July 25th, 2007
Here it is the third week of July and I just got back from my yearly weeks vacation to Lake Mille Lac's in Minnesota. This was a great trip for quality but the numbers were down. The largest fish of our trip was a 53-inch muskie; my 50-inch fish was the second largest of the group.
My boat partner Randy scored a very nice 49-inch along with a 43.5-inch Mille Lac's muskie.
I ended up with a 50, 45.5 and a 45-inch muskie to go with a few huge pike and a 27-inch walleye. My first fish of the trip was that 50-inch monster. She ate a new Llungen Reefer buck tail that Keith just came out with this season. It is one of his nighttime special glow buck tails. 
The blade is black and the skirt is a black/glow silicone skirt, the tail also has a large glow bead in front of the blade so you can see it come in to get a better figure 8 at the boat. Great bait for the serious night fishermen who like to target muskies. 
Keith also makes this night lure in the DC10 which consists of two large no.10 blades an the same skirt and glow bead. Stop down at Smokey's Muskie Shop to see these custom baits.
Now for some fishing reports from the week following the last report I finished the 7th of July.
The action was still smoking hot for muskies and walleyes the second week of July. The 9th I had a couple walleye guys want to learn the hot spots for July walleyes. I explained to Ron and Rick how good the trolling bite has been for a few weeks and they decided (with some help) to do a muskie/walleye-trolling outing. I told Ron we could troll while I showed them all the hot spots that hold summer walleyes on Pewaukee Lake. I asked them to get a map and I would mark it up as we trolled through the spots and close by some of the best areas just inside of where we were trolling.
This proved to be a great idea because the action was non-stop for over 4 hours. The first hit came soon after I set up the lines and headed down the North shore. A good muskie about three foot long or so was in the net and my clients were all smiles. The second fish came within minutes after I re-set up the lines. This was a smaller thirty-inch fish that we decided to unhook at the boat without even touching the fish.
The third fish came about a hundred yards farther down the north shore and we just laughed because we had not even got 1/3 of the way down that shoreline. This muskie was another good one that was just over forty one-inches. A quick picture and she was released to fight another battle. Now we were trolling again and laughing at how good the muskie action was when the fourth muskie of the outing hit one of our crank bait. This was another of the low thirties fish that have been very common this season. A quick reach down with the long nose pliers and she was free, this is by far the best method to release fish during the hot water temps. Well after 4 muskies we finally got half way around the lake and working our way back up the other side of the lake when the sweet sound of the walleye click, click, click started to come from a deep set rod This was a quality 22 inch walleye that inhaled a small crank bait.
I suggested we go back through that spot again so we drove back about a hundred yards and I re-set up the lines the same way they were when the first fish walleye hit. Sure enough, that same rod started to pull drag and the second walleye was soon in the net. This fish was just less than 22 inches but surely a quality fish by most standards for an inland lake. Somewhere in the mix of all these fish I forgot to mention the 32-inch northern pike that they also got mixed in with all those muskies. But the biggest fish of all came just after dark. This was a very respectable mid to upper 40 inch muskie that fought hard all the way to the back of the boat and then jumped, shook, twisted and jumped again tossing the crank bait back at us. She might have won that battle but the season is far from over, I will see her sometime again this year. How is that for a Monday night of fishing after work? Four muskies boated, one large muskie lost, two quality walleyes and a nice pike, now that's good fishing.
The next day was looking to be very similar in weather conditions and Ken and Tim were excited to get some of the great action I told them we had the night before. We started off trolling the deeper water like we did the day before and it didn't take long for the first rod to start singing the sweet sound of drag. Rather than going through all the fish in detail I will just say they each got to catch a few muskies and walleyes. The largest was a respectable 41-inch muskie and the largest walleye was a 21-inch.
Wednesday was Owen Hills chance to watch his grandchild Riley catch some fish. At 9 years old he was not sure about the mighty muskie and how hard it was going to be to catch one. I assured him that with the tackle I was using and us there to help him it would be easy for him to catch one, well maybe not easy but possible. 
We trolled about an hour before the first fish hit and it was a good upper 30-inch muskie that put him to the test. After a hard-fought battle the 38-inch fish was in the net and soon to be held in front of us for a picture. 
