Finally some cooling temps but not before summer-like heat returns! We had multiple days where we woke up in the 40s and put on hoodies and pants, but now we’re back into the 80s (and almost 90?!) this week!! Water temps took a dip into the upper 60s but moved back into the low 70s and will probably stay there through this week with the looks of it. Fish are moving all over and are probably just as confused as we are!
BASS:
The bass started to make a more consistent shallow movement, but we found them relocating back onto the weed lines again. However, that mid-depth range (7-15 feet) seems to hold some larger fish right now… so maybe, just maybe, they are beginning to stall out and slide toward fall patterns! We’re catching them all sorts of ways…. Ned rigs, jig worms, dropdowns, swim baits… this is on the weed line. Then, as we move shallower, we’re catching them on jigs, chatter baits, and wacky rigs…. It seems like they’re hungry if you just put bait in front of them! Bass continue to be the most consistent option in our area for success.
WALLEYE:
We’re starting to catch walleye on moving baits again. So small swimbaits work to entice aggressive fish, and then you can slow down with a jig/minnow or bobber/leech and pick additional fish off. Jig/plastic combos are working fine as well… even ned rigs are still producing some fish. A lot of anglers in the area are slowly pulling spinner rigs as well, as I know that has been a productive technique on the weed lines for other local guides this past week.
PIKE:
For pike, they are just plain hungry (again)!! We’ve caught them on just about everything we’re throwing. The bigger fish are still on the weed lines, so if you want that larger pike, I would still focus on outside weed lines in 15-25 feet of water. Seems like the majority of the pike we’re catching shallow are generally your smaller “hammer-handle” size fish.
It looks like a UPF shirt is kind of week ahead of us! Summer is moving back in!!
Report from Matt Johnson
