Fishing Report

Good morning from the Quiet Lakes, I would say summer is finally here….for anyone who likes hot weather you will enjoy this week.  Looks like mid 80s just about everyday with the only significant chance of rain on Monday.  Slight chances Wednesday and Thursday but most of the storms lately have either missed us or not lasted very long if it hits us.  The rains we have gotten have really helped keep the water temps in check, making it much easier on fragile fish (think Musky).  It sounds like water temps are mostly in the high 70s right now on most of the lakes in the area.  

Musky–The musky bite has picked back up a little bit this past week.  Anglers are seeing multiple fish a day if they put the time in, and a few more have been added to the board.  Smaller baits still seem to be working best and fish are in and around weeds.  Look for fish in anywhere from 6-12 FOW.

Northern pike–Anglers are still doing well catching pike, mostly on spinnerbaits, rapalas, and small bucktails.  These fish are also in and around shallow weed beds in anywhere from 4-12 FOW.  

Walleye–Walleye have pushed into deeper water and anglers are doing well on jigs tipped with live bait such as leeches, fathead minnows, and walleye suckers.  With ‘eyes being in that 15-20 FOW range, trolling crankbaits or lindy rigging/bottom bouncing set ups should work as well.  Look for fish on those deep transitions of hard bottom to soft.

LMB–The largemouth bite has been consistent and these warm water temps have largemouth in shallow and around lily pads and other shallow weed beds.  Poppers, buzzers, and frogs to catch these shallow fish.  For any suspended fish, spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, and crankbaits or live bait will work.

SMB–Smallies are kind of mixed in the water column right now.  A few anglers have found them deep, while others have found them around 8-12 FOW.  Live bait such as crawlers have been working as well as jigs/plastics such as ned rigs.  

Crappie–Crappie have been in shallow weed beds and anglers are doing well on minnows and small baits such as Beetle Spins.  Look for fish anywhere from 6-10 FOW.

Bluegill/Perch–I have not heard much of a bluegill/perch bite, however with high water temps panfish should be shallow as well.  Look for fish hiding in cover whether it be weeds/timber or cribs.  Leaf worms and crawlers have been the ticket to get fish in the livewell.

Have a great weekend and we will talk soon.

Greg

Good morning from the Quiet Lakes, we had a pretty nice weather pattern this past week.  So much so that I was able to repaint the outside of the house!  With that being said I was not around the bait shop much and do not have a great report for you.  If selling bait is any sign of fishing, it’s been a tough week.  We did not go through much live bait at all, so not sure if people just weren’t fishing as much or if the fishing was so bad that they didn’t need to replenish their bait supply!  I know the water temps have risen way up and did so in short order, which could be the reason for the tough bite.  It looks like decent weather this coming week, with temps in the 70s and 80s and the only chances of rain early in the week.  I am hearing water temp reports of anywhere from the upper 70s to low 80s and this week won’t change that much either way.

Musky–The musky bite has slowed down a bit and fish have hunkered down into cover with these warmer water temps.  Bucktails will still find active fish, and if they don’t eat those but follow, a great throwback lure is any kind of dive and rise or pull/pause lure.  The topwater bite at dusk should be on every musky anglers mind right now and creepers/pacemakers/top raiders/hawg wobblers will all raise fish.  I did hear of a nice 37″ fish floating yesterday on the Spider Chain, so I can’t stress enough to be prepared when musky fishing (specifically if you are targeting them) by having the right tools/net/camera and everything ready to go.  Inadvertent catches from other anglers happen and I give those folks leeway as they usually are not equipped for musky.  

Walleye–It sounds like the walleye are starting to push deeper in the water column as well.  Running crankbaits or bottom bouncing with crawler/leech harnesses is working as well as jigging deep structure with fathead minnows.  Deep is relative, but I am hearing anywhere from 12-20 FOW depending on the lake.

Northern pike–Pike just continue to crush everything and spinnerbaits seem to be the number 1 lure getting it done.  Anglers are finding fish in and around weed beds in anywhere from 4-10 FOW.  

LMB–Plenty of largemouth still being caught on both live bait and artificial lures.  Crawlers under a float in and around weeds have been good for largemouth all year and continue to catch fish.  Topwater baits such as frogs and prop style baits such as whopper ploppers are also catching good numbers of bass right now. 

SMB–I have not heard too much on a smallie bite lately, but a friend got a couple the other night while trolling for walleye.  That tells me fish are holding to deep structure so deep diving crankbaits or baits such as drop shots and Ned rigs should work.  I would start in 12-15 FOW and work areas that have deep rock.

Crappie/Bluegill/Perch–The panfish bite has been fair to good and anglers are catching a mixed bag of all the panfish species while they are out.  It sounds like the deep weed edges are holding fish and jigs/minnows or jigs/worms are working.  Small Beetle Spins really seem to be producing nice sized crappie right now.

Have a great weekend everyone and we will talk soon!

Greg