Weekly Fishing Report

Fishing Report -- as of June 17, 2007:

Outstanding bass and northern bite, with musky and crappie good, and the mayfly hatch slowing down walleye in the Eagle River, Wisconsin area.

Bass action is outstanding in the Eagle River area. Bedding fish will be there for a few days, otherwise it's "playtime." Tubes, wacky-rigged plastics with no weights, Fat Raps or smaller Husky Jerks, spinner baits, frog pattern topwaters are prime for both large and smallmouths. Begin in 5 to 8 feet of water, and work any kind of structure. Mostly largemouth will be lurking in the shadows. Find the hard bottoms and transition zones from rock to sand, drop a crawler or medium to large leech. Average size is 18 inches with a lot showing up over 20.
Northern are everywhere in the Eagle River area, and mid-sized chubs, spinnerbaits, and small topwaters are finding them. Start in the weeds around 6 feet and work your way out. Nice catches coming in daily.

Musky action is pretty good in the Eagle River area, with good numbers of 40-plus inch fish from the Eagle River Chain of 28 lakes (the largest freshwater chain of lakes in the world), hitting for the most part on smaller lures. The trusted Mepps spinners in contrasting colors continue to pull in fish. The Eagle River Wiz has been providing action in flame/black and orange/black. Pull out jerk- and twitch-baits now, too. Work these in and around weeds in water down to around 10 feet. When there's wind, fish around inside turns and points in water to 18 feet, dropping Fuzzy Duzzits or Depthraiders.

A lot of smaller walleye are being reported for those who continue to fish them in and around Eagle River. The problem right now is the mayfly hatch which is in full swing. The walleye are stuffing themselves right now and this annual ritual will slow down the bite all week. Indeed, any walleye being caught usually have their mouths chock full of mayflies. Savvy anglers are fishing deeper rocks or wood, even weeds, using one of those new Rapala Minnow Raps. These babies get down there and have been a solid producer.

Slipbobbers with a leech or crawler will be worth it in these areas, especially on the larger Eagle River area lakes.

Crappie are moving back out, but start near deadfall trees, stumps or brushpiles you find in 6 to 8 feet of water. Crappie minnows and tube jigs have been the ticket. Action is good, if not spectacular. Perch and bluegill are somewhat tough, but shoreline weeds or weedy mid-lake humps have been producing with crawlers, leafworms, and chunks of Berkley Gulp.

(Report for the Eagle River Chamber of Commerce based on Creative Brilliance interview with Mike Michalak of Guides Choice Pro Shop).