Fishing report September 1, 2022

Musky:
Musky action is slower maybe fish are lounging (lunging?) before they go on the big fall feed to prepare for winter? Look for muskies in shallow, thick weeds that are adjacent to or in deep water. Suckers, small traditional color bucktails, jerkbaits gliders, creepers, and topwaters are now all tempting muskies. Do. Figure. Eights!

Walleye:
Walleye fishing is fair to good, with fish mostly holding in deep water except when feeding shallow during low light into dark hours. During the day, concentrate on deep weed beds, brush, basins, and breakline edges. The most successful baits include crawlers, fatheads, minnows, plastics, Beetle Spins, and slow-trolled crawler harnesses, crankbaits, Lindy rigs, and stickbaits.

Northern Pike:
Northern pike action is good to very good in 3-20 feet, with fish in/on weeds and weed edges, points, flats, and wherever you find baitfish and bluegill concentrations. Baits of choice include sucker minnows, fatheads, spinners, spinnerbaits, spoons, stickbaits, crankbaits, and bucktails. Go bigger and fish deeper for trophy pike.

Largemouth Bass:
Largemouth bass fishing is very good to excellent in shallow to mid-depth thick weeds, wood, lily pads, slop, brush, cribs, docks, and other structure. Crawlers, spinners, spinnerbaits, swim jigs, plastics in various riggings, and topwaters all do the trick!

Smallmouth Bass:
Smallmouth bass fishing is consistent. Fish are on deep rock, points, and other structure, though depths range from 8-28 feet, depending on the lake. The most productive baits include live bait, plastics in assorted configurations, Ned rigs, drop-shot rigs, crankbaits, and topwaters.

Crappie:
Crappie fishing slowed somewhat, but anglers are still catching fish. Look for crappies in/on deep weeds, structure, bars, bogs, brush, and suspending over deep water. Best offerings include crappie minnows, fatheads, and plastics on jigs or plain hooks fished under bobbers, and small crankbaits and Beetle Spins.

Bluegill and Perch:
Bluegill and perch fishing is good to very good from shallow to mid-depths around docks and weed beds and deeper weedlines. Use waxies, worms, crawler chunks, plastics, and Gulp! baits on small plain or dressed jigs, teardrops, and plain hooks under bobbers.