August 31, 2003
The muskie fishing continues to be good for the people trolling. Casting has started to produce some nice fish along the weed lines. Last week the average size of the fish caught increased. This is a good sign for the people waiting to catch there fish casting. The fish are starting to move back to the weed lines and weed beds. The water temps are in the low 70’s and dropping with each cool night. Some nice fish have been caught casting last week including a nice 44-inch muskie caught by one of my friends on a jerk bait. As the water cools the casting bite will only get better.
Trolling last week produced some nice muskies. We started out the week Monday with a 41-incher at 5pm then caught a bonus 34-inch muskie just before dark to finish up the afternoon outing. Wednesday afternoon I caught a fat 44-inch fish at 8:45pm on a Bagley crank bait working a school of bait fish. Thursday, Friday and Sunday produced one fish each afternoon for us. The fish were 31, 40-3/4, and 37-3/4 inches in that order. The bite is getting slower for the trollers and getting better for the casting fishermen. I personally can’t wait to start the run and gun casting pattern. The weeds are not as high as usual for this time of year; this will make it easier to work bait across the weed beds. The trolling bite after dark has slowed in the last week. I did catch a nice 44-incher about a hour after dark so its not over yet. Working the weeds after dark is a very good pattern for those willing to put the time in casting. The next few weeks it will only get better.
The hot trolling pattern has still been finding the schools of bait and working the area. I try to find an area that is holding bait, troll through them a few times and move on to the next spot. I will troll to the next spot and work that area until I feel its time to move to the next. Trolling around the lake has produced for me but only do this when the lake is crowded. Sometimes it just makes it easier for everyone if the boats go all the same way. Trolling can get very crowded at times. Things to key in on before you start: wind direction, floating weeds and water temps. Any time the wind blows the same direction for a few days the fish will stack up in key spots. Again find the bait and the muskies will be close by.
The walleyes have slowed but are not impossible to catch. I got a nice 20-inch walleye last week on a crank bait just after dark. The walleye came from a wind swept flat just off Walks Island. The bass have also slowed a bit; I did catch one nice large mouth bass last week, fishing for muskies. I think they are starting to head back to the weeds also. The pan fish are now starting to work closer to shallow water. Lots of fishermen catching pan fish off Rocky Point and along the Condos. Most of the fish are in the 15 to 20ft range. Look for the fishing to get very good as the water cools. Good luck to all and I will see you on the water!!!
August 25, 2003
The muskie fishing continues to be good. Water temps are in the high 70’s and the fish are still very active. The casting bite is still slow with the water temps high. Casting in the morning has still produced some muskies for those willing to get up early. The trolling bite is still the hot pattern. A few multiple fish night were enjoyed by my clients this past week. Tuesday night was a perfect night for muskie fishing and we took advantage of it. My two clients had action in the first hour from a 42 ½-inch muskie, a 37 ½-inch fish hit just before dark. The 42 ½inch jumped clear out of the water by 3 feet as John worked the fish. What a cool sight that was, John handled the jump well and soon the fish was in the net. After a quick release we were back trolling the North shore. A couple hours went by and then we heard the sweet sound of drag peeling off the reel. Now it’s the other Johns turn at some muskie action. After a good fight the 37 ½-inch muskie was worked to the net. A quick picture and back into the water she went. Wednesday I had some guys from West Virginia that stopped at Pewaukee Lake to fish for the night, they were on their way to Canada. The stopped proved to be a good choice, T C and Mikie scored a mid thirties muskie to start out their vacation on the first lake they fished, I hope their luck continues.
Thursday was a day made to order, a good wind and some slight cloud cover. I got a 39-incher working a wind swept point on my first pass, the baitfish were stacked up and the muskies were looking for a easy meal. I picked up one of my friends and took him down to the same area but no takers. We worked the same shoreline I caught a fish on earlier; the wind was blowing on it all day. Just before dark my rod doubled over, the drag began to scream and the fight was on. Mark took the rod and I started to clear the other lines. After a good fight the fish was ready to be netted. She taped out at 38-inches and had an old tag scar on her fin. After a good release the fish was off to fight again. Tonight my friend Dan caught the same fish on the same bait from the same spot. That’s only 4 days later, nice to see the same fish again, I could tell by the scare on the fin.
