June 30, 2007
Now this is what fishing should be like all season. The action on Pewaukee Lake is rocking. The muskie, walleye and bass action is great. Most everyone who puts their time in is getting fish. The last of the gills are just finishing up spawning and the bass are too. Lots of fish are now on the move out to deeper water as the water temps climb into the high 70s. Weed lines are holding lots of active fish. Casting is producing bass and muskies along the outer weed lines.
Trolling for multi species just outside of the weeds edges is very good now. Lots of multiple fish afternoons for my clients. Most of the muskies are in the high 20s and low 30s now because the most active fish are the smaller ones. The big girls will be getting active very soon. The 20th of June I was out with my son Mike, and we trolled the outer weed edges of the narrows and east end weeds. We kept our lines very short to keep the baits from getting fouled in the scattered weeds that are all over this area. Most of the muskies will be in the upper half of the 10 to 14ft of water we trolled so long lines are out of the question.
My son and I worked the open areas first and then moved closer to the weed edges after no rip. It was not long until the first rod sounded off and the first trolling muskie of the season was in the net. After a quick release of the 33 inch muskie we got back to trolling. We didn't get very far before the second fish hit, another low 30s fish was released. Two fish in ten minutes, "I think we are on a good pattern" I told my boy as we got the lines back out. The next rip was not long and the first good fish was in the net. A respectable 36 inch muskie stopped by for a quick photo. My son was one happy camper as he released his second muskie of the afternoon. Long story short, we released 8 muskies in just 4 hours trolling the weed edges with crank baits.
The next day I told my client Dave about our luck the day before, and he was ready to try it for a while and then cast. Dave made a good choice because he was battling a three footer in just under an hour of trolling. Dave also caught and released two very nice bass before we decided to try some casting. The next morning I was on vacation from my full time job and took a couple guys out for some muskie action. They were tired from the night before and asked if trolling was any good this early. I explained how the water temps were high and trolling was just getting going this past week. We started out shallow and didn't score so I moved out to some deeper weed edges and scored a low 30s muskie very close to the bottom. After a quick release, I adjusted some lines and worked over that deeper weed edge and scored three more fish the same way we got the first one. All the muskies were in the high 20 to low thirties, but they were happy to catch multiple muskies on such a calm, clear morning. Sunday I had a client who requested a 10am start time; this is not the best time to hit the water on a metro lake. All the recreational boaters were out in force soon after we got started. I explained to Steve that trolling the shallower water that was working so well earlier in the week would not be as good due to all the boat traffic and waves. Floating weeds were everywhere, and this eliminated the use of planer boards. We started out trolling the deeper water as close to the narrows as we could with only a small muskie in the first couple hours so I decided to try a deeper pattern and work the outside of the flats close to deeper water. This was the ticket as we boated 3 more muskies and lost two that we had hooked. One we lost when it came clear out of the water and tossed the bait. Very cool to see a muskie jump so high out of the water but it was a bummer to see the fish toss the bait. The other fish we never got to see because all the action was under the water when the bait came free. Steve caught 4 muskies and had two more get off. His biggest of the day was a healthy three footer, but who knows how big the one we never got to see was. The ones that stay down under the surface are usually the largest ones.
June 13, 2007
Water temperatures are in the mid 70s and going up with this recent week of heat. The muskie action has been good in the early morning and late afternoons. Multiple patterns have produced fish in the past two weeks. Bucktails have gotten most of the fish burned over the weeds. Top water baits like a Headbanger, Top Raider, Creeper and Hawg Wobbler have all caught fish recently. Bucktails of all kinds have produced action. I also had a few reports of fish caught on crank baits casted and trolled from past clients and friends. I got out for a couple hours late Saturday afternoon and caught a low thirties and a 38-incher trolling cranks through the schools of gills that I found in open water.
Most of the action has been from smaller fish with some low 40s and one mid 40s fish CPRed last week. Now don't get me wrong, Pewaukee Lake can shut a good stick down on some days and make a hero out of a first timer on others. The fishing is far from outstanding the past two weeks if you're looking for good muskies. Now if you're targeting sub legals the action is hot for 25 to 28 inch fish in the larger weed beds on the eastern half of the lake. You will get your chances for a good fish if you put your time in and keep a positive attitude. Working the deeper weed edges will increase your chances for a quality fish.
The weeds are now almost back to normal, and there are lots of fish in and around the weeds. This week I have noticed lots of pan fish starting to move out and spread all over the deeper water. Most of these fish are hanging in the top 10ft of the water column. This is the time of year you can troll or cast for muskies. I had two clients out last night that started out casting and then wanted to take a break so I set up some lines and short line trolled for about a half hour. I mentioned the walleyes that were stacking up in the area we were trolling and they were interested in them. I set up two rods to get down to that depth and quickly caught a 20-incher. They liked that and we kept trolling, but it's hard trolling when the skis are still in the casting spots. Trolling will come soon enough.
This is the time of the season where the muskies and baitfish will start to move to deeper water. I will be targeting the areas where larger weed beds reach into deeper water, main lake points, islands, and river channels. It will not be long for the trolling bite to get started. For now I will enjoy the casting bite as long as it still shows me some of the 40-inch class fish. Once the larger fish start to move out, I will split my time between casting and trolling.
