July 16, 2026 "Fishing The Dog Days, And Loving It!"

My own fishing customers have heard me say this already, but I’m not sure if I’ve written it before. I think one of the best times to fish in Minnesota is during the “dog days” of summer. Under the rising influence of Sirius, “the Dog Star” these 4 to 5 weeks of hot weather represent many of my best fishing charters of the season.

I remember a time when I wouldn’t have said that, but that’s because decades ago, I didn’t know what I didn’t know. Take bug hatches for example, many of us used to believe that insect hatches represented the end of good fishing. Even today, many anglers hear the words, and skip going to the lake because they believe that fish won’t be biting during a bug hatch.

That’s too bad because nowadays many know that insect hatches represent opportunity, not catastrophe. Yes, it’s true, anyone who braves the heat, and cracks the code of where fish are located during a bug hatch will be rewarded with good fishing. Whenever we see mature mayfly, midge, or caddis flies on the water’s surface we should train ourselves to immediately ponder the first step in cracking that code. Our thoughts should turn to pinpointing the source location of the larvae that’s maturing into those adult stage flying bugs.

The larvae itself may not be in the same places where we find the mature flies. As the larvae matures and rises to the surface, any water current, breeze or even the insect’s own flight pattern will relocate them. So, we need to back up and search for larvae that has not yet fully developed. It will appear as “clouds” or “waves” of tiny, grainy looking specks on your graph. As you see pictured here, fish may be visible hovering in and around the clouds of larvae.

In this case, the fish were walleyes and they were part of the food chain that developed around developing mayfly larvae. Locating mayfly larvae isn’t too complicated because they can be found over soft-bottom areas on flats in open water. Sometimes though, finding insect larvae takes more investigation, or is discovered in other ways.

In this image, blood worms were discovered inside the mouth of a small northern pike. They were not visible on my graph because the water was shallow, and there was vegetation to disguise  the nymphs. But once I knew about the midge hatch, I was able to zero in on some nice size perch that were feeding on the bloodworms, one of their preferred foods.

I’m up against the clock this morning and not able to devote adequate time to the subject. I promise to come up with more information as time allows in the coming days.

For now, let me leave you with this thought. If you are willing to brave the heat, and also willing to accept a mixed bag catch, you should plan to fish soon, like right away! Water temperatures are warm, over 80 degrees, fish metabolism is high and the action has been good. Depending on where I find them, every species of fish has been active and catch-able. Warm water species like bass, sunfish and crappies have been particularly good. But walleye and pike are moving too, and while the numbers vary day-to-day, we are catching enough of them to keep the pursuit interesting. — Jeff Sundin, The Early Bird Fishing Guide Call-Text 218-245-9858 • Email • Facebook • X • Subscribe Insider Newsletter

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Ely Area, Arrowhead Outdoors Fishing Report July 15, 2026

"Walleye anglers continue to report good fishing this last week despite hot air temperatures. Many anglers reported finding walleyes in 6 to 8 feet of water range, even during the middle of the day. Some anglers reported finding them right in weedbeds, while other anglers found them over shallow rock piles or rocky points.

Fishing areas with a little bit of a chop on the water really was the key to finding shallow water walleyes. More often than not these anglers were throwing jerk baits, jig/half a crawler, slip bobber and leech or paddle tails to catch these shallow walleyes. Many other anglers reported finding walleye out on and around sunken islands in that 15 to 20 foot of water range. These anglers have mainly been slow trolling orange, gold or perch colored spinner rigs, tipped with either a leech or a crawler. Leeches continue to out produce crawlers this last week.

Smallmouth Bass have largely set up in their summer patterns now. What this means for anglers is that you can pretty much find them everywhere right now. Shallow rocky flats, downed trees, rivers, sunken islands, all are holding bass right now. Anglers have been catching bass on just about everything too. Wacky worms, top water, chatterbaits, square bill crankbaits, paddle tails, spinnerbaits and in-line spinners are all producing good numbers of bass. Depth range remains in that 6 to 15 feet of water.

Panfish anglers continue to enjoy great panfish fishing right now as water temperatures warm up to temperatures they enjoy. Crappie and sunnies are settling in nicely to their summer patterns. Sunfish anglers have been finding the best fishing deep inside pencil reeds and weedbeds this last week, with red worms fished under a bobber. Small beetle spins also produced good numbers of sunnies too. Anglers targeting crappies this last week continue to report the best crappie fishing taking place during the evening hours. Anglers have simply been swimming small paddle tails, jig/twister, beetle spins and even small crankbaits, about 1 to 2 feet below the surface, in 6 to 12 feet of water.

Interest in northern pike fishing has really slowed this last week as the average size of pike continues to drop. Small pike continued to be active hitting large spoons and swim baits. Weed lines in that 8 to 15 foot depth range were very productive as were river mouths.

