This report is about the Ashland side of Chequamegon Bay. Summer smallmouth fishing has been sweet! The fish have settled into their typical summertime patterns, utilizing deep weeds, current areas, rock piles, and structure around Ashland.
Early mornings have been good, and then the fish seem to go on and off throughout the day. If you’re not getting any action, try another spot. Along the Ashland shoreline, they’re catching smallmouth bass, northern pike, perch and walleye (during the low-light hours).
Fishing will continue to get strong as the season progresses. Live bait rigs with circle hooks will take a bunch of fish, but soft plastics are still working great in certain areas, too.
Trolling for lake trout and the occasional salmon has also been good offshore and out deep around the Apostle Islands and beyond. Spoons have been working well, as well as flasher/fly rigs. The fish are in the shallows, or higher in the water column early, and move deeper as the day progresses.
Wind direction and strength are key factors to take into account when deciding where to fish, according to Carolyn Swartz, co-owner of Anglers All on U.S. Hwy. 2 East in Ashland.
Brown trout tend to move to the inside of the bay on days when the wind is coming from the south, she said. “People are catching them along with walleye while trolling the edges of the channel.”
Browns and lakers are being caught by trollers using mainly spoons, spin-and-glows and mayflies.
For the most complete and up-to-date fishing report, just give them a call at Anglers All and they will gladly keep you informed!