Fishing & Hunting

The cool spell we've been grinding through is starting to loosen its grip, and this week sets up as a nice mix of fishable conditions with a few windows you'll really want to capitalize on. Tuesday and Wednesday bring a chance of showers and a bit more cloud cover, and Wednesday in particular looks unsettled with higher rain chances by mid-afternoon. The back half of the week should settle back down. Water temps have dipped into the upper 60’s after the recent cool stretch but should be climbing back toward the low 70's as the week progresses and summer hopefully reasserts itself.

Walleye continue to be found along the outside weed edges, though the recent cool-down pushed some fish out of the shallows and scattered them a bit. The slip-bobber bite on large leeches over weedy offshore humps topping out in that 10 to 14’range has been productive, and crawlers around rock and wood in the 14 to 18’ zone are worth a look on the high-pressure days. As water temps recover mid-week, expect fish to push back toward the classic 6 to 12’ cabbage patches. Keep your leeches and half-crawlers on a light jig as your bread and butter - but have a swimbait ready when that Wednesday cloud cover rolls in - walleye can really turn on when the sky goes grey and the barometer starts dropping ahead of rain.

Crappie have all moved off the beds and settled into the outside weed edges in 8 to 12 feet. Small plastics like Mini Mites worked through the top of the weed column are a great choice. Bluegill are still committed to spawning and providing good action on worms and small leeches under a small float in 2-3’ feet of water. Sunny, shallow bays are where you want to be, especially in this cooler weather. This is another great week for kids on the dock. Action should be consistent, especially early and late in the day. Those staging gills that haven't committed to the beds yet can be found in 6 to 8 feet, taking Mini Mites and small twisters on a 1/32 oz jig. Perch are mixing in with walleye on those deeper weed edges and have been responding well to large minnows and leeches on a jig.

Northern pike should be in very good shape this week. The cooler temps and overcast conditions mid-week are practically made for them, and they've been active throughout this cool stretch. Swimbaits and Mepps spinners over the good weed edges are all solid choices. Larger sucker minnows on a jig under a big slip bobber have seen success in the last week also.

Bass anglers, the Northern Zone smallmouth season is now open. The catch-and-release bite leading up to the opener was outstanding on topwater and Ned Rigs, and those fish don't go anywhere just because the season opened — they're still there and still hungry. Smallmouth are holding in 8 to 14 feet along gravel and outside coontail edges, and slow-moving plastics like Ned Rigs and craw imitations have been the ticket. Largemouth continue to improve, and plastics in the 4 to 6-inch range fished around the beds and weed edges are getting it done. In places where they were still bedded, they’ll probably remain there until the water starts to warm again. Topwater has been a little quieter with the cooler water but should pick back up as temps rebound.

Musky anglers should be paying close attention to the evening hours this week. Slow-rolled bucktails and glide baits along deeper weed edges during low-light periods are a reliable starting point, and Wednesday's weather system could stir up some genuine excitement if you can time the bite right before the rain moves in. Keep your evenings open and don't rush that figure-8.

One thing to watch closely this week is the hex hatch. The cooler temperatures have slowed things down a bit, but with warmer conditions forecasted toward the end of the week, the hatch is likely to fire up in earnest. When it does, walleye and bass both go absolutely crazy on the surface after dark. Watch the water at dusk and be ready to match what you see coming off. Those evenings can be as good as it gets.

Summer is officially here and the lakes are going to start getting busier by the day. Early mornings and late evenings remain the sweet spot — not just for the fish, but for the quality of time on the water. A quiet hour at first light, or sunset on the lake is its own reward right now. And remember, patience is a virtue. Both at the landing and on the water!

Good luck and good fishin'!