Fishing Report 7-17-14

The cooler weather has slowed the fishing, but it is still very, very good for this time of year. Being precise with presentations, and paying attention to the details is helping to pattern fish, which leads to better fishing.

Anglers are catching a mixed bag of largemouths. Deep weedlines in 12-18 FOW, piers-especially with rock or sand underneath, slop and shallow bars near deep water are all holding fish. Texas rigs, slow rolled, spinnerbaits and crankbaits are catching the deeper fish. Wacky, jigworms, pre-rigged worms and small crankbaits are catching fish out of the shallow water. A few nice fish have come out of the smaller lakes flipping (rather than topwater fishing) the slop. Personally, I continue to catch a nice batch of fish on flappers, jigworms, tubes and wacky worms fished around mid-depth weed clumps in 4-8 FOW.

Smallmouth fishing has been slow and steady this season with many smallmouth suspending just off the structure in the deeper water. By mid-morning, expect to start seeing wolfpack groups foraging in the shallow rocks, or rock/sand transition areas. Right now, fish just a bit deeper than normal, using tubes, wacky and jigworms. If the bite is tough, downsize a bit. A wacky rig with a french fry in place of a senko style bait can be just the magic you need at this point in the season. Floating rapalas, zara spooks and pop-r's are catching some topwater fish.

Musky fishing has been on fire since the weather cooled off.  Trolling deep with big cranks and jerkbaits has been the primary pattern, but a few fish are being taken on topwaters, again early and late in the day. Gliders fished fast along turns in the deep weedlines has also been productive.

Walleye fishing has remained slow. Slip bobbers, with leeches, fished over weeds is usually a pretty good daytime presentation this time of year,. At night, back troll with suckers on lindy/slip sinker rigs in 18-22 fow, targeting areas with healthy sandgrass.

Bluegills are doing their summer thing. Look for them to suspend along the weedlines or out over deeper water. 12-18 feet deep over much deeper water is a great starting point. Drifting along the deep edges with bait suspended vertically is a solid presentation option.

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Okauchee: If you're going out, bass are on the piers, in the slop and on the weed edges in 8-12 feet. Musky are feeding in the shallows in the morning, and then moving out to 18-22 feet. Pike have been very active, especially in deep areas with quick access to shallow weeds.

Garvin: Great spot for panfish. Look for the sunken wood in 10-15 feet.  Bass are using the shallow flat on the south end and the weedline turns. Pike have come off the deep weedlines on the northwest and north east corners, and suspending over the deeper water.

Forest: Panfish and pike have been biting. Live bait over the deep holes on slip bobbers for panfish, inline spinners for the pike.

Oconomowoc:  Bass are holding on the obvious structural breaks and suspending off the deep ends of the mainlake points. Largemouths are still more active than smallmouth. Northern pike has been better than average for anglers with small suckers catching the majority of the fish.  Musky fishing was picking up, but lots of fish are still doing lazy follows, and lots of people are reporting that they are seeing fish over the tops of weeds chasing juvenile gills.

Fowler: Small panfish are biting, a few LM were caught in the river and out of the deep slop. Pike are on the weedlines.

Lac Labelle: Walleye fishing was steady, but a little slow on weed edges along the 8-12 foot breaks and drop-offs in 10-18 FOW.

Moose:  Bass and pike continue to bite, and action has been good. Target the breaks and weed clumps in shallow water with crankbaits or spinners. Backtrolling with small suckers on a slip sinker rigs around the first major drop to deep water has been a hot tactic, especially in low light conditions.

Ashipunn: Bass and pike have been good. Best bet on Ashipunn is to concentrate on the visible weed patches, and work them from a variety of angles with spinners or plastics. Panfish are suspending in the deep part of the basin, about 18-22 foot down.

Golden: Bluegills are in deep water, suspending over the deep part of the basin, but holding close to weed edges and the major structure. Typically, bass have been biting best on deeper weedlines but docks and the slop are both holding some fish. Topwaters, plastics and spinners are all producing. Pike have been biting, especially on small suckers fished along the deep weedlines and on spinnerbaits fished through the weedy areas.

Silver:  Crappies have been suspending over the east cribs, and keeper bluegills are holding in the deep sandgrass in 18-25 FOW.

Lower and Middle Genessee: Panfish have moved to the deeper water. Lindy rigging with live bait, especially dillys or leafworms or slip bobbering with plastics tipped with waxworms or spikes  has been very good for panfish. Night fishing is in full steam on Middle.

If you've got specific questions: Feel free to email me.




Good Luck Out There,
CT