June is a good time to target coho salmon as well as rainbow trout. Also indicated are the maximum and minimum temperatures in July for these locations based on observations over the past 10 years. We use data from various sources, including National Centers for Environmental Information (NOAA), meteorological services of different countries, data received from more than a thousand buoys around the world, satellite systems for scanning the surface of the oceans and seas. I've been watching Lake Michigan water temperatures drop a lot. August is the month with the hottest water temperature at 77.9F / 25.5C. Many other water sports are practiced on the lakes, such as yachting, sea kayaking, diving, kitesurfing and lake surfing. 44.6, The chances to catch a trophy fish are high during this time of the year. Average water temperature in the first decade is 69F, in the middle of the month - 66F, and at the end - 63F. [36], Lake Michigan has many beaches. A lot of salmon can be found in the lakes harbors and in the Muskegon River. [Northern Region] format: '#C'}, Fire 34, "Where to Find Petoskey Stones in Michigan." Click and drag to zoom in on the chart, and hover to see point values. Great Lakes Marine Portal Fish starts feeding actively at the beginning of the month. Milwaukee October 30, 2022. A lot of steelhead can be found in the Manistee, Muskegon, and Pere Marquette rivers. See our affiliate disclosure for details. Lake Michigan's fishing is very productive in the fall. }, These include brown trout, smallmouth bass, brown trout as well as salmon species. Water cools down and fish begin to feed actively during the morning hours. [Chicago] This might be due to a combination of circumstances, including a record-warm summer, increased cloud cover, no major storms mixing cooler water from below. WATERTEMPERATURE.NET - Wordwide Water Temperatures. [Michigan City] The Lake Michigan Water Temperatures also happen to be at their warmest in July and August, reaching highs of up to 70 degrees, making water activities perfect. Great Lakes CoastWatch is a nationwide National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) program within which the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL) functions as the Great Lakes regional node. Small dune formations can be found on the western shore of Lake Michigan at Illinois Beach State Park, and moderate-sized dune formations can be found in Kohler-Andrae State Park and Point Beach State Forest in Wisconsin. The most recent period with similar lake levels was 1986-1987. Play Time for Kids, Weather Safety 21.3, (overcast clouds) Wind. } The water heats up in the afternoon during cold months. 2023 Copyright Freshwater Fishing Advice, link to Best Water Temperatures for Perch Fishing (Complete Guide), link to Seasonal Guide: Best Times to Catch Big Bass. 48.6, ['February', In 1673, Jacques Marquette, Louis Jolliet and their crew of five Mtis voyageurs followed Lake Michigan to Green Bay and up the Fox River, nearly to its headwaters, in their search for the Mississippi River. Wind direction is a significant factor for the Lake Michigan water temperature. Lake Michigan Regions. [40] Many seasonal residents have summer homes along the waterfront and return to other homes for the winter. January: Steelhead is preparing for spawning season after the fall run in January. 0.4], Whilst sea temperatures for Lake Michigan are as accurate as current data allows, there may be slight local and regional variations depending on conditions. Minimum water temperature in Lake Michigan in September is 57F, maximum - 75F. As a result, you will get a list of countries and cities in which the average sea temperature or maximum temperature on this day over the past 10 years exceeds your chosen value, Top places with the warmest water in Lake Michigan today. A lot of steelhead can be found in the rivers around the lake. [30] The all-time low-water mark was eclipsed in January 2013. Parts of the shoreline are within the Hiawatha National Forest and the Manistee National Forest. This comes on the heels of very high-temperature rises throughout the summer. To find out the sea temperature today and in the coming days, go to Current sea temperature in Lake Michigan. By the late 18th century, the eastern end of the straits was controlled by Fort Mackinac on Mackinac Island, a British colonial and early American military base and fur trade center, founded in 1781. The lakes were 29in (0.74m) below their long-term average and had declined 17 inches since January 2012. 0.3], 33.1, CAUTION: These maps do not take into account hydrologic connectivity. Lake Huron average water temperature this. Located on the southern side of the straits is the town of Mackinaw City, Michigan, the site of Fort Michilimackinac, a reconstructed French fort founded in 1715, and on the northern side is St. Ignace, Michigan, site of a French Catholic mission to the Indians, founded in 1671. It is 307 miles (494km) long by 118 miles (190km) wide with a shoreline 1,640 miles (2,640km) long. The Chicago lakefront is accessible for about 24 miles (39km) between the city's southern and northern limits along the lake. These Lake Michigan-based charters have earned great reviews from anglers and will offer you a tremendous service. The best time to fish Lake Michigan is April to May for yellow perch and bass, from May to June for lake steelhead and trout, July to August for king salmon, and June through October for coho salmon. Based on our historical data over a period of ten years, the warmest water in this day in Grand Traverse Bay was recorded in 2020 and was 35.8F, and the coldest was recorded in 2014 at 30.9F. Average monthly sea temperatures in Lake Michigan . Also, water cools down in the afternoon during hot months. [Southern Region], Lake Michigan Port Images The month with the lowest is March with an average water temperature of 32.9F / 0.5C. Best Water Temperatures for Perch Fishing (Complete Guide). Lake Michigan is the world's largest lake by area located fully in one country. There is a forecast of water temperature changes for the next few days, as well as historical data of sea surface temperature are available for all days of the last years. Anglers should aim to focus on steelhead and salmon when fishing the waters of Lake Michigan during the fall months. You would have to be insane or getting paid to want to get in water this cold! As air temperatures trend upward, global lake surface water temperatures (LSWT) have warmed by an average of 0.21 C/decade 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. Weeks of hot weather, scant precipitation, and low winds have pushed the water temps into near-record temps in four of the five Great Lakes. ['November', Disclaimer Its possible to catch smallmouth bass at any time of the year. Lake Michigan water temperature right now Below are the cities and resorts in Lake Michigan with the values of water temperature today and yesterday. Lake Michigan sunset from the R/V Laurentian, July 2011. The southern and eastern beaches are typically sandy and dune-covered. The Manistee National Forest section of the shoreline includes the Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness. Study: Depths Of Lake Michigan Are Getting Warmer. The graph below shows the range of monthly Lake Michigan water temperature derived from many years of historical sea surface temperature data. Michigans Water temperatures in all five Great Lakes have been hovering at record-high fall levels since October, roughly five to six degrees above average. In recent years, at the beginning of the month, the temperature value here is at around 71F, and by the end of the month the water warms up to 61F. ['May', At the start of the year, only 3% of the Great Lakes were covered in . Anglers receive meals and drinks during full-day fishing trips as well. Water near the surface cools and becomes heavier, allowing wind to mix it downwards. NWS Want to Know the Best Time of Day to Fish? However, if the lack of rain continues then the risk of an algae bloom is reduced. ", "Chart: 14901 Edition: 15 Edition Date: August 2006 Clear Dates: NM 12/17/2011 LNM 12/6/2011";"Soundings in feet and fathoms", "Low Great Lakes water levels plague shipping, recreation", "Two Great Lakes hit lowest water levels since record keeping began nearly a century ago",