Saturday was a Lake Michigan meat run. We headed down at 4am and had lines out by 4:45am. We boated the first fish before 5am and they just kept coming. The three of us finished at 4 fish each and called it a day by 9am. We did catch one more shaker as we were bringing in the lines. Most of the catch was the 3-year-old kings but we got a few of the 4-year-old kings and a lake Trout. 13 fish in 4 hours is my kind of fishing, we have lots of fish to eat and smoke. The fishing will continue to get better on the big pond. A few days of west winds will give you easy pickings out from Milwaukee’s harbor. The big 4 year old kings will be working the harbor very soon, get in on some of the action before it’s too late. Moon glow Pro King spoons in the pre-dawn hour and green/nickel spoons worked after it got light. We did work some fly/dodger combos but the spoons caught most of the fish. Blue/silver and green/silver fly behind a white dodger was the hottest for the combos.
With the muskie fishing so good I have not fished for anything else. The bass are still active around the schools of bait. I have caught a few when trolling for muskies. The walleyes seemed to slow a bit on crank baits, one nice 24-incher was caught by one of my friends trolling for muskies. He released it so it could be caught again, maybe icefishing. The bluegills and crappies are still working the deeper water. With the water temps still in the high 70’s the panfish will stay in the same areas they have been. This should make it easy to catch multiple fish because the fish are schooling and lots of fish are in a small area. Find the panfish and have some fun.
With the cooler temps coming, the casting bite will be starting very soon. The night bite casting is good now and the morning bite has produced some quality fish also. I know that if you put your time in casting after dark you will have some action. Try top water, bucktails or crank baits along weedlines or deep-water points. Trolling at night is also a great pattern that is not used by lots of trollers, most of the time you might only have a boat or two out. As the water temps cool watch the casting bite to heat up. I am ready to start casting again and score a figure 8 fish; it’s been a while. Get out and enjoy some of the best muskie fishing this year. The trolling bite will last a few weeks more then the fish will start to move in. This is a time when you can catch fish trolling or casting. I like to mix it up, cast for a few hours then troll, both ways can catch fish. Good luck to all. See you on the water!!!
August 18, 2003
The muskie fishing is still hit or miss. The East winds have slowed the action this past week. Most of the action has been just before dark and after. Last week plenty of muskie fishermen were out looking for the thrill of catching a big muskie. Lots of boats working the weed lines, structure fishing and trolling suspending fish. Most of them coming off the water with the same question: What am I doing wrong? There was lots of talk at the launch this past week and every one coming up with the same conclusion; the bite has slowed this week due to the east winds. The one other thing is the full moon/clear nights have made it easy for the muskies to find food at night. This trend of night feeding seemed to carry over into this week also. Night fishing is an option.
This past week I caught two fish after dark and lost 3 others. One was a nice mid 40’s fish that we had up to the boat once then she took a long run, after a few more runs she pulled free. I checked the hooks, the drag, everything looked ok, she just won that battle. The other two seemed to come off as they came to the surface and thrashed. We did land a 37.5 and a 38-inch while night fishing last week. All of the fish caught were hooked by the back treble. Afternoon fishing is still producing some fish. Monday I got out after work and scored a 33-inch muskie hanging with the pan fish. Just before dark a 39-incher hit my crank bait as I was working the same area. Fishing has slowed but the fish still can be fooled. Time on the water is the only way to put fish in your boat. Tuesday afternoon a 37 1/2-incher hit just before dark. Wednesday was tough; we had a fish on but came free and caught two bass. High pressure and stable barometer made the bite tough.
