Northwoods Bass 2022 Fishing Itinerary

 
While you could be preparing your 2022 fishing trip plans, it’s never too early to consider a fully guided bass fishing trip on the inland waters of Northern Wisconsin. Here is a complete itinerary of the type of fishing we could be doing during the 2022 fishing season!

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. We are 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 repeat guests understand how I schedule throughout the year. 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.

I urge you to contact sooner rather than later, and look forward to your correspondence, repeat business, and friendship.

To begin the 2022 fishing season, I am only scheduling from ice-out through month of June.

New for this year, if we have another early ice-out like we had experienced last year, we should want to be on the waters beginning in April, sooner rather than later.

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 until the start of Memorial Day Weekend. I will also be able to accommodate trips during the first days of May, pending no conflicts on my end.

In June, we will have a few adjustments. 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. What we will do though is begin June month sooner. I feel that our bass have been spawning and completing much sooner in order to evade fishing pressure and because warmer weather than usual is enabling them to. I think we have been missing out on shallow water numbers trips. June trips that would typically begin mid-month will also begin a week sooner, June 8th/9th’ish. June trips this year will run through June 25th, because I would like to go to Canada or be on vacation starting then.

What I am also doing differently this year is less weekend trips – I want none of them in July. Weekends these last two years have been terrible between congestion, wake boats, weekend tournaments, and the escalation of ‘rona life. I will also NOT be fishing on holiday weekends either. My Memorial Day Weekend and 4th of July holidays are going to be dedicated to my wife.

Once we get a pulse of what summer fishing and lake-life traffic will be like, we’ll open up the date book accordingly. As you know, summer peak is a favorite time, and I love to schedule trips from end of July through the first week of August.

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.

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.

Due to lack of urgency on my end and not pushing hard, I have several open dates available in May and June. Whether you’re a repeat or a seasoned/friendly newcomer, I welcome you all aboard in 2022.

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April

The only way April fishing happens is if it’s another early ice-out like we had in March 2021. Due to winter’s late arrival, I am uncertain this will be the case. If we are able to fish in April, I am preparing to begin our trips the last week of April. 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
• Staging smallmouth on lakes
• Coldwater tactics for smallmouth
• Crappies

May

May trips can run first days of the month, and after Mother’s Day Weekend until May 25th, prior to holiday weekend. Traditionally, the spring peak and best fishing of the month takes place during the third and fourth weeks of May until Memorial Day Weekend. Due to crappy weather, we didn’t experience any “spring peaks” during 2020 and 2021 May months. Our last spring trips of the year take place Memorial Day weekend. Prioritize midday and afternoon fishing times – full days only, please.

I do not host bed fishing trips during spawn season.

• 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

During May we prioritize capturing fish like this specimen.

June

I like fishing anytime from June 15th through July 1st. This year, we will be coordinating June month differently, with the fishing beginning and ending 1 week sooner. 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.

June trips begin after June 8th. I do not host bed fishing trips during spawn season.

• 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. 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 trips will be under advisement. We’ll keep a close eye on the heavy lake traffic and potential for vacations.

• 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. I do not want to guide on busy summer weekends, if possible.

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. 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.

• 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

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 within a week after Labor Day weekend. This month is commonly in-demand by my most serious anglers and die-hards.

September is my favorite month of fishing, and for smallmouth we prioritize trophy hunting and full day trips only. 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. Some days can hold numbers, while others only a few heavyweights per day. September is my second-most popular month of the year, high demand, and most dates get filled by mid August. In 2021, September had a 100% occupancy.

October

I don’t host wintering trips because exploitation of wintering holes and sensitive lake locations isn’t of interest. October fishing is similar to September’s strategy. Except now 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. Some days we may incorporate the usage of specialized livebait rigging.

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 still be productive. A pro-longed productive season may still continue into late month and November 1st 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. In 2021, my last bass trip of the year took place October 26th.

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. 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. 

 
Still mulling over dates for 2022 fishing? Act quick during the next 2 months before all of the best fishing dates get claimed. I ask you all to consider weekday and mid-week trips. Usually, we are the only boat on some waters.

Please contact me directly to make your reservations by e-mail, or telephone. This will help give you an idea for scheduling your 2022 fishing trips and vacations to the northwoods.

Please be aware of my full day rate increase that was implemented late last season. Full day trips are now $550 / daily, for 8 to 9 hours of fishing time – these are 10 hour days. To all who are booking fishing dates with me, a $150 check deposit (per day), sent immediately, is required to hold and reserve your dates, with remaining balance due at the completion of trip day. If unable to book due to this, I understand.

Thank you all!

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