall, they move closer to shore, putting them within reach of small-boat anglers and shore fishermen. | Joe Shead

Fall is trophy king salmon season for Great Lakes anglers and one of my favorite times to be on the water. As temperatures cool off, the spawning instinct kicks in, pushing big Chinook (king) salmon closer to shore, creating incredible opportunities for all anglers. From trolling crankbaits with down riggers, to casting spoons from breakwaters, to wading the rivers where the salmon will spawn, fall makes big kings aggressive and accessible.

Why Fall is Prime Time for King Salmon Fishing

During the summer, Great Lakes king salmon are denizens of the deep, chowing down on pelagic alewives and other baitfish in cool water. But as the spawning urge kicks in during August and September, kings push toward shore, putting them within reach of small-boat trollers and shore fishermen.

An offshore wind gets things rolling, pushing away warm water, welling up the cool water, and drawing kings toward shore. September rains increase stream flow and salmon feel the spawning urge as they return to the rivers where they were either hatched naturally or stocked.

Offshore Tactics for Early Fall Kings

A happy angler with a big Lake Michigan king salmon. | Kurt Mazurek

Boat fishermen get first crack at fall kings as they come shore-ward. While water temps remain warm (say 55 to 65 degrees) downriggers may be necessary to reach down to cooler water at the beginning of fall. At that time, summertime presentations like spoons, J-Plugs and flasher/fly combinations will take kings. As water temps cool off, kings can be found higher in the water column and in shallower water. When that happens, trollers can often take kings while fishing deep-diving crankbaits, using spoons behind diving planers like Dipsy Divers, running spoons or stickbaits on leadcore or copper line. Even anglers without downriggers can get in on the action then.

During late summer and early fall, anglers catch king salmon down deep, using downriggers to fish spoons, J-Plugs or flasher/fly combinations to deep-water king salmon. | Joe Shead

Near-Shore Salmon Fishing: Piers, Breakwalls, and Kayaks

As fall king salmon move shore-ward to spawn, angler catch them casting spoons from piers, breakwalls and marinas. | Joe Shead

Once fish move close to shore, other anglers can get in on the action. Salmon often pass piers, breakwalls and marinas to reach their spawning streams. Anglers can catch kings while casting from these structures. Heavy spoons are popular choices. Glow-in-the-dark models are especially good because kings are most active in low light. Anglers can cast them a mile, reaching more fish. Salmon eggs fished below a bobber and suspended just off bottom are very effective as well. If you're casting from a pier or breakwall, a long-handled net can be critical to landing kings. These fish just won't quit and there's no way you're pulling a 20-pound fish vertically out of the water!

As fish enter harbors and river mouths, kayakers can even get in on the mix. Kayaks are becoming increasingly popular for kings, and if you hook a big fish, you're going for a ride! Kayakers take fish by trolling crankbaits, jigging spoons or pitching spawn below bobbers. My brother said the first thing he learned when kayak fishing for Lake Michigan kings is to beef up the hooks and split rings on all his lures, which is good advice for all anglers, whether they're fishing from a kayak, boat or shore. King salmon are incredibly powerful, so you'll need industrial-strength tackle.

Catching big king salmon from a kayak is becoming popular. | James Shead

Jigging Kings in Harbors and River Mouths

Jigging for kings in harbors has grown in popularity, especially with the introduction of live sonar. Sure, it's great watching a downrigger rod bounce when a fish hits, but when you're holding a rod in your hand and a fish slams it just 20 feet below, it's a whole different ballgame! Jigging spoons are the go-to lure, but beefy tube jigs would work well too. Gaps in the breakwall where a river dumps into the Great Lakes are obvious choices for jigging, but you may be blocking navigation, so use your best judgment. Jigging is also effective over deep holes or on deeper outside bends near river mouths.

River Tactics for the Final Salmon Run

King salmon gathering as they begin their upstream journey to spawn. | Envato | RLTheis | M6MLRS7

Once salmon push up the rivers, things are changing rapidly. For one thing, fish are nearing the spawn and death. Many will have turned dark instead of chrome and the meat isn't anywhere near as good, if not unpalatable. As fish get close to spawning, the meat turns soft and mushy and actually starts to rot. But you can still catch them for sport.

Now fish will be in shallow, narrow rivers. Casting from shore, wading or possibly vertically jigging if the water is deep enough come into play. Salmon are now in spawning mode, so they aren't concerned with eating. Therefore, most strikes now will be reaction strikes. Spinners like the Blue Fox Vibrax and spoons like the Blue Fox Pixee are proven producers. Even crankbaits will work. Salmon eggs fished below bobbers or drifting near bottom are also productive.

In fall, king salmon run up rivers to spawn, making them accessible to shore anglers. Although they still provide great sport, once they turn dark and stop feeding, their meat becomes unpalatable. | Joe Shead

Fly anglers get in on the game now too. Early in the run, fish may still be feeding and they will hit streamers or beads representing eggs. Once fish get further into spawning mode, they stop feeding, but you may get a reaction strike out of a fish, especially if you repeatedly cast a fly to a fish on a redd.

Why Fall is the Best Time for King Salmon

Fall provides one of the best times for near-shore and shore fishing Great Lakes anglers to connect with a giant, powerful fish. Whether trolling from a small boat or kayak, casting from a pier, jigging the harbors or wading rivers, fall king salmon offer unforgettable battles and real trophy fish potential.