Sunday was going to be a Lake Michigan fill the freezer day until we got down to the launch at 4am and noticed the Northeast winds were still blowing on the big pond. Still determined to get out we launched and started out into the waves. After a dose of reality we decided to scrap out plans and head back to Pewaukee. Lake Michigan is no place to take chances with 4-foot waves and boats under 21ft. Especially when we had to go out to 120ft of water to start fishing that day. Last week Sunday we got our limit by 7am. I will send a picture with this report of a king Salmon I caught.
After a ride home from the big pond I got on Pewaukee Lake just before sun rise and started to troll. Like a gift from god one of my rods doubled over and the drag started to scream. A hard fighting 42 ½-inch muskie was my reward for all my trouble that morning. I trolled until 11am without any more action that morning. I talked to a few other boats and one caught a 37-inch fish just before sunrise. She caught the fish about the same time my fish hit. Action is just plain slow this past week. Lets hope with this warmer weather and normal winds from the West that fishing will get back to the way it was.
Pan fish action is the only steady fishing this past week. Good catches of bluegills and crappies have been reported. I have watched numerous boats pulling in fish after fish from pods of gills and crappies. These fish are still suspending in deeper water off Rocky Point, the Condos and Walks Island. Some deeper water points along the North shore are holding some isolated schools of pan fish also. The Walleyes have been spotty to good. Those who are willing to take the time to sort through the little ones are usually rewarded with a legal or two. The 26 to 27-inch class is still around but the numbers are diminishing. If you are lucky enough to catch one of these fish please practice catch and release if you are not going to put it on the wall. Let them go to catch them again. There is a good class of 15 to 17-inch fish for eating. Good stocking has boosted the walleye population in Pewaukee the last few years and walleye fishing will be great for years to come.
The bass action is till good for those who can find the good ones. Most of the bigger bass have been caught in deeper water. I have caught bass almost every time I troll through the narrows or West End. The bass have been hanging around close to the pan fish or out from bigger weed beds in deeper water. The bigger bass seem to be harder to catch trolling, most of the fish I have caught in the last week are in the 12 to 17-inch range. Slower and more precise presentations will do. Live bait will do the trick when possible. Good luck to all. See you on the water!!!
August 11, 2003
The muskie fishing continues to be off and on. Some days you can catch multiple fish and others you can’t get a hit. The weather is not helping the fishing much, cooler than normal days are dropping the water temps and it seems like the patterns are changing. The trolling bite is what most muskie fishermen are targeting. The fishing pressure on Pewaukee Lake has increased in the last week, lots of new boats and faces on the lake. Everyone is looking to hook up with the mighty muskie.
Please remember that if you set out to do some trolling please give each other some space. When you come up on a boat working the same structure as you are turn out or in depending on what they do. In the last few weeks I have ran across plenty of boats with the attitude of "I am running this and they can move", this will only cause problems. I usually turn out to deeper water as a boat is approaching then turn back as they drive by. Most fishermen will return the favor the next time it happens. The big problem is when people use planer boards and run them out too far. If I use boards I will pull them in tight as I come across a passing boat, this is very easy and gives each boat room to pass, then I will let them back out. Last week I had a boat drive into the path of two boats, the guy had three boards out and two of them well over 75 feet. This guy just pushed his way through; both of us had to stop so we didn’t cause a mess. I asked the guy what was he thinking, he told me it was a free lake and nothing is hitting anyway. With that kind of attitude he is sure to have problems. Please respect other fishermen, we are all out to enjoy our recourse.
Last week Tuesday I got out for a 4-hour outing and scored a 40-½ inch muskie working the West End. The baitfish was stacked up around Walks Island and the muskies were also. We trolled form shallow to deep water and scored our fish working a suspending school of bluegills. Thursday afternoon was the hot bite of the week for me. We boated four muskies; the sizes were 38, 33, 36 ½ and a 42-½ inch. This was a sunny/rainy/sunny afternoon. We got on the water at 5pm and caught the last fish just before 9:30pm. Friday I took my brother Tom out for more muskie action. The action was slow; we worked all my hot spots with no action. The fish were there but would not hit. We did get one hit just before dark; the fish stripped line and resisted. After what seemed like forever the fish came to the boat, with a quick burst she stripped off all the line Tom got back, then the headshakes began again and the bait came free. What a let down, sometimes the fish win, but not often.
