The past week (July 27-Aug 3rd) has been a little more of the norm for this time of year, despite the 10 degree drop in water temp down to roughly 70 on the surface. The 30 degree nights and 60 degree days that put a damper in our fishing seemed to have been ironed out.
Trolling rock reefs with crankbaits is still the best way for catching some Walleye and Northern, doing this you’re able to cover more ground and find active fish. I would stick with raps in the 5 and 7 size, some use the bigger 9’s for deeper water trolling, too, sticking with forage based colors of Perch and Crawfish is going to be best, though far-out colors like Firetiger are also working. Work these lures over rocky area’s of 8-12 feet at about 2mph. Makes you wonder what fish think those neon, sparkly colored raps are when they are scooting along in the water.
If trolling is going to be your game plan, I’d suggest hitting Submarine Island and Annex Reef, this is probably one of the best producers of Walleye and Northern during the summer months, and it has been this year. Other area’s including: Mokey Reef, North Bar, Big Rock Reef, and Pelican Island have been also giving up fish. We had a group of families from the Duluth area here last week, and they like to Sucker minnow fish with bobbers for northern in weedy bays, and they had good success in Miller and Uram Bays.
Pictured above from L to R: Ben Pingot and his father Artie all the way from South Carolina, with a couple bass the duo caught while out in the canoe. Dianne Borin from Coquet, MN with a dandy pike she caught while live bait rigging a Sucker minnow, and proud papa Jerry Sloniker from Graettinger, IA with his grand daughter Elsie with a nice pike she caught while fishing Sucker bay. Look at those smiles!
Perch action is starting to heat up, weedy bays such as Sucker, Miller and Uram are having fish caught, and area’s into the Walker Narrows and Goose flats. Look for perch in Cabbage weed beds and grassey area’s, with light jigs and fathead minnows it will make for some fast action that will keep the kids especially entertained. You’re going to have to do a fair amount of sorting through the smaller perch to get at the bigger ones, and the occasioinal Northern will likely take you jig and minnow and bite you off lickety-split.
Pictured above from L to R, a nice shot of Jerry Sloniker and son-in-law Matt Schultz and his son Riley from New Richland, MN with a batch of Walleye, Perch, and Northern they caught while fishing in Sucker Bay, another shot of Matt, this time with a dandy 24 inch walleye, a nice batch of Shad Rapped fish. Featured image up top is of Riley Schultz with his 23 inch Walleye. Looks like a week of fishing with grandpa didn’t go too bad.
Muskie reports are still pretty slow, though fish are being seen near Pelican Island on top of shallow rock structure, guests here last week had multiple follows and swirls on their baits, no hooks got into fish, but it is nice to see there is some action beeing seen, fast moving buck tails, topwater and crank baits seemed to be moving fish best. The good bite should be starting very soon. (I hope)
Come see us at Big Rock Resort
Ray
