Bluegills Are Hot

The Zindricks released this 34'' pike

80 degree surface temperature
10-12 Ft visibility
38 Ft thermocline

• Bluegills have been feeding heavily on the outside of just about any weed bed and on most of the cribs inside of 25 Ft of water. Small worms and waxworms are the bait of choice. I have seen some suspended crappies at both locations. Use small minnows or small jigs with twisters suspended above the weeds or cribs to target the crappies.
• Walleyes are still hanging around the weed edges although the bite appears to becoming a late evening or very early morning event. Crawlers or leeches are still the best bait and some fishermen have been trying chubs with limited success.
• Northern Pike are active on the drop offs. Large chubs are the most common method to target the bigger pike. When fishing the drop offs it is not unusual to have a large catfish or walleye pick up your chub. If you run smaller chubs the big White Bass will give you some added excitement.
• Smallmouth Bass are in 6-30 Ft of water and still provide good action at different times of the day. Leeches, crawlers, and hellgramites are the best live bait. It won't be long and the minnows or small perch you catch will start to work wonders. You can use perch you catch out of the same body of water provided you count them in your panfish daily bag limit.
• Largemouth are the up and coming fish on Big Green. There are numerous fish in the 15-17 inch range over the weeds right now. Troll crawlers or leeches in 5-14 Ft of water on the east or west end and you will catch a mix of crappies, gills, and largemouth.
• Lake Trout action has slowed for the trollers. The still fishermen are still catching fish in 80-100 Ft of water using minnows. If you are looking for a big fish use cut bait on the bottom in the same depth of water.

Bluegills Are On The Shallow Cribs

78 degree surface temperature
14-16 Ft visibility
37 Ft thermocline

• Northern Pike are active in 28-38 Ft of water on large chubs. Some fishermen are reporting pike or muskies are stealing some of their panfish around the cribs. The crib fishermen can suspend a chub under a bobber over the crib to target these fish.
• Lake Trout action is moving west and suspending over deep water 80-120 Ft down. The White Bass are 18-25 Ft down over the deep water. Early mornings and late evenings have some of the White Bass on top. The power jiggers have started jerking 1oz banana jigs for the White Bass in 60 Ft of water.
• Bluegills have just started showing up on the shallow cribs in front of Norton's, Oakwood, and the Heidel Bar. Waxworms and trout worms are the best baits. Don't over look the abundant Crappie population in the lake at this time. Beetle spins or jigs with twisters are working. The Crappies are on top of the cribs or on the weed edges.
• Walleye action has not been consistent. Some of the larger fish are on the deep drop offs and the smaller fish are still showing up on the weed edges with crawler harnesses.
• Smallmouth action has been O.K. The larger fish are harder to find right now and should be pursued using tube jigs or spinner baits. The top water bite can still be good on a calm evening or early morning. I've seen some real nice smallies around the cribs this week.

Deep Water Fishing Is Starting

Lauren Barrett's 30'' walleye
76 degree surface water
8-10 Ft visibility
35 Ft thermocline and dropping

• Bluegills are moving to the deep weed edges and will continue out to the cribs shortly. Leafworms and waxworms are the best live bait options.
• Crappies are starting to bite over the weed tops on the east end. Small jigs with twister tails and beetle spins have been very good action producers.
• Walleyes are still active in the weed beds with larger fish moving deeper now. Spinners with nightcrawlers or leeches will work well. Large leeches will be very hard to find as the month winds down. We saw three 27''+ walleyes this week with eight year old Lauren Barrett's 30'' walleye leading the way. She was fishing with her dad July 10th on Big Green.
• Northern Pike action is just starting to heat up now. Large chubs and suckers are the top live bait choices. Deep weed edges and out to 40 Ft of water have produced some very nice pike.
• Lake Trout action is still pretty good although the fish have moved out over deep water and are 100-130 Ft down. Some Brown Trout are showing up with the White Bass over deep water 30-50 Ft down.