Fishing Report 6-22-12

Short version: The fishing conditions are pretty typical for this time of year.

Bluegills are done spawning for the most part, and although small gills can still be found in the shallows, better panfish are starting to appear on the deeper weedlines or suspended over deep water. Silver, Golden, Ashipunn, Upper Genessee, Garvin and Lower Nashotah. Shore fishing: Try the Piers at Fowler, Lac Labelle or Moose.

Bass are into summer patterns, anglers over the reported catching fish both shallow and deep. The fishing has been slower on the hot days, better on the cooler ones. Docks, slop and the deep weedlines all have fish. LM have been active on Oconomowoc, Golden, Kessus, Nag, Forest and Pine, but most area lakes should most have active fish on weed edges in 6-12 feet of water. Piers have been very good during the brightest of the day, and the slop bite is starting to really pick up. Topwater fish are being caught before 8am over flat areas adjacent to deep water, especially areas with small patches of milfoil. Fishing from shore: Forest, Moose and Elm Brook park are solid options.

Muskies have been very inconsistent. Some anglers have begun trolling for them in deeper water, but other anglers have reported raising fish along the deepest weedlines. Quality fish have been in short supply, but some high 30's were caught this past week. I've heard from anglers fishing Labelle, Okauchee, Oconomowoc and Pewaukee all with success in the last week.

Walleye action has been about average. Spinner harnesses with leeches, back trolled on lindy rigs or bottom bouncers with slow death rigs with a nightcrawler. Weededges and sand grass are the areas to key in on, especially in 18-22 FOW. Night fishing traditionally picks up about now, and floating rapala minnow baits fished over weeds on the ends of long points can really produce. Lac Labelle for action, Fox or Oconomowoc for keepers.


Pike action has steady. Fish the weed flats and outside edges with spinners or live bait. Smaller, wide wobbling crankbaits, buzzbaits and lipless crankbaits. Try Moose, Golden, Okauchee,  School Section, Kessus, Emily Fox or Nag for Pike.

Good Luck,
CT

On the water....

I have been out a bunch lately. Summer patterns are in full effect, although getting sporadic reports that people are having trouble patterning fish this season. Given the crazy weather we have had, I'm not surprised to hear this.

The best advice I can give is to stick to your guns, but understand that a little adjustment, a tweak here or there might be necessary. It has been hot  (as in temperature), and the fish are biting, but slowing down and being a little more methodical about your approach might be necessary.

For example, I'm catching lots of fish off the traditional mid-depth break lines (classic early to mid summer pattern), but I'm making a little adjustment to fish on the deeper side of the break, and to slow way down. The fish are where they are supposed to be, but a slower approach is triggering bites....which if you put two and two together...warm weather/sluggish fish...makes perfect sense.

Here's some pictures. Averaging better than 50 fish a trip on Silver right now.

Jay with a nice one from this morning.

 Mike with a nice one from Golden Lake early this morning.

Patrice with one of more than 50 from Mid-Day on Friday.

My academic mentor, Bob Drechsel with a Silver Lake bass..caught on the first cast with his shiny new St Croix.

Operation: Dry Water

Looks like the DNR is going to be out in force this weekend. Even if you're not drinking, you might want to double check that your carrying all your safety gear, that it is in working order and easy to access, and that your battery terminals are covered.

From the DNR:

Conservation wardens to enforce safety by stopping impaired boat operators

If you are on Wisconsin waters this weekend, you will see Wisconsin’s conservation wardens and local boat patrols looking for impaired boat operators whose blood alcohol level is over the state limit of 0.08 percent. This weekend event is part of the national Operation Dry Water campaign slated for June 22 - 24.

“We want to enhance everyone's safety by removing intoxicated boat operators from the water. We hope to educate as many boaters as possible about the hazards of operating while intoxicated," Roy Zellmer, Department of Natural Resources boating law administrator, said.

A boat operator or passenger with a blood alcohol concentration above the legal limit runs a significantly increased risk of being involved in a boating accident. When impaired by alcohol, boating accidents are more likely and more deadly for both passengers and boat operators, many of whom capsize their vessel or simply fall overboard.

Operating while intoxicated is a primary contributing factor in nearly one in five boating fatalities nationwide, and Wisconsin’s conservation wardens and boat patrols are committed to enforcing laws against this high-risk behavior to protect everyone on the water.

Boaters found operating a recreational vessel with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 percent or higher will find their voyage terminated and they will be removed from the water for everyone's safety.

Last year, Wisconsin’s conservation warden service and local water patrols dedicated 1,684 hours and contacted 1,870 boaters during Operation Dry Water. There were 14 arrests of boating under the influence and 162 other boating citations issued along with 599 boating-related warnings.

Operation Dry Water, a multi-agency, education and enforcement initiative launched by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators in 2009 in partnership with the U.S. Coast Guard, puts thousands of local, state and federal marine law enforcement officers on the water nationwide the last weekend in June to give operating while intoxicated enforcement high visibility during the peak
boating season.

"Boaters who choose to operate while intoxicate will face the consequences of that decision," Zellmer said. "We want recreational boaters to enjoy themselves, but there will be zero tolerance for boating under the influence.”

Operation Dry Water is a joint program of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators and the U.S. Coast Guard. For more information, visit www.operationdrywater.org. For more information on boating in Wisconsin, search for "boat" on the DNR website.

Help me out.

Last year, I entered a contest put on by Lurenet.com for Father's Day. I told the story of how my Dad and I were together in Canada when he caught his largest Northern Pike ever.

This year, I've entered a similar contest from FLW along the same lines. I'm in the final five, and I need your help to get me to the top.

Can you take a minute...and go vote for my photo? Vote for "A fisherman and his dad"

Thanks,
CT

Father's Day Outing...with my kids.

Look at that grin.....do you think he'll be fishing like his dad?

Gathered up my older son and daughter for some quality time with dad. My kids love to fish, but like most kids their age, have a built in time window for attention.

Hit Moose to stay away from the pleasure boats. Didn't make a big deal out of it. One rod each, set up for catching panfish in the shallow water. (Small bobber, split shot and panfish hooks with live bait)

With kids, faster action always trumps size.

Shannon (Age 5) with the first fish of the day.

Shannon with a nice bluegill.

Quinn (Age 3) with "the fish that kept splashing her."