Northwoods Bass Fishing Report – End of May 2022
Looks like all of my issues and misfortunes from May month are over and done with. And that means lots of uninterrupted fishing time for the next few weeks!
Big picture-wise, spring 2022 has been pretty good for the boat. However, everyone has been frustrated by it, including myself. Seems like I missed absolutely nothing during those days I had to be back home. Some of our vents include these – Those prefect fishing days no longer exist. Weather is junk every 2 days. And many of our bass fisheries are no longer good like they once were 5-10-15 years ago too.
Although fishing pressure and lake life has been much considerably lower this year than prior years, it has made our work more enjoyable.
It seems to me that spring peak is now happening. Both bass species and panfish species are either beginning, or in midst of their spawns. Muskies are a little more active, and walleyes are still biting with ferocity. On some days, their numbers are still far greater than smallmouths!
Water temperatures are ranging like a roller coaster. On the deepest and largest waters, we are still looking at mid-50’s. On most others, low 60’s. On flowages, rivers, and shallow waters, upper-60’s.
On warm days, it’s been a morning window and again in the late afternoon thru evening hours. On junk days, no noticeable windows…… so just hope your baits land nearby a fish so it eats. With more cool weather lingering the next week, I am anticipating a good daytime bite.
Still fishing flats and off the edges of spawning areas.
Many nice fish have been caught during these past few days (since May 25th) in some truly horrid spring conditions. We had to reschedule a couple dates last week from a combination of junk weather and logistical issues, so been at it ever since Thursday.
Conditions were so bad on Thursday, but we said a prayer and had a good trip catching smallmouths and walleyes with Steve and Seb.
I would like to wish a huge congrats to Roger, Scott and Nathan for each scoring their new PB’s.
Roger’s fish came on Friday’s trip with Rick. We caught 40+ smallmouths in which the hair jig was dominating. Glad I texted him the night before that he should think about bringing his new St. Croix Legend Tournament Bass Hair Jig rod.
On Saturday, I hosted Scott and Nathan from Ohio. They are newcomers to the smallmouth game. It was yet another wondrous day in paradise. Only my 9th day on the water this year, and the 67th front of the month. We wildly exceeded our expectations early morning prior to the rain with a score of Scott’s and Nathan’s PB’s. 👊 Then saw nothing again after the midday thunder boomers confused the fishes even further. Even the confused walleyes caught today were excreting milk.
Congrats on these nice fish. I look forward to hosting you both again!
Scott’s was an absolute beast.
Over the holiday weekend, once weather finally started to improve, I went on some multi-species trips. Walleyes and largemouths kept me fairly busy.
Since Monday, I have been largemouth fishing. The bite has been HOT despite the high winds and very little weed growth. Not much for large fish except a big momma on Monday am, and about 100, 12-16 inchers between the two days (ps – these sizes are delicious for the fryer).
In calm areas, we’ve been catching everything on jig/creatures, creature plastics, and flipping tubes. Meanwhile in windblown areas swim jig, chatterbait, and spinnerbait are each catching.
Lots of largemouths are holding tight to any form of near shore and shoreline cover….. emergent pads, reeds, stumps and wood, bog edges, docks, etc. Find something that would attract a fish, and have fun target shooting it with accurate casts, pitches, or skips. It’s been very fun action.
Yesterday (5/31) we filmed a very good show and LOTS of weekly tips with Midwest Outdoors TV. It was a pleasure to host Larry Ladowski. We caught about 35 fish and more than a dozen decent specimens made their way onto the picture film.
Soooooooooo……. Great fish are being caught while normal fishing……
And it’s funny to me watching everyone playing bozos and confused why nothing is on beds, while everything is being caught under normal circumstances 😂
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Bass Bling
LESS IS MORE is one of my modus operandi. I’ve been doing exceptionally well with pitching and flipping tubes into the shallows. Brand doesn’t matter as long as it’s a double-dipped head to accommodate the flipping hook and keeper. Some bites subtle, others more jarring. The pegged Texas Rig tube like the one I have pictured is catching lots. It penetrates into some insanely abrasive and unthinkable junk. I get by with 30 lb Cortland Masterbraid just fine.
