By George Langley
NORTHERN WISCONSIN – The weather has definitely challenged anglers lately. The water temps have been a bit up and down, but have basically hovered in the mid to upper 70s. Let’s hope for a normal fall with a long, slow, consistent decline in those temps throughout. That is what brings the great musky and walleye fishing in the fall.
Weeds are starting to get a little browner, especially in the shallows. You can see it happening to some of the ferns in the woods now, too, although the rain helps slow that. The pretty consistent weekly rain we’ve had all summer has also helped keep water temps lower than they usually are at this time of the year.
Panfish action is good, with perch holding in the deep weed areas. Generally, the deeper the weeds, the bigger the perch will be. Crappie action has slowed a little, but if you can locate the deeper brush piles and wood cover, you will do well for these fish. Fathead minnows are the best bait for bigger crappies. Bluegill action has held up well this year, and worms or waxies are best for them in the weeds. They locate shallower than the crappies and perch.
Walleye fishing has remained pretty strong, with a lot of fish in the weeds, especially in the evenings. Minnows on jigs or slip bobbers have been the most productive, and you have to locate the bait very close to the bottom. The Chain has been active even during the daytime, now that traffic is slowing some. Try daytime fishing in the 10 to 15-feet range, with the knowledge they’ll shallower into the weeds in the evenings. We haven’t had a strong daytime bite on the bigger clear lakes. Most of the best fishing has been reported in the evenings. Half crawlers or minnows are best on these lakes.
Bass action remains good, especially for largemouth. Weed and heavy cover action is the most productive area on all lakes. Plastics have been the most productive way to fish them, but some great surface bait action is had every evening. We’ve mentioned it the last three weeks, too, but those Whopper Ploppers are fun and productive! During the mid-day hours, look for the holes in the weeds and drop a Ned Rig down right into those holes. They’ll be hitting on the drop – both smallmouth and largemouth. Smallmouth action has been good over hard bottom in deeper water now. Fish the eight to 14-feet areas on all lakes with crayfish imitation baits of any sort or those good-old Ned Rigs.
Northern action is good in the weeds, as always. Try a bright colored spinner bait for these fish, and look for deep weeds, where these fish are holding at this time of the year. For live bait, use bigger sucker minnows under slip bobbers.
Musky action has been unusually good, especially on the Chain, with a lot of daytime pressure for these fish. Anglers are finding them both suspended and up in the shallows. Bucktails and surface baits have been working best, but soon it will be jerk bait time. Night fishing remains pretty good and will hold right through September and into October.
Get out there and enjoy the beautiful summer weather while we still have it. Fall is just around the corner!
Good luck and good fishin’!