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Fishing success continues to be slow to mediocre for many, as is quite normal for this time of year; but with a little knowledge, preparation and patience, you will find success. We are still experiencing warm temps with water surface temperatures holding at about 80 degrees. The warmth has kept the walleye holding to deeper water. Swimbaits like Crush City or Keitech on a 3/8th’s ounce jig, Flicker Shads, Scatter Raps or leech on a spinner fished at 12-18 feet seems to have been the sweet spot for most anglers. There are cooler temperatures with overcast conditions headed our way for the weekend and with it you can expect the walleye to move a little shallower and extend the bite window. The best hours will still be early AM and sunset.
Small mouth bass, holding in about 6-8 feet of water, are readily striking a wide variety of crank baits, from swim baits to old fashioned spoons. Look for them near currents, heavy, deep weed beds or deeper, rocky flats. Look for large mouth bass in 2-8 feet of water in weedy, shallow flats. Like the small mouth, a very wide array of crankbaits will work well, but for a little more explosive action, throw a top water crankbait.
Northern pike have been mostly shallow, 2-8 feet of water in shallow, heavily weeded bays. Use a large sucker minnow under a bobber for an easy approach. For more action, cast large, flashy spoons or weedless crankbait.
Crappies / panfish are suspended at about 12 feet. Tip a fuzzy jig with a crappie minnow head or night crawler and jig it vertically from the boat. Cast and retrieve a Beetle Spin or fish a crappie minnow on a simple hook under a slip bobber.
Lake trout have not changed their pattern over the last week, deep, deep, deep. Like last week, large spoons or jigs fished off the bottom in 40-60 feet of water is going to offer the best chance at success.
