The smallmouth bass have now moved into the shallows for their spawn and the action has been spectacular, to say the least. Using tube jigs, rapalas or most anything has been producing fast and furious arm jerking action fishing. Anglers have been reporting 100 fish per day action in the shallows near rocks, boulders and wood with many smallmouth in the 15″-21″ range. We know there are even larger ones, but try to keep the others off your line first! The catch and keep season starts on Saturday, June 15, 2013, so reports of the bigger fish should be available next week. There is a more than healthy population of these fish, so keeping some is not going to hurt the resource.
Walleyes continue to be caught on jig and crawler or leech presentations on black 1/8 oz jigs in anywhere from 6-14 fow. Slow is the way to go for these fish with many in the 14″-18″ range. The mayfly hatch will most likely start soon, so try the mudflat areas and crawl the jig on the bottom. They can still be caught at this time of year and the hatch only lasts about one week.
Crappies, gills and jumbo perch are also being picked-up in the shallows if you can keep the smallies off your hook. Slip bobber rigs with a 2″ piece of crawler is the ticket!
Musky action has been sporadic, with most fish being caught on small to medium size baits near the new emmergent weed cover that is finally starting after the extended winter. Some really nice fish have been seen following the baits, but these big girls are tempermental.
Come enjoy Wisconsin’s Scenic Wilderness Waters Area.
