9/11/19
Sportsman’s Lodge South End Fishing Report

Follow the Shiners!

Our guides are moving all over the place this week! They have been fishing from the Gap to Garden Island in 7 to 20 ft water in the sand and mud. Drifting with spinners (gold/pink/white/orange) tipped with crawlers or minnows has been the most popular technique. Guests are reporting many eating sized fish as well as some big walleyes! The water temp is still hovering around 63 degrees. Pro tip of the week – Find the shiners and you will find the walleyes!

Fall Specials
Openings available this fall through late October. Up to 20% off summer lodging and charter fishing packages!  Give us a call 800-862-8602 or email us for a  rate quote and availability today.

Oak Island

Cool Week

It has been rainy and cool this week with highs in the 50’s.  Forecast says a warm up in the 60’s and lower 70’s is coming our way starting Saturday.  Pulling spinners with a minnow or crawler on rocky structures and flats have been good. Crankbaits have also been a good method.  A variety of depths are hitting right now but 12’-23’ especially.  Water temperature continues to be in the lower 60’s.

Catching some nice crappies in 20’-30’ using a small jig and a minnow.  Muskie fishing continues to be good using blades and topwater baits around rock points and weedy bays.

Openings available at Oak Island Sept 16-21, 24-October 20. Great fall rates start Sunday through fall! Come enjoy one last trip before winter.

Sportsman’s Lodge South End Fishing Report

Shiners Are Moving!

The shiners have started to move, so fish are following them closer to the river! Guides have been having success in the 24’-32’ range, drifting with spinners (gold, pink, silver and orange) tipped with minnows, crawlers or leeches. Many slot fish have been reeled up along with some nice size walleye. One guide reported a 27 ¼” walleye and a 29” northern caught and released by the same group. The surface temperature is starting the cool down at 67 degrees. Pro tip of the week – hang on tight to your fishing rod!

Sportsman’s Oak Island Lodge NW Angle Fishing Report

Leaves are starting to change
The first leaves are starting to change from green to yellow and orange hues this week and high temps have been in the 60’s. Water temperature has dipped into the upper 60’s too. Walleyes have been biting in 22’-28’ trolling using brightly colored spinners with a minow or crawlers or crankbaits in the mud and around reefs. In the coming few weeks it will start to transition to a jig and minnow method as the walleye start to school up tighter and move to points and areas with current.

Muskie, Pike, Bass, Crappie
One of the cool things about Oak Island is the multiple species of fish in the area. Not only is walleye fishing good but so is muskie, pike, bass, crappie and some perch. Muskie, pike and bass fishing are real good right now and crappies are starting to bite. The muskie bite has been good using blades and topwater baits in the weedy bays and rock points. Silver, black and white have been popular colors. Nice pike have been found in rock spots close to deep water 30’+ feet deep using spinnerbaits and buck tails.  Smallmouth bass have been hitting on crankbaits on  5’-18’ reefs and crappies are biting on small jigs and a minnow in 10’-30’. Crappies are on the move to structure and the bite will really heat up late September and October.Come have some fun this fall! Openings available at Oak Island Sept 2-4, 16-21, 24-October 20.

8/22/2019

Sportsman’s Lodge South End Fishing Report

Still Trolling!

Trolling or drifting with spinners tipped with leeches or crawlers in 16-19 feet of water has proven hot this week! Colors that work well include pink/gold, green/gold and orange/gold. The surface water temp continues to hover around 70 degrees. Many fish between 15” – 17” have been caught along with some big trophy walleyes! Pro

Tip of the week – secure your footing before netting a fish!

Sportsman’s Oak Island Lodge

Fall is around the Corner

The air is starting to cool down especially in the mornings and evenings. The best walleye bite has been in a combination of shallow depths, 16’-21’ areas and deeper 25’-30’ in the mud and around reefs. Orange and gold spinners or jigs have been working well using crawlers or minnows. The guides have been finding lots of nice fish.  Water temp has cooled off to the lower 70’s.

Muskies have been biting in the bays using top water baits. Good luck fishing!

Sportsman’s Lodge South End Fishing Report

Brighter Is Better!

We’ve been changing techniques again this week! The guides have been alternating trolling with spinners tipped with crawlers or leeches and downrigging in about 33-35 ft of water in the mud. The hot colors have been gold with pink spinners and purple/chrome crank baits. The surface water temp is hovering around 72 degrees. Lots of good 17” walleyes have been going in the bucket with some big ones as well! Pro tips of the week – Try the bright color spinners and crank baits, secure your rods before you speed up and keep the hook in the fish, not the fingers!

