Northwoods Fishing Report: Late July
Fishing in the Northwoods has been up and down the last week or so. We have had weather and wind changes constantly; therefore, no really stable weather at all and the fish don't seem to know if they are coming or going. All of us at the Musky Shop have still been catching muskies and other species but it has been a much tougher bite the last few days. This happens from time to time throughout the fishing season. It always pays off to be flexible and it's really nice being from the Northwoods of Wisconsin as Oneida and Vilas county have a ton of lakes to hit with all different types of water and this really helps to be successful. There is always somewhere to fish even if the wind is howling.
Our guide staff and our staff have been seeing most muskies hugging the bottom and not in the chase mode. We have been slowing down our presentations and counting down baits to the top of the structure or counting down to the fish to kind of get right in their face. If one can get a bait right in their face that will help to get a strike when fish seem to be negative or neutral. As the proverb says, this too shall pass. We will get a stable weather pattern at some point and that will most likely get the musky on the right track again if you will. I know weather changes are great sometimes but the recent pattern has just been so dramatically changing several times a day that has led to a sporadic bite.
Our guide staff has still been getting 1 or 2 Muskies most days and guide Doug Smith guided his client to a fat 48.5" hog, but they always seem to make one grind it out. Maybe that's why we love it so much.
The walleye bite and panfish bite has been good on the flowages and lakes however it has been up and down too; but there again, our guides and customers have been catching fish one just needs to put in time to get them to bite. Crawlers and Leeches have been working well on flowages and lakes, and the deep clear lakes the large and larger minnow bite is good as well.
That's it for now folks. We will get another fishing report out again soon. If you're considering a trip to the beautiful Northwoods and don't want to haul your boat please contact our guide service at 715-513-7700 or Musky Shop Guide Service Website. Or even if you bring your boat to our area, you might consider hooking up with one of our guides to learn a lot about fishing and have a chance at a monster Musky.
Lastly, we have been fishing hard filming for Musky Shop TV on YouTube, please check it out when you have a moment. Our episodes are geared to show some exciting Musky action as well as passing along Musky Fishing information to help fishermen to be successful.
Thank you all for your support and please let us know if we can be of service to you.
From all of us at The Musky Shop, Good Fishing.
God Bless, Jim Stewart