Ranger Rick's Lunker Report

Wow, the summer is flying by and the summer patterns are in full swing.
I've been very busy with my 2 sport shops, guiding, Captain Nemo's my supper club, and getting prepared to head up to the Big Narrows Resort on the Lake Of The Woods for our 6th annual musky and walleye schoool. Mark Rottier and I leave next week.

Here is what is happening in the Eagle River area.
The muskies are responding to humid hot weather by eating surface baits, spinners and crankbaits. Some big muskies have been caught. Recently I know of a 51 on North Twin and a big one that came out of the net on Lac Vieux Desert. Incidently that fish was caught on the 10 inch Cabbage Ghost.
The muskies are relatiing heavily to the weed edges and pockets. I'm sure there is a suspended bite on some lakes, but the big fish have been coming off of weeds.

Walleye are still biting, but as always the location becomes more of a challenge at this time of the year. The mayflys are done for the most part, so the walleyes are now spending time at the very DEEPEST 'sawgrass' weeds located at the edge of the hard weeds, namely the cabbage and coontail beds. Al Gall had a big day on walleyes on the Eagle River Chain 2 days ago. Lots of walleyes were caught. Fathead minnows and leeches are the prefered bait on 1/16 oz. jigs.

Northern Pike are everywhere, and they are eating anything that moves. Reports of northerns eating jigs tipped with leeches are even coming in. typically though they are after jig and minnow combos, small spinners, Rapalas and any other minnow style bait. They are in the weeds and weed pockets and some are in brushpiles and cribs.

Crappies are a little harder to locate now as the summer progresses. They are on deep weed edges, brushpiles and cribs. The hot baits are of course crappie minnows, Mini Mites, pinkie jigs, and some are getting caught on Gapen's glitter jig.
The bluegills and perch are shallow in the weeds gobbling pieces of crawlers, small leeches, crappie minnows and leaf worms. They are very catchable with a small jig or a bobber hook combination.
The invasive species,,, Rock Bass are also alive and doing well! They are a great fish for young children as the eat anything and bite readily.

Watch for the PRBTT to be started soon. The Professional Rock Bass Tournament Trail is long over due!!

Come on up north and catch some fish,,, remember catch and release to preserve our fishery for the future.

Ranger Rick