August 20th, 2024
***Fishing Report***
Walleye - Stable weather has improved the walleye bite on many Ely area lakes. Shallow water bite has returned on many area lakes also. Anglers fishing this bite have been catching walleyes in 6-10ft of water. Here paddle tails remain very popular and effective. Slip bobber and a leech, during the evening hours, in weedbeds or weedlines. Spinner rigs, tipped with a crawler, have remained very effective out on sunken islands. Pike suckers tipped on a 1/4oz or 3/8oz jig is also worth noting out here. Out here anglers are working the edges of the structure in 15-25ft of water. Trolling bite also remains very strong. Here anglers are trolling crankbaits in 15-20 feet of water, over large flats. Hot colors continue to be orange, chartreuse, gumball and gold.
Smallmouth - Smallies continue to hit topwater early in the mornings or all day on cloudy days. Here anglers have been working shoreline structures like large boulders, timber and boulder flats. Once the sun gets up the big smallies slide out to sunken islands. Here anglers have been catching big smallies with small sucker minnows and soft plastics.
Panfish - Crappies and sunnies are both being found in and around weedbeds. Anglers continue to catch crappies just off the weedbeds during the day and inside the weedbeds during the evening hours. Beetle spins and jig/twister also remain very effective here. Sunnies have slid back into the shallow weedbeds and shoreline timber. Here, small angleworms, leech or wax worms, fished under a bobber have been very effective on big bluegills.
Stream Trout - Rainbow trout have been active this last week for shore anglers. These anglers have been fishing a night crawler, 5-10ft under a bobber during the evening hours. Anglers fishing from a boat, continue to troll cowbells with small crankbaits or spinner rigs, tipped with a crawler, over deep water.
Pike - Some big pike were reported this last week from many anglers targeting them. Medium to large suckers, fished under a large bobber accounted for the majority of them caught. Large topwater lures, large crankbaits and large spoons, fished at the mouth of shallow bays, river mouths and weedlines also accounted for their fair share of pike caught.
Lake Trout - Lake trout reports slowed up this last week. Covering ground, looking for active biters has been the key to catching lakers. Trolling with downriggers, along the thermocline, has been the way to go to catch trout. 40-60 feet of water remains the depth to look for lake trout.
