All sunshine, no wind. It's been a beautiful weather week. Mid day fishing has been a bit tough with all this sun, but early mornings and evenings have been very good.
Northern Pike: Good. Best early in day or late afternoons or when the rare wind blows. Spinnerbaits, #4 and #5 Mepps have been best worked over weed tops.
Walleye: Good. Deep lakes have fish stacking along breaks in 36-40' verticle jig with a 1/4-3/8 oz jig baited with a crawler or large chub. Bites very light. Small to mid sized lakes seeing fish relating to weed edges. Leeches and crawlers still tops (water temps in low 70's by evening).
Smallmouth Bass: Good. Sandgrass flats in 14-22' best. Large leeches, crawlers on 1/8 oz jig. Chompers fished Carolina style picking up these fish as they are feeding heavily on crayfish. Rattle Traps in red hues also effective.
Largemouth Bass: Good. Best early and late in day. Early, pitch piers with plastics (senkos), jig and pig combos, pre-rigged plastics. Evenings, good topwater on jitterbugs as water warms.
Musky: Good. Bucktails, top water (Pacemaker, Tallywackers) and fast moving smaller jerk baits. Nice fish to 47" this week. As with other game fish early and late best.
Bluegills: Good. Leeches, crawlers intended for gamefish along deep weed edges catching fish to 9". Fish deep for bigger gills.
Perch: Good. Medium fatheads along 8-10' cabbage producing good catches of perch to 11" on Minocqua Chain.
Crappie: Fair to Good. Surprisingly shallow. Medium fatheads, 2" twister tails best.
If we can believe the weather forecast, a cool front with clouds and rain may be here by the weekend. Otherwise, starting out to be a good fall season.
Kurt Justice
Kurt's Island Sport Shop
www.kurtsislandsports.com
