Wow, after a never ending string of below normal temperatures, summer has finally arrived with a punch. Water surface temperatures on many of the lakes I fish throughout the state have warmed to near mid-summer surface temps in a matter of days--and the fish activety has followed suit.
This last week I found myself on 6 different bodies of water ( and the Mississippi) ranging from Central Minnesota up to the Canadian border and one thing was for sure--the water has warmed up nicely. Summer fishing patterns are taking hold and making the constistent fishing patterns I rely on more apparent and lethal. Largemouth Bass activety on the mid-range flats, lily pads, deep weed edges, bull rushes and the ultra shallow slop and cattails is in full swing-on just about any bait, but to keep it simple stick to a jig-worm on the edge, spinner baits on the flats, and scum frogs in the slop. If all else fails, a jig and a minnow or leech is always a bass catcher. Walleye fishing is also on cruise control.
Fish catching patterns such as utilizing mid-day shallows (7-11 ft deep) seem to be more solid than a few weeks ago. Deeper mid-lake humps (some down to 49 ft) are also kicking out fish. And dont forget the obvious weedline fish. For the most part I have officially put the minnows away until Mid September and will concentrate on the basic night crawler no matter where I am. How about Northerns? Hmmm.
Yep-- the Northern Pike action has really been good, Wow, what an under rated fish for catching and eating! Any new cabbage bed near deep water will have hungry gators roaming around ready to take the bait. The bait of choice-- a fire tail jig worm for the less agressive fish, rattle baits or spinner baits for the basic aggressive fish, and who can resist a Husky jerk being twitched back to the boat half way down in 9 feet of water? Plus a bonus bass as well. The bigger the cabbage flat--the more fish there will be! Now what--anyone have a salmon report from The Green Bay area? I've got the yearly itch to run over to Door County and catch Kings and Smallmouth. That's it for now, my week starts at 5:15 am on Monday, See Ya!!