Fishing Report 8/15/09

Musky fishing in the Eagle River and Three Lakes area continues to provide excellent action. The warmer weather has brought water surface temps up to the 72-76 range and fish have been responding well to all types of presentations, especially bucktails. Wind, which were consistently out of the NW for what seemed like weeks, have now been blowing out of the SW for a couple days. Within the last two weeks I have not been fishing very deep because the shallow water bite has been so consistent. Covering water with a search and fineness approach has been the best overall technique. Bucktails in the 6 to 7 inch range are getting the most attention. The key as always with any consistent wind of 3 or more days has been to fish the wind-blown side of the lake. Using this strategy has resulted in seeing many spots holding 2 or even 3 different muskies holding on the same spot! We even had 2 muskies follow a bucktail in at once.

Northern pike are really hitting well and it has been easy fishing for them. Casting small spinners in chartreuse or green/white color over the tops of emergent weed cover has been the best presentation. Use a no-stretch line to get better hookups with these toothy predators. Many fish in the 24 inch range have been hitting with a few larger ones too.

The walleye bite has been good for mid-August. As usual the best presentation has been a 1/16 oz jig and a medium size fathead minnow. Areas with coontail weeds are holding more fish. Be on the lookout for weed lines that have gravel close by. We are also getting some nice crappies in the 10-12 inch range mixed in as well. Fishing the edge has been most consistent when the fish are active but fishing IN the weeds has been needed when they are not feeding aggressively.

Both LM and SM bass have been hitting well to. For LM bass, we have been fishing deep weed edges that bottom out at around 12 feet. The best presentation has been a small spinner bait, a jig and minnow or a 5 inch rubber worm rigged Texas style. SM bass are hitting on the same presentations and have finally moved a bit shallower, in the 10 to 14 foot range, than they had previously been.

Good luck and fish hard!

Chas Martin
www.muskymastery.com