Weekly Fishing Report

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Week of 7/24/17
Bluegill anglers are finding some nice ‘gills in 7–10 feet of water in areas with wood structures, such as submerged tree stumps or fallen trees off the shorelines. Earthworms, waxies or a chunk of night crawler will work well for bait on your hook.
Those fishing for crappies are catching some very nice crappies as they drift fish across the main lakes and bays of the Chetek Chain of Lakes. Vertical jigging works best at this time of year as the fish are at varying depths—usually in 7–13 feet of water, depending where you may be fishing. Submerged cribs, old wood stumps and tree trunks are good places to start drifting fishing through. Using 3/16 size crappie jigs tipped with a waxie or crappie minnow will work well for live bait to entice those slab-size crappies to bite. Tipping their jigs with artificial bait, such as Gulp! minnows and crappie nibbles are also working well for anglers.
Walleye anglers are finding summertime walleyes biting good this summer. Drifting and casting live bait rigs along the steeper banked shorelines of the Chetek Chain has been successful for several anglers. Try hitting places with overhanging willow trees, docks and fallen tree trunks in the water along these shorelines. You will find them hanging tight to these areas, so look for the shade. Motor trolling with small crankbaits like shad raps and Berkley shads is working well for anglers who are finding some active, feeding walleyes along the shorelines and points of the main lakes.
Northern pike anglers are finding some nice pike as they cast in areas with 5–8 feet of water with some weed mats or edges to fish. You will find them lurking and hanging in the weed growth and cover. Bright chartreuse and white-colored buzzbaits, spinnerbaits or swim jigs can work well along the cover to get them to strike your bait hard. Shallow running crankbaits with rattles or in them can be good baits to use also to trigger big strikes.
Anglers fishing for bass are finding the fish in many different places at this time of year. Some are in deeper water and submerged, wooded areas of the main lakes. While others are finding them in the shallow areas with weed growth and lily pads near the cool, mucky bottoms of the bays and feeder creek areas of the Chetek Chain of Lakes. Good luck and safe boating to all anglers fishing the Chetek Chain.