Okauchee Lake Bass

 I am very happy to report that fish on local WI lakes finally seem to be in their summer patterns.

I took two trips out to Okauchee Lake this last week and each time caught more than 20 bass.

All the bass seem to be on the outside weed edges, with the larger ones along steep drop offs.

Of the bass we caught last week, we did not find a lot of great size (most of them in the 14-16" range)...but we were using crawlers and looking for action over size.

The next time I go out, I am going target fewer bites, but larger fish.

Either way, the fish were cooperative and we had a great time.  My niece Grace learned how to fish without a bobber and can now 1) cast a spinning reel 2) detect a bite 3) set the hook and 4) play the fish to the boat.

The next thing we are going to work on is how to know when to stop reeling and let the fish take line.  We did suffer one break off on a large fish due to this.

This picture is a good example
of why you should not have
the sun behind you while
taking a photo...oops.

July Fishing

Since coming back from St. Germain, I have not had too much time to do much serious fishing.  I have gone out in Portage a couple of times and have taken one trip out to Lake Winnebago.

I don't know what I have been doing wrong, but the fishing has not been good for me this month.  In Portage, I fished my mid summer spots and found that the fish were not there yet due to the cooler than usual weather.  We moved to some earlier spring spots and caught the fish photographed here and others like them.  The only larger fish we caught were bluegills and some of them still had spawn in them.

Since the Portage fish were not in summer patterns yet, I prepared for more spring like patterns out on Lake Winnebago.  It seemed that all month people have been hammering walleyes on the reefs with jigs and crawlers.  I hammered them too...unfortunately, all of mine were about 6" long.  This is good news for the future, but bad news for my freezer.

I have never been much of a troller, but I just purchased a line counter and other materials needed to troll for walleyes out on Lake Winnebago, primarily #5 Flicker Shad in a variety of colors.  I don't plan on using planer boards, but I do think I will have to try moving out to the mud my next trip out.  I started trolling them along the reefs a week ago, but only caught catfish and sheepshead.

I was able to find some perch...both in Portage and on Winnebago, but I don't keep them unless they are at least 8" and I have at least six of them.  I did not manage that in either location...not that I would keep perch in Portage anyway.

The best fish that we caught this month was caught by my mother in law Robin (pictured on the left).  She caught a catfish that I estimate to be between 10-12 lbs.  It was a great fight, but there was no way I could get her to hold it for a picture.

On Friday, I hope to take my niece Grace out to catch some BIG largemouth bass...I will let you know how that goes soon there after.