Minocqua, Lac du Flambeau, St Germain, Boulder Junction, and Manitowish Waters Wisconsin open water and Ice Fishing Report
Thursday 7/9/26
Flats of jumbo Canadian Nightcrawlers are now $59. Count is approximately 500 worms. That's about $1.50 per dozen. Our part to make fishing more affordable.
Pretty steady weather lately and more of the same predicted. That's always good news for fishing. Yes, it has been a bit warm on the water at times but you should be working up a sweat reeling in fish right now. Pretty much everything is working in one place or another. Pick your favorite arsenal of weapons and attack!
Crappie are in their summer pattern being suspended over deeper water. Just run a small piece of plastic with a twister tail or paddle tail over them and you'll catch them. They are spooking very easily so be prepared to cast 40-50 feet away from you to get them. This is where the Livescope will come in handy to find them.
Bluegills and sunfish are everywhere. Many reports, including from myself, that the gills are on the beds in many bodies of water. Cleaning lots of fish full of eggs and milk. Seems rather strange. That being the case, don't be afraid to stalk those spawning places. Chunks of crawlers or wax worms will catch them all day. They love hiding under the boat. Although the bigger ones act like crappie and are spooked easily. Again, cast a long ways out to get them.
Walleyes are active in the deeper water off the weed edges and rock bars. Jigged crawlers, leeches or ribbed-worm paddle tails with catch them. Find them deeper in the sunlight and shallow in the moonlight. Trollers are finding success on the mud flats with search baits and harnesses.
Bass are a blast right now. There are 10,000 different ways to catch them. Try them all and you'll have a ball. My favorite is throw plastic worms through the weeds for the large mouths or around the rocks for the small mouths.
Perch are very active especially on the flowages right now. Rather shallow for the most part. Half a crawler on a 1/32 jig will put more than a few in your boat. Find green weeds or deep wood and stumps.
Northern are active in the shallows on the flowages. Spinner baits thrown over the tops of the weeds are enticing them to slam the bait. Best eatin' fish in the water in my opinion.
Spinner baits and top-water lures will net you fish almost anywhere you go now. I always rig-tip my spinner baits with some type of plastic tail. Doesn't seem to matter much with color or size. You just want to increase that profile a bit.
Both the Rainbow and Willow flowages are pretty full and have water temps in the 70's, some reported low 80's! That dark water is always a good ticket to success especially when the sun shines. Most lake water temps are in and around the 70's now.
ON A SCALE OF 1 to 10, HOW THEY HITTING?
Walleye 7 (low light), Northern 8, SM Bass 10, LM Bass 10, Musky ??, Perch 9, Crappie 6, Bluegill 10, Rock Bass 10
OUR BAIT REVIEWS:
None this week. Everything seems to be working.
Enjoy your time in the northwoods and please slow down and be kind and be safe so you and others can do it again next year. And please remember those middle turning lanes are not merging lanes!
I'm still taking in a bunch of guide reservations right now. I have some availability all summer. Call me on my cell at 715-892-2751 and we'll get out and definitely have some fun.
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IN-STORE & WEBSITE SPECIALS
Flats of jumbo Canadian Nightcrawlers are now $59. Count is approximately 500 worms. That's about $1.50 per dozen. Our part to make fishing more affordable.
FREE Line (braid or mono) with any Reel or Reel and Rod Combo purchase
Early season specials, up to 50% off
Right now for live bait we have Wax worms, Red/White/Multi Colored Spikes, Crappie Minnows, Regular Fatheads, XL Fatheads (Tuffys), Blacktails, Redtails, Muds, Walleye Suckers, and a bunch of leeches and jumbo night crawlers. Leeches will be by the dozen, 1/4, 1/2 and 1 pound. Crawlers will be by the dozen, 2 dozen, 100 count and 480 count flats ($59).
BAIT SHOP HOURS
Monday thru Thursday 5am to 7pm
Friday 5am to 8pm
Saturday and Sunday 5am to 6pm
Business has been fabulous but Linda and I are ready to ease into retirement. WE ARE NOT GOING OUT OF BUSINESS! If you have an interest in owning and operating the largest non-franchised bait shop in Wisconsin and making a living while doing it, call Jeff at 715-892-2751. We'll give you all the help you need to succeed in the beautiful northwoods of Wisconsin.
Jeff Bolander, Dewey, Catchem and How Bait Shop and Guides
715-892-2751 cell
715-358-5130 shop
www.DeweyCatchemAndHow.com