Fishing Report 7-29-13

Summer is flying by...


Water is in the low to mid 70's on most area lakes, with heavy algae blooms.

The cooler weather usually makes for tough conditions this time of year, but we've had a batch of relatively stable weather and that has made for some good, but mixed fishing.

Panfish are still suspending in deeper water, but the cooler weather has pulled them tighter to the weed edge or the ends of points. 15-18 feet down over 25-25 feet of water is still holding schools, but weedy points with sharp drop offs have been really productive. Remember to get your bait down, as the smaller fish in the schools will be towards the top. Slip bobbers, tight lining vertically or light lindy rigs thrown shallow and dragged off the edge of steep structure and allowed to sink have been really producing.

Bass are doing there usual late summer things. There's still fish on the docks and in the slop, as well as out on the weed edge, but more than a few are starting to school up baitfish on the flats with scattered cover. Topwater can be really productive, but I'm catching lots of fish on a flapper grub and jigworms. Pitching holes in the slop or weed edges with a jig/craw or tube has been working when the bite has been a little tough, and texas rigging the outside edge has been a solid bite all season.

Smallmouth are active, but the bite has been very inconsistent. Some days...wow. Some days...nothing. Hard to predict, but this is very common this time of year as deeper fish start to transition to shallow rocks for the crayfish molt which is imminent. Check back next week.

Walleyes are still biting. The bite during the day is slow, but steady. Early and lake have been gangbusters all season. We've had a mild summer, and I don't think the fish really ever left the areas they use in the late spring.Weed edges in 12-18 FOW are holding lots of baitfish and the walleyes are there with the bait, but don't overlook the other batch of fish in the deeper sandgrass (where the perch like to hide this time of year.) Trolling cranks really turned on the last two weeks.

Pike fishing is steady and relatively consistent. Fish have moved to the weed edge, are suspending over 30-50' FOW or are roaming the shallow flats. Casting spinners, buzzbaits, lipless cranks, or wide bodies square bills will generate decent action, but the better fish are coming on small suckers on a slip-sinker rig.

Good Luck,
CT