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Water temperatures continue to rise, and it does have an impact on fishing. Surface water temperatures are in the mid-70s on many of the area lakes. For the best chance at walleye, beat the heat of the day and hit the water in the early AM or just before and after sunset. Most anglers are reporting their best success in 15+ feet of water. The live bait of choice is a leech trolled on a spinner with a bottom bouncer or tipped on a jig just off the bottom. The top performing crank baits are deep diving Flicker Shads, Scatter Raps and Shad Raps. Working quite well are classic Rapala’s. Soft plastics are also working very well when combined with a brightly colored jig. If you’re not finding the fish at the deeper depths, several of our fishermen have found success in the shallows, up close to shore or sitting on sunken islands simply using a leech under a slip bobber.
Look for big bass on fast drops from rocky, weedy flats. Top water crank baits like Whopper Ploppers, Lunker Hunt Popping Bug and Lunker Hunt Dragonfly are sure to entice explosive, surface-breaking strikes. Big bass, both large and smallmouth are very willingly hitting large sucker minnows suspended under a large bobber right at the edge of steep drops at the edge of weed lines or rocky flats.
You are going to find big pike in the same haunts as the bass and catch them using the exact same techniques. In addition, throw large, flashy spoons or buzz baits for large slime action.
Panfish are still sitting in the about 12-15 feet of water. Crappie minnows, leeches or crawlers on small Fuzzy Grub jigs, small, brightly colored jig heads, or Thumper Jigs all jigged vertically off the side of the boat are producing the best results right now.
Go deep for lake trout. Outfit your reel with lead-core line and tie on deep diving Salmos, Rapala’s or Reef Runners. Troll your lures at 50 – 60 feet deep. Jig large tube jigs and flashy spoons just off the bottom in 50+ feet of water or drop to the bottom and crank to the surface.
