With warmer than normal spring temperatures water temps rose higher than usual by the opener but since have plateaued. The major benefit of the premature warm water paired water levels being down nearly two feet from last year’s high is establishing more weed growth. Offshore structure and weed
casting have picked since the opener.

Fish are being targeted on both the deep & shallow weed edges and pockets. During times of heavy
pressure or feeding they are being found near suspended bait off those deeper edges. Casting is
producing some fish in those situations but being able to switch over to trolling can be more productive.
Utilize your electronics during those trolling windows looking for both schools of bait and musky, giving
you an advantage to come back and cast those areas as well. Also pay close attention to any boats
anchored near weedy areas that are targeting and catching perch. If the perch are actively feeding the
musky will be found in those areas.

Fish found around the rock bars and shoals either are being caught casting and trolling as well. When
casting structure work the surrounding deeper areas first then work your way onto the structure itself.
These areas are key early morning as the sun warms these areas faster than other waters. When on the
structure don’t forget to make casts out into deeper water, wind and current direction affect fish
positioning and sometimes a reverse presentation will trigger those fish that are nosed into the current.
Target both the weeds and structure for casting anywhere from ten to six feet of water currently and
start adjusting out to twelve to fourteen feet of water as July progresses into August and deeper weeds
start emerging. Trolling ten to fourteen feet now and transition into twelve to twenty.

Work these areas with LLungen lures DC9’s, DC10’s, Toothy’s Tackle Sabers, Bully Bucktails. Regular/Mag Double Dawgs and Swimming Dawgs, Smity Jerk Baits, Slammer seven, 10 inch crankbaits and Musky Innovations Shallow Invaders. Remember to work the jerk baits and crank baits into the rocks and shoals to help entice strikes.

Capt Kevin Pischke
Lay in a Line Guide Service