**Fishing Report***
Walleye – Walleye’s are now largely being located out around sunken islands with large mud flats near by. Key depth has been 15-25 feet of water. Walleye’s on many area lakes have been feeding heavily on mayflies, but anglers fishing with half a crawler or leeches, have continued to catch walleyes. Anglers watching their graphs to see where the walleyes are, in relation to where the mayflies are and presenting their baits at the correct depth are having the best luck. One angler even boating a 30” walleye, his new personal best. On lakes where the mayfly hatch isn’t as big of a issue, walleyes are being found out on the edge of weedlines. Anglers are catching these walleyes with a simple spinner rig tipped with a night crawler. Anglers are finding these walleyes in 10-15 feet of water. Blue, gold and pink remain the top colors for successful anglers.
Smallmouth Bass – Smallmouth Bass fishing has been on fire this last week! Some real monsters have been caught right off the dock. Two were caught that may of changed the current state record of 8 lbs. Both were released, to grow even bigger! Main lake shorelines remain the best area to find these big bass and topwater, senko rigging and inline spinners are accounting for the majority of bass being caught. If you have kids and are looking for a simple and easy way to catch lots of fish, a simple bobber and a juicy leech will also catch a ton of them and put smiles on faces.
Panfish – Crappie fishing has slowed as crappies move out of the shallows and are now largely being caught, by accident, by walleye anglers. Reason for this is largely thanks to the invasive rusty crawfish and its ability to wipe out weedbeds. If the crappies have no weeds to relate too, they simply roam. Sunfish anglers are continuing to catch very nice sunfish shallow. Anglers should look to shallow bays with lily pads, weeds or downed trees in the water. Sunfish are hitting on small crawlers, crappie minnows or wax worms.
Stream Trout – Stream trout fishing has slowed as the water has warmed. Warmer water temps have bushed the trout deeper. The once excellent shoreline bite has slowed to more hit or miss. Anglers fishing out of a boat are having the most consistent luck trolling small glass crank baits or cowbells over deep water. Anglers are reporting that they are marking most trout 15-20 feet down.
Northern Pike – Pike fishing too has slowed, as water temps have risen and pushed the really big girl out deep. While big pike has become hard to find, the smaller pike (30” or less) remain shallow and very active. Anglers have reported catching lots of them trolling spoons, burning buzz baits and large suspending minnow baits. Anglers should look for mouths of shallow bays, mouths of streams and weedlines for aggressive pike.