Stream Trout - Anglers continue to enjoy easy fishing for active rainbows this last week. Although water temperatures increased, thus pushing stream trout down deep, anglers continued catching trout. Majority of trout caught have been in that 15 to 40 feet of water range now. Cowbells trolled with a small spoon or brightly colored crankbait, continue to produce trout." — Arrowhead Outdoors, 218-365-5358

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Lake of the Woods Fishing Report July 15, 2026

"The summer patterns continue with great success on Lake of the Woods. The hot weather has the walleyes fired up and eating, and coolers are being filled with walleyes and saugers across the system. Three techniques are dominating right now, spinners and crawlers, jigging, and trolling crankbaits. Hot colors remain gold paired with brighter shades such as pink, chartreuse, orange, glow white, or a combination of these. Here's where things stand across the three areas this week.

Big Traverse Bay, South Shore, L.O.W

The big schools of walleyes and saugers are out over the deep mud, and all three of the go-to presentations are producing. Spinners and crawlers, jigging, and trolling crankbaits will each put fish in the boat. Oftentimes, it's just a matter of matching the method to how the fish are set up on a given day.

Crankbaits deserve a closer look this week. Both shad-style baits and the thinner minnow-style baits are doing well, so don't be afraid to alternate cranks until you find what the walleyes want that day. A lot of little factors go into that choice: Is it sunny or cloudy? What forage is prevalent in this part of the lake? Is the water stirred up or clean? All of these matter, and they can change from one day to the next.

It also pays to experiment with speed. This time of year, 2.2 to 3.0 mph is a good bet. And think about where you're positioning the crankbait in the water column. Sometimes, they want it right in their face, and other times it's better to run it above the fish and make them chase. Small adjustments like these often turn a slow stretch into a good one.

The Rainy River

The Rainy River continues to offer up a nice mixed bag. The walleyes here don't stack up the way they do during the spring and fall runs, but there's a strong resident population that lives in these forage-rich waters year-round, and the same summer presentations working out on the lake translate well to the river.

The sturgeon harvest season is underway too, and these prehistoric giants remain one of the river's biggest draws — in most cases the largest freshwater fish an angler will ever catch. Smallmouth bass round out the mix around rock, current breaks, and shoreline structure.

Northwest Angle L.O.W Region

Up at the Angle, there's endless structure and plenty of fish, so there are always walleyes relating to the rocks and reefs. As with the south end, though, many walleyes have slid off that structure and out over the adjacent mud, where the same spinner, jig, and crankbait programs are getting it done. It remains a true multispecies destination, with walleyes, saugers, pike, jumbo perch, and smallmouth all in the mix. In addition, the muskie fishing is in full swing on some of the best water in the nation.

Lake of the Woods absolutely shines this time of year. While many bodies of water struggle to produce consistent walleye catches through July and August, the fishing here stays strong right through the heat of summer. It's a great time to show the kids, or someone who doesn't fish much, some quality walleye action by stepping aboard a charter or hopping in with a guide. All guides on Lake of the Woods and the Rainy River are licensed charter captains, and they're among the most talented in the walleye belt. All fishing equipment, bait, and fish cleaning is provided, so all you have to do is show up and enjoy the day. Lodging and fishing opportunities around the lake are available.

A quick reminder on the regulations: the combined walleye and sauger posession limit is 6 fish total, with up to 4 being walleyes. All walleyes between 19.5 and 28.0 inches must be released immediately, one walleye over 28.0 inches allowed in posession. A 2026 Minnesota fishing license is required." — Lake of the Woods Tourism, (800) 382-FISH

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Lake Winnie Cutfoot Sioux Fishing Report July 14, 2026

"After several seasons of relatively easy walleye fishing, anglers are working harder, and smarter to capture “The Gold” on Lake Winnie this year. Declines in the population of fish from strong 2018- and 2019-year classes account for part of the struggle. This year though, unfavorable environmental conditions have accounted for more than the fish populations have.

Jake Premo, one Lake Winnie's better fishing guides said yesterday, “Right now, practically every piece of structure on that lake has at least some walleyes on it. It’s crazy, even when I stay 40 to 60 feet away from the fish, I can scan them and get about 1 out of 15 fish bite using jigging raps or using slip floats and live bait.” Premo went on to say that there are fish in shallow water too, they are visible, but like their deep-water cousins, are very difficult to catch.

Turning to advanced electronics to help solve the problem worked like a charm for several seasons. Without doubt, the proper use of forward-facing sonar will allow you to see fish before your boat passes over them and that is a big advantage. Still, seeing fish on your screen doesn’t mean that you can ..." Read >> Bowen Lodge, Lake Winnie July 14, 2026 Fishing Report

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July 14, 2026 "Locating the Locate-Able"

In north central Minnesota, surface waters are very warm! The hot weather and sunshine have hyper charged them and finding 81-to-82-degree readings is now the norm, not the exception. Weed development is on the fast track too, and tall stands of lush greenery are well established. 

With all this warm water, and hot weather, one would imagine that algae blooms had followed suit. They really haven’t though and I think it’s because of the low water levels in our region. Without runoff entering lakes from low-lying areas and small, fertile feeder streams, lake water has remained unseasonably clear. How that impacts fish location appears to be split, varying by specific lake types.

