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Kevin Claire of Edwardsburg, Mich. caught this 26.75-pound king salmon near St. Joe, Mich. while fishing with Dave Gizzi on his “Fresh Catch” boat this week. Kings are running unusually large this year. The fish was taken on a Scarpace Plug.Kevin Claire of Edwardsburg, Mich. caught this 26.75-pound king salmon near St. Joe, Mich. while fishing with Dave Gizzi on his “Fresh Catch” boat this week. Kings are running unusually large this year. The fish was taken on a Scarpace Plug.The unseasonably cool weather keeps coming – and so do the steelhead.

Kevin Claire of Edwardsburg, Mich. caught this 26.75-pound king salmon near St. Joe, Mich. while fishing with Dave Gizzi on his “Fresh Catch” boat this week. Kings are running unusually large this year. The fish was taken on a Scarpace Plug.

The summer-run Skamania continue to march up-stream, filling the river with fish from the Twin Branch Dam in Mishawaka to Lake Michigan.

For the time being, however, the fish appear to be more interested in moving than biting. Not that they aren’t being caught – many are. But anglers have to work for them.

Water temperatures were in the low 70s this week. Dick Parker of Central Park Bait and Tackle says that when the temp drops into the mid-60s, they will really turn on.

Lake Michigan biologist Brian Breidert said fish counts of steelhead going through the South Bend ladder eclipsed the 4,500 mark this week, including 621 that moved through from Aug. 7-13.

Breidert said it is the best run at this stage of the season since 2005.

Parker agrees it’s shaping into a good one that we haven’t seen in several years.

“If this weather stays cool, look out,” Parker said. “Right now, they’re not biting fast and furious, but people are catching a few.”

There doesn’t seem to be any set pattern, Parker added; some fish are being caught on nightcrawlers and some on spinners. A few boat anglers are doing well but most of the success has come from shore anglers. The Twin Branch area has been best but a few fish are being caught at Central Park. The best bite is early morning or late evening.

Bryan Williams of Trailhead Mercantile at Niles has seen some of the same in Michigan waters.

“The fish turn on and off, successes have been hit or miss, but the guys who are doing best are staying with it all day and catch ‘em when they turn on,” Williams noted. “The bite seems to be best at pre-dawn and again late afternoon.”

William cited the Berrien Springs and Niles dam and the mouth of Dowagiac River as hot spots. Any incoming creek mouth can be good, too.

He added that Oslo spinners and corky rigs have been best although spawn bags have been working, too.

Meanwhile, the cooler weather has created challenges for inland lake anglers.

The diehard bluegill fishermen are catching them but the fish are on the move.

“The best catches are coming deep on several lakes, but you have to hunt to find them,” said Dave Garber of Ye Olde Tackle Box in North Webster.

Kevin Claire of Lunkers said not many people have been fishing but the ones who are going out seem to be doing well with crickets. They’re fishing for suspended ‘gills off shore or along the weed edges, although he’s heard of some being caught shallow, too.

Mike McNulty of Midway Marine said river bluegill fishing has been excellent in slack water about 6- to 8-feet deep.

“They’re tight-lining them with red wigglers, wax worms and crickets,” he added.

The bass seem to be scattered, moving shallower with the cooler water temperatures. Soft plastics and topwaters are providing the best action, noted Claire.

“I’m hearing about pike being caught on the St. Joe with spinnerbaits, too,” he added.

McNulty said the walleye fishing on the river is still good but it has slowed down. Garber said there have been very few muskie reports from Kosciusko lakes because the guides aren’t fishing as long as the water temperatures are in the 70s.