Crank baits, bucktails, jerk baits and even plastics will produce for a while yet. With the water temperatures going up so is the muskies metabolism. They are eating more and can be more active. Get out early if you can as it's been the best action in the past few weeks. Don't get frustrated if you don't move a fish, keep up a positive attitude and they will show up. The last 7 fish caught out of my boat were caught without even a follow. I can handle catching every fish we come in contact with; follows are good, but feeling a fish first is best.
Good luck to all. See Ya on the water!!!
June 6, 2007
I would like to say the muskies are going crazy and how easy it has been to catch them, but the truth is they have been off and on. Some days are just almost easy to get one or two and other afternoons it's tough. The most consistent pattern is going out after a long hot spell during the first cool down. This has proved to be the best time to catch multiple fish. As soon as the humidity breaks and the cooler air sets in the muskies just seem to get very active and almost get easy to catch that day. Most afternoons you will raise a few fish and get your chance to score a muskie. Some days are better than others depending on the weather. The muskies and walleyes are now in somewhat of a predictable pattern. Not all muskies follow these patterns, some are suspending, and some just choose to stay in the deep slop where it's hard to get baits to them. But most of the time they are patternable.
Water temperatures are in the low 70s, and almost all the fish have gone through the spawning process. I have already noticed larger schools of crappies building up in the deeper water off main lake points and Walks Island. Lots of bluegills are starting to school up just off the weed lines and will be going to deeper water as the water temperatures get into the mid and upper 70s. This will get the trolling bite going as well as the outside weed line bite rocking.
The weed growth in the shallower east end of Pewaukee Lake still has not returned to normal. Lots of areas that were loaded with milfoil are still just getting started with some weeds. The west end is also very low on weeds due to the thick ice and snow covers this past winter. Lots of people are talking about how the weeds are not where they were in years past and what happened to them. Truth is they are just going through a cycle. The milfoil is there; it's just way behind this season. Give it a few more hot humid days and you will see just how fast it comes back. For now enjoy the low weeds and take advantage of the situation. Look at it this way; the fewer weeds the fewer places for the fish to hide. I have been using the lack of weeds to my advantage by keying in on the weeds that are there and working the edges of the larger thicker weed beds that have the cover to hold multiple fish. The one thing that I believe will happen is the fish will move to suspend much quicker this season. Less cover will get the baitfish and predators to set up in deeper water sooner. Look for the trolling bite to kick in early this season.
The muskie fishing this past week has gotten better. I had a regular client out Monday and we got 3 muskies in about an hour. Two were caught twitching a minnow Shallow Raider and one on a Mepps bucktail. Tuesday I was out with Brian, another regular client, his son John, and friend Phil for some action fish. We started out catching gills and crappies for the first hour and then moved to another area where we continued to catch pan fish with some large and smallmouth bass mixed in. As the sun started to get lower I set up a few of my walleye rods with lit slip bobbers. It was not long before the first walleye hit; Phil was quick to get in on that action with his first Pewaukee Lake walleye. After a quick measurement we released the 14-inch walleye to grow up. John was the first one to catch a keeper and soon followed up with a second one just a little bigger than his first. We ended up with two walleyes and a few gills to make a good meal, the rest of the fish we let go. A couple of good fish escaped prematurely but that's fishing. All in all it was a great half-day of action and fun for all three of them.
The week before we had muskie action on top water, bucktails, Suicks, Slammers and even crank baits. Other baits I know of that caught fish were Bull Dawgs, suckers and jigs. So you can see that most of the baits will produce if you use them at the correct time and location. Look for the top water action to start slowing down as the water temps rise. The buck tail and crank bait bite will be the best bet soon. Suicks and other jerk baits will also be very productive.
I will be on the water almost every day now with clients, friends and family. Drop me an e-mail if you have any questions about guide dates, patterns that are working, or what baits are the hot ones. I will be happy to help you with some info. Learning the patterns and baits to use is half the battle; the other half is getting the baits in front of the fish. Look for the action to get much better as the water temperatures rise. This will increase the muskies metabolism to the point where they will eat every day. The more they have to eat the better the chance you will have for one of them to hit your lure. This goes for all the fish in the lake, the higher the water temperatures the more active the fish will be. Get in on this action; it's just getting started.
Now the casting bite is in full swing with active muskies all over the weed beds and weed lines, the trolling bite will be getting going very soon. I still have a couple June dates available and some great trolling dates available if you looking to learn how to troll. There is plenty to learn when it comes to being a consistent producer trolling. I know plenty of past clients who now can go out with confidence and expect to catch a muskie every time out. Not all days are equal. Some days it's hard to even catch a fish and other times I can't even get all the rods in before the first fish is peeling drag from one of my rods. Trolling can produce numbers and quality. Just take a look through the site and you will see some very big fish that are all still swimming around for you to catch. Get in on the action before it's too late and all my guide dates are booked up. All the available dates after October 11th are booked already. July is filling up fast and August is one of the best months to troll. Plenty of good dates still left in August and early September.
It's time for you to experience Mike's Extreme Guide Service. Good luck to all. See Ya on the water!!!