Where the fish at?, Seem scattered

How is the bass fishing in your neck of the woods ?

I am starved for news....

Bass fishing is exceptional on Nipissing... literally all the time chingachcook.
The South shore is no different.
All the bass have been off their beds for several weeks now and I've been seeing little schools of newly hatched smallmouth under my dock for well over a week.
So the bass are all done their nesting and nursery guarding duties and have been putting on their mid summer feed bag for a while.
The water's quite warm in the main lake basin at the moment.
Personally, we only really target smallmouth 2 ways...it's almost too easy to catch them where, whenever and with what-ever you want.
We love topwater casting and jerking neutrally buoyant minnow baits for them in shallower, rocky bays on calm summer evenings...some of my bass fishing buds like dead sticking for them as well...or we'll use large minnows for them on the deeper reefs in the fall...looking for the football smallies later in the year.
Any shallow, soft bottom weedy bay will hold plenty of largemouth...look for pads or thick patches of coontail, milfoil etc...or my favorite...scattered reeds or even solid reed lines adjacent to or close to slightly deeper water.
The mid summer peak for bass fishing is just swinging into high gear on the south shore.

...and I can now confirm that the Walleye went deep at least on my end off the lake (East Side)....lol. A few shads popping up here and there, but nothing to bother me with.

21" …. caught while trolling


SKRAMO...…. }-)))0>……….

The walleyes have definitely moved deeper with the warm weather. At least the bigger ones. Not getting the numbers like before but still got 3 keepers yesterday, a 19”, 20” and this 28 inch beauty which was released for someone else to catch. Water temp is at 80 degrees. Look for the deeper humps. Good luck!

Hey everyone,

Took the old man out yesterday and had a blast. Brought my 3 year old daughter and niece. They only lasted 1.5 hours but we boated a handful of perch/walleye. Daughter reeled in her first fish which was a great experience, however stressful.

We were at the base of Gull Rock Reef and didn't bother moving once. Next time I'll probably pick a more subtle structure. Missed just as many fish as we landed. The kids were busy investigating every trinket on the boat, hiding in compartments etc. So I had to watch all the lines, lol.

That's what it's all about Sterling, the next generation of fishermen.
Post some photos of the kids with fish...no picture is better then a happy kid with a fish.
Nice larger walleye Zzz.
You're probably seeing exactly what our crew is seeing...more of the bigger fish this year...usually 'several' every trip out.
We already figure we've caught more 18+" walleye this year then the last 2 years combined...and we're only half way through the summer fishing season.
Plus the bass fishing is just now...really heating up.
A great summer of fishing so far.

That's what it's all about Sterling, the next generation of fishermen.
Post some photos of the kids with fish...no picture is better then a happy kid with a fish.
Nice larger walleye Zzz.
You're probably seeing exactly what our crew is seeing...more of the bigger fish this year...usually 'several' every trip out.
We already figure we've caught more 18+" walleye this year then the last 2 years combined...and we're only half way through the summer fishing season.
Plus the bass fishing is just now...really heating up.
A great summer of fishing so far.

Thanks Grumpa. You are absolutely correct. We’ve had similar results, great fishing and a lot more keepers!!! The summer has been fantastic in spite of the COVID restrictions and lots more to enjoy. Keep those pics coming of your catches as well. Great to see.

OK maybe this is why fish are bighting in some places and not others - social distancing

Nice catch Zangler you are still nailing them!

Thanks Speersy ! It hasn’t let up since you guys left. Catching keepers almost daily. Releasing lots of them. Couple more 19 inchers yesterday.

By popular demand, here's my munchkin reeling in her first fish.

Between taking breaks and reeling backwards, she had me all sorts of stressed out.

[YOUTUBE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVZDxUJJd9Q[/YOUTUBE]

Best video I've watched all year Sterling.
Nothing like the first fish for a kid...may have a record for the shortest pole to catch a fish on Nip this summer.

Best video I've watched all year Sterling.
Nothing like the first fish for a kid...may have a record for the shortest pole to catch a fish on Nip this summer.

Agreed, super cool to watch!
Thanks for sharing!

Neil

Congrats that is great to watch. Thank you for sharing.

Nice Technique, first of many.

How is the bass fishing in your neck of the woods ?

I am starved for news....

Bass fishing is exceptional on Nipissing... literally all the time chingachcook.
The South shore is no different.
All the bass have been off their beds for several weeks now and I've been seeing little schools of newly hatched smallmouth under my dock for well over a week.
So the bass are all done their nesting and nursery guarding duties and have been putting on their mid summer feed bag for a while.
The water's quite warm in the main lake basin at the moment.
Personally, we only really target smallmouth 2 ways...it's almost too easy to catch them where, whenever and with what-ever you want.
We love topwater casting and jerking neutrally buoyant minnow baits for them in shallower, rocky bays on calm summer evenings...some of my bass fishing buds like dead sticking for them as well...or we'll use large minnows for them on the deeper reefs in the fall...looking for the football smallies later in the year.
Any shallow, soft bottom weedy bay will hold plenty of largemouth...look for pads or thick patches of coontail, milfoil etc...or my favorite...scattered reeds or even solid reed lines adjacent to or close to slightly deeper water.
The mid summer peak for bass fishing is just swinging into high gear on the south shore.

All true. We regularly slay both bass families during our yearly trip to the west arm/west bay. The bait of choice over time has evolved to soft rubber... Senkos.
Green or Pumpkinseed are 1A and 1B as colour choices.

But.. and there is always a but..... the most fun is the couple of half days of just throwing surface frogs into the weed lines and pads in Jennings and both the Muskrat Bays which can be both epic and expensive.

Greaser pike can make it an expensive outing as you lose baits hand over fist but when the largies are on its just so much GD fun getting them on surface lures it should be illegal.

Queens Park has given the green light for our lodge/outfitter at Memquist to return to full service as best they can within new and well meaning regulations so for the 39th consecutive year the pilgrimage to the Nip will take place in August. Can't wait. Hope you leave a few of those smallie scrappers for the rest of us.