July 14, 2020

Walleye - Walleye fishing remains slow for many anglers.  Anglers able to find walleyes are all reporting very similar locations and techniques to catch them.  Sunken islands that top out at 10-15 feet of water have been holding walleyes.  Not all sunken islands, in that depth range, have fish on them, so anglers will keep moving until they locate fish with the depth finder.  Once located they will drift over the fish with a jig and pike sucker or spinner rig tipped with a leech or crawler.  Another technique anglers have been having luck with is trolling shad raps over large flats, during the evenings, in 10-15 feet of water. 

Smallmouth Bass - Smallmouth bass fishing remains consistent for bass angler.  Anglers continue to have good luck fishing topwater early in the mornings.  Zara Spooks and whopper ploppers have been the baits of choice.  Largemouth bass too, have been very active on topwater frogs fished in weedbeds or lily pads. As the sun gets up in the sky, both species slide out a little deeper and become unwilling to hit topwater, so anglers switch to spinnerbaits, beetle spins or wacky worms to keep catching fish.  

Pike - Exceptionally high water temps has pushed even the smaller pike to the weedlines and deeper.  Early morning, when the water temps are at their coolest, has been the best time to be fishing for pike.  Pike have been happily hitting buzzbaits, spoons and large suckers fished under a bobber.  Large weedbeds and river mouths have been the best locations to find pike.

July 7, 2020

***Fishing Report***

Walleye - Walleye fishing remains challenging for many anglers as record high temps made it challenging just being on the water and not in the water.  Still anglers managed to find walleyes.  Walleye are now largely being found out on top of sunken islands, in as shallow as 10 feet of water.  Trolling or drifting spinner rigs over the top of them or around them, has been very effective.  Minnow continue to work but keeping them alive has become to much of a challenge for most, so leeches and crawlers are now the baits of choice.  

Bass - Topwater frog fishing for Largemouth Bass has been excellent early in the mornings, in the thick weeds or lily pads.  Smallmouth Bass too, have been hitting topwater in the mornings, but as the sun gets up, they start sliding deeper.  Spinnerbaits and jigs and twisters have been working better as this happens.

Lake Trout - Lake trout has been surprisingly good this last week.  Anglers have been finding them out over deep water and catching them either leadcoring, shallow diving stick baits or using down riggers with large trolling spoons.  Anglers are finding them 20-40 feet down. 

Stream Trout - Stream trout fishing has improved this last week.  Anglers have been catching rainbows by trolling spinner rigs or small crack baits over deep water about 10-20 feet down.  Shore anglers have been catching trout fishing a night crawler off the bottom.  Anglers have been adding a puff of air to the crawler to float them off the bottom.

June 30, 2020

***Fishing Report***

Walleye - Walleye fishing is slowly starting to improve on many area lakes, as mayflies wrap up their annual hatch.   Locations where anglers are finding walleyes vary as much as the anglers.  Shallow weedbeds, deep mud, around sunken islands and trolling over deep water for suspended walleyes, all have been working for anglers.  Anglers finding them shallow are catching them by casting crankbaits or jig and minnows.  Anglers finding them in the mud or around sunken islands are finding them in 15-20 feet of water and are using leeches or crawlers on spinner rigs or lindy rigs.  Anglers finding walleyes suspended out over deep water are catching them with deep diving Shad raps or tail dancers, during the evening hours.  

Lake Trout - Lake trout fishing has been as hot as recent air temps!  Anglers continue reporting excellent fishing for lake trout on many area lake trout lakes.  Anglers have been finding them out over deep water, trolling large trolling spoons, behind down riggers or leadcoring.  Anglers fishing from a canoe have been having luck using large bucktails or tubes, jigged aggressively in deep water, as they drift over deep water.

Bass - Both Smallmouth and Largemouth bass have been aggressively hitting topwater baits like frogs, whopper ploppers and hula poppers.  As the sun gets up in the sky, anglers continue to catch bass by going subsurface with spinnerbaits, beetle spins and wacky worms.  Anglers have been finding bass shallow around downed trees, weedbeds and around large boulders in the water. 

Pike - Small Pike have remained very active in shallow water.  There has been a few reports of some big pike being caught in weedbeds too, as of late. Anglers have been catching them with buzzbaits, spinnerbaits and spoons.  Areas to target them has been shallow weedbeds, mouths of shallow bays and river mouths.

June 23, 2020

***Fishing Report***

Walleye - Walleye fishing has begone to cool off as Mayflies have begone to hatch in large numbers on many area lakes.  While some anglers continue to catch walleyes shallow with slip bobbers, in the evening, that bite has cooled off as walleyes continue to become more scattered.  Anglers have adjusted to lindy rigging or trolling crankbaits to find these scattered walleye.  Anglers are now finding walleyes in 15-20 feet of water, close to large mud flats and out around sunken islands.

Smallmouth Bass - Topwater fishing for smallmouth, remains the way to go.  Smallmouth remain on rocky, shallow flats and very active.  Best times for the topwater bite is during the early morning and during the evening.  When the topwater bite cools off during the day, just switch over to subsurface baits like suspending jerk baits, spinnerbaits and wacky worms.  Anglers should be looking for smallmouth near shorelines, on shallow rocky flats.

