June 7 Fishing Report

Hi folks
From Long-Johns to shorts in the same day … We started the morning at 31 and ended at 72 degrees --- make sure you bring the full gamut of your wardrobe, along with rain gear when heading up north. Combine this with the now-hatching mayflies we’ve seen the past few days and fishing activity has joined the same roller coaster ride. The time has come for anglers to stay mobile. The mayfly hatch has begun and is hitting with a vengeance. We’re still catching walleyes, but you need to move around from lake to lake until you find your best bites. Surprisingly, jig-and-minnow combinations are still working well. I just can’t seem to get these fish going on a meat bite (crawlers & leeches). Big redtailed chubs have been working the best when it comes to enticing nice-sized fish. We’ve been catching a lot of walleyes in the 20-23” range. Concentrate your efforts around weeds, timber – especially when found in muddy areas of the lake where mayflies come from. Aggressive jigging has been working well. Once a hit is detected, no matter how hard, back off these fish for about 20 seconds, or you will miss them. As we progress into this hatch be sure to try nightcrawlers. These fish have GOT to fire on them sooner or later. Our best action has been in 5 to 8 feet of water.

NORTHERNS are rampaging. These feisty and tasty fish have just been going crazy the past couple of days. We’re finding them in the same areas we’re finding the walleyes and a variety of bait and lures are working. Jig-and-minnow combinations, artificial minnow lures such as rapalas and spinner baits – take you’re pic, they’re all good.

BASS and CRAPPIE spawn has ended, and Bluegills are starting to pile in, so if you’re a bluegill fisherman this is going to be your time. The next week or so should be good when it comes to gill fishing. With the mayfly hatch, you fly fishermen out there can have a ball, as fish are popping all over the surface grabbing bugs.

Good luck fishing. Jeff Winters