Fishing Report

Good morning, it is shaping up to be a fantastic weekend weather wise!!  Not sure what this cold front will do to the fishing, but cooling water temps should help overall.  Current water temps are in the low to mid 70s from what I am hearing.  The bite in general has been pretty good, if you can stay on the spots you are fishing.  The wind has been blowing pretty hard consistently all week, but it looks like it will calm down a bit after the holiday weekend. 

Musky–The musky bite is still pretty hot, with fish going on the board every few days around here.  The last dozen fish have been taken on small bucktails, spinnerbaits, and/or top water baits.  Fish should still be relating to shallower weeds/structure and fishing with fast moving baits is the best way to target them.  With the cold front that is happening this weekend it may be wise to switch it up and slow down if the bucktails stop working.  Suicks, Warlocks, Phantoms or any other pause/pull baits can be excellent post frontal choices.  

Northern pike–Pike are still crushing Mepps 5s and spinnerbaits in the 1/2oz and 3/4oz size.  Work both of these baits over and through vegetation as pike will be in cover looking for a meal.  There is really no wrong way to fish for pike, however they seem to be related pretty heavily to weed cover this time of year so fish through any weed bed you come across.

Walleye–I am not hearing anything consistent on a walleye bite as of right now.  I am hearing of some big walleye being caught in non-traditional ways……3 on Suicks so far this year and good sized fish on a…..you guessed it…..a Mepps 5!  With that being said, I would probably start with crank baits and work deep weed edges and rocky shore lines and points.  Try to find aggressive fish with the bigger/louder baits and if you are not having luck switch it up to a more modest/finesse approach.  For that I would go lindy rigs, bottom bouncers and slow death rigs with nightcrawlers.  

Largemouth bass–The bass bite on spinner baits has still been strong lately with live bait (mainly nightcrawlers) under floats also working.  Working baits through cover and edges of weeds/weed beds are where largemouth are hiding.  On warm calm nights working frogs over lily pads this time of year is a fun way to catch largemouth, and one of the most exciting.

Smallmouth bass–Not sure many guys/gals are targeting smallies right now as I am not hearing much about catching them.  Working the same crankbaits in the same locations you would for walleye this time of year would make the most sense.  If they are not hitting crankbaits slow down and go finesse with tube jigs, ned rigs, drop shots, and even live bait.  Start on deeper structure and work points/humps with rock or submerged wood that are adjacent to deeper sections of the lake.

Crappie–Big crappie seem to be pushing out into the basins a little bit I’m being told.  Slip bobbers rigged with plain hooks or small jig heads tipped with crappie minnows are catching these suspended fish.  Catching fish still relating to weeds will work this way as will casting baits like small beetle spins or 

Bluegill/Perch–The gill/perch bite has still been good, lots of fish being caught in shallow bays with weeds, shorelines with sand and as always off of docks/piers.  Small jigs tipped with chunks of nightcrawlers or waxies are working.  

Everyone have a great holiday weekend!!

Greg

Good morning, a good soaker rain here this morning.  Looks like only chances of rain are this morning and tomorrow with the rest of the week staying dry and 70s.  Hopefully this front will get fish moving, as the bite went into lockdown last week compared to the last couple.  

Musky–The musky bite has slowed down a bit this past week, but this weather front and the moon phase should help it out for early in the week.  Stable weather after that should keep it good for the foreseeable future.  Lots of following fish on faster moving baits high in the water column but not a lot committing.  If you get a follow, be sure to cast back with another bait such as a dive/rise or a glide bait.  Something you can work slower to try to make them mad enough to eat it.  Suicks, phantoms and even a creeper or topwater worked slow will entice fish. We are also in that time of year were bigger suspending baits will start to work better than burning bucktails, so be sure to mix it up if you aren’t seeing fish with what you are using.

Northern pike–The pike bite has still been consistent on spinner baits and bucktails.  Work these baits through weed beds anywhere from 3-10 FOW and you will come across some pike action.  Ticking the tips of weeds with crankbaits and letting the baits rise a bit can also be a great way to catch northern pike.

Walleye–The walleye have all but disappeared from what I am hearing.  I have not been out fishing for them myself…..I have this little sickness called musky fever that tends to take over whenever I am in the boat!!  But I have not been hearing good reports on the walleye bite at all from anybody.  Most walleye will be relating to basins this time of year on bigger/deeper lakes and trolling crankbaits/slow death rigs and even drifting lindy rigs towards bottom will be effective.  For weed related walleye, jigs with fluke style plastics worked into pockets of thick cover will work well.  Johnson beetle spins in the larger sizes will work as well.

Largemouth bass–The largemouth bite has still been pretty good and it seems spinnerbaits are still working the best to catch bigger fish.  Loads of mid size largemouth have still been caught on nightcrawlers under a bobber in and around weeds.  Swim jigs worked through thick cover can also be a great way to target largemouths this time of year.

Smallmouth bass–Not a whole bunch to report on the smallie bite either…..Not sure if there is just not a lot being caught or just not getting told about them being caught.  Work deep rocks/points or anywhere there is a hard bottom structure deeper in the lake.  Deeper is relative so focus more on structure than depth.  In some lakes it could be 10-15 FOW and other lakes it could be 20-25 FOW.  Jigs with plastics, drop shots, ned rigs are all good ways to get down to deeper water and target smallmouth.

Crappie–The crappie bite has been a little bit tougher this week, but some guys/gals were having luck on crappie minnows worked over shallow bars that dropped off into main lake basins.  Small jigs under a bobber tipped with crappie minnows was the ticket for them.  Small jigs tipped with plastics should work just as well.  

Bluegill/perch–Nightcrawlers on small hooks worked over and through weed beds will always find you catching bluegill and perch.  They are also great to fish from docks/piers and even from sandy shore lines and bank fishing. A bonus to fishing this way for little fish is that most of the time you can catch bigger fish just by being on good spots and offering an easy meal!!

If you are out on the lakes, you may want to start scoping out spots to put duck blinds up as waterfowl season is fast approaching!  Early goose, teal and mourning dove seasons open on September 1st!  Have a great weekend!

Greg