Summer Bite Ready to Begin
We’ve been taking all the rain Mother Nature can throw at us the past 2 weeks. Mayflies, cold air and water temps in the mid 60’s have been making the bite a little bit of a roller coaster ride. You have to search out your bites and be patient. We are now coming out of most of the mayfly hatch and the summer bite is about to begin.
WALLEYES are heading for new coontail growth for major feeds. Minnows are the mainstay for now, but it would be wise to have some leeches and crawlers along. Every lake seems to be a little different at the moment when it comes to bait. Weeds are the common ground when it comes to walleyes and shallow water is also in play. Slip=bobbers will also work very well at the moment. On area flowages minnows to crawlers is 1 to 1. We should see all crawlers soon.
BASS activity has been doing the best of most types of fish. We are seeing large females make their return after resting from spawn. They are all beat up and hungry! Jig + crawler or leech have worked well for attracting SM bass on the live bait front. We are finding fish on shallow rock and timber. Timber is especially good. Wacky Worms and Gulp has worked well if you like to throw plastics.
NORTHERNS have slowed slightly from their rampage but you will still find plenty of them that are willing to hit. Spinner baits worked over heavy weeds have been a lot of fun. Jig + minnow combinations have also been effective. Gulp minnows will also work well on these toothy critters. I’ve found 6 to 10 ft depths on most lakes and right along shorelines on flowages.
PANFISH are around with Perch being the most active. Perch have invaded the weeds and anglers have been having good success. You have to sort through, but decent ones are there and a fish fry can be had. Bobber and hooks or small jig tipped with a ½ nightcrawlers has been effective.
MUSKY activity is just getting better and better. With all the unstable air masses, muskies seem to be on the prod. We have seen some nice fish lately and have caught some decent mid-sized fish. They are chasing small tinsel bucktails the best. Surface lures have not worked well. I feel this is because of the cold water temps. New green weeds are the top spots to get started. Search these from shallow out as deep as you can find them. Do not overlook gravel bars as you move around. We have seen some of our best fish in these areas.
That’s it for now. Catch you on the lakes. Good luck fishing.
Jeff Winters
www.jeffsguideservice.com
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