Fishing Report 6-17-2011

Heading out for Father's Day weekend? It should be good.

Nagawicka and Okauchee have bass tournaments this weekend.

Around the Area:

The Bluegills are still spawning for the most part, and better panfish are still being caught out of the deeper sand. Look for them shallow, but if you want some better sized keepers, find sand/gravel areas in 8-15 feet, and fish for them vertically with light lindy or split shot rigs baited with panfish leeches.

Bass are settling into their summer patterns, anglers are catching fish both out of both shallow (2-6 FOW) and deep water (10-15 FOW). Docks, rockbars, slop, scattered weeds on flats and the deep weedlines all have active fish. Largemouth have been active on most area lakes on weed edges in 6-12 feet of water. Piers have been very good during the brightest parts of the day, and the slop bite is picking up as the weeds fill in. The topwater bit has been good, but most topwater fish are being caught before 8am over flat areas adjacent to deep water, especially areas with small patches of weeds. Pop-R's with an orange or red belly have been producing some nice schooling fish.

Muskies fishing has been very inconsistent. Struggling to find them in shallow water, many anglers have started trolling for them in deeper water. The most active fish have come on deep divers and tubes fished along the deepest weedlines you can find. 18 FOW seems to be magic this year.

Walleye action has been above average. Leeches under slip bobbers are catching fish in 8-15 feet, especially around weed/rock transition areas. Suckers fished on a split shot rig have been taking some better fish, especially in the late evenings. Weededges and sand grass are the areas to key on, especially in 10-15 feet of water. Lake Koshkonong has a hot bite going on in the main basin in 4-6 feet. Pulling harnesses or cranks has been giving up a mixed bag of walleyes, pike and whitebass. Most walleye action is coming at less than 2mph when trolling.

Pike action has been slow and steady. Fish the weed flats and outside edges with spinners or live bait. Smaller, wide wobbling crankbaits, buzzbaits and lipless crankbaits are really producing for the action seekers. Reapers and large jerkbaits are catching some better fish, but the action has been very slow.


Lake By Lake:

Okauchee: Weed growth is making a move to catch up. Bass are moving into summer patterns. Larger fish are still feeding on spawning bluegills in 2-12 feet of water. Pike fishing has been steady, with most fish being caught on spinners in 6-10 FOW. Musky fishing has been slow, but anglers are starting to see more agressive fish, especially along the breaks in 12-18 feet.

Oconomowoc: Bass are moving on the breaks, and as has been the case this season, far more largemouth than smallmouth are being caught. Northern pike fishing has been very good, especially on live bait. Walleye fishing has been best along major structure in the early mornings and late evenings, with split shot and lindy rigged leeches and small suckers catching the majority of the fish. Slip bobbering around weeds in 10-18 FOW has been producing a few fish as well. Musky fishing is picking up. Panfish continue to finish spawning along the breaks and in the sand as deep as 15 feet.

Lac Labelle: Walleye fishing is moving toward its typical summer pace. Weed edges along the 8-12 foot breaks have fish on them. Musky have been chasing, but seem to have moved out to suspend over deep water in the main basin. Panfish and whitebass are still very slow.

Moose:  Has been one of the big surprises of the season. Bass and pike are biting great. Hit the breaks and weed clumps in shallow water with crankbaits or spinners.


Ashipunn: Bass and pike have been okay, but not great. As is common, lots of undersize fish are being caught right now. If you're heading out, your best play will be to concentrate on the visible weed patches, and work them from a variety of angles. Early morning buzzbait fishing has been catching a mixed bag of pike and bass in the morning and evenings, while twister tail grubs and texas rigs are better midday options.

Golden: Bluegills are almost done spawning. Better sized gills have been coming from 10-15 feet, in sandy areas adjacent to where gills are spawning in the shallows. Bass have been biting throughout the day, but are still running on the small side. Topwaters, plastics and spinners are all producing, especially early and late. Pike have been biting, especially on small suckers fished along the deep weedlines and on spinnerbaits fished through the weedy areas on the mid-lake flat.

Silver: No change from the midweek report. Water is gin clear, especially on the east end. Bluegills are still spawning in 6-15 feet, look for open sandy patches (and the Silver Lake "tell"), especially on the west end. Weed growth has really taken off as the milfoil has entered the lake, and bass can be caught using plastics around the weed clumps in 4-15 feet. Crappies are suspending over the cribs.

Nagawicka: Largemouths are being caught off the docks, in the slop and along the shallow weed edges. Smallmouth are holding just off the rocky breaks, but coming in shallow to feed. Pike have been very agressive, especially on crankbaits or buzzbaits fished over weed edges at either end of the lake. Bluegills are spawning, but reports have been mixed on size and catch rates.

Pewaukee: Musky fishing has been slow by most reports I have seen. Bass fishing has been the hot bite this year, with lots of bass being taken on plastics or jig and trailer combos flipped into holes in shallow weed patches. A few gills are being caught on the east end, out of the shallow water.

Rock River: the Catfish bit is picking up, and a few whitebass are still being caught near the S turn.

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

Happy Father's Day
CT