Wings, walleyes & weeds

Wings, walleyes & weeds

Apologies for not posting a blog lately. Been too busy catching fish!
The River is in GREAT shape right now, falling steadily and providing tremendous multi-species action–with one caveat: weeds, weeds, weeds getting flushed from the flood plain as levels continue to recede.

This can make for tough lure presentation when trolling, or even casting cranks. A quick fix is a barrel swivel about 30″ up the line or going with a single hook presentation.

The wingdam bite just started in the last 48 hours and should be super in the weeks ahead–at least until the autumn weeds start coming downstream.

Pike have been practically suicidal on a topwater bite using buzzbaits, Custom Carter Shaker chatterbaits and the Red Head Uncle Ted floating Rat-L-Trap.

There is a good topwater bite at low light and in shade for smallmouth throwing Pop -R’s and Chug Bugs over rocks and above barriers like deadfalls with considerable current.

Walleyes–mostly borderline legal–are aggressive drifting running sloughs in 10-13 fow with a 3/16 oz jighead and a half crawler. Quite a few quality fish are smacking “Caitlin” and RBF pattern Bomber A’s , oxbow Rat-L-Traps and purple prism glass Shad Raps on the rocks.

The Teddy Skunk Perchanator available at local tackle shops and on-line from BimboSkunk.com/ted have been flat out tearin’ up the panfish using 10′ St. Croix panfish rods in 3-8 fow back in the midst of deadfalls and snags. Mostly gills and crappies. A few perch are in the wood, too, but if you’re species specific for perch try dropping the Perchanator between Elodea (coontail) fronds in 3-8 fow.

Largies have been hangin’ in the wood with the panfish and hangin’ in the weeds with the pike. Pretty much too easy–but easy is good.

One downside: after a summer of essentially no boats on the River, traffic is heavy bordering on incredible even during the week.

Obvious spots are getting pounded early and often. As a result I’ve actually had better luck after 7 a.m. fishing secondary spots, some of which look far from ‘fishy’.

Took today and tomorrow off to heal (hooked 3 times yesterday. Neck wound hurts the worst) and to celebrate 47 years of Happy Marriage to the Admiral–the sweetest, most understanding lady on the planet. I am truly blessed. Livin’ the Dream!


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