Hi all, while the ice and snow is nowhere close to melting, it’s never too early to consider a fully guided bass fishing trip on the inland waters of Northern Wisconsin. Join me on another new season in pursuit of trophy Wisconsin bass 2020, beginning as soon as the second weekend in May.

Northwoods Bass Fishing Adventures, LLC hosts a variety of bass specialty trips that includes trophy hunts; numbers days; lake-learn sessions; technique-specific instructional days; pick a town and we’ll fish its whole area; and exclusive wilderness adventures and float trips to name a few. Adding to the engaging lake types and diversity of fisheries in our region, we approach every water with the mindset of taking what its bass fishery will give us.

Thank you customers for entrusting me for your bass fishing and northwoods fishing success! I appreciate your business and friendships. I also enjoy staying in touch with you all during the season and winter off-season, whether chatting by phone, texting, or replying to emails and questions. I really enjoy it.

Each day of fishing in my boat brings high expectations and very high standards. My objectives are for you to catch, and for me to navigate the boat, put YOU on spots, instruct and educate. Whether or not you caught a giant bass with me that day, I’m sure you returned home with a new outlook on bass fishing, information you can apply on your own, and acquired more knowledge and intellect that will make you a better angler for years to come. After every day fishing, I know I do.

2019 was the worst weather and coldest season I can ever remember experiencing. Despite these challenges, the fishing was pretty good for big fish and excellent average sizes for all species. Only the monster smallmouth surpassing 6 lbs. eluded us.

Our customers caught and released 11 personal best fish, encompassing catches of smallmouth and largemouth bass. Additionally, several 50 fish or more days were enjoyed too, and almost every day on the water produced 1 or more trophy fish of 20″ and better. While no serious heavyweights or giants of year’s past boated this year, many MANY 4 to 5 lb. class fish were caught and released this year. Almost every trip produced one or more big ones except for two mid summer dates we had in July.

I take photos of almost every 4 pounder or larger smallmouth we catch, and I have over 95 fish on the record between customers and I from 2019 that surpassed at least 4 lbs. or a 20 inch length this year.

Great year for big fish and average size. I theorize the late ice out and cold season kept the massive giants more elusive and disengaged.

Check out some of the big bass and groupers we caught in 2019. That could be you in 2020.

2019 Highlights and Best Catches

May – It’s no secret we had a very crappy spring season, but that didn’t deter any anglers who signed up to fish with me. We enjoyed plenty of 30-40 fish trips from the cold water working suspended jerkbaits, crankbaits, swimbaits, and swimming plastics. These 40 degree water temps persisted through Memorial Day weekend. Cold water and a delayed season isn’t much of an inconvenience when you know several staging sites throughout each lake. Knowing this, feeding windows can happen at any time.

Note – A good spring trip with sunny, warming weather and water temps can produce 50-100 fish days on our numbers fisheries when we are really dialed in and we spend the day wrecking the fishery of 1-2-3 different lakes. This is not a typo or a marketing scheme like some from the peanut gallery have called me out for recently. Been there, done that.

Despite cold water, cold weather, and the longest pre-spawn season in history, the fishing was satisfactory to me, and excellent for all! My only wish was a gradual warm-up, some new weed growth, and more largemouth bass trips.

Biggest smallmouth from spring 2019 was a 21 incher, by Dave Czeszewski. The heaviest smallmouth was then a 5 and a half pounder, boated by Jeff Butler in mid May.

June – We experienced a delayed spawn season, but another strong year class of fish will be enjoyed for the next several years to come thanks to high water and lots of flooded shoreline habitat & protection.

Last season, we fished from June 15th through July 3rd. This scheduling assures us of a completed bass spawn. As a result, weather is finally good, summer arrives, both species are heavily feeding, numbers trips are most common, and the tackle box opens up – leading to several successfully working fishing strategies.

