Northwoods Bass 2024 Fishing Itinerary

Thank you everyone for the recent surge in inquiries and bookings. As I do at the end of each winter, I wanted to quickly publish this post to give you an itinerary of what this upcoming fishing season could look like from the perspective from my boat, and as an aid for you as you consider which month(s) to fish and schedule your tips with us.

While you could be preparing your 2024 fishing trip plans, or in the early stages of them, it’s never too early to consider a fully guided bass fishing trip on the inland waters of Northern Wisconsin.

Northwoods Bass Fishing Adventures, LLC specializes in trophy bass fishing on the inland lakes of Northern Wisconsin. Based in Minocqua, WI, we offer unique specialty fishing trips such as trophy hunts, numbers days, technique-specific workshops, lake-learn sessions, wilderness adventures, plus more. 8 years into this, we are still the only Wisconsin specialty bass fishing guide service and information resource of its kind.

I always give my loyal repeat customers first priority and opportunities at re-booking with me, on peak season weeks and especially during the weeks I plan on fishing. Many of my loyal and closest repeat guests understand how I schedule throughout the year – in order to accommodate my family life and work life also. I schedule most of my fishing times and commutes from IL to revolve around peak windows throughout my 6 month season. Many of our trips and fishing weeks are centered around the moon periods, pre-spawn and post-spawn, spring-summer-fall peaks, and other odds for best conditions. This year, we will be going hard in May, June, September and October.

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To begin the 2024 fishing season, I am only scheduling from ice-out which can be anytime in April through month of June.

I fully expect to be fishing the last week of April. Ice out smallmouths have become a favorite.

The months of May and June will run about the same as they have in prior seasons. May trips will take place following Mother’s Day weekend through Memorial Day Weekend. The only weekends that are off-limits in May will be walleye opener weekend, and Mother’s Day weekend. May trips are full day only.

In June, we ramp up fishing activity following the completion of bass spawn. I do not host bed fishing trips, so do not waste my time in inquiring or pleading with me to park you atop of beds. These last few years, early June fishing has been excellent and dependable. To take advantage of bass numbers and other multi-species opportunities, I am currently scheduling June trips from roughly June 5th thru the 20th. I will also be making myself available at other random times throughout the month, pending angler demand and schedule adjustments. Half day trips available in June, weekdays only please.

July and August can be great months too, so for mid-summer I urge you to please consider mid-week trips if possible. 

Later in the year, we will be prioritizing September and October trips. September and October dates are all scheduled out for full day trips in which we exclusively prioritize trophy hunts and big fish trips only. September month books quickly, and I usually have a wait list that follows. Right now, my bookings for second half of September are greater than May.

Please be flexible, open minded to the thought that other species could be more active than smallmouths on some days, and give strong consideration to scheduling weekday trips during summer season.

Thank you for your consideration, and hope this itinerary helps shape your trip planning with us.

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April

If we are able to fish by late April, I am preparing to fish the last week of April into the first few days of May. Early season smallmouths and largemouths are a favorite of mine. Prioritize midday and afternoon fishing times. Crappies can be mixed in as well, in between.  `

• Backwater largemouths
• Swim jig and warm water jungle fishing largemouth early season
• Largemouth bass lake hopping
• Flowage smallmouth
• Wisconsin river system smallmouths (1 angler only)
• Staging smallmouth on lakes
• Coldwater tactics for smallmouth
• Crappies

Ice out smallmouths from low-40 degree waters. 24 hours before this photo was taken, the lake behind me was still iced over.
 

May

May trips can run first days of the month, and after Mother’s Day Weekend until we see it being still worthwhile. May weather has been God-awful these last several years, between massive cold fronts shutting down the activity, to intense heat waves that prompt fish to being nesting without any regard for their surroundings. But, May of 2023 was perfect all month while I was on the sidelines and boat was in shop all month – lucky me. Traditionally, the spring peak and best fishing of the month takes place from third weekend in May through the end of month. I couldn’t fish at all in May 2023, so this will be my redemption tour. Prioritize midday and afternoon fishing times – full days only, please.

• Lipless cranking largemouth
• Swim jig and warm water jungle fishing largemouth early season
• Largemouth bass lake hopping
• Big water smallmouth and trophy hunts ALL 3rd and 4th weeks of May
• River and flowage smallmouth
• Cold water paddletail and rip jigging smallmouth
• Suspended jerkbait and fluke minnow fishing for smallmouth
• All pre-spawn fishing for smallmouth
• Crappies

June

I like fishing anytime from June 15th through July 1st. This assures bass spawn completion and normal fishing tactics resume. Finesse plastics and tube fishing produces huge numbers. Topwaters can too, on calm humid days. Hair jigs are a top producer for numbers and if mayfly hatches are present. Don’t want smallmouth? Largemouth bass explode in June, and I personally enjoy fishing them most during this month. Largemouth are more responsive on foul weather days and anytime smallmouth aren’t going. Additionally, their spawn finishes quickest, fish recover quickly, and we enter their summer patterns. On junk weather days, my preference is to do mixed bag fishing – a foreign concept to most. In June 2023 we spent more days multi-species fishing than we did bass fishing.  I do not host bed fishing trips during spawn season. I might be on vacation last week of June, too.

• Post spawn largemouth and smallmouth
• Drop shot and finesse plastics smallmouth
• Wacky worm largemouth
• Mayfly hatch and hair jigs
• River systems and flowages early month
• Smallmouth cranking
• Topwater smallmouth
• Frog fishing largemouth
• LMB and SMB numbers fishing

The entire tackle box is open in June. This is an awesome month because every day can fish differently. All species of fish are active and feeding heavily.
 

