Wisconsin’s statewide fishing report on July 17, 2026

Fishing activity took a dip over the past week, mainly due to the excessive heat that seems to be covering the entire state. In many areas, recreational boating has been much more popular than fishing.

Typically, we hear a lot about fishing for walleyes early or late each day this time of year and that’s currently the case. But, with the heat, panfish, bass, and northern pike action seems to all be more consistent during the early morning and evening hours.

Walleye anglers are covering water with spinner rigs or crankbaits, while scopers continue to pitch jigs and live bait at suspended fish off deep weed edges and basin areas.

Sunfish seem to be a bit more active during midday hours, while crappie action has been better during the last hour of daylight in most areas. Continue to work weed edges for panfish, along with largemouth bass. Smallmouth bass continue to be found around boulders or shaded areas such as docks or trees. 

Wisconsin

AMERY AREA

Panfish and a few crappies are biting on the 8-foot weeds of Big Round Lake and White Ash Lake. Leeches are turning some walleyes during low-light periods on the 16- to 20-foot rocks and humps of Lake Wapogasset. Spinners and crawlers are producing walleyes on the St. Croix River in 18 to 20 feet.

Country Store, (715) 268-7482.

ASHLAND AREA

The trolling bite on Lake Superior has been very good, along with the smallmouth bite along Long Island in about 15 feet of water. On the inland lakes, the crappies seem to be leading the way on overall action, but bass and northern pike are also doing pretty well. The only bad news on the inland lakes has been the warm surface temperatures.

Angler’s All, (715) 682-5754.

River Rock, (715) 682-3232.

CUMBERLAND AREA

Largemouth bass are active on the weedlines or shallow slop areas of most lakes. Look for crappies and panfish in 12 to 15 feet at Upper Turtle Lake and Beaver Dam Lake. Hit Silver Lake for smallmouth bass. Brown trout are being caught on Beaver Dam with spoons about 20 to 30 feet down over deep water. Bucktails are raising a few muskies on the weedlines on Rice Lake and Sand Lake.

Indianhead Sport Shop,
(715) 822-2164

EAGLE RIVER AREA

The locals are asking visiting muskie fishermen to check surface temperatures before pursuing those big fish. Muskies don’t often fare well upon release when surface temps extend beyond 80 degrees. It’s best to not even fish or them in those situations. Surface temperatures started easing their way down by July 14, so things should get back to normal soon. In the meantime, there are plenty of panfish and bass providing good action.

Eagle Sports Center, (715) 479-8804

GREEN BAY/APPLETON AREA

Fishing on Green Bay has been decent. Guys are catching walleyes, but not the big numbers or the bigger fish as have been seen in the recent past. Perch fishing has picked up on the east and west shores of the bay; minnows and pieces of crawlers seem to work the best. There have been reports of nice muskies being caught on the west shore weed flats. The warm water temperatures stress these monsters out quickly and they can die very easily. It may be best to avoid muskies until water temperatures drop a little bit.

Smokey’s on the Bay Bait, Tackle and Guide Service, (920) 436-0600

HAYWARD AREA

Crappies are suspended along the weedlines on Nelson Lake and the Chippewa Flowage. Walleyes are being caught with a bobber and leech or Jiggin’ Raps on the 14- to 19-foot weedlines of Round Lake, Lake Lac Courte Oreilles, and Grindstone Lake. The flats on the Chippewa Flowage are holding bluegills and small baits have been best for the few muskies being caught on area lakes. Most muskie anglers are foregoing fishing until temperatures cool to reduce mortality on big fish stressed by the warm water. Smallmouth bass are around humps and drop-offs in 5 to 12 feet, with Ned rigs, 5-inch wacky worms, and topwaters working well.

Hayward Bait, (715) 634-292.

Hayward Lakes Visitor and Convention Bureau, (800) 724-2992

IRON COUNTY AREA

The walleye bite has been better than average; most are being caught on weedless jigs and a combo of crawlers or leeches. Depths have varied from 4 to 12 feet, mostly on woody humps or in the flats on the Turtle-Flambeau Flowage. Some bluegills have been seen in the shallows yet and others are being caught over cribs in 11 feet, so they are all over the place. Smallies have been mostly over wood in depths from 6 to 10 feet. The muskie report has been slow, but with the heat it’s a safe bet for the fish not to be focusing on them.

