T he 2014 fishing season is almost in the books for most, but for those willing to wait and take advantage of the days that the lake is willing to let you get out, there’s still some great fishing left. Big schools of alewives have made themselves at home in this area over the last few weeks, and young salmon, steelhead, and lake trout will be sure to move in and try to fatten up on them before winter arrives. The cool summer we’ve had should keep the better fishing within a couple miles of shore and hungry fish in the top 50 or 60 feet of water. As with most of this season, keep plenty of spoons with orange on them on your shorter coppers and lead cores and keep your speed up around three mph. Baits to stock up on include Dreamweaver Super Slims and Stinger spoons in Mixed Veggie, silver and gold Orange Crush, Fireball, Jäger Bomb, Jaw Breaker, and Smash-mouth patterns in standard and UV versions. If we get a dose of warm weather send your Michigan Dolphin and Hello Darlin patterned spoons down a little deeper for success. If this summer was any indication, there will be plenty of large steelhead ready to put on an aerial show rivaling anything Sea World has to offer! If you’re looking for some trout for the smoker, send a Trash Can Dodger and yellow Spin’n’ glo down to the bottom and slow down a touch to around 2 to 2.5 mph. Late September and October offer the best lake trout fishing of the season in this area of the lake. If you can pull yourself away from football and hunting, take a trip or two out this fall and put some delicious fish in your freezer. These fall fishing trips may help you to remember the feeling of fishing on the open water as you’re staring out the window at all the white stuff piling up in your driveway! Good luck out there!