Lake Trout - Lake trout fishing has been excellent on many lakes and for many anglers this last week.  Anglers have been finding lakers 30-40 feet down, over deep water.  Anglers fishing from a boat are using trolling spoons fished on down riggers.  Anglers fishing from a canoe have been using heavy jigs and simply dropping the jig down to the bottom, then aggressively jigging it as they drift over deep water.  

Pike - Small Pike have remained very active in shallow bays and at the mouths of shallow bays.  Anglers have been catching good number of them with spinnerbaits, spoons and suckers fished under a bobber.  

June 16, 2020

Walleye - Another large cool front, cooled off a extremely hot walleye bite on area lakes.  Stable warm weather has helped get the bite back on track and the evening bobber bite, in 5-10 feet of water, remains popular and effective, but walleyes are beginning to move away from rocky shorelines and out over mud flats and near shore, sucker islands.  Out here anglers are trolling lindy rigs tipped with a leech or a crawler, and catching walleyes in 12-18 feet of water.  Once a school of biters are located, slowing down with a jig and sitting on top of them, has been very effective.  Pink, purple and blue remain top colors.

Smallmouth Bass - Smallmouth have largely rapped up spawning and are now very hungry!  Topwater fishing has become very effective along with jerk baits, spinnerbaits and wacky rigs.  Anglers have been catching bass in 10 feet of water or less along shoreline flats, around sunken trees and boulders.

Panfish - Sunfish are finishing up the spawn on area lakes and moving out into emerging weedbeds, where they are joining the crappies.  Crappies and sunnies are both being caught along weedlines and inside weed beds.  Anglers are catching them with either small minnows or small night crawlers, under a bobber.  Depths can range 3-10 feet of water.

Northern Pike - Fishing for large pike, has cooled off as they have moved out of shallow bays, seeking cooler water.  Smaller pike, 30” or less, have been very active in shallow bays.  Anglers have been catching them with suckers under a bobber, spoons and large jerk baits.  Key areas to focus on are areas with water coming into the lake or shallow weedy bays, in 12 feet of water or less.

June 9, 2020

***Fishing Report***

Walleye - The incredible walleye bite has returned and gotten better, as several very big walleyes have started coming to the boat, for many anglers.  Anglers continue to catch as many as 50+ walleyes a evening, while using a slip bobbers in 5-15 feet of water.  Leeches are accounting for the majority of walleyes being caught right now.  Top colors continue to be pink, purple and blue.

Smallmouth Bass - Smallmouth and Largemouth Bass have largely rapped up spawning and are starting to aggressively feed on many area lakes.  Reports of them hitting topwater, are being reported more and more right now.  Jerk baits and wacky rigs are also accounting for a ton of bass right now.  Anglers should be looking for bass on large shallow flats, in 10 feet of water or less.

Panfish - Sunfish have started their spawn on area lakes.  Big gills are being found in the back of shallow, firm bottom bays and are eager to bite a well presented bait.  Angler have been using small jigs, tipped with a wax worm or night crawlers.  Crappies have largely moved out of spawning areas and are now being found cruising weedbeds and weedlines.  Anglers have been finding them by drifting jigs tipped with a minnow, under a bobber over this area. 

Pike - Large pike (40”+) are slowly becoming less and less common as water temps continue to rise and push them out into deeper water.  Still several very respectable pike were caught this last week.  Many of those bigger pike were caught with large suckers, fished under a bobber right off docks or at the mouth of shallow bays.  Anglers that don’t want to use big suckers are having great luck with spoons, spinners and buzzbaits.

June 5, 2020

***Fishing Report***

Walleye - The incredible walleye bite, that many anglers experienced last week has cooled off, thanks to a large cool front that blew through the area late last week. Anglers are continuing to find walleyes shallow in 5-13 feet of water, early and late in the day. More and more cabin owners and lake side campers are catching walleyes right off their docks or campsites, fishing a leech under a bobber during the evening hours. Leeches and crawlers are quickly becoming the bait of choice, as water temps continue to rise. Hot colors continue to be pink, purple and blue.

Pike - Pike anglers are also experiencing a excellent bite right from shore or fishing shallow bays in a boat. Many anglers reported seeing huge pike, over 40”, while looking for spawning panfish or bass. Large suckers fished under a bobber remains very effective on these fish. Large flashy spoons, minnow baits, buzzbaits and large flies have also been triggering pike into biting.

Bass - Bass have begun to build their spawning beds on many area lakes. Bass anglers have been quick to notice this and taking advantage of it. Bass anglers have been catching these bass using soft plastics or suspending jerk baits fished near the beds.

Panfish - Crappies and sunfish have become easy pickings for many anglers on areas lakes. Anglers have been finding panfish in the back of shallow bays, by using small bobbers, with a jig, tipped with a minnow or crawler.

Stream Trout - Cool air temps usually mean excellent stream trout fishing in area stream trout lakes. Angling reports confirmed this. One lucky angling family, reported catching over 50+ trout in one day of fishing! Anglers have been catching trout by trolling small minnow baits, spoons or spinner rigs, over deep water. As water temps rise, trout have been going deeper and are now being found cruising about 20ft down, below the surface.