Fishing Report

Good morning quiet lakes, kind of gloomy yesterday and a fair amount of rain last night, and looks like a mixed bag this week for weather.  Looks good to start with mild temps during the day and cooling off at night, with some rain later in the week.  Fishing has been pretty good lately with the musky fishing still hot and lots of reports on good crappie/panfishing as well as northern pike and bass.  

Musky–Musky fishing has continued to be good this week, still lots of fish on bucktails and spinners, but also hearing reports of fish eating gliders, jerkbaits, bulldawgs and medussas.  Fish are still relating to weeds/structure so thats a good place to start your search if you get out fishing.  

Northern pike–Lots of reports from guys/girls who are targeting other species that are catching northern. Fish are coming on small crappie set ups and walleye set ups alike.  Spinner baits and crankbaits are also producing northern catches right now.  I’m hearing reports of kids catching quite a few from docks with small set ups and also out on main lake structure, so northern can be anywhere this time of year. There is really no wrong way to target northern pike.

Walleye–Not a lot to report on the walleye bite but finesse seems to be working in the area.  Lindy rigs, bottom bouncers and baits being pulled around the bottom are what guys are using right now. Ned rigs, and drop shotting is also working on walleye and smallmouth as well.  Fish are relating closer to bottom both in the basins and around the deep weed edges depending on the body of water you are on.

Largemouth bass–Spinner baits and chatter baits are still producing for quality largemouth.  Fish are holding in weeds and shore lines with lily pads or bullrushes.  Using frogs and topwater baits over this cover and spinner baits and chatter baits in main lake weed beds are great ways to target largemouth.  Rigged worms worked through cover will also catch fish.

Smallmouth bass–Smallies are holding on deeper bottom structure/transitions from hard to soft bottom.  Ned rigs, wacky rigged worms, drop shots are all good choices for finessing smallies.  Crank baits worked over the same structure works well for aggressive fish.  

Crappie–The crappie bite has been solid the past couple of weeks, with most fish being caught on crappie minnows worked through the weed beds.  Gulp! minnows and Kalin’s crappie scrubs cast out on small jig heads has also been a great producer lately.  

Bluegill–Bluegill have been mixed in with the crappie lately so using the same presentations will work for both.  Also live bait such as crawlers under a hook and bobber never goes out of style for panfish so be sure to use that off of docks, and on the boat.  

Perch–Perch will fall into the same presentations and structure as the other panfish, and can be caught the same way.  

Not a super in depth report this week, but the bite has been pretty stable with the same presentations the last couple weeks so more of a refresher!!  Have a great weekend.

Greg

Good morning, it was a pleasant week weather wise after those big storms last Sunday night. Rain is forecasted for today and tomorrow but the rest of the week looks like great weather.  Fishing has picked up nicely and the musky bite has been hot this past week.  I managed to get out with a few friends Thursday morning and we had lots of action on bucktails and spinnerbaits.  We managed to get a Musky in the net, 6 northern pike and a few largemouth, one being 18″ and almost 5 lbs!  We also had 4 more follows from musky but none committed….all in all a great morning on the water!

Musky–Musky fishing has been hot the last week or so, lots of fish being caught on fast moving bucktails/spinnerbaits being worked through weed beds.  Look for good cabbage and work over pockets of milfoil.

Northern pike–The pike bite is pretty much mirroring the musky bite.  Small bucktails and bass/musky/northern sized spinner baits are all working to catch fish.  Work the same weed beds where you are targeting musky and you will find pike as well.

Walleye–The walleye bite has not been as good as the Esox, as the walleye are just not showing themselves as frequently as the others.  A buddy and myself did manage to find a walleye on the deep edge of a milfoil weed bed, but the fish was very small and the only one we saw.  Locating fish this time of year is key, however can be difficult if you don’t have electronics.  The walleye should be pushing out into deeper points with rocks/sand and be relating to more of a late summer bite.  Leeches/crawlers on lindy rigs or other bottom relating approaches to catching them.

Largemouth bass–Lots of largemouth being caught on spinner baits in the same weed beds where you will find musky and pike.  Look for fish in the 6-10 FOW range and work baits through the weeds.

Smallmouth bass–I have not gotten much on the smallmouth bite lately, but summertime patterns would be a good place to start.  Deeper water with rocks/sand/wood and any kind of structure in the 12-20 feet of water range should have smallmouth on it.  Jigging with plastics or live bait works well as does crashing crank baits off of bottom and structure.  

Crappie–The crappie bite has been pretty good in the weeds still on small hair jigs tipped with waxies or fished plain.  Depending on the body of water some fish may still be relating to weeds and some may be schooling up out in the basin.  Basin and weed relating fish can be picked off using slip bobbers with minnows underneath them, and small jigs tipped with waxies.  

Bluegill–Some good bluegill were being found with the crappie this past week in the weeds on the same jig and waxie combo.  Crawlers on plain hooks off of the docks is also working well for panfish as the kids were catching good numbers and good sizes of them with this approach.

Perch–The perch can be found and caught in the same areas that the crappie and bluegill are relating to.  Some perch were being found in the same weed beds where the crappie were being caught and some smaller fish were found around the docks.  

Have a great weekend and stay dry!!

Greg