After a quick release I set back out the lines and a 40-inch northern pike slammed one of my crank baits before I got them all back out. "Fish on" I yelled as I handed the drag-stripping rod off to my 9-year-old client Riley. This time he knew what he had to do to get the fish to the net and he cranked it in like a champ. A quick picture of his big pike and back she went to make someone else's day. 
I got all the rods set back up and we trolled through that area again to see if it would give up another fish. As luck was on our side we had another muskie hit after one more pass. This was a spunky 33.5-inch muskie that put a nice storybook ending to Owen's night with his grandson Riley. We were only going to fish for 3 hours so they could get back home to get some rest since it was already a long day for them and they had to be up early the next morning.
The next day I was out with another muskie enthusiast named John. He wanted to learn more about trolling and the proper way to evaluate different situations we run into while trolling through the summer months. I explained what we were going to do and why we were doing it as we trolled break-lines, flats and open water. He got to catch three muskies and learn multiple patterns at the same time. I believe John will have more confidants and be a better troller if he sticks to the patterns we used. Changing the lures and some line lengths is the only variable he will have to do as the season progresses. Most people get way to hung up on the lures that work for them. I found that certain lures like Bagleys will always work on Pewaukee Lake but there are plenty of better lures that come into play. Shad Raps, Supper Shad Raps, Depth Raiders, Ernies, Grandma's, Rapala's, Monster Shads are all part of my arsenal when trolling starts to when it is time to start casting again.
I am here writing this about two week after all this action on Pewaukee Lake. I am back from vacation and again out with clients catching muskies and walleyes. The numbers this week are down because of the weather and fishing pressure on Pewaukee Lake. I have not seen this many boats trolling in all my years of fishing Pewaukee. Still my clients got to catch their first muskie and a bonus northern pike last night. We also had two other hits but didn't connect for some reason. Today we are getting some well-needed rain and I am sure the action tonight will be much better. Lots of bluegills and crappies are stacking up in areas like Rocky Point, the Condos, Walks Island and a few other isolated hot spots. Look for the predator fish to key in on these food sources. Try to match the color and size crank bait to the baitfish. Speeds will vary from day to day as the water temps heat up or cool down. I try to run between 2.5 and 3.5 on my GPS, this has been my best speed.
If your still thinking about getting out and learning more about Pewaukee Lake or just want to get out and enjoy the action I would suggest you get a date locked up. I only have a handful of open dates available for the remaining months to offer and when they are booked it I can only refer you to others. Some great Action waits for you in August for those who want to enjoy catching fish without all the work of casting. I will do all the work and you get to catch all the fish when we troll. September is mostly the start of the casting bite again. Night fishing will get very good as the fish move back into the weeds in mid to late September. October is almost completely booked up and November is full. I enjoy deer hunting so my available dates during these months are numbered. Remember "Let Them Go So They Can Grow". Catch and release works, help spread the word. These fish are there for everyone to enjoy, most likely someone else has already released the fish you catch at one time or another. They don't get big unless they get a chance to grow up.
So if you just want to catch fish or earn some new proven patterns Mike's Extreme Guide Service is the place you need to check out. I will provide you with top of the line equipment and over 35 years of Pewaukee Lake experience. If you question what a good guide can do for you just look at the "TESTIMONIALS" link to see what some of my past clients have sent me. I believe that a guide can be a teacher, friend and fishing partner. It's up to you to make that call or e-mail to see what I can offer you. Good luck to everyone on the water. Be safe, treat others like you would like them to treat you and take a kid fishing, they are the future of our sport.
July 8th, 2007
The fishing continues to be excellent. Muskie, walleyes, pike and bass are all hitting now. All of my action is now being done trolling the flats, break lines and deep water suspended fish. The bait is setting up in the deeper water and lots of game fish are already suspending.
This past week my clients and I enjoyed lots of action from the muskies, walleyes, pike and bass. Most of the action came from the break lines or drop offs. The flats are full of fish working their way out to deeper cooler water. Targeting the areas that have the most fish now is key. Areas like the narrows and west end both have high concentrations of bait and game fish. These are the areas I have spent most of my time trolling with great success.