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Sportsman’s Oak Island Lodge

A Good Bite
Anglerss have been catching some nice walleyes along on reefs, rocky points, deep mud and corners of reefs in 21’-26’ and 30’-32’ this week using gold and white spinners tipped with a minnow or crawler. Changing up between drifting and trolling depending on the weather for theday. Few big 24”+ walleyes getting reeled in too. Some days better than others but for the most part getting some nice fish over a few day fishing trip.  Muskie action has been great using top water baits and buck tails in bays working from point to point. Ther big fish are biting! Water temp is hovering in the mid 70’s. Come wet a line. Openings available this weekend, August 18-19, September 4-7, 11, 16-21, 29-30 and October 1-20. We also have openings at Eagle Ridge August 16-30, Sept 1-5, 21-30 and October 7-20 right now. Discounted fall rates start Sept 15! Give us a call 800-772-8411 or click here.

Sportsman’s Lodge South End Fishing Report

Change It Up!

What is your favorite fishing technique? We are trying different ways to catch fish with lots of success! Successful techniques include long lining (trolling with plugs), trolling & drifting with spinners tipped with crawlers and downrigging – all within 16-31 ½ ft of water in the mud and along the rocks. Hot colors include gold/pink spinners, black/gold/purple/clown/perch and blue chrome Shad Raps or Walleye Divers. The surface water temp is around 76 degrees. Guides have reported an abundance of 17”, 20”-25” and 27”-30” walleyes. Pro tip of the week – Keep changing colors until you find what works! It doesn’t hurt to change up technique as well!

Lots of beautiful weather coming up this week!

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Sportsman’s Oak Island Lodge

Walleye Bite
Rock reefs 18’-25’ have been good spots using hammered gold and pink spinners with a crawler or two.

Trolling with Shad Raps have also continued to produce very nice walleyes. Water temp is about 75 degrees.  Variety of sizes being reeled in. Plenty for the pan, throwbacks and a few 25+”.  If you can’t make it to wet a line now, come try the fall bite.  The fall bite will transition in September to more jigging and the crappies will start snapping too in October.

Muskie Bite
Cabbage bays have been hot. Top water baits, buck tails in bays of 6’-15’ with a fast tapering bottom. Working point to point. Thousands of bays to explore just right out our front door. Bite is usually pretty solid right through late October.

7/31/2019
Sportsman’s Lodge

Fish the Bottom!
Fishing is still hot! Guides have been trying out a variety of techniques this past week. Drifting or trolling in 16’ water using spinners tipped with crawlers has been successful. Gold & Red spinners are the new hot color! They have also been having success with rigging in 26’-31’ of water with purple plugs being the hot color. Stay in the mud, close to the edge of the rocks. Water temps are hovering around 73 degrees. Captain Ethan reported some big walleyes, including a 26 ½” and 27 ½”. Pro tip of the week – fish the bottom! Make sure you find the bottom and raise your line up about six inches.

Sportsman’s Oak Island Lodge

Up and Down
Fishing had been a little more on the challenging side for a stretch here but yesterday the walleyes were hungry and the bite was back on!  Water temp is 71 degrees.  The best bite has been in 21’-25’ on and on edges of rock reefs using gold and white/red spinners tipped with a worm or minnow drifting or trolling. Some anglers swearing by the shiner minnows over the chubs. Trolling with crankbaits has also been working well too.

Pike/Muskie
Rocky and weedy bays using spinnerbaits and bucktails have been working. Try shallow and work your way deeper to figure out the best bite for the day. Thousands of bays just minutes away from the lodge ready for you to explore or ask about our guided trips. Black and gold or black and chartreuse have been good colors.

Sportsman’s Lodge South End Fishing Report
7/25/2019

Troll Slow!

Guides are still having success with hammered gold with pink/orange spinners, tipped with minnows, crawlers and leeches.  Drifting with spinners on breezy days and trolling with spinners on calm days in 14’-22’ of water in the sand or mud has been bringing in the 14”-19.5” walleyes.  The water temp is hovering around the 70 degree mark this week.  Pro tip of the week – troll between 1 – 1.5 mph.  Anything faster and you will tangle your spinner!

Sportsman’s Oak Island Lodge

Spinners and Crank Baits
If you have been jigging and not having luck, time to switch over to spinners and crank baits for awhile. Gold and pink spinners tipped with a minnow or worms have been working well as well as crankbaits.

