Fishing Report

When is the best time to go fishing?  Here in the north woods, every day is the best day.  Our area contains a wide range of lakes with varied depths, shoreline structures, and a wide range of fish species.  Seasoned anglers know success requires patience and a willingness to try different techniques.  If you have a youngster in the group, they will most likely catch the biggest fish - it always happens.  So, maybe no technique is a good strategy too.  For those interested in learning about lake structure, water quality, or creel surveys, we encourage you to visit the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Lake Finder page.  Area lakes will either be found in St. Louis or Lake County.  Minnesota Fishing Regulations

***Fishing Report***

Walleye - Walleye anglers reported mixed results this last week on Ely area lakes. Anglers who struggled were mainly on the lakes where the mayfly hatch was most active. If mayflies were active on your lake, crawlers definitely shined over leeches in many cases. No mayfly hatch happening on your lake, leeches definitely produced more walleyes than crawlers. Regardless of the lake, anglers often found the best success pulling spinner rigs in 15- 23 feet of water. Again, if mayflies are active, focus on those mudflats; if not active, rocky humps and rocky shorelines at rock-to-mud or sand transitions are the best areas to find active walleyes. Gold, peach, and pink were the best colors this last week. 

Smallmouth bass - Smallmouth bass fishing has been excellent for many anglers right now. Topwater bite has been going strong early in the morning and during cloudy days. On those sunny days, try throwing chatterbaits, tumbleweeds, wacky worms, and in-line spinners around downed trees, over rocky flats, and in and around current areas in that 4- 10 ft of water 

Pike - Pike anglers continue to find big active pike cruising shorelines, mouths of shallow bays, and even in rivers. Medium- to large-sized sucker minnows have been hard to come by, but if you can’t find them, don’t stay home! Get some frozen herring or smelt and float them under a bobber; you will likely be surprised by how well they work! If you still don’t want to try them or can’t, large spoons, large swim baits or minnow baits have also been very effective for pike right now. Regardless of what you're using, fish in 6- 12 ft of water.

Panfish - Panfish anglers have been finding some great fishing in the smaller Ely area lakes. Anglers have been reporting that crappies and sunfish have largely pulled out of the shallows, into 6- 12 feet of water right now. Weeds are a plus, but downed trees have been good too. Crappie anglers have been reporting great evening bites with small twisters and paddle tails, fished close to the weedbeds, about 2- 3 ft under the surface. 

Stream Trout - Anglers have been having some really good luck fishing for rainbow trout this last week. Anglers have mainly been fishing with split bobbers in 5-25 feet of water, tipped with a nightcrawler. Long-line trolling small, brightly colored minnow baits or small spoons has also been very effective for anglers. Many anglers reported they would often just look for surface activity when deciding where to fish for the trout.

Lake Trout - Lake Trout anglers were finally able to get out to lake trout waters this last week and found cooperative lakers. These anglers reported that they were finding lakers in 25- 40 feet of water. Anglers had good luck trolling deep diving white, white/blue, and blood nose colored crankbaits. If you're fishing from a canoe, drifting while jigging heavy tubes, bucktails, or squid tails has also been very effective for catching lakers.