Flambeau Flowage Sports, Mercer, (715) 476-2526

LAKE MICHIGAN/METRO AREA LAKES

Bluegill fishing was best along weed edges in 8 to 18 feet of water, with the larger bluegills holding towards bottom. Smaller bluegills were found in shallower water around weeds and piers. Crappies were suspended along outside weedlines in 12 to 18 feet of water or over deeper water. Northern pike action has been great. Fish the deeper weedlines or structure near baitfish. A sucker or golden shiner baited on a circle hook with a heavy fluorocarbon leader and slip sinker worked best. Largemouth bass are in their summer patterns. During early morning or evening hours, fish the weed flats in 5 to 10 feet of water using swim jigs, spinnerbaits, shallow running crankbaits, inline spinners, or topwater baits. Smallmouths were found along breaks or cruising shallower rock bars. Walleyes were active along weed edges in 8 to 18 feet of water, along with deeper structure in 20 to 30 feet. Catfish were caught from the Rock and Crawfish rivers, along with lakes Koshkonong and Mendota. A sucker, nightcrawler, leech, or stinkbait fished on a slip-sinker rig worked best for bait.

DNR hotline, (414) 382-7920

Smokey’s Bait Shop, (262) 691-0360

Dick Smith’s Bait, (262) 646 2218

LAKE WINNEBAGO AREA

Channel cats have been providing the best action around Lake Winnebago lately, with a lot of fish being caught near the Oshkosh convention center, under the Main Street bridge or out in Miller’s Bay or Asylum Point Park. Things have been fairly quiet on the white bass and walleye front. For catfish, guys are using crawlers and cutting up chunks of frozen suckers. The yellow perch should start kicking in any day now on Winnebago.

Critter’s, (920) 582-0471

Fox River Bait, (920) 233-7409

Dutch’s, (920) 922-0311

MADISON AREA

Water temps are up. The perch are still in tight to the weeds and mostly on the west side of Lake Mendota, but it’s been a tough bite. The walleyes and smallmouths have been cooperative, though, with quite a few legal walleyes showing up. They’ve been on the weed edge out to 15 feet. Bluegill shore fishermen have been doing well along the convention center and railroad tracks. Lake Monona largemouths have been active on deep weedlines. Early morning topwater bite for smallmouths on Mendota. Lake Waubesa panfish bite has been a little quiet, but those being caught are relating to weeds and rocks – no suspended panfish yet. There have been some good perch reports from Lake Kegonsa, but in isolated spots and not all over the lake.

D&S Bait and Tackle, (608) 244-3474

Dorn Hardware, (608) 244-5403

MARINETTE/OCONTO AREA

The walleye bite has been taking off lately. Anglers have been trolling crawler harnesses out of County Park 2 in Oconto, or heading more south towards Geano’s Beach. If crawler harnesses aren’t working, anglers are switching to jigging on or near structure. Perch, catfish and bass have been just a few of the species where the fishing has been spectacular. Anglers are finding jumbo perch out on the bay, catfish in the Lower Menominee River or bay and bass on the Lower and Upper Menominee River.

A&K Bait and Tackle,
(715) 732-9595

MINOCQUA/WOODRUFF/ LAKE TOMAHAWK AREA

Water temps were still up last week, so use caution when fishing muskies, or put that idea on hold until temperatures come down. Largemouth bass: Very good over  8- to 12-foot cabbage flats on jigs and creatures, wacky worms and Tokyo rigs. Morning and evening topwater action has been hot on Whopper Ploppers and Jitterbugs. Smallmouth bass: Very good on drop-shot rigs with 3-inch Gulp Alive Minnows and 3-inch Senkos along outside cabbage and coontail edges along adjacent sandgrass flats. Smallies have also been tucked into cabbage beds of 7- to 8-foot depths. Bluegills: Very good. Cast a Mepps 00 to draw attention, then fish small leeches below floats in weeds in 6 to 8 feet. Try poppers in the evenings. Crappies and perch: Good. Crappies are holding in the upper portion of tall, narrow-leafed cabbage in 8 to 14 feet. Perch have been on cribs and wood. Walleyes: Good, but depends on conditions. On cloudy/windy days or early mornings fish weeds of 8 to 14 feet with crawlers or the largest leeches you can find. Anglers fishing deep humps using Jigging Raps are finding it’s too harmful with high water temps; they can’t safely release these fish. It’s best to stop this technique until waters cool.