Mid to late June is a fun time of year if numbers and big fish action is the goal. Topwaters, finesse plastics, and hair jigs are the most successful tactics in my boat. By the fourth week of June leading up to the July 4th holiday, trophy bass become more prevalent and summer patterns begin.

Almost every day in June 2019 produced 20 inch fish.

July & August – #1 fishing partner, Mrs. Ragas, threw the hammer down on me due to our wedding planning, and consequently I didn’t have much of a summer season. When I did sneak away for trips and fun fish, big largemouth bass were the game. Smallmouth didn’t seem to be going too well in the cooler weather and water temps.

Trophy largemouth run rampant and plentiful on the Minocqua area lakes, and these two summer months are THE BEST for targeting them. The northwoods largemouth bass fisheries are underutilized and underappreciated, as many lakes encompass numbers fisheries, and some exclusively trophies.

A number of 20″ and better largemouth were captured In July & August. The largest of them were a handful of 21 inchers. Unfortunately none were customer fish or took place on trip dates. Amanda caught her personal best, 21″, I caught a few 21’s myself, and broke a personal record with an old skinny 23 incher.

Summer smallmouth fishing was very limited this year, but the few times we had trips, a few mid summer beasts were caught and released. Jeff Langlois caught the best in July. Amanda then caught the best in August.

September – This was the best month of the year. Water temps, weather, and patterns were finally stable and very consistent. All the weather and conditions we had in prior weeks & months were identical to the typical September. I believe this is why the month’s fishing was so good and predictable!

Our end of year bass trips took place from the 15th through the first days of October. Each day was a smallmouth trophy hunt, and many big fish came to the boat.

A few notable specimens were Mike Piorkowski’s 21 incher, and the few 5 and a half pounders boated by Tyler Reid with girlfriend, Courtney Warren. The most enjoyable days I had was hosting Davis and Pat Merritt who came all the way from Wyoming to learn smallmouth.

Beyond the trophies, we experienced some truly epic numbers trips where large average sizes were the common catch. This time of season is not for numbers, rather big fish, but the prevalence of perch schools and good conditions almost every day led to outstanding trips. Joe Novak’s 33 fish afternoon was one of the best early fall outings we’ve ever had. He played hookey and traveled 600 miles round trip from Chicago just to fish for a day. I told him “Get up here, right now!” Glad he obliged!

October – This is a great trophy month if you can brave the weather and have the correct daily expectations. Unfortunately my guiding season ended on the day of Joe Novak’s trip 🙁 As a result, lots and lots of big fish were left on the table, but this is a good thing as we head into 2020.

All the fishing we did in October was leisure, buddy trips, and muskies. A few monster muskies and smallmouth were boated, thus concluding our 2019 season.

Now Booking 2020 Dates

Early booking period has now concluded. The entire month of May is nearly booked full. June is about 60% full now. All dates that are scheduled for fishing and trips are now open to all!

All deposits due after January 1st, 2020. I will be emailing newcomers mailing instruction and deposit info. I will be personally getting in touch with everyone who’s scheduled with me. It will be done by phone and e-mail.

All dates I will be fishing, or plan to, are visibly shown on my online calendar.

For 2020, the only weekends off limits at this time will be Mother’s Day weekend. I also do not fish during the first two weeks of July due to heavy holiday traffic and congestion. There will likely be other full or partial weekends and holiday weekends I will not be available. The only dates I will be able to host trips and guide are listed in GREEN on my online calendar. If it’s not in green, I will not be available.

Still mulling over dates for 2020 fishing? I have updated my availability calendar to help with selecting fishing dates and then confirming bookings. Scroll forward to May and you will see which dates I have available. Please contact me directly to make your reservations by e-mail, or telephone. This will help give you an idea for scheduling your 2020 fishing trips and vacations to the northwoods.

All who are booking fishing dates with me in May, June, and July, your $100 check deposit (per day) sent immediately, is required to hold and reserve your dates.

Thank you to my loyal customers for a great year! I cannot wait to host you again next season!

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