Drifting or a slow troll has been the ticket on rock reefs in 20’-24’. Water temp is in the mid 70’s.  Itching to go fishing? We still have some dates available through the soft water season. We are opne through mid October.  Give us a jingle!

Pike/Muskie
It has been an active bite. Rocky points and weedy points using top water baits have been pulling in some nice 45”+ fish. Late summer through fall is a great time of year to reel in these monsters.

Fall is just around the corner.
Come relax and reel in some fun!

Sportsman’s Lodge South End Fishing Report

Try Shallow!

Drifting with spinners has been reeling in the fish this week in 25’-32 depths however don’t count out the shallows 10’-16’ too.  Hammered gold/pink spinners tipped with crawlers or leeches in the mud, rocks and sand.  Jigging has also had some success in the deeper depths (25’-32’) with gold jigs being the key.  Many 16”-17” fish are coming in with a mix of bigger fish as well.  The water surface temperature is hovering around 72 degrees.  Pro tip of the week – Don’t count out the shallows. Try the sand bars and shallow rock piles!

Sportsman’s Oak Island Lodge

Fantastic Fishing
Sandbars 18’-22’ and rocky points 24’-28’ continue to produce some nice walleyes. A variety of methods are working. Drifting with hammered gold, white and orange spinners tipped with worms or jigging with minnows.  Crankbaits are working too.  Water temperature continues to hover in the mid 70’s.  Lots of great fishing going on right now.  Nice eater size walleyes nibbling at the hook right now.

Muskies
Rocky points in sandy bays have been hot spots using top water baits.  The bite is really heating up! Between now and late October is the best time of the year.

Pike & Bass
Pike and Bass are being found in big bays up shallow and the larger pike around points and rock piles. Casting flashy spoons or crankbaits have been working well.

Sportsman’s Lodge Fishing Report
7/10/2019

Match the Hatch!

The mayflies hatched a few weeks ago but we are starting to see less and less now. The hatch seemed more abundant on the north side of the lake than around by us. Pro tip of the Week – Match the Hatch! Change up your tackle colors to match the color of the fly, gold and orange.

The guides have been splitting their time this past week between jigging and drifting with spinners. Jigging with with a frozen shiner or leech has been bringing in the slot fish in the mud at 29’-34’ range. Drifting with gold/pink/orange spinners tipped with crawlers has produced nice eating size fish in the 12’-16’ range in the sand or on the sand bars.

Water surface temp is hanging around the 74 degrees mark. If you haven’t had a chance to get out fishing yet this summer, give us a call 800-862-8602. Fishing has been great and trips are still available!

Sportsman’s Oak Island Lodge

 Great Fishing ~ Walleyes
Over the holiday week we had incredible weather and an excellent bite. We saw lots of families out fishing and enjoying the lake. A slow troll jigging using gold, orange and green jigs tipped with a chub or shiner along rock reefs in 17’-25’ has been good as well as drifting with spinners the same colors as the jigs tipped with a night crawler along and on top of rock reefs has produced some nice walleyes. Water temperature is hovering in the mid 70’s now.

Muskies & Pike
Shallow weedy bays have been best although we do notice they are on the move to the points.  Rock piles and cabbage have been good spots. Casting buck tails and jerk baits has been working best during the day and top water baits in the evening.

Wishing you were fishing? Join us!
Sportsman’s Oak Island Lodge has openings July 12-19, 28-31, August 9-19, 30-Sept 7 as well as September and October dates.  Sportsman’s Eagle Ridge has openings now through July 22, August 3-7, 11-30 as well as September and October dates. Give us a call 800-772-8411.

Sportsman’s Lodge South End Fishing Report
7/3/2019

Hot, Hot, Hot!

The water surface temp took a big jump up to 74 degrees this week. Fishing is still hot in the deep mud 30’-34’with gold/orange or gold/chartreuse jigs tipped with a fathead or frozen shiner. Guests are reporting quite a bit of slot fish with the keeper fish in the 15 to 18 inch range. Pro tip of the week – Put your jig in the mud!

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Sportsman’s Oak Island Lodge
7/3/2019

Water is Warming Up
The best approach has been using 3/8 oz. gold jigs tipped with a minnow or gold and pink spinners and a few ounce sinker tipped with a night crawler or leech in 20’-30’ of water on the reefs.  Anglers are also find a few pulling crankbaits in shallow bays as well. The current water temperature has increased to the lower 70’s now. More warm weather in the forecast.

Muskies & Northern Pike
Shallow weedy bays using small baits are working well using a slow retrieval method.

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