Fishing Report 8-1-15

Things were kind of hit or miss this week. Fish are active, but in spurts. Three days this week, a wind shift shut down a hot bite for a couple of hours.

Water temps are in the high 70's. Most fish are still chasing baitfish, but it is obvious a few are starting to probe rocks and sand for craws. I expect the August molt to start in the next 10 days.

Bass fishing was on and off this past week. Fish were biting all week, but the wind made presentations tough on a couple of days. Up shallow, the docks and slop have really turned on, as have isolated weed clumps. Wacky, tubes and grubs around the docks, but don't be afraid to fish a larger plastic worm texas rigged with little or no weight around the weed clumps. (Don't be afraid to cast right at the weeds) Sand/gravel or rock/weed transitions were holding fish, but I had to slow my presentation and down size substantially for pattern level success. My most consistent approach has been a light slip sinker rig with a shorter leader (24") and live bait. I turn to this rig when the wind makes for some challenging presentations of soft plastics, and it paid off. Fish the weed edges or transitions in 12-18 FOW, making sure to keep contact with the bait.

Smallmouth fishing was tough this week. I never really got on a solid pattern. I'd concentrate on flats or gravel in deeper water (12-20FOW) and drop shot, or throw tubes or skirted grubs. I caught a couple of nice fish, but there was no pattern to the process what so ever.


Musky fishing was picking up with the stable weather and fish continue to be very active. Points and drops with weeds on the end or edges was still the primary approach. Topwater is producing early and late, but remember to wait to feel the fish before you set the hook. Other than topwater, action was on smaller bucktails, jerkbaits and gliders...with white being the hot color. (Typical for sunny days)


Walleye fishing moved primarily to the late hours with the full moon cycle, but the approach didn't change much. Slip bobbers, with live bait, jigs with plastics or lindy rigs, fished near the weeds are producing. At night, back troll with suckers on lindy/slip sinker rigs in 18-22 fow, targeting areas with healthy sandgrass or fish floating rapalas/minnowbaits around weedclumps after dark. Remember the water is pretty warm, and you may need to get out deep for sustained success.

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: Public launch remains closed. Bass are on the piers, in pads and slop and on the weed edges in deeper water/along mainlake structure. Panfish are suspending deep, but adjacent to the points. Musky was slow, but pike are very, very active.

Garvin: Bluegills suspending over deep cover on east shoreline points. Bass biting awesome on live bait fished on deep weed edges or by flipping/texas rigging the laydowns.

Oconomowoc:  Panfish are on the deep weedlines (use a split shot or light lindy rig and a panfish leech, cricket or hellgramite). Musky fishing continues to be hot, with lots of fish moving over/around the tops of weeds at the end of points. Bass were slow, but steady.

Fowler: Panfish are suspending over the deep basin, lots of bass in the river and in the slop. Pike were biting, but primarily on live bait rigs.

Lac Labelle: Walleye fishing was good early and late. Fish are still in the shallow weeds (tight to them) but with the water temps be ready to move out deep o 25+. Jigs and rigs with live bait, best action has been 6-8am and again just before dark. Bass fishing was steady, especially when live bait or plastics were fished tight to deep weed edges. Lots of LM around the deeper docks or in the river.

Moose:  Bass feeding shallow early, then moving out deep. Look for baitfish, and work small areas hard. Pike fishing was slow for bigger fish, but steady for hammer handles.(Throw a lipless crankbait and hang on)
 
Ashipunn: Bass and pike were steady and active. Concentrate on the visible weed patches, and work them from a variety of angles with spinners or plastics. Piers holding some quality fish, but way underneath. Panfish are suspending in the deep part of the basin, about 18-22 foot down. Live bait is catching a nice mix of large pannies and bass but fished on deep weed edges (18-22 FOW)

Golden: Bluegills in deep water, holding close to weed edges. Bass has been much better early and late...mid day fishing has been very slow. Topwaters, wacky, drop shot or texas rigged plastics and cranks are all producing. Pike have been biting, especially on small suckers fished along the deep weedlines and on spinnerbaits or buzzbaits fished over the weedy flats early in the morning.

Silver:  Crappies have been suspending over the east cribs, and keeper bluegills are holding in the deep sandgrass in 18-25 FOW or suspending between the mainlake points. Bass fishing remains a little slow (by Silver Lake standards anyway), and the larger fish have been non existent this past week.