Sunday was my first trip to the big Pond. Lake Michigan is always a good trip for action. We hit the water around 4:30am and quickly got out first fish as we were setting up. The fish just kept coming one after another as we were working on getting all the lines in the water. By the time we got all 6 rods set we had 8 fish in the box. That is action at its best, 8 fish in an hour. We did catch 3 more fish, we released a small Salmon and headed in to clean out limit of fish by 7:30am. Now that’s the way fishing should be.
The panfish continue to bite and lots of fishermen taking advantage of it. The bass and walleyes seem to be slowing down from what I have heard but I find it hard to believe. I will try to come up with a better report next week for the Bass and Walleye fishermen. Lately I have had a one-track mind, Muskies, Muskies, Muskies. Good luck to all and I will see you on the water!!!
August 4, 2003
Welcome to the dog days of August. This is the time of year when fishing gets slow for some and stays hot for others. Recently I have had lots of people ask me why are the muskies so hard to catch for some and easy for others. Time on the water and paying close attention to details is the answer I give them. Wind direction, water temps, lure speeds, bait fish types, thermocline and what lures you need to match the baitfish the muskie are eating at the time you are fishing. These are just a few of the variables you must work out to be successful. The more details you can put together the better your chances will be to catch a muskie. This is where a guide can make your days on the water better faster. A guide can teach you the patterns that will work for you and help you understand the reasons they work. There are lots of baits that can catch a muskie; some are better than others on certain lakes. A good guide will teach you what baits to use and when. Learn the tips and tricks that will make your days on the water more successful. August can be a time to have multiple muskie days; this is not uncommon when the conditions permit. Learn the patterns before you spend countless hours fishing with out catching a muskie.
With that said lets get back to the report. Muskie fishing the past week was very good for my clients and me. I had a few multiple muskie days this past week. The best night was with my son Mike; we boated 3 muskies and a bass. The first muskie was a 38-incher the next was a 34-inch and the third muskie was a healthy 43 ½ inch scrapper that came just before dark. All the fish came on crank baits from deeper water. Most of the muskie action has been in water 19ft and deeper. Look for the baitfish schools as you fish, once you locate a few schools of bait, work the area while watching your graph. If no muskies or large fish appear on your electronics move on. With the wind directions changing so will the baitfish schools and muskies. The best areas have been the wind swept areas, the longer the wind blows on them the better they will be.
Saturday I had a 7-year-old boy and his parents come out with me for some possible muskie action. We started out catching a 15 ½-inch small mouth bass, after pictures were taken a muskie grabbed one of my crankbaits. I grabbed the rod set the hook and handed the rod to my little client. With a smile from ear to ear and tired arms he brought the 37 ½-inch muskie to my net. A few quick pictures and we were back to fishing again. The next fish that he caught was a largemouth bass, then as the outing was coming to an end a muskie crushed one of our baits. With line stripping form the rod I quickly grabbed the rod and gave it a few good pulls and handed the rod to the boy, after a short fight the fish came free. I explained to him that sometimes the fish win, but not often. Last week was very good for numbers with a few of the fish in the 40's. Don't miss out on the action to come, casting will start to get better and trolling will continue to be very good. Last month 29 muskies were boated from my boat and August could be just as good with the correct weather conditions. Check out some of this years fish pictures on my web site.
The walleyes seemed to slow down this week with shorties making up the majority of the catches. The bass seem to still be aggressive but are finding deeper water and are harder to target for some. The panfish are still hanging out in schools in the 18 to 22 foot of water, with the exception of some schools of the crappie that are hanging in water 30 ft and deeper. The best areas are still the Rocky Point area, the Narrows, the West End, Condos and Walks Island. Now is the time to get out with your kids before school gets started. Take some time and spend it with your kids on the water, its quality time your kids will remember and thank you for it. I know that because my son has thanked me a few times for the time he spent with me last week. It's a great feeling, get in on it. Good luck to all and I will see you on the water!!!