Outdoor Report for September 18, 2012

FISHING REPORT
Muskies:
Muskie action is good and getting better – just in time for the Hayward Muskies, Inc. fall tournament October 5-7. Work the outside edges of weeds, weed beds, and cabbage in 8-15 feet of water with bucktails, Bull Dawgs, jerkbaits, glide baits, tubes, topwaters, and stickbaits. Vary the presentation and retrieve – and be prepared to set the hook!

Walleye:
Walleye action is inconsistent, but improving. Fish are scattered from shallower water out to more than 30 feet, depending on the weather and time of day. Locations vary from drops, rocks, humps, holes, weeds, brush, bogs, and transition areas. They could be everywhere ... or anywhere. Best baits include crawlers, walleye suckers, fatheads, and leeches (if you can find them) fished on jigs, Lindy Rigs, and bait harnesses. Gulp! baits, jigs/plastics, and trolled crank and stick baits are also working.

Northern:
Northern pike activity is increasing with the cooling water temperatures. Work in and on the edges of any green weeds you can find an anywhere you find concentrations of panfish (aka pike buffet) with spinnerbaits, spoons, and northern suckers ... or about any bait you choose. Pike make good table fare, whether baked, fried, or pickled.

Largemouth Bass:
Largemouth anglers continue to do quite well this fall. Look for the bass in and around weeds and weed lines, wood, docks, brush, and bogs in a variety of depths, from shallow to deep. The most productive baits include soft/weedless plastics, spinners, spinnerbaits, crankbaits, buzz baits, tubes, and live bait.

Smallmouth Bass:
Smallmouth action is starting to come on strong in many waters. Look for hard bottom areas in deeper water with rock, gravel, and wood, and along mid-depth weed lines. Top baits include artificials such as tubes, plastics, spinnerbaits, crankbaits, and finesse plastics, as well as live bait, such as crawlers, fatheads, and sucker minnows.

Crappie:
The majority of crappies are suspending and fishing is good on cribs, humps, brush, weeds, along weed line edges, and other cover in 10-20 feet of water. Baits of choice include crappie minnows, plastics, tubes, and Gulp! baits on jigs, plain hooks, and small spinners. Use slip bobbers to position your bait right in front of the crappies.

Bluegill:
Bluegill anglers are doing well for larger ‘gills in and around deeper water weeds, weed lines, wood, brush, and cribs out to about 17 feet. Action is very good for smaller fish in shallower water near weeds, docks, and other structure. The standard bluegill baits are the way to go, including waxies, worms, plastics, tubes, and Gulp! baits on small jigs or plain hooks, with or without bobbers.