On Sunday, I fished at a western Itasca area lake that has a mix of fish species, and lots of shallow weed cover types. Under the sunny skies, I would have thought finding fish in the vegetation should have been easy, but it wasn’t. On that lake, fish had responded to the sunshine by moving deeper, into 20 to 24 feet of water, holding just above that lake’s well-developed thermocline. During morning, those fish, a mix of walleye, crappies and sunfish were willing to strike. As the day wore on, calm seas and harsh sunlight forced the bite to slow, but the fish stayed in those areas.

On Monday, I fished at a northern Itasca area lake that also has a mix of fish species, and lots of shallow weed cover types. Based on my experience on Sunday, I checked the lakes deeper breaklines, expecting to find some fish. But on that lake, they were not located out there. Instead, the fish on that lake responded to the sunshine by moving shallower into the weeds. With a brisk south wind, the shallow weed flats were churning, and the fish remained active throughout the day.

Figuring out the difference between the 2 lakes will take some time. But my working theory has to do with water temperatures and oxygen levels and how they may have impacted fish location.

The maximum depth of the first lake is about 40 feet, deep enough to form a thermocline, and to retain cooler water. Fish didn’t move into the weeds because they didn’t need to. They found more comfort in deeper water where it was cooler than it was in the shallow weed cover.

The maximum depth of the 2nd lake however is only about 20 feet. Warm water temperatures in that lake were likely to be uniform from the top to the bottom, especially yesterday when whitecaps mixed the water column thoroughly. Fish found comfort in the weeds where shade provided slightly cooler temperatures and green vegetation provided better oxygen.

So, how do I know I’m right? I don’t, and I’m also not sure that knowing the precise scientific answer is crucial. Simply bearing in mind that there are differences from one lake to the next is all we need to know and that alone will likely help you figure out where to find fish during this hot spell. Check the weeds first, if the fish aren’t there, check the breaklines just above any thermocline that might develop.

Presentations for catching fish varied between the 2 lakes too. On Sunday, fish ignored fast moving spinners and bottom bouncers. Wiggle worming and fishing live leeches slowly and 1/8-ounce jigs triggered the strikes. On Monday, trolling spinners tipped with minnows in and around the vegetation worked great.

We’ll see what happens this week as I start into a 4-day stint with a large family group. We might wind up covering a lot of ground in search of more multi-species opportunities. As always, you’ll be the first to learn what happens. — Jeff Sundin, The Early Bird Fishing Guide Call-Text 218-245-9858 • Email • Facebook • X • Subscribe Insider Newsletter

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Wired2Fish July 14, 2026 "The New Lures and Tech Wired2fish’s Editors Predict Will Rule 2027"

"One of the most fun parts of the ICAST season is trying to guess what’s coming next. Some trends are easy to spot months in advance, while others seem to come out of nowhere and end up shaping the entire fishing industry for the next year. (Like last year’s fuzzy bait invasion.) Whether it’s a hot new lure category, advances in electronics, or innovative tackle that changes the way we fish, ICAST has a way of setting the tone for what’s ahead.

With this year’s show right around the corner, the Wired2Fish editorial team got together to share our predictions for the biggest tackle trends we’ll see over the coming year. From new bait categories and specialized gear to electronics and everything in between, here are the products and trends we think will make the biggest splash at ICAST and beyond.

Nick Dumke Is Rolling The Dice: My prediction for the coming year is that it won’t just be more fuzzy baits — it’ll be everything that comes with ..." Read Full Story >> The New Lures and Tech Wired2fish’s Editors Predict Will Rule 2027

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July 9, 2026 "Expecting the Un-Expect-Able"

For me, perfecting any working theory is tricky, especially when I only have 7 or 8 hours of fishing time to get it done. Most days start with a “rough plan” of what I think I’m expecting, and end with a “post trip analysis” of what I wish I’d known before I started. Proving or disproving a theory, believe it or not, can actually be harder on days when fish are biting, than it is on days when they’re not.

Take my trip yesterday with Gabe, Isaac, and Mica for example. The lake, a relatively shallow, 1000-acre multi-species system, is one where I usually catch a little bit of everything. On most days, I’d expect a half dozen nice walleyes, some largemouth bass, a few crappies and when I’m lucky, maybe 8 or 10 nice sunnies.

On this Wednesday, we wanted to target walleyes as best we could, and my “working theory”, based on experience was that catching them on this lake would require finesse. Wiggle worming, a preferred mid-summer, weed line presentation, has worked well in the past, and was first up on my list. Like I said, I expected a mixed bag, but what I didn’t expect was that the sunfish would be on fire. I’m not prone to exaggeration, and typically don’t choose phrases like that, but they really were.

