Holiday Weekend

Big Holiday Weekend Ahead, with lots of boats on the water. Be careful out there. Your best bet is to get an early start. You can get some serious fishing in before most of the ski boats and pleasure craft hit the water.

Panfish are still spawning on some area lakes. Bluegills can be found in shallow water areas where there is sand or gravel, but bigger gills can be caught of spawning areas in as deep as 18 feet of water. Meanwhile, crappies are relating to weed edges between 8-12 feet or suspending over deeper water. For gills, leeches, panfish plumpers, waxies or redworms are all good options, while crappie will be taken more frequently on small or large fateheads, or on hair jigs.

Largemouth bass are relating to the heavy weed growth in 8-15 feet of water. These fish can be taken on swimbaits, spinnerbaits, crankbaits, texas rigged worms, nightcrawlers or small suckers fished just along the outside edge of the weedbeds. Skipping piers is producing a few fish as well. Wacky Worms, Shakey heads and tubes are all producing. If you're an early riser, topwater poppers, spooks and buzzbaits are catching some nice fish off the weedflats in 5-12 feet right now, but only consistently at first light on days with a light breeze.

Smallmouth bass fishing has been spotty, but there are lots of fish using rocky points and bars both early and later in the day. Skirted grubs, tubes, wacky worms, shakey heads and small suckers are catching some consistent bags of fish. If you see lots of baitfish around rocky areas, try a jerkbait or floating rapala.

Walleye fishing is picking back up after the cold snap. Fish are being caught along shallow inside and outside weed edges or off deeper flats with sandgrass. Vertically jigging has been better during the day, while throwing cranks and minnow baits has been producing early and late. Suckers, backtrolled on lindy or a slip-sinker rig has been producing the larger fish.

Pike fishing has been red hot this entire season, but especially lately. Lots of smaller pike are using the shallow weedflats to feed on small gills and juvenile perch. Spinners baits, small bucktails or buzzbaits will produce when fished tight to weedclumps. Looking for something bigger? Move out to the weedline in 12-18 feet of water and fish with suckers or large shiners on a slip sinker rig.

Musky fishing has been steady with lots of nice fish coming in. Some anglers have been catching suspended fish out over deeper water pulling crankbaits. Some fish are also being taken by targeting points along the deepedges of the weedline by fisherman casting with bucktails, gliders, jerkbaits and swimbaits.

Good Luck, and stay safe.
CT