AUGUST 02, 2007

BIG FISH ARE OUT THERE!

Once again I'm a month behind on my report, but with so much fishing to do, it's tough finding the time. The good news is that we've figured out the fish and are able to provide you with reliable information.

Where are the salmon? That is the question I hear most this time of year. The salmon fishing did drop off a bit in July, but seems to be picking back up. Shawn Marzerka is my chief source of information on this species. He is reporting that the fish are down in the 45-55 foot range in the deeper sections of the lake. And there are some huge fish down there too! He saw one come up out of the water that had to be in the 8 pound range. The smaller lures are still doing well, but so are the larger spoons and DB Smelt type lures. If you ask ten different people what works, you will get ten different answers. Use what you have confidence in.

I've been concentrating on the bass lately and let me tell you, we have some monster fish around here. I spent one rainy evening over on Melvin Bay catching 4+ pound smallies. I lost more fish than I boated because of their tenacious attitude and fight. I didn't catch a single fish under 2 pounds. And this was all in 4-8 feet of water! Belive it or not, but this isn't so unusual. Often in the summer the smallies will move into the warmer shallow water and feed heavily on the bait fish that are schooled up in there. They will actually hunt in packs, almost like wolves would do. If you get caught in this type of feeding frenzy, throw on a floating stick bait and hold on. I've found gold and perch colors to be the best, with silver working well on overcast days.

Largemouth bass are in abundance too with some real monsters lurking in our area lakes and smaller ponds. These fish have huge appetietes and one should not overlook throwing a big bait. I often get anglers in the store that will shy away from a 7 inch worm, but look at the size of the mouths on these fish. Their name really does them justice. Lately I've been finding the largemouth around the edges of deeper weedbeds and rockpiles (4-10 feet). Floating stick baits are always a good option as are the soft plastics. I've been fishing a lipless crankbait a lot lately and it has really paid off big time (see picture below). The tight wobble and loud rattle really draws in the big fish. Again, I like gold and perch colors, but the clarity of the water should dictate what color you use.

The trout fishing in the streams and rivers has all but dried up. The water levels are low and the fish are in the deepest pools seeking refuge from the heat. For you fly guys, I suggest try hooking a bass on a 5 weight. You'll never look at bass fishing the same way again. Talk about a thrill.

The fishing conditions are constantly changing, especially this time of year. So I suggest for more up to date information, give us a call, we'll be glad to help.

Good Luck Fishing!