SKIPPING SPRING 5/20/2018
Fishing is still fantastic as we have seemed to skip spring and jumped into summer!
Just a few weeks ago we were all skeptical that the ice would be gone. Now just one week into the fishing season, open water is a reality and the fishing has been great. More pelicans have shown up and local mallards are staking their claim to nesting areas. Bald eagles are actively attending to their nests which is keeping a few campsites in the park shut down for a short time. Most trees are fully leaved which seemed to happen overnight. Temperatures forecast to be in the mid 70’s and sunny skies all indicate we may have an early and hopefully long summer.
Water temps have also taken a jump into the mid 50’s. Larger walleyes are still being consistently caught in shallow while the eater variety out deeper, say 20-30 ft. While dock fishing has slowed a bit, it is more than likely due to the multiple weather fronts we have had move through recently which has pushed them a little deeper. Shoreline and island points are producing more frequently now. Island areas like Martin, Cuculus and Three Sisters have been good as well as entrances to Peterson and Slatinsky Bay. Windswept areas will produce more fish.
Northern Pike are an easy catch as usual and small mouth bass are becoming more frequent. The occasional jumbo perch is showing up in the live well more by accident than being targeted.
All in all it has been a great opening week on Kab.
Here is a guide report followed by Crabby Phil’s tip of the week!
Tim Watson
As the week went along, many of the bigger spawners started to move out into deeper water. I had good success with jigs and minnows working the deeper breaks off of several sand bars. Flat sunny days a little deeper 22-25 ft. And wind and overcast 15-18 ft. These held eater walleyes including many 15- 16 1/2 inch fish, some slot fish as well as jumbo perch and some saugers.
Crabby Phils Tip of the Week!
Last week found keeper walleye deep and big fish shallow. Now that the water has warmed up almost 10 degrees, try this.
Using a jig head or slip sinker rig, stay inside 30′ finding a windswept shoreline. Slowly traverse the depths between 30′ and 10′ and see what depth fish respond. Concentrate at the productive depth. Last week was a soft bite so use light tackle if possible.
The Coopers
