Northwoods Bass Fishing Report, end of June & early July, 2019

We’re still somewhat reeling from a slow and cold month of May and early June, but things are finally heating up quickly. Lakes are warming (averaging 72-76 degrees), weeds are sprouting, mayflies are hatching, and big fish of all species are feeding early and late in the day. Thermoclines are just starting to set up too. These are all true signs that summer season is finally here! Summer peak is incoming, and the most predictable trophy bass fishing of the year is forthcoming.

A recent run of great fishing and guide trips has ended. From June 14th through July 4th, I was booked nearly every day with full day trips. I cannot thank you guys enough for the big fish boated, willingness to learn, and entrusting me to deliver in quality first-rate fishing experiences. Each day was memorable and enjoyable, and resulted in big fish and customer new personal bests. Even if big bass aren’t boated, we’re catching memories, entertaining ourselves with nice fish and fun company, and learning & applying ourselves to be better anglers for the next day we hit the water.

This year, the bass were still spawning on our deepest & coldest lakes on the third week of June. As waters warmed rapidly, spawn finally completed in late month, but fish and bites have still been a little sluggish. A good day of fishing this time of year can be 50-80 fish easy during a normal weather season and depending on lake choice. This year 30-50 fish for a boat of 2-3 anglers can be considered excellent.

During this recent block of trips, high average sizes and shots at a 20 incher were each day’s goals. We fished for smallmouth 99% of the time, and the only largemouth bass trip we’ve done was for 2 hrs back in early May LOL. 2019 could go down as the year we do zero LMB trips because big smallmouth have been in high demand!

In June, the month’s theme was dry and cold east winds, thick mosquitoes, and strong midday feeding windows. On warm, sunny days, the fishing heated up. 8 new personal best fish were boated during the month of June.

The recent bite for big fish was unpredictable most days. Steady action greeted us daily, but presence of truly heavyweight monster bass was rare. My guess was spawn recovery and rest, and the barrage of weekend tournaments didn’t help. On any guide trip, my boat doesn’t get picky over fish sizes and bites unless we get really bored of catching 16-19 inchers. I want biters and rod benders for guests and I during the first half of every trip; often the big bass will show up and take care of themselves at some point or during second half which by then we move on to trophy water.

Lately with the warming water temps, and low-light conditions, early and late, a number of big bass have been sliding up shallow to feed on unsuspecting prey – making targeting them easier. But midday & afternoon as water temps peak for the day however, our fish catching becomes more challenging, and has been mostly done in 10-15ft depths. Rock, boulder, wood, and deeper secondary, offshore structure has been key. It’s taken a lot of patience for my anglers to get down to these fish by fishing slow with jigging and finesse rigging.

Tons of baitfish and schools of bass have been sitting along first break lines and near offshore structure (wood, deep rock, boulders, cribs).  Presence of baitfish that includes ciscoes and yellow perch, and mayfly larvae, along primary and secondary breaks and even mid lake basins has made locating smallmouths easier, but more difficult to catch because you simply cannot compete with all of the food availability. This prey overabundance has been a challenge on every body of water. Nearly all of the boat’s recent bites at most lakes during early and late in the day have been in depths of 5-10ft. If they aren’t up top, then off the edges, and suspended someplace nearby during midday hours. On some lakes, we’ve been catching fish from as deep as 20 to 30 ft.

The biggest challenges of late besides weather has been catching fish in midst of all the food availability. In addition to mayfly hatches, and the abundance of schooling bait such as ciscoes and yellow perch, it has made catching bass much more difficult. But locating them with this proliferation of forage has been easy however. If spots and structure are devoid of bass, you’ll find them where the food is at.

What I stress to customers is I’ll put us and keep us on fish, but it comes with no guarantees of catching. When there’s so much food around, it’s difficult to garner the attention of bass when they’re busy stuffing their faces with all sorts of snacks like mayflies, crayfish, cisco and perch.

In the next week or two we will hit summer peak. Some of the smaller, deep lakes are now developing thermoclines. Both bass species are also frequenting their summer locations and setting up along deeper structure and habitat where they will primarily live on offshore structure for the remainder of the year. They are also keying in on their summertime food preferences too; SMB – crayfish, cisco perch; LMB – bluegill, perch, frogs.

If you enjoy fishing the diversity of lake types and bass fisheries the northwoods has to offer, July is a great month to come and experience it all.

First one in, last one out. Every day.

Bass Bling

In my boat, less is always more. Prioritize the fish catchers.