Island Sport Shop, (715) 356-4797

J and J Sports, (715) 277-2616

PRICE COUNTY AREA

Anglers were able to scratch out some catches of walleyes, perch and crappies during the stretch of intense heat, with live bait working the best in almost all cases. Muskie anglers backed off the big esox during that stretch because surface temps went up past 80 degrees, but things have been cooling a bit with overnight lows in the 50s and the bite – for all species – is improving.

Ross’s Sport Shop, Phillips,
(715) 339-3625

Michigan

ONTONAGON AREA

Angler reports suggested that walleye were caught in good numbers. Boat anglers had success both trolling and jigging. Shore anglers reported catching walleye, rock bass, and the occasional yellow perch in low to fair numbers. The fish cleaning station located at the Ontonagon Marina remained closed..

Grieg’s Taxidermy & Tackle,
(906) 884-2770

ESCANABA AREA

Smallmouth bass fishing has been good in Big Bay de Noc, too. Anglers caught fish in the Garden and Ogontz bays. Some are targeting offshore reefs or islands, while others are still catching fish near the shore adjacent to vegetation.

Bay View Bait & Tackle,
(906) 786-1488

L’ANSE AREA

Lake trout have been caught by anglers trolling and jigging with both natural and artificial presentations in 100 to 200 feet of water. Brookies are biting.

Indian Country Sports,
(906) 524-6518

KEWEENAW PENINSULA

Anglers reported fair numbers of coho salmon being caught while trolling spoons and flasher/fly combinations in the top 60 to 80 feet of the water column. Anglers also caught Chinook salmon, though in smaller quantities and sizes compared to previous weeks. Those targeting lake trout were successful, reporting a fair bite while jigging natural and artificial presentations in around 180 feet of water.

Northwoods Sporting Goods,
(906) 482-5210

Minnesota

DULUTH AREA

Crawlers and leeches continue to produce walleyes on Island Lake in 18 to 20 feet or Boulder Lake and Fish Lake in 13 to 16 feet. On Lake Superior, the fish seem to have moved farther out, about 10 miles out of Duluth, from McQuade’s Landing to Lester River over 150 feet. Spoons or stickbaits are working best about 50 feet below the surface for coho salmon, juvenile king salmon, and lake trout. Smallmouth bass are hitting plastics or topwater baits on the rocks throughout Island and the Cloquet River. 

Chalstrom’s Bait (218) 726-0094

ELY AREA

Jerkbaits or a jig and piece of crawler are producing walleyes on the 6- to 8-foot weeds and rocks on Birch Lake, White Iron Lake, and Shagawa Lake. Smallmouth bass are active along the humps and rock points, hitting plastics or topwater baits on Shagawa, Burntside Lake, and Farm Lake. Crappies and sunfish are being plucked from the reeds and cabbage beds in 3 to 8 feet at Armstrong Lake, One Pine Lake, and Johnson Lake. Troll cowbells and small crankbaits on Miner’s Lake and Tofte Lake about 10 to 20 feet below the surface for rainbow trout. There’s been a few lake trout caught with downriggers and spoons at Snowbank Lake and Burntside over 40 to 80 feet.   

Arrowhead Outdoors (218) 365-5358

LAKE OF THE WOODS

Walleyes and saugers are being caught on the 28- to 32-foot mud with  a jig and frozen shiner, crankbaits, and a spinner and crawler across the south shore. The Rainy River continues to produce a mixed bag of fish – walleyes, pike, smallmouth bass, and sturgeon – mainly along shoreline breaks, deep rock, in deep holes or current seams.

Lake of the Woods Tourism Bureau, (800) 382-FISH.

RED WING AREA

Walleye and sauger action has slowed through the recent heat, and the few being caught are coming off the Mississippi River more than Lake Pepin. Work the current breaks with leeches or crawlers early and late each day. The creek mouths continue to give up northern pike, and catfish are hitting best at night below the dam.

Four Seasons Sports (651) 388-4334