For us, getting a worm into the water and sneaking it past the bluegills where any other fish could find it was nearly impossible. I’m not complaining about that, there’s nothing wrong with good sunfish action and we did take advantage of it. However, after fishing 3 or 4 spots and catching lots of sunnies, it was time to try a different presentation. Spinners, fished over the tops of scattered patches of wild celery, coontail and clasping leaf pondweed provided more action. Now we were catching small northern pike, rock bass, more bluegills and eventually, one walleye. The walleye catch was encouraging but didn’t mark the start of a true walleye bite.

I tried figuring out “where” the walleyes were by checking deeper water, shallower water and mid-lake structures, but none of that worked. In the end, I figured out that the problem wasn’t location, the walleyes were in the weeds, along with all the other fish. The problem was the pecking order, panfish and small pike were so active that the slower moving, more deliberate feeding style of the walleyes simply put them at a feeding disadvantage. Once I got stubborn, and trolled spinners long enough, we did prove the point by catching a few more walleyes in the weeds. So, as expected, walleyes were in the weeds. That said, they unexpectedly preferred a faster, more aggressive presentation rather than the slower, finesse approach we offered them at first.

At days end, I pondered what difference it would have made if we’d used spinners first and skipped the wiggle worming session at the beginning of our trip. Who knows? But one thing’s for sure, if I reverse the order next time, something else unexpected will happen and the fish will let me know why I should have tried something else instead, that’s just the way it always seems to go.

One interesting topic that we talked about these past couple of days is the relationship between walleyes, and the bottom of the lake. Walleyes, despite what we’ve been told, spend most of their time well above the bottom. In fact, the most common disadvantage I’ve experienced is when anglers worry too much about finding “the bottom”. This is especially true when fishing in weeds, or mixed cover. Consider this, to a walleye, the top of the weeds IS the bottom. Look at the accompanying photo and study it, these walleyes are cruising the weed tops searching for a meal. If an angler’s bait is “on the bottom” it will pass underneath the fish, and they will not even realize it is there.

Whether you’re trolling spinners, casting jigs, using slip floats or using any other presentation, err on the side of fishing too high in the water column rather than too low. It may take a while to sink in, but it will lead you to more success.

Another notable takeaway from the past 2 days has been the expansion of the mid-summer mixed bag action bite. With water temperatures now hovering around 75 degrees, all species of fish are very active. Obviously, it will depend on the species your favorite lakes hold, but trolling the weeds using spinners will definitely produce fish.

On Tuesday, fishing the weeds on Leech Lake, we found sunfish, rock bass, a few crappies and as you can see pictured above, some better size northern pike. On Wednesday, the mix was sunfish, rock bass, small pike, a few crappies and walleyes with a smattering of largemouth bass.

Changing the live bait, we tipped our spinners with made a difference. Using small fatheads tipped the scales toward pike and crappies. Using night crawlers turned the sunfish on, and tipping our spinners with large leeches triggered some of the bass and rock bass. The walleyes we caught came on minnows, probably because the bluegills left them alone long enough for walleyes to locate them.

Okay, going forward, I think it’s safe to say that the mixed bag action bite will be reliable. Warm, maybe even hot weather is predicted for next week. Fans of the action bite should be in for a treat; walleye purists may struggle in the short term to produce great catches. Eventually though, warm weather will help intensify algae blooms, and that will help darken the clear waters of our larger walleye lakes like leech, Winnie, Cass and others. As that happens, we should begin hearing better reports about active walleyes in those systems.

I’m headed into a busy period, with trips scheduled almost daily for the next couple of weeks. I’ll have plenty of fresh updates, so be sure to check in every day for news.

OH, by the way, one of my computers, the office machine I use for emails crashed and burned on Tuesday. I lost most all of the email addresses and recent correspondence with fishing customers. If you have expected to hear from me, and haven’t, it is because I lost your email address. So, if you would be so kind, use the link to my contact page and send me a quick email so I can update my address book. Thank You! — Jeff Sundin, The Early Bird Fishing Guide Call-Text 218-245-9858 • Email • Facebook • X • Subscribe Insider Newsletter

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Ely Area, Arrowhead Outdoors Fishing Report July 8, 2026

"Walleye fishing reports this last week indicate walleye scattered throughout the lakes now. Some anglers were finding active walleyes in 6 to 10 feet of water. These anglers were finding them on rocky, wind blown shorelines and points. Many anglers reported that harvested walleyes had crawfish in their stomach, so naturally crawfish colored baits produced the best here. Fish were caught while throwing paddle tails, bucktails, deep diving jerk baits or slip bobbers and a leech.

Other anglers found walleyes out on sunken islands or around islands a little deeper in that 15 to 20 feet of water range. Anglers finding walleyes out here were mainly fishing with spinner rigs, tipped with a leech or a crawler. There were anglers that did report minnows fished on a jig produced best for them, but overall leeches were the best choice. Hot colors this last weekend were orange/chartreuse, pink and gold.

