Rob Manthei
07-25-2013, 07:26 AM
Well hopefully our one and only heat wave has come and gone. With the weather getting back to normal, the water temps have dropped from the low 80's to back to 72-73. A lot more comfortable for the fish.
WALLEYE: All I can saw is wow....I haven't seen a more consistent bite like this in a long time. I've been averaging 25-40 fish during a 1/2 day trip with 2 to 4 customers. This bite has been going on for around a month to month and a half. I think with the lack of mayflies, the walleyes missed out on a lot of free food and the has put the bite ON! Pick it, weed edges, sandgrass, rock humps...they all are holding fish, depending upon the lake. We've been catching lots of eaters and some really nice 25"+ fish (cpr'd). I am using 1/16 slow poke jigs along the weed edges tipped with a crawler, and running slip bobbers with crawlers or leeches over the rock bars and grass. Approach the windy side of the structures and start from there.
SMB and LMB: Haven't really fished these much, except for 1/2 and 1/2 days after pounding walleyes. SMB's are using the steep breaks of rocky shorelines and around mid lake bars. Senkos, tubes, and deep cranks were working....all else fails, leeches. LMB's have been an accidental catch in coontail fishing for walleyes.
CRAPPIES: Summer patterns. They are suspended along deeper weed edges. Look for 7 to 12 feet and work half way down. All you need is a Mini Mite and a float....forget the minnows....
MUSKIES: With the full moon of July almost behind us, the past week was good in the evenings and after dark...targeting moonrise. Deep cabbage edges, mid lake rock bars, and open water fish(suspended) were all the places that I found active fish. Cowgirls, Bulldawgs, Suicks, and topwaters all produced fish and action. Look for a good bite coming up with the water stabilizing around 72-74 degrees. Remember, keep the fish in the net over the side of the boat when up hooking, they DON'T breath air.
Good luck to all!!
WALLEYE: All I can saw is wow....I haven't seen a more consistent bite like this in a long time. I've been averaging 25-40 fish during a 1/2 day trip with 2 to 4 customers. This bite has been going on for around a month to month and a half. I think with the lack of mayflies, the walleyes missed out on a lot of free food and the has put the bite ON! Pick it, weed edges, sandgrass, rock humps...they all are holding fish, depending upon the lake. We've been catching lots of eaters and some really nice 25"+ fish (cpr'd). I am using 1/16 slow poke jigs along the weed edges tipped with a crawler, and running slip bobbers with crawlers or leeches over the rock bars and grass. Approach the windy side of the structures and start from there.
SMB and LMB: Haven't really fished these much, except for 1/2 and 1/2 days after pounding walleyes. SMB's are using the steep breaks of rocky shorelines and around mid lake bars. Senkos, tubes, and deep cranks were working....all else fails, leeches. LMB's have been an accidental catch in coontail fishing for walleyes.
CRAPPIES: Summer patterns. They are suspended along deeper weed edges. Look for 7 to 12 feet and work half way down. All you need is a Mini Mite and a float....forget the minnows....
MUSKIES: With the full moon of July almost behind us, the past week was good in the evenings and after dark...targeting moonrise. Deep cabbage edges, mid lake rock bars, and open water fish(suspended) were all the places that I found active fish. Cowgirls, Bulldawgs, Suicks, and topwaters all produced fish and action. Look for a good bite coming up with the water stabilizing around 72-74 degrees. Remember, keep the fish in the net over the side of the boat when up hooking, they DON'T breath air.
Good luck to all!!