I highly recommend the Victory Flip-N (VTC73HMF). This is a sweet stick. Strong yet highly sensitive and lightweight. I’ve never fished or felt a rod like this one ever before. It’s an absolute keeper.
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Last, here is the full overview of all we’ve needed for largemouths. Search baits such as the swim jig and chatterbait is catching lots while covering water and in windblown areas. Then when a slow-down is needed, or in calm water, the jig, creature, and tube go to work.
Simple fishing!
What’s Happening Now
Spawn is in motion, and we are right on time! But be forewarned it’s all varying from lake to lake.
And bozo buckets fishing sucks major ass.
Right now, you can fish any lake and catch smallmouths. Some are bedding, others are not. On the shallow, smaller and mid-size waters, bozo buckets is on…… and we don’t fish for them. On drainage lakes, flowages, and the rivers, they too are spawning.
Meanwhile on the largest, deep and clear lakes, they are still on the tail end of pre-spawn. This is where I hope to succeed at for the remainder of this week.
During spawn, I do my best to avoid this period by fishing colder, deeper lakes that typically don’t see spawning until June. So, when the little lakes are nesting, go fish the biggest waters that are colder and still in a pre-spawn phase. By the time water temps are in the low 60’s and the big waters are in midst of spawn, revert back to fishing the smaller lakes where post-spawn feeding and movements have begun. I will even turn to largemouth bass fishing as they tend to spawn much earlier on some waters. In regards to fishing for spawners, I have no fun and personal glory in sight fishing bedding bass. I won’t tell folks how they should fish at this time, but I will absolutely scold everyone who showboats, overhandles, and abuses the resource.
Do your best to minimize over handling, overplaying, and return fish to their nests immediately. I want no part of this and won’t host smallmouth trips until they’re finished.
I don’t fish for spawning smallmouths. My philosophy is to take care of the resource so that in return it takes care of me. There are some rare scenarios where you might have to bed fish if there is no other alternative method to catching fish in the particular lake you’re on. If you have the urge to bed fish, please avoid live bait hooks (gut hookings), don’t feed fish any line, and minimize handling and playing fish to exhaustion. Don’t even use a net altogether, especially if big mama smallmouth is about to burst out with eggs. By taking care of the vulnerable resource, the fish will take care of you also.
Also an important reminder, PLEASE remember northern Wisconsin inland northern zone smallmouth bass are immediate catch and release only until June 19th. Zero possession and any captivity in livewell or otherwise for your end of day Instagram hero all-star photos can result in overbagging citations from the local wardens. In some instances, it can even be considered as poaching. I ALSO HOPE YOU CATCH AND RELEASE YEAR-ROUND!
Largemouth bass meanwhile are in midst of their spawn as well. They should get done sooner rather than later, but will be dependent on sunlight and the continuous warming of the waters. You’ll find their activity taking place in near-shore cover and habitat that includes bog shores, wood, pads, docks, and weed pockets.
For these fish, we’ve been hitting the backwater systems, drainages, and shallow eutrophic waters. These waterways warm rapidly, and are scattered throughout the landscape of Wisconsin’s Vilas and Oneida counties.
All it takes is warming weather and sunlight to get them going. This time of year I rarely fish depths greater than 8 feet. Largemouths will still be feeding heavily these next few weeks. It’s the best time of season to catch your heaviest largemouth bass of the year. Water temperatures are already surpassong 60 degrees, so my lure selection has turned heavy on soft plastics such as stickbaits, creatures and craws. I slow my approach. Flipping and pitching tactics, and jigs with craw trailers is a second favorite of mine.
It’s definitely an extended spring for the next week or so, until the next heat wave comes. By that time, I anticipate the spawn season completing and we begin transitioning into early summer patterns.
My lake selection in the coming weeks will be diverse, but also accommodating of the spawn status in hopes of avoiding a full blown bozo buckets scenario. Big water, midsize water, small hundred acre lakes and several places in between. I love lake hopping several waters per day looking for the best bites and making use of our elongated daylight hours. Pick a region to spend your day in, and go!
Upcoming Open Dates
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
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