July 

Summer fishing patterns are in play. The 4th of July Holiday week delivers the most boat and vehicle traffic too. Heat waves come too, which shuts down the fishing, driving most species deep where they will be un-catchable and non-survivable. With heat and high fishing pressure & boating traffic, I only fish in July before or after the holiday if I totally have to. During busy weekends I will also stay away from popular lakes with heavy recreational (non fishing) boat traffic. My July trips ONLY take place during the third and fourth weeks of the month. This time of season early mornings, evenings/nights, and traveling to lakes off the beaten path are prioritized. July schedule subject to change due to vacations, events, etc.

• Night fishing smallmouth
• AM and late PM topwater smallmouth
• Power cranking smallmouth
• Swimbait and suspended open water smallmouth
• Cisco lakes
• Mayfly hatch smallmouth
• Surface frog and slop fishing largemouth
• Crayfish patterns and the molt
• Onboard and offshore
• Bluegill patterning largemouths
• Remote & wilderness lakes

July is an accommodating month if you seek action and numbers. I am able to host anglers of all skill levels and fishing backgrounds.
 

August 

The same fishing patterns and strategies from end of July carry-over into August. The fishing improves drastically at the onset of summer peak, as trophy hunting patterns become more predictable. Much of the fishing we do is out in deeper depths; for smallmouth onboard and offshore, and mid-depth and deep structure. I prioritize targeting the deep and cooler-water cisco based fisheries, and lakes with high crayfish populations.

Largemouth fishing peaks on the year too, with us frequently fishing algae-bloomed and eutrophic lakes, targeting offshore locations and 10-15ft grass and weedlines where greater catch rates and giant fish can be had. Depending on water temps and weather, some shallow water opportunity is available early and late in the day.

In August, we prefer targeting trophy largemouth and trophy smallmouth. Schedule is TBD due to personal vacations being likely.

• Night fishing smallmouth
• AM and late PM topwater smallmouth
• Power cranking smallmouth
• Swimbait and suspended open water smallmouth
• Surface frog and slop fishing largemouth
• Bluegill pattern largemouth
• Crayfish patterns and the molt
• Ned rigs
• Drop shots
• Onboard and offshore

September

I start booking all of my fall trips after July 1st. This is the big transition month when all fishing, strategies, location, and lake selection is based on weather and the timing of turnover. Some years we are still fishing shallow water and pounding the flats, while other years we’re already fishing around wintering areas. Following young of the year perch schools throughout the lake often pays off for catching big smallmouth. Paddletails, swimbaits, football jigs, and crankbaits are some of our preferred methods.

September trips can take place all month, but typically start around September 15th. This month is commonly in-demand by my most serious anglers and die-hards.

September most years is a very good month. Unfortunately, last year was an anomaly in which we had to deal with fluctuating weather which was no good for the fish.

September is my favorite month of fishing, and for smallmouth we prioritize trophy hunting and full day trips only. I reserve these months for my experienced and experts. THIS IS NOT THE MONTH FOR NUMBERS AND FAST ACTION.

• Swimbait and suspended open water smallmouth
• River and flowage smallmouth
• Midday and afternoon fishing times prioritized
• Shallow flats swimbaits and lipless cranking smallmouth
• Offshore and deep grass largemouth
• Vertical jigging smallmouth
• Football jigging
• Blade baits and rip baits
• Largemouths on Indian summer days
• Muskies (repeat anglers only please)

September is full day trophy hunts only where we prioritize seeking the biggest fish of the year. September is my most popular month of the year, high demand, and most dates get filled by mid August. Most years, September has a 100% occupancy.
 

October & November

I don’t host wintering trips because exploitation of wintering holes and sensitive lake locations isn’t of interest, and I really don’t want to show you my secret honey holes. October fishing is similar to September’s strategy. Except after mid-month we enter post-turnover and coldwater period. Many of the same fishing strategies from September are still utilized in early October. After turnover mid-month, almost 100% of our fishing is over deep water, incorporating jigging, casting, and position fishing. Most days we will also incorporate the usage of specialized livebait rigging, running my spreads off the back end of the boat.

Most bass trips for the year are completed by turnover, but I keep the 3rd and 4th weeks of the month always open before I call it quits for the year as weather and fishing can be very productive. A pro-longed productive season may still continue into late month into early November depending on weather, climate, water temps, and ice formation. We are finished bass fishing for the season by the time water temps reach below 45 degrees. During October month, the tackle box closes. I also limit my lake selection to a rotation of about 5 to 10 different lakes whose fall patterns and locations have been specialized.

• River and flowage smallmouth
• Midday and afternoon fishing times prioritized
• Shallow flats swimbaits and lipless cranking smallmouth
• Deep water position fishing
• Vertical jigging smallmouth
• Football jigging
• Blade baits and rip baits
• Live bait rigging
• Muskies (repeat anglers only please)

October trips are full day trophy hunts, and smallmouth trips only. Midday and afternoon hours are prioritized daily. We’ll only fish 1 lake for the full day. This is not a numbers month. Live minnows are carried in the boat for insurance purposes. Trips can last through end of the month, weather and water temps permitting. 

Please contact me directly to make your reservations by e-mail, or telephone. This will help give you an idea for scheduling your 2024 fishing trips and vacations to the northwoods. I ask you all to consider weekday and mid-week trips when possible. Usually, we are the only boat on some waters.

I’ll be keeping flexible this year, while prioritizing the top-4 months as I’ve highlighted, and have no problem making frequent back-and-forth commutes between here and where I live.

Thank you so much for considering Northwoods Bass Fishing Adventures, LLC

Andrew Ragas
Northwoods Bass Fishing Adventures, LLC
Licensed and Insured
Specializing in Northern Wisconsin inland bass fishing

tel: 708-256-2201
email: andrew@northwoodsbass.com
web: www.northwoodsbass.com