Wednesday June 13th, 2018

With the recent cooler temps, surface water temperatures on the area lakes were reported to be back in the low-70’s. With the predicted warm weather, the temps will back in the mid-upper 70’s.

Bluegills were spawning on most of the area lakes. Pick your favorite lake and go! Please practice selective harvesting during spawning time. Look for them around gravel areas near green weeds as shallow as 2 feet to as deep as 25 feet. Wax worms, giant redworms, leafworms, and panfish leeches were the preferred live baits. Hellgrammites, small fathead minnows, or dilly worms produced larger gills. Bait these on a #8 hook or small jig and suspend under a small slip float for gills in deeper water. A small bobber works best in shallower water. A black ant fly or small jig & plastic combo, such as a Dick Smith’s Panfish Grub or Cubby Mini Mite worked as well. Bait these with a wax worm or spike for best results. Foam spiders or poppers produced in shallow water areas during calm conditions.

Crappie fishing was best during early morning or evening hours where they were suspended near weeds or wood in 8 to 15 feet of water. A slip bobber rig with a #6 hook or 1/32 oz jig baited with a small fathead worked best. Casting a 1/32oz jig and plastic combo such as a Cubby Mini Mite, Dick Smith’s Panfish Grub, Gulp 1” minnow, twister tail, or Kalin’s Crappie Scrub also produced.

Largemouth bass were most active near weeds, wood, or piers in 5 to 12 feet of water. Casting wacky worms, Ned Rigs, jig and craw chunk combos, swim jigs, Mepps spinners, spinnerbaits, Brovarney Swim Baits, and Texas rigged plastic worms have produced. A nightcrawler, leech, medium golden shiner, or small sucker fished on a live bait rig or suspended under a slip bobber worked best for live bait. During early morning and evening hours, casting topwater baits over weed flats have produced explosive strikes. Fishing the slop, with plastic frogs, worked well during the later afternoons and evenings.

Smallmouth bass were caught near rocky areas, points, and along breaks. Casting tube jigs, skirted grubs, swim baits, drop shot rigs, and jerkbaits produced. A leech, jumbo fathead, or small chub fished on a live bait rig or suspended under a slip bobber worked best for live bait.

Walleye anglers did best fishing along weed edges in 12 to 18 feet of water. A weedless jig or slip bobber rig baited with a leech, half a nightcrawler, jumbo fathead, or smallchub produced best. Casting or trolling crankbaits, near structure, produced during dark hours.

Northern pike fishing was great along weedlines or drop offs in 12 to 18 feet of water. A medium sucker or large chub baited on a circle hook with a heavy fluorocarbon leader and slip sinker worked best for larger pike. Casting around shallower weed flats using chatterbaits, Mepps spinners, spinner baits, buzz baits, lipless crankbaits or swim baits produced smaller pike.

Musky action has been relatively slow with many anglers reporting many lazy follows.

Catfish have been very active on the Rock River, along with Lakes Beaver Dam, Koshkonong, and Mendota. Stink bait, cut up suckers or chubs, or nightcrawlers has produced best.

Please visit the WI DNR website for rules on possession, bag, and minimum size limits.

Please practice Selective Harvesting for the Future of Fishing

Good Luck!
Mike & Becky Smith