Summer patterns are starting to emerge here in northern Wisconsin for most species. Walleyes have been slowly transitioning to deeper haunts during the daytime but they are still being caught very shallow at night. Slip bobbers and leeches/crawlers have been taking some fish as well as trolling shad-style crankbaits around mid-depth points and humps. Any time now the offshore deep water bite should be setting up for both crawler harness/bottom bouncer fishing near bottom as well as for suspended walleyes on spinner rigs and stickbaits.
Smallmouth and largemouth bass fishing has been excellent with a good topwater bite being reported. Spooks and prop baits over weed/rock transitions for smallmouth have been working and frog fishing for largemouth has started to take off now that the pads and slop have grown up. If topwater fishing isn’t your thing, jigs and ned rigs will catch both species because this is prime time for crayfish patterns to emerge. Panfish are definitely moving to midsummer haunts on deep weedlines and around deeper docks and wood cover. Almost anything will catch these fish but small jigs and plastics worked slowly around these areas can really be dynamite.
Pike can be caught anywhere there are weeds but the larger fish have moved to the deepest weeds and even onto some deeper rock and brush piles. Live suckers under slip floats are the easiest way to target these roaming hunters. This is also one of the best times of the year to fish larger rivers for a multitude of species such as big catfish, sturgeon, carp, buffalo, sheepshead, muskies, white bass and much more. A nightcrawler on the bottom with enough weight to pin it down and a #2 or #4 circle hook will take just about anything in the river! —
Caleb Wistad – Hookedupwi
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