Rainbow trout were in normal supply, but the outstanding steelhead fishing sometimes seen did not occur last season. Stocking rates for rainbows remains steady, and the numbers present in any area of the lake is just a matter of chance. They roam widely, and when they roam into your fishing area, life is indeed good. This is something we hope for every year, but their coming is not predictable.

Brown trout continue to take up more space in boat coolers. They are an especially nice surprise for spring coho anglers, and some eye-popping catches were reported in early May by boats trolling in 10 to 15 feet of water near Evanston. Brightly colored spoons, run "clean" without dodgers, were the lures of choice. Brown trout have been stocked in good numbers for over 30 years, but only in the past seven or eight years have they become an important part of the fishery.

You can now expect to encounter large brown trout ranging to 20 pounds in deep water during the summer months. Again, these big fish will attack predominately flashy spoons, but flies and plastic squids account for a good number, too.

When salmon fishing is good, the lake trout schools generally get a pass from both sportfishermen and charter fishermen. As a result, some former laker reefs that had been picked pretty clean over the years have started to produce again. If you are fishing out of the Chicago harbors, don't neglect to pull a "0" silver dodger and a white and green fly over the bottom in 100 to 110 feet of water from 90 degrees out of Diversey Harbor south for about two miles. Work this area back and forth, and keep an eye on the graph. The lake trout will show as distinct lumps on an otherwise flat bottom. Once you have marked their exact position on your GPS, stay on the meat, and keep those baits low and slow. These days, you will have to check the lures frequently for zebra mussels. Sadly, if you are not dredging up zeebs from time to time, you won't catch any lakers, either. That is just the way it is.

Before I try to predict what Lake Michigan fishing will be like in July, we should review what we already know, and discuss how these factors could affect our summer action.

By now you probably know that salmon stocking will be scaled back significantly for some years to come. These reductions began in 2004, and will be felt most acutely this year. According to the fishery managers from the four Lake Michigan states, lakewide stocking levels dropped below 12 million fish for the first time since 1977.

Chinook salmon stocking levels remained within a normal range, as 4.3 million fish were planted in 2004. Normal stocking rates have averaged from 2.8 million in 1977 to 6.4 million in 1995. This figure will decline significantly next year.

Coho salmon stocking declined by 1.7 million fish in 2004, 1.5 million fewer than in 2003. This is accounted for by a 68 percent drop in the Michigan plant, induced by budgetary and hatchery problems. It is hoped that when the money returns, so, too, will the cohos.