Fishing Report 7-10-15

The cooler, but stable weather, has really improved the fishing, but being precise with presentations, and paying attention to the details is helping to pattern fish, which leads to better fishing.

Water temps are in the low to mid 70's. There was a smaller baitfish hatch this past week (pin minnows) and weeds are still behind, but things have improved dramatically over the last two weeks.



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 or live bait rigs with leeches, large shiners, chubs or suckers are catching the deeper fish. Wacky, grubs, skirted grubs jigworms, pre-rigged worms and smaller squarebills crankbaits are catching fish out of the shallow water. Open water top water fishing has been good along the deep edges of mainlake points, but only until abut 8am. (Hot tip-with the weed growth this year, areas on deeper sand or gravel which can be hard to fish are more open, and I've been working a carolina rig with some significant success.)

Smallmouth fishing has been very steady this past week 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, keep it simple fish tubes, wacky and grubs. If the bite is tough, downsize a bit. (Always a solid bet, but it has been especially true this year) A wacky rig with a french fry in place of a senko style bait can convert some tough biters.  Floating rapalas, spooks and pop-r's are catching some topwater fish, and drop shotting is catching some of the deeper fish. Shades of watermelon or watermelon red seem to be the most productive... no science on that, just an observation.

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. Fish have really been using weed clumps on the end of long points as a feeding/ambush location.

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.  (Hot tip: crickets, panfish leeches and helgramites are producing the better gills.

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Okauchee: Public launch remains closed. Bass are on the piers, in pads and 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 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 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 suspending off the deep ends of the mainlake points, coming in onto to feed. Largemouths are still more active than smallmouth. Musky fishing was picking up with a fair number of l people reporting that they are seeing fish over the tops of weeds at the end of points.

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

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. Best action has been 6-8am and again just before dark.

Moose:  Bass and pike continue to bite, and action has been steady. Target the breaks and weed clumps in deeper water with crankbaits or spinners.
 
Ashipunn: Bass and pike have been good. 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 have moved out to deeper water, holding close to weed edges. 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 or buzzbaits 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. Bass fishing has been very productive for the typical (under)sized Silver Lake Bass.


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