The bass bling I showcased from mid June is still in play for right now. The only additions I would make are spinnerbaits for very windy days, swim jigs for covering water, and some crayfish bites that includes squarebill cranks and hula grubs. With each passing day, smallmouth are prioritizing crayfish forage more, and soon they will be molting.

Always pay attention to what fish are puking up. On some lakes it’s been perch and cisco, others crayfish, and if the lake is in midst of hatch then all mayflies. These feeding preferences will help you identify what you should be throwing at that particular time. Match the hatch.

Drop shotting has also been working very well when finesse and deep water required.

Hair jig bites are still going strong on calm sunny days, and where mayfly hatches are present. Additionally, if you’re into spy-baiting – that too.

If you want hair jigs, go and pester any fly tiers you know, or any independent tackle crafters. Many are generous with their time and materials.

Every day has been highlighted by each of these baits. Swimming grubs and topwaters to cover water, and when schools are located we hammer on them with the plastics, craws, tubes and hair jigs. Fish are feeding but very shy and timid due to high skies and no wind some days. The only power fishing being done right now is with cranks and topwaters – during low light conditions and evenings/nights.

Every time you feel any light tap or bump on the plastics, set that hook immediately. Don’t wait.

HOOKSETS ARE FREE IN MY BOAT! Otherwise that fish will swallow it whole. Drop shotting, ned rigging, and tube jigging are the worst for this if you let a fish take it. It doesn’t help that smallmouth have been suicidal some days, but there’s been a few instances where I’ve had to confiscate baits out of customer hands for gut hooking fish because of failing to set the hooks too soon.

A good tip I learned this month from customer Jerry Pasdo (president of the Wisconsin Smallmouth Alliance) is using circle hooks for all wacky worms and drop shot rigs. They work incredible! No more deep hook jobs and line snipping afterwards. Thanks Jerry!

Current Fishing Report

Right now, the best bite happening is largemouth bass. Even though I haven’t done any LMB trips this summer, I’ve been sneaking out for some R&R for myself during the evenings. Fishing has been explosive, and they’ve been feeding heavily following post spawn. I’m finding big fish up to 20″ shallow in wood, flooded brush, and pads….. and others in offshore grass and deep weedlines 10-15′. Docks and floating swimming rafts too. Early mornings and PM’s you will find surface activity near-shore and off-shore. I’ve been primarily flipping and pitching big jigs and creature baits. If wind is blowing, sling a spinnerbait or swimbait. For ultra-shallow combat fishing, frog bites are taking off in the pads.

Smallmouth bass were hot up until the recent heat wave, and then slowed. Best action taking place early and late in the day. On the bigger water, best feeding windows have been midday and afternoons. For the most part, you’ll want to be on the water and working big fish spots during the very early morning hours (pre-dawn until 8am), and again following sunset.

The post-spawn transition happened quickly. One day we could be catching them in shallower water. Revisit the same lake again the next day, and the spot would be devoid, with fish having moved out into deep water.

Most bites otherwise in 10-20ft rock and deep boulders, and deep secondary and offshore structure. Some open water bites happening also, where cisco schools roam. Paddletails and swimbaits getting the job done out there. Best bets for good fish is topwaters early AM, drop-shots and deep water fishing midday (tough lethargic bites, but possible), and sunset to PM topwater and cranking.

When summer peak finally happens any week now, smallmouth will be located everywhere from open water schooling, to deep rock and gravel humps, first and secondary points, sand bars and flats, fish cribs – usually most at 12-15ft level, deep weedlines where perch and baitfish present, and the shallows. That’s a lot of likely places they will set up on. In mid summer, smallmouths can be caught as shallow as 2 feet to as deep as 30 feet depending on water temperatures and the developing thermoclines and summer stratification. Also, check out the sand grass beds located in the lake’s 20-30ft basins if present.

My keys to this week and into next week are fishing early and late. Next week is going to be HOT weather and temps. Stay off the water completely during midday hours if you can. This way you will avoid heavy boat traffic, and water temps pushing 80 degrees. Don’t be picky for bites either – otherwise your fishing might suck. Stick to mainly the deep, clear, cold lakes as they will be less impacted by heat. Dark water hand the flowages will have the most difficult fishing.

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In June there were a few obvious bass patterns. Mayfly hatches were the big one. Many lakes had HUGE hatches this year. To counter them, we caught a lot of nice fish on hair jigs, prop style topwaters, and downsized jig and plastics to imitate leeches and fly larvae.