Smallmouth bass action is starting to slow up a little for many anglers now as smallies are starting to disperse throughout the lake now. While anglers can still find active bass on shorelines while fishing with topwater, chatterbaits, wacky worms, crankbaits and in-line spinners, many anglers are finding bigger bass out on main lake structure, in that 15 to 20 feet of water, right now. Bass anglers fishing out here have been drop shooting straight tail minnows and urchin baits to catch bass. Some of the bigger bass anglers have been finding out here have been suspended just off the structure about 10 to 20 feet of water. Large cisco colored swim baits, fished on a heavy 3/8 to 1/2 ounce jig, have been deadly for these fish.

Panfish - Crappie anglers continue to report good crappie fishing on Ely area lakes during the evening hours in 6 to 12 feet of water. It's important to note that anglers are often catching these crappies 1 to 3 feet below the surface while throwing beetle spins, jig/twisters or small minnow baits. Sunfish anglers continue to keep it really simple by fishing with small leeches or red worms, under a bobber in and around weedbeds in that 5 to 12 foot of water range.

Northern Pike anglers reported a slow bite this last week as water temps continue to rise to temperatures big pike don't like. On the other hand pike in that 30 inch class and down were a common catch for anglers. Large spoons, large swim baits and even large topwater baits were all very effective for triggering these pike. River mouths and weedbeds in that 8 to 12 feet of water, were the areas to focus on pike

Stream Trout - Stream trout anglers continue to find plenty of active trout on area stream trout lakes. Anglers continue to mainly fish with cowbells, tipped with small brightly colored minnow baits, about 10 to 20 feet down, while trolling over deep water. Anglers fishing from shore continue to have good luck catching trout with a nightcrawler, fished under a bobber about 10 to 15 feet down. This bite has been best in the early morning hours or late evening hours for these anglers.

Lake Trout - Lake trout anglers reported mix results this last week. This is not uncommon for this time of the year as the thermocline starts to set up over deeper water. Anglers fishing with downriggers reported having the best luck in that 30 to 40 foot of water range. Large cisco colored trolling spoons did best out here. Anglers fishing from canoes or without downriggers struggled. These anglers mainly vertically jigged with heavy tubes, squid tails and bucktails over water depths ranging from 40 to 80 feet of water." — Arrowhead Outdoors, 218-365-5358

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Wired2Fish July 8, 2026 "Garmin Unveils New LiveScope: The Details on The All-New LiveScope 2 Live-Scan Sonar Series"

"Marine electronics juggernaut Garmin announced the launch of its LiveScope 2 Series, marking the next generation of its live-scanning sonar technology. As you probably know, Garmin’s LiveScope allows anglers to see real-time views of fish, bait, and structure around the boat.

The updated lineup introduces three new transducer models that feature increased resolution, expanded sonar coverage, and a redesigned installation process that completely eliminates the need for an external black box module. This updated technology provides anglers with real-time imagery beneath the water, offering significantly improved target separation and reduced display noise.

Garmin’s LiveScope 2 Series introduces several technical upgrades designed to provide clearer imaging as fish and lures move through the ..." Read Full Story >> Garmin Unveils New LiveScope: The Details on The All-New LiveScope 2 Live-Scan Sonar Series

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Lake of the Woods Fishing Report July 8, 2026

"Summer walleye patterns are in place on Lake of the Woods. Big schools of walleyes and saugers are out on stretches of deep mud, and fishing has been excellent across the system. Most anglers are drifting spinners and crawlers right now, but some are still jigging or trolling crankbaits, and all three methods are working nicely. Here's where things stand across the three areas this week.

On Big Traverse Bay (South Shore), the big schools of walleyes are out on the deep mud across Big Traverse Bay, and there's more than one good way to get at them. A common question this time of year is when to pull spinners or troll cranks versus when to jig, so here's a quick way to think about it.

When fish are spread out over a large area, spinners and crankbaits do a great job of covering water and putting your presentation in front of numbers of fish. The flash and vibration of a spinner blade, combined with the scent and action of a nightcrawler, is tough for a walleye to resist. Crankbaits work a little differently because they mimic an injured minnow or baitfish, and instinctively, walleyes notice that "injured" action. Even when they aren't actively feeding, instinct kicks in and they will often react.

Jigs, on the other hand, shine when fish are more concentrated over mud, or schooled tighter by a piece of structure. Vertical jigging with a minnow, a piece of crawler, or at times even a leech can be dynamite when you're sitting on fish. In fact, amongst the islands around the Northwest Angle, some guides leave their jigs on all year long.

As for color, two things guide the choice. The first is the color of the water you're fishing. In the stained waters of Lake of the Woods and the Rainy River, gold combined with a bright color such as pink, orange, chartreuse, or glow white is a good bet. The second is the forage you're trying to imitate. For emerald shiners, lean on silver and blue. For crayfish, use orange, red, and gold. For perch, use green, gold, and orange.

The Rainy River continues to produce a nice mixed bag. Some anglers are heading there specifically to target sturgeon, while others are simply taking a day, or part of a day, away from the walleyes to hook into a dinosaur. Either way, tangling with one of these prehistoric giants is an experience that's hard to top, and they're in the river in good numbers.

