Musky and Smallmouth Report 6/18

Muskie fishing has really improved throughout the last weekend and into this week. Water surface temps have risen to the low 70 degree range on most lakes by mid day and the weather has remained fairly stable with only a few minor rain storms materializing. There are two good bites going for the muskies – deep, which is more dependable, and shallow which has really improved. For deep water fishing I have been locating pods of bait fish in the typical 12 to 16 foot range. Locating these fish is not as hard as some anglers think – just make sure you get your lure near or around the bait clouds and don’t fish under the muskies. I have had some very good action fishing depths of 35 to 25 feet of water. With the cloudy weather, I have been able to locate and catch some of the deep water fish that were only following to the boat by going shallow in the same general area. Fishing small bucktails, topwaters and plastic swim baits over the weed cover has been the best presentation. Most of the fish we have caught have been in the mid 30’s but we have seen and lost a few bigger fish over 40.

Smallmouth bass action has been excellent in the Eagle River and Three Lakes area. Fishing depths of 3 to 8 feet of water when conditions are cloudy and moving deeper when conditions are sunny has been the ticket. Rocky structure has been producing great action and we have been catching good size walleye right along side too. Use the standard 1/16 or 1/8 oz jig with a 3 to 4 inch plastic crawfish and you will be hauling them in but remember that bass is still catch and release until the third Sat. in June.

Good luck,

Chas Martin
www.muskymastery.com