Where are the fish biting?

Walleye have been taking a breather, lately, and have been harder than usual to catch. That doesn’t mean you can’t get them. This past week Mike Berg of Saganaga Lake, Seagull Creek Fishing Camp caught a 30½-inch walleye. Of course, it helps that Mike is a top-notch professional fishing guide with many years of experience behind him. Two fishermen guided by Berg also did well. Gordy Anderson, Two Harbors, netted a 30-inch walleye and Dave Dircks, Devils Lake, North Dakota caught a 28-inch walleye. All of these walleyes were released back into the lake. For those of you who don’t go out with a fishing guide, try fishing with hair or maribou-style hair jigs. Fish the reeds or edge of a weed bed. The jigs work well to catch walleye, northern, bass, and crappie. You might have to try different colors depending on the water color of the lake you are fishing in, but once you get the hang of using these jigs, you will pick up fish. Hungry Jack Lodge owner Forrest Parson reports that the weather has been hot and the fishing for smallmouth bass is excellent. Anglers have been taking nice catches of smallmouth ranging in size from 10-12 inches, catching them in the 16- to 18-inch range on leeches and a slip bobber, or topwater and artificial lures. Parson also reports that walleye fishing has picked up in the evenings with catches of fish in the 16- to 18-inch size range. Leo Lake is still producing rainbow trout. Forrest suggests trolling or still fishing with a crawler to catch the pretty fish. Rainbows are running in the 14- to18-inch range. Captain Kelly Shepard of North Shore Outdoors Lake Superior Charters reports that lake trout are being caught from the surface and on down using watermelon-colored spoons, spin & glow spoons and Rapalas. Shepard notes that cohos and kings can now be found. The Lake Superior surface water temperature is now in the 58-degree range. On inland lakes where Shepard also guides, he said walleye fishing has slowed down. Still, if you do go out to catch a meal of walleye, Shepard suggests using pull crawler harnesses or jig and leech in 15-20 feet on all local lakes.