Specific sturgeon regulations and dates for Lake of the Woods and the Rainy River are:

• Harvest (Keep) Season: April 24, thru May 7, 2026 and July 1, thru September 30, 2026.
• Catch and Release Season: May 8, thru May 15, 2026 and October 1, thru April 23, 2026.
• Closed Season: May 16, thru June 30, 2026

The river is home to a number of fish all year long including walleyes, sauger, smallmouth bass, pike, crappies and the list goes on. This is small water and doesn't see much traffic in the summer months compared to spring and fall.

Up at the Northwest Angle, there's a ton of structure in these parts, and it's loaded with fish. Walleyes will always relate to structure. That said, much like the south end of the lake, many walleyes are now sliding off the reefs and out over stretches of mud.

On the Minnesota side, Little Traverse Bay, which extends along the Canadian line south of Oak Island and east of Little Oak, is holding good numbers of fish this time of year. Making long drifts with a 2-ounce bottom bouncer paired with a spinner and crawler is tough to beat here. Similar pockets of mud exist off the deep sides of structure throughout the islands region. Other areas with a mud bottom may not be as large, but they can still be super productive.

The muskie fishing is living up to its reputation, too. Good numbers of muskies are being caught and released right now. These waters are known for some of the best muskie fishing in the nation, and the current reports are proving that.

Before You Go: A quick reminder on the regulations. The combined walleye and sauger posession limit is 6 fish total, with up to 4 of the 6 being walleyes. All walleyes between 19.5 and 28.0 inches must be released immediately, one walleye over 28.0 inches is allowed in posession. A 2026 Minnesota fishing license is required.

Summer fishing has been excellent, and the walleye action is about as consistent as it gets. Whether you jump in with a fishing guide, hop aboard a charter, or bring your own boat, there's good fishing to be had right now. When walleye fishing in other parts gets tough during the summer due to millions of minnows and young of the year fry, excessive weed growth and heavy recreational boat traffic, summer walleye fishing shines up at Lake of the Woods and is very consistent." — Lake of the Woods Tourism, (800) 382-FISH

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Today's Feature Fishing Report: July 6, 2026 "Legendary Minnesota Fishing Icon Dies At 77"

"Tom Neustrom, Grand Rapids Minnesota passed away at his Itasca County home on Sunday July 5, 2026.

In a fishing career spanning 5 decades, Neustrom, age 77, was an influential fishing guide, media contributor, outdoor industry promoter and fishing activist. In 2009, Tom Neustrom was inducted as a Legendary Guide into the National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame in Hayward, Wisconsin. Inducted into the Minnesota Fishing Hall of Fame in 2015, Neustrom had numerous additional career credits. Neustrom provided anglers with professional guided fishing trips, fishing seminars, and media appearances including frequent appearances in the early days of In-Fisherman TV and print publications.

Guiding groups, like the Northern Minnesota League of Guides, Minnesota Fishing Pros, Leech Lake Guides Coalition and others, counted Neustrom among their ranks.

Neustrom was a founding member of the initially private “Walleye Advisory Committee”, which led to the formation of Minnesota DNR’s pilot project, the “Walleye Work Group”. Once established, the DNR workgroup project expanded into more species-specific groups such as bass, panfish, catfish, northern pike and others.

Neustrom remained active as a volunteer with the Walleye Workgroup, and other fishing related organizations. Most recently, he was a founding member of MN-FISH, a high-level fishing organization that strongly influenced Minnesota legislators to approve funds from Minnesota’s general fund to the Minnesota DNR for boat ramp, fish hatchery and public fishing piers development and improvements. Neustrom was elected to, and remained on the executive board of directors for MN-FISH at the time of his passing. As an activist, Neustrom was a driving force behind Minnesota’s current effort to establish a statewide 4-walleye possession limit. Also strongly advocating for state licensing of Minnesota’s working fishing guides.

Without doubt, Neustrom’s influence on the sport of fishing has been, and will continue to be felt long into the future.

At the time of this writing, no known plans for funeral, or celebration of life services have been set. Women on Winnie’s, Judi Hart, who maintains a close relationship with the Neustrom family advises that we’ll be kept in the loop as details become available, frequent updates will be provided." — Jeff Sundin, Call-Text 218-245-9858 • Email • Facebook • X • Subscribe Insider Newsletter

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July 2, 2026 "Repelling the Repel-Able: Get Protected From Biting Flies"

On Wednesday, I teased facebook friends with a photo of one personal archenemy, a variety of Sarcophagidae that I believe is called a flesh fly. The reason I’m not sure about the identification is that flesh flies can be mistaken for stable flies, a biting fly that often thrives around cattle pastures, farms, and the like.

