Most of our guide trip success has been early mornings or very late afternoons. Can you catch fish in the middle of the day? Of course you can, but not on all lakes. If you plan on fishing a full day, I suggest picking out a lake that is sizable and offers lots of room to roam. Also, if you plan on doing some overnight camping, I encourage you to claim a spot early.
Just like fishing, camping and other marine recreational hobbies are more popular than ever. Before we get into this week's fishing report, I also want to remind anglers to be especially careful and cautious of others. Okay, let's dive into the fishing report:
Lake Superior anglers continue to reap the benefits of a few kings roaming around our section of Lake Superior. We obviously don't have the catch rate our neighbors over in Lake Michigan have, but it is awesome that we always have a chance to catch a chinook. With that said, most anglers continue to get lots of lake trout.
The salmon, either in the form of king or coho have been more or less bonus fish. I will say tactics are changing on the "fly", get it? As in flasher/fly combos tipped with meat are becoming popular.
Most water surface temperatures are hovering around mid 50s now. Fish are certainly adapting to areas over deeper water. Utilizing riggers, leadcore or dipseys is now becoming increasingly important, although we are still getting reports of fish that will hit the occasional surface bait.
The South Shore walleye bite has not been a constant for anglers this year. For those that are trying for big Lake Superior walleyes, it is proving more of a gamble. But who doesn't like a good challenge? Best bet is to stick to conventional walleye tactics. The biggest variable is finding pods of active fish.
The Chequamegon Bay smallmouth are certainly worth the effort and commitment if you head that way. Casting chatterbaits, bootails and splittails over 10-25 feet of water can be productive. The key (like the South Shore walleyes) is finding active pods of fish.
St. Louis River angling has declined for the time being if you are after big walleyes. However, make no mistake, there is always some fish that can be had. Trolling crankbaits like Bagley Rumble Bs can certainly catch a few pike, bass and walleye. Catfish continue to be a constant and we have been seeing some good-sized kitties coming off of channel edges. Best baits have been nightcrawlers, but every now and then we get one to go on a crankbait.
If it's muskies you're after, unfortunately I don't have a good report as we have not been hearing a lot of success from the musky fraternity. What is especially nice this time of year, is the river is one of the only waters that sees a decrease in boat traffic. Further meaning, if you head out on the estuary, you're likely to have a lot of areas to yourself.
Lakes in the area, as mentioned, have been very busy with traffic. Fishing has been hit and miss depending on what body of water you're on. We have been getting lots of calls lately from anglers struggling to catch fish. Our common response has been "you’re not the only one." Regardless, you can't catch them on the couch.
As stated above, fishing little to no pressure times/areas or bigger bodied waters will be key for the time being. It's also important to keep tabs of what lakes have been having bug hatches. Our success has come from fishing mid-depth waters of 10-25 feet of water. For walleyes, we have been chucking out nothing more than a small 1/16 oz RXZ jig and 1/3rd of a nightcrawler. It is important to take your time and slow down your jigging cadence.
Another successful approach has been power corking with leeches. As water temperatures continue to rise, don't be afraid to look at shady waters, especially when fishing for bass. I like to concentrate on docks, swim rafts, old planted wood or concrete cribs or leafy vegetation. Again, bite windows are a thing now and as we move into the warmest months of the year, these tips will be valuable. Good luck out there anglers and everyone have a great Independence Day!
Jarrid Houston of South Range is a fishing guide (houstonsguideservice.com) on Minnesota and Wisconsin inland waters, the St. Louis River and, in winter, on Lake Superior.
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July 02, 2021 at 05:00AM
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