We’re within 3″ Mister Twister range of the lowest River level in 35 years going into the transition period between Fogust & Slumptember.

Blistering heat the past several days has pushed water temps up past 80 degrees again after about a week in the low 70’s.

With water so low & clear a floro leader is a good idea when going after fish in a feeding presentation. These conditions have also concentrated the finny forage base with minnows dimpling the surface a great way to locate predators cruising nearby.

Once you find the bait a white tandem spinnerbait, chrome/blue Rat-L-Trap or 1/4 oz B-Fish-N Tackle Big Dude blade is a great way to hook up on multiple species of gamefish….and a 3″ WHITE twister tail will catch ’em too!

With so much food in the water active feeding windows are both short and frequent for bass, pike & white bass. The active feeding window for walleyes is also short–pretty much a half-hour at dawn and again at dusk. The channel ends of wingdams and rip-rapped upstream points of islands are great places to look.

When not actively feeding walleyes and saugers like to loaf over sand bottom with a moderate current in 9-13 fow. A controlled drift along this contour with a 1/8-1/4 oz jig or drop shot rig baited with a half-crawler is a good way to hook up.

Steeply breaking sandbar edges are holding a pile of bass right now. A chrome blue FLOATING ‘Trap is my go-too. Fish may be chasing bait in less than 1 fow–often requiring a long cast to hook up without getting hung up on a sandbar

Bluegills are on fire in 6-9 fow on steep, rocky breaklines.Pitching a 1/32 oz. jig and tiny pinch of crawler into about 4 fow and letting it “pedulum down” is a great technique. The bite will be quick and light when the bait is hanging vertical a couple inches off the bottom. Folks with gutter wino reflexes pretty much just feed the fish.

Weeds are just starting to become a factor on the River mainstem. It’s possible to get away from them by simply crossing the River or revisiting a spot you wanna fish a couple hours later.

Perch have been active in 2-4 fow in the weeds and along weed edges for a couple hours in the morning & evening. Crappies are already in the solid fall pattern of hanging 4-6 feet down in wood where there is at least 10 fow.

My new SEVIIN baitcasters should arrive tomorrow along with a purpose-driven St.Croix rod designed specifically for throwing blades.Christmas in August!!

Use EXTREME caution when navigating beyond the channel!!Sandbars wait just below the surface in spots where you’ve always been able to run willy-nilly.

Set up in at least 4 fow directly downstream and cast a ‘Trap between the willy and the nilly. Set the hook!

White birds diving on main channel rocks are a solid indicator of fish on a rampage right now. But not always!

A couple days ago I saw birds dipping and got over there quick, only to discover somebody’s picnic must have blown out of the boat. There were potato chips scattered across the water, hot dog buns and a package of Johnsonville brats.

I headed elsewhere after realizing it was just a couple terns for the wurst.