Unlike stable flies, which do bite humans and leave painful, itchy sores on our skin, flesh flies are actually not “biting” in the conventional sense. Instead, flesh flies are attempting to feed on decaying matter trapped in the pores of our skin. The pin prick, or sharp tickling sensation from them digging around in our skin is just as annoying and painful but does not leave a mark. So, why I “think” I can tell them apart is that I, and my customers have had lots of so called “bites” but show no physical signs of a sore, or itchy area after the attack.

Be that as it may, either variety of the Sarcophagidae are equally irritating to anglers, and my reason for sharing the photo was to promise 2 effective solutions for keeping them from nipping at our ankles.

First off, my non-bug-repellent solution for warm summer weather are a pair lightweight pants from outdoor sports. The material is ultra lightweight, like parachute fabric, and feels cool on my skin. I can wear these pants without feeling miserable, even during the hottest days of summer. I like to wear one size larger than my true size, so the extra fabric covers my ankles completely. The result is hours of comfort, even on days when people around me are being pestered by the flies.

The bug spray solution, for anyone who insists on wearing shorts, or clothing that leaves the ankles exposed is Avon Skin So Soft. Lots of you may already know that I’ve used this product for years and have reported great results. Whatever the active ingredient is, the flies do not like it and they will stay away from your ankles while you have it on.

There are 2 forms of the Skin So Soft that work equally well for keeping the flies away. The original bath formula is a lotion that can be applied by hand, and I’ve had very good results using it. The second form is called the expedition formula, and to this product, Avon added an SPF 28 sunscreen. The expedition formula comes in a spray can, it is easily applied and offers protection from other bugs, like mosquitoes, deer flies and other annoying non-biting insects as well.

My main reason for moving away from the insect repellents was their cost, at 15 to 20 dollars per bottle, using either of these products every day can get expensive. This is especially true when you’re sharing the products with 2 to 3 other crew members each day of the summer. That said, for any family who occasionally goes fishing, and does not require large supplies, the repellents are a really good option.

I’m not proud of myself for buying the pants on Amazon, but there are times when the super retailer is simply the only way to get what I need when I need it. That said, I have begun seeing similar, but not identical items for sale in some of the larger retail stores. Do your own research if you like, but for convenience, I have included a link to the items on Amazon. So, if it suits you, use this link to order a pair of >> TBMPOY Men's Lightweight Hiking Travel Pants.

For folks who prefer the insect repellent solution, here are links to Avon’s website where you can order either >> Avon Original Skin So Soft Bath Oil or the >> Avon Skin-So-Soft Sunscreen Bug Guard Plus Expedition SPF 28

Whichever option you choose, I and our fellow anglers would love to hear from you about the results. And if you have other solutions, we’d be equally interested in learning your favorite methods of protecting yourself from biting flies, and other annoying bugs. — Jeff Sundin, The Early Bird Fishing Guide Call-Text 218-245-9858 • Email • Facebook • X • Subscribe Insider Newsletter

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July 1, 2026 "How Does Your Garden Grow?"

"Conversating with Steve Caron as we fished on Tuesday, I realized how much I have in common with Mother Nature this summer. I, for one thing, do not have my garden fully planted yet. Steve laughed when I told him that, but it’s not that I haven’t been trying, I have. I just can’t understand where the time has gone, every day seems to present some new delay in my plans.

The fishing season, in some ways, has followed the same trajectory. Cool water, lack of weed development, scattered fish … delay, delay, delay. Mother Nature, I think, must have been trying to get the season on track, but I guess there’s just so much going on that she can’t get around to it.

Like me though, I think she might finally be starting to get caught up. Water temperatures are on the rise (71 degrees where Steve and I fished on Tuesday), vegetation is developing and a wider array of fish populations have begun taking up residence in them.

On Tuesday, our pursuit of walleyes began on mid-lake structures, small bars with access to deep water. As I reported last week, small and scattered pods of walleye were held along the semi-soft, marl substrate transition regions. Wiggle worming scored us a few walleyes; jigs tipped with leeches scored us a few more. Had the southwest wind not become so strong, we may have continued to fish mid-lake structures all day. However, with whitecaps crashing into the transom of my Alaskan, and Steve’s walleyes already in the livewell, I decided to find calmer water and try fishing with spinners.

At first, I selected a couple of spots that featured steep breaklines adjacent to cabbage weeds. The drop off, from about 8 to 12 feet deep, was loaded with small size northern. Even if there were other fish present, the aggressive pike were grabbing our spinners so fast that the others never stood a chance to catch us. So, I opted to try a flat area in even shallower water.

I wasn’t confident about spots like this because the weed development has been behind schedule this year. Often, I’ve explored the flats in water depths of about 5 to 8 feet, and found little, if any, vegetation. This time though, the flats offered a whole new mix of vegetation and fish. There was a mix of eelgrass, along with some patches of wild celery and a smattering of scattered cabbage plants.

Our spinners, tipped with ½ night crawlers and trolled through the weeds at about 1.1 MPH did attract some perch, several more pike and a few walleyes too. The action was fast enough to make threading nightcrawlers tedious, so we started using minnows instead. Switching bait didn’t seem to matter, the mix of fish was about the same either way.

