Musky action has been very good this past week with a lot of nice fish in the upper 30 to mid forty inch range being caught. A lot of the activity is taking place in deeper water from 8 to 14 feet associated with rocks along sharp breaking shorelines. We are running deep diving crankbaits like Bucher Depth Raiders and Rubber style baits like the Bulldawgs as well as live suckers on quick set rigs.
The walleye bite has been outstanding this past week and we have seen some of the best action of the year. Most of the fish are holding in 12 t o16 feet of water and can be caught on Jigs tipped with fathead minnows. But if you want the larger walleyes in the system try running larger bait like small walleye suckers or try tipping your jigs with plastics like twister tails.
With all the focus being place don musky and walleye this past week we haven’t really targeted any panfish or bass but we still seem to pick up a few crappies while targeting the walleyes as well as a few really nice smallmouth bass that attack our musky baits.
For you hunters out there the rut is in full swing. The does have broken away from the fawns of the year and are now being chased hard by the areas bucks. Forget most of what you know about targeting a buck because at his time of the year as he will have only one thing on his mind and that is the does. If you know where the does are you can find your buck. Try setting up in known doe staging areas between bedding and feeding locations and get ready to sit all day. This is the time of the year when nocturnal bucks make their presence know during daylight hours, and it will give you the best chance at tagging that wall mounter buck as he searches for a hot doe.
Good luck and have a great week,
Phil Schweik
Licensed Wisconsin Hunting & Fishing Guide
Hooksetters Guide Service www.hooksetters.biz
Ruttnut Guide Service www.ruttnut.com
Reed & Hoppe Wildlife Food Plots www.foodplotting.com