As the water temperatures climb into the upper seventies, the fish will start to drop deeper to keep below the hot surface water and catching these fish will be hard on them. Please keep the fish you catch in the water as long as you can while unhooking. The time out of the water should be under a minute if you have to take a picture of your fish. With the surface water being so hot, it is critical to get the fish back into the deeper cooler water as soon as possible. I know of two nice fish that died this past week from the heat. Just because they swim away does not mean they will live. Delayed mortality is showing up already, and there is a month of hot weather to go. Be smart with your catch. Water releases are best. Simply reach down and unhook the fish while it is in the water with long nose pliers. The fish will be less stressed and will take off in great health.
Now for some client stories of multiple muskie days. Monday the 2nd of July was Steve Anderson's day out to spend with his dad. We had 8 hits and boated 6 muskies from 6am till 11am. The muskies were active and stacked up in some of the usual places which made it easy to get the baits to them. The only problem with this morning was most of the muskies were smaller sub legals. The largest was a three footer his dad got, and that came at the end of the half day outing. Now dad has some bragging rights on his son Steve for a while.
The next morning was outstanding for my boy and I. We trolled the areas that produced the day before and some new spots that the wind was blowing into.
With a perfect southwest wind I knew we were going to have some very good action. Since my son had the choice of which side of the boat he wanted, I was happy to take the first fish from the side he did not choose. A low thirties muskie to start the morning was OK with me. The second fish was about the same size so we were about even. The third and fourth fish were a bit smaller but still fun to catch. The 5th fish was a very respectable 39 inch muskie that hammered a Bagley crank bait. Mikey was up next, and it was only a few minutes later when the next fish grabbed that same Bagley crank bait. This was another good upper thirties Pewaukee Lake muskie to end our morning outing. Too bad we had to stop because they were still hitting and conditions were perfect for more action. We did get back out in the late afternoon, but only managed to catch a pike.
Wednesday the 4th was family day so we gave the muskies a rest to enjoy the festivities all afternoon and into the night. Thursday was my day to get out and put the smack down on some Pewaukee muskies, but I found it too hard to get up early after a long day and night of fun. I did get out at the crack of 10am and set up working some deeper structure to see if I could find a bigger fish. Moon set was just before 11am, and I was in the correct place and the correct time. A good 40 inch muskie was the first of three to hit my crank bait all before noon. I spent two more hours working different patterns and areas, but the fish were not cooperating so I called it a day early because I had an early guide job that next morning.
Friday morning I had the pleasure of taking out 11 year old Matt Yoost and his father.
Matt was eager to catch his first muskie and I was happy to see him fighting his first muskie just over an hour into our morning outing. Matt's first fish was just over the 34 inch legal mark and was quickly photoed and released to grow up. Matt was now ready for more action, and it came sooner than he expected. He was now battling his second fish, and the smile on his face assured me I was doing my job. This muskie was a bit smaller but a scrapper. The third fish was a 30 inch pike that we quickly photoed and released. The fourth hit was a walleye and the 5th hit was the largest fish of the outing. An upper thirties muskie that gave him the battle he was looking for. I watched the expressions change from happy to doubtful and back to happy as the fish finally got close to the boat. After a couple good runs at boat side, I scooped the net under his largest muskie of the day. A couple quick photos, and she was back in the water heading down to the cooler deeper water. What a cool day to spend with a father and son. Dave and Matt will remember this morning for a while I would bet. I know I will because a father son fishing trip is something I always remembered from my childhood.
Well, this is just a few of the stories I can share with you from this past week. I wish I had more time to take more people out fishing, but with a regular 7am to 3pm job and a family to spend some time with, it's hard to book up all my free time. I do have one more open afternoon outing available at the end of the month and some great afternoon dates still open during the month of August.
I love to see the family thing on the water and stress how important it is to spend time with your kids when you can. They grow up way too quick. I know; my daughter is 18 and off to college this fall and my son is 15 already. I am an old softy when it comes to getting family out on the water. So if you're thinking about getting out for some action, please contact me, and I will do my best to get you on the water and experience the excitement of muskie fishing and fishing in general.