Eagle River Lunker Report
Predictably the fishing for most species has slowed down a bit. Due to the early spring and the warm water temperatures the weed growth is now at the July stage in most lakes on a normal year. The mayfly hatch is also come earlier than normal. At no time in a season is there more food available in the lakes. The minnows are in large schools, the mayflies are numerous and the other species of bugs hatching are everywhere. This makes the anglers offering not as attractive. The only exception is the musky, which is slowly turning on for the season. Cooler water tempertures is the only thing that will slow them down. Just as last year, the lakes shot up to to 72 degrees, due to heavy rains and cooler nights they have now dropped to the mid sixties. This has made the musky fishing a little spotty.
I have been getting my best action on smaller spinners with high flash. Six inch baits have been the key in my boat, including the 48 incher of a couple weeks ago. Although a 52 incher was caught on North Twin a few day ago on a Big Joe Live Action bait which is a larger bait. The fish was caught at night.
The muskies are locating themselve at the weed edges. The suspended bite is there, but not very well defined yet. Most of the fish are still relating to the thick weeds, primarily near deep water.
The walleyes are also near the deep weed edges with some of the best edges being near muddy bottoms where the mayflys are hatching at night. The fish are fat, stuffed with fly larvae and minnnows. The most effective bait right now is a medium to large leech, resembling a mayfly larvae.
Crappies are still biting on crappie minnows and Mini Mites. They don't really care about mayflys as the other fish. Fish the weeds in all depths as they are hunting for minnows in them. The easiest way to find crappie is to row or drift over weedbeds with a bobber and a Mini Mite set just over the top of the weeds 0n a large weed flat. Once you catch a crappie, throw a marker bouy to mark the spot in the area and fish them with crappie minnow and a slip bobber or jig them out, as I like to do. Where there is one, there is more.
The northern pike are hitting like there is no tomorrow. They can be caught on any spinner that flashes, minnow bait that swims, or jig and minnow combo. They are in and around the weeds everywhere. Remember northern pike are sight feeders and are readily caught on bright sunny days when walleyes are a little more difficult. They actually prefer the sun to be out for feeding and are not as easily caught at night or on dark days.
The bluegills are turning on in the shallow weeds, now that the spawning is over. you can catch them on waxies, chunks of crawlers, leaf worms and leeches. even small crappies minnows will work.
Rock Bass, 'the invasive species' no one talks about, is also having a banner year. these guys will save the day for kids when the rest of the fish don't want to bite. They also are not choosy when it comes to bait,,,, they eat everything. I sometimes wonder if the world would be safe if rock bass attained the size of muskies.
On the Eagle River Chain the perch are having a banner year. They are every where, with some larger 10 inch ones being caught. Since the DNR decided to quit stocking muskies on the chain over a decade ago, the "pie" is larger in the way of food for everyone. This pertains to the perch population. There is more food in the Eagle River Chain the last 3 years than I have ever seen before. Minnows actually are jumping out of the water trying to get out of the way, when an angler retrieves their baits. This is seen in the quality of northern and muskies caught. Last season I know of two 49 inchers and three 47 inchers caught in the Eagle River end of the Chain. I personally caught a 40 and 44 inch tiger, a 40.5 inch northern pike and several others in the 36 to 39 inch range last year. This proves that the predators are getting enough food to attain these sizes, coupled with catch and release, the Eagle Chain is destined for better days in the way of larger fish.
Largemouth and Smallmouth bass opened this weekend and are biting well. They are hitting artificals of all types, surface and sub surface baits are working. Live bait is also working well too. The largemouth are in and around the weeds down to about 10 feet or shallower. The smallies are outside weeds on hard botttom or on rock areas along the shorelines. Predictably, both are aggressive and easily caught.
To sum it up fishing is still pretty good, so come on up to Eagle River and have some fun!!
"Ranger" Rick