I wouldn’t call it a full-scale mixed bag bite that we often see during midsummer. It did seem though that we got in on the early stages of what will become one. Ironically, the largest walleye Steve caught yesterday, pictured above, was caught on the spinners, rather than when we were using the jigs and live bait. That fish struck a spinner and minnow combo in about 6 feet of water.

Okay, I guess it’s fitting that today, July 1st, offers the first report about summer fishing patterns. While I’m not quite ready to declare the official start of the mixed bag, action bite for 2026, I do see it coming. With water temperatures at 71 degrees, they are approaching the ideal range for it. And with vegetation taking shape in the shallows, fish populations will gather in larger numbers, and there will be an even wider range of species available to catch.  So, it’s time to broaden your array of spinners, sinkers and terminal tackle; trolling time is coming soon." — Jeff Sundin, The Early Bird Fishing Guide Call-Text 218-245-9858 • Email • Facebook • X • Subscribe Insider Newsletter

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Ely Area, Arrowhead Outdoors Fishing Report July 1, 2026

"Little has changed with the walleye fishing this last week. Mayflies continue to hatch on many Ely area lakes, but based on reports from cabin owners, resort owners and guides they seem to be past peak in many areas. As insect hatches wane, walleye fishing continues to improve for anglers.

As with last week, knowing if and where mayflies are hatching on your lake has been key to many angler's success. If mayflies are still hatching, crawlers have been the best choice. Spinners rigs, whistler jigs and death jigs, tipped with half a crawler, fished over mud flats in that 15 to 23 feet of water, have been very effective.

If the mayflies are done on the lake or you are fishing a smaller lake where they are not that big of an issue, leeches continue to be the best bait for walleyes. Anglers fishing these lakes have been having great luck tipping spinner rigs with a leech, slip bobber and a leech, throwing paddle tails and deep diving jerk baits in 6 to 20 feet of water. Rock and rock to sand or mud transition areas have been the key here. If the wind has been blowing into these rocks, even better. Hot colors this last week were orange/black, gold and orange.

Smallmouth bass anglers continue to enjoy a very strong bass bite this last week. Anglers continue to catch bass on a wide range of lures, depending on the time of the day. Early in the mornings top water continues to be red hot in shallow water, over rocky flats, in rivers and around river mouths. When the sun gets up wacky worms, chatter baits, crank baits, jerk baits, in line spinners, and spinnerbaits are all catching tons of smallmouth bass, but in a little deeper water ranging from 8 to 15 feet of water right now. Stick to the rocks and rock transitions area as the sun comes up. Hot colors this last week have been loon, green pumpkin and orange/pumpkin.

Panfish - Crappies and sunfish continue to be found in or near emerging weed beds, but just like bass and walleye, the time of day often determines what you will find near or in those weeds. During the day sunfish often dominate the weed edges and weed beds, but as the sun goes down crappies are quick to move in. Angler's targeting sunfish have been having great success with red worms, wax worms or angle worms, all fished under a bobber. Crappie anglers have been having great success throwing small twister and paddle tails, swimming them about 1 to 3 feet below the surface to catch crappies. Hot colors were white, sext shad and pink.

Trophy northern pike fishing is starting to cool off as water temps start climbing into the range trophy pike don't like. Many anglers have noted that they are still catching numbers of pike while throwing large spoons, swim baits and large top water baits for pike. Weed beds have become the best areas to find active pike, but river mouths and even rivers have also been good areas to focus on pike too. Anglers should focus on 8 to 12 feet of water.

Lake trout anglers enjoyed a good week of fishing for lakers in 30 to 50 feet of water this last week. If anglers were fishing in a boat they were often trolling with down riggers for dipsy divers with large trolling spoons. If anglers were fishing from a canoe they were often fishing with large bucktail jigs, squid tail jigs and tube jigs. These anglers are often simply drifting over deep water while vertically jigging. Hot colors have been whitefish, white and pink.

Stream trout anglers reported mixed results this last week on area lakes. Many anglers reported the best fishing coming while trolling cowbells with a small, brightly colored minnow bait or small spoon. These anglers simply trolled over deep water while getting their cowbells down to that 15 to 20 foot range. Anglers fishing from shore have mainly been fishing with a slip bobber and angle worm about 10-15ft below the surface. Early mornings and cloudy days has been best for all anglers this last week." — Arrowhead Outdoors, 218-365-5358

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You Are Invited To Become A Duly Deputized Fishrapper Cub Reporter Too!

If you've been waiting for a gold engraved invitation to participate in the daily reports, then stop waiting and consider this your own personal invitation.

Helping your fellow fishermen and women stay abreast of fishing conditions in your area is good for everybody and it's easier than you think! You don't have to write a book, you don't have to share your secret fishing spots and you don't even have to mention your lake. You see, with just a few words about general trends, seasonal patterns or local weather conditions you can help steer your fellow anglers to more gratifying fishing experiences. So, be like Dan and Sean, and become a duly deputized "