A second pattern was the presence of crayfish. Our bottom dwelling friends are finally out and about, feeding and scavenging along rock and wooded areas. Tube jigs and hula grubs are an unbeatable dynamic duo in catching bass feeding heavily on crayfish. Always look for signs of smallmouths coughing up and regurgitating crayfish. Go and fish with tubes immediately!

A third pattern was the heavy schooling of cisco, on waters where populations of these pelagic baitfish are present. This bite is just starting and will get better as the month goes on. Fish are hanging in main lake areas and using deep structure where ciscoes are passing by.

The entire month was mainly a slow plastics and jigging program. Our lure selection each day remained the same for about two straight weeks. While fishing and navigating the boat on the back deck, I always keep up to 10 different rods and presentations rigged up, to help the boat quickly establish working patterns. I’m always tinkering and experimenting. Some days, it pays off to tinker and BS from the back end of the boat like I always do, in order to make an already good trip turn into an even better one.

Trip Reports with Photos

June 16 to 18th I enjoyed hosting Jeff Butler for smallmouth and musky. Recently I’ve been in exploration and adventure mode. It’s worth all the gas and mileage when a plan and its top secret mission comes together following lots of diligent and thorough research, mapping, and investigation.

Big smallmouth at 5 lbs, and a handful of walleyes averaging 21-23″ greeted us on the new lakes we checked out. In addition, dozens of new spots learned and waypoints entered.

Good post spawn bites on ned rigs and paddletails (5″ suicide shads). Flats, rock bars, boulders, wood, cribs, from as shallow as 5′ to as deep as 15+ held fish.

June 20th – Fun day of action packed hair jigging and finesse smallmouth with Jerry Pasdo. Jerry is president of the Wisconsin Smallmouth Alliance – WSA, and it was a real treat to host the leader of the group that produces all those FREE THE FIGHTER signs we like to see at our region’s boat landings. Thanks to organizations like this for their help in promoting conservation and catch and release fishing so that we have big ones like these to always catch.

Fished from 730 am to 530 pm. Water temps 66-67 on lake 1, and 69-70 on lake 2.

June 21st – Hosted Scott and Harve for a full day. Conditions nearly identical from previous few days. Wind in the am and calm by afternoon. Morning hours provided the best fishing and conditions with 20 smallmouth caught from 8am to 1pm. Then for the afternoon until 6pm every lake we visited was dead. Definitely a morning bite right now.

Mayfly larvae everywhere is certainly wreaking havoc on our fish, as is an overactive underwater ecosystem. Water temps also climbing into the low 70’s.

June 22nd – I hosted Ken and Al for a full day of action. Conditions windy and warming quickly, however we had consistent steady action as soon as we started 730 am until 330pm. We concluded the day at 5.

Water temps 67-69 on the three lakes we fished, and reached 71 by late in the afternoon. Windblown structures held most active fish and best bites on each lake.

We focused on bigger fish in the early am, which produced a pair of 18’s, a 19, and a 20” personal best for Al. Coffee tubes and oversize ned rig secured the victory.

June 25th – Good trip with James and Teresa. Light bites and big wind made it a challenge for boat control, presentation, and hook setting ability but we managed with 30 fish of all sizes. We fished 7am-3pm.

Since fish hadn’t seen sunlight for a few days, morning was understandably slow. Bites very faint and undetectable. As the day progressed, bites improved and fish gained aggression. By early afternoon action became steady and very good.

Was hard to hold the boat in big wind, but target casting to my waypoints made it easy with spot lock turned on. Ned Rigs and wacky jigs scored our entire day’s catch. Not a single fish wanted a moving lure.

June 26th – Fun day and full day trip of memories and hooksets with John and Mart. On the water at 630am and off the water at 4pm.

Bite improving since the other day. Water temps on the cool sides of lakes 66-67. Fishing was very slow in those areas during morning hours, many light bites, dropped baits, and missed hooksets. John and Mart hooked and lost a few big fish (4 pounders). By afternoon the shallow sand we caught all our fish from was baking and windblown 69-70. At that point the bite was hot, and it became the John show.

June 27th – Yesterday was a good trip with Joe and Gabe. The fishing was difficult but okay, and good enough as the two paired up with 20 inchers. Congrats to both for catching a big one and memories they’ll remember for the rest of their lives.

Conditions flat calm, hot, sunny, and full of insect hatches in the morning. By midday clouds and wind and storm front moved in, changing the entire landscape once again.

