July 30th, 2024
***Fishing Report***
Walleye - Hot conditions have started to push the walleyes out of shallows. While anglers continue to report catching walleye in 8ft of water and less, this bite only lasts until the sun gets above the trees. Once above the trees, walleyes are gone. Anglers fishing here have been throwing 3 and 4” paddle tails on 1/8 or 1/4 oz jigs. Rocky shorelines and rocky humps that top out in that 4-8ft of water. Once the sun gets up walleye transition to sunken islands and weedlines in 12-18ft of water. Out here spinner rigs in gold, chartreuse, red/white, tipped with a crawler or leech have been very effective at catching walleyes. Open water trolling bite is also in full swing. Anglers fishing this bite have been catching some quality walleyes during the evening hours, while trolling crankbaits just off deep water structure.
Smallmouth - Smallies too have been seeking out cooler water during this heatwave. Like with walleyes, early morning topwater bite remains effective, but as with walleyes, once the sun gets above the trees, it’s over. Rocky, shallow flats with quick access to deep water have been the areas to focus for this topwater bite. Once the sun gets up the smallies slide out the deeper structure like sunken islands and deep rocky points that are in that 10-20 feet of water. Here anglers have been strolling jigs, slow rolling spinnerbaits and in-line spinners.
Lake Trout - As water temps rise knowing where the thermocline is has become the key to consistently catching lakers. Anglers fishing the thermocline with downriggers and trolling spoons have been having good success right now. Jigging heavy bucktails and heavy tube baits, jigged around deep water structures has also been catching trout.
Stream Trout - Rainbow trout have been a popular trout again this last week. Anglers trolling with cowbells, with a small crankbait, remain very effective on rainbows. During the evening hours anglers have been fishing a night crawler 5-10ft under a bobber. Both remain very effective!
Pike - Pike anglers continue to report catching good numbers of pike, but size remains small as big pike are not fans of warm water temps. Large spoons, large crankbaits and in-line spinners have all been effective. River mouths, weedlines and mouths of shallow bays remain the places to find active pike.
Panfish - Anglers have been finding big gills in thick weedbeds and around down trees, this last week. Anglers have been catching these gills with small leeches, waxies or angleworms fished under a bobber. Crappies on the other hand have been sitting outside deep weedlines during the day. Beetle spins and jig/twisters have been effective in finding and catching crappies. As the sun goes down crappies will move into the weedbeds to feed. Here too, beetle spins and jig/twisters have been very effective.
