A week of cooler temperatures has not only cooled the water surface temps but also the leech bite. Though some were still having successwithleeches, most did better with crawler and minnow presentations.
The temps in the Ely area are going to rise this week and should trigger some pretty active feeding. As the week rolls on, leech and crawler tipped jigs and spinners are going to be your best bet followed by soft plastics like paddle tails or Walleye Assassins. Look for classic walleye structure; weed-lines, main lake breaks, humps and deep pinch points or channels leading from deep to shallow water. Anchor in river mouths and either vertical jig or cast and retrieve a jig tipped with a leech or crawler. The best colors have been white, pink, blue and chartreuse. Some of the smaller walleye are still hanging out in weedy shallows of 3-5 feet while many of the larger walleye have moved out to the mud flats in 20+ feet.
The bass are off their beds but still cruising the shallows. The topwater
E action has been very good with both large and small mouth hitting quite aggressively. Experiment with different topwater presentations in weedy-shallow or rocky flats. Whacky rigs are another sure fire, in-expensive bass slayer and very snag resistant in both weedy and rocky conditions. Look for those condition in 2-8 feet of water.
If big pike are your preference, work the weedy flats, mouth to shallow bays and rivers. If you’re not using a large minnow under a bobber, throw something loud and colorful. The big pike are feeding heavily and the more action your crankbait has the better it is; think large spoons, large soft plastics, buzz baits, and wounded minnow crank-baits.
Crappies have moved out of the super shallow water and hanging out suspended at about 8-12 feet of water in tall, heavy cabbage. The most effective tactic is still acrappie minnow or nightcrawler under a slip-bobber. Beetle-Spins, Twister-Tails, or Mimic-Minnows will also work very week this week.