Fished from 630-330. The bite slowed down as 25 fish caught. Big fish were prioritized first on lake 1 in the early am while conditions stable. We made a move to lake 2 to conclude the trip with action. Water temps 68-71. Warmest of the day at 72.

June 28th – Had an epic day off. Broke down a new body of water, and captured new subjects and content for 2020 material. Here’s where it gets more impressive – One single rod and reel all day 😂 and a marabou jig; the oldest and simplest fish catcher in the book. 9 hours later, 28 big boys, all 18-21 inches apiece and better.

June 29th & 30th – Fun weekend hosting Dominic and Phil. Had full day Saturday before heat wave, and half day Sunday before morning washout arrived. Mayfly hatch making it challenging also, as we’ve been unable to compete with this food abundance. Most of the SMB bellies are full and loaded with flies they’ve been puking out.

With conditions tough, we settled for action waters and rod benders all weekend and targeted fish of all sizes in between the weather.

Water temps have shot up into the low/ mid 70’s and smallmouth are transitioning into summer pattern. Rock and gravel 6-12ft holding most of our fish as of late.

July 1st – I hosted Matt and Tim Gemmel for the full day. This was my last bass trip of the week before I went for Muskies and buddy trips and July 4th holiday.

On Monday we balanced out the day with morning numbers at an action fishery, then afternoon big fish at a low populated trophy lake. By day’s end we had each caught a quality smallmouth with the largest measuring 21.5”

A variety of slow swimming plastics caught all of our bass. Kalin’s Fishing 5” lunker grubs on minnow heads, and Big Bite Baits 5” Suicide Shads rigged up on either Trokar boxing glove jigs or Freedom Tackle Corp. Hydra heads.

Last but not least, I still fish solo. Exploring places and trying different things. I caught some real beauties earlier this week.

The past few weeks I hit some beautiful largemouth bass caught from small water. A handful of specimens up to 20″, and several others from 15 to 18″. These little gems are scattered all over the region. Many of them are home to big, healthy bass. Some are easier to access than others whether by roadside access, designated landing, or private lands (with permission). They are best fished by small car-topper or trailer rig, canoe, or kayak. They must all be treated with precious care. Their small acreage has a difficult time sustaining itself, and they poorly handle pressure, exploitation and harvest.

In between bass trips I spend majority of my time musky fishing, especially when conditions are most ideal and there could be obvious windows. Tough bites and bad losses in June, but hit a few nice ones recently sharing the boat with friends.

July Fishing Forecast

If water temperatures are 70 or below, which they could be following any major coldfront, look for fish shallow. If crayfish aren’t around where they should be, then don’t bother with the shallows unless baitfish are present. If water warms, weather is hot, and midday fishing is unsuccessful, fish early or late. Night fish especially, with topwaters, loud surface baits, and crankbaits…… Now, if fishing thermoclines or deep sand grass, swimbaits and drop shot rigging is unbeatable. If you mark pelagic baitfish, follow them and stick to the program. A giant bass will be stalking them in open water.

The lakes are the highest they’ve ever been, the mosquitoes are always bad, and the fishing has been pretty good if seeking good average  sizes.

If chasing trophies, use any noticeable feeding windows, peak periods, or weather changes to your advantage. This will make the difference!

July 2019 available fishing dates

• Sunday July 21st – 3pm to dark (full day trip)
• Tuesday July 23rd – 5am to 2pm (full day trip)
• Wednesday July 24th – Full day open
• Friday July 26th – Full day open
• Sunday July 28th – 4am to noon (full day trip)

The remainder of my summer 2019 is going to be very limited (zero) availability until Labor Day weekend. Many of you know, my wedding date is 2nd week of August and there’s lots going on off the water in the next 4 weeks. I am one hot mess and will be physically grounded back in IL from end of July until then. I am very appreciative of you, my customers and readers, for being so flexible and accommodating as I have been able to rearrange the fishing schedule to revolve around this BIG DAY. This guide service is my baby and a growing, part-time gig……. I do it because I love fishing too much!

That’s all I’ve got left available until mid September. Jump on it.

Meanwhile tons of fishing days available in September thru mid October. IMO, this is the better time of year to target big fish – better weather and conditions. Big bites daily, and only.

Thanks all for reading. I wish I had more time to go into detail more with strategy and specifics, but you can schedule a day with me to learn more! We release every bass we catch, and I reserve the right to void trips if intentions are keeping and depleting the resource.

Andrew Ragas
www.northwoodsbass.com
tel: (708) 256-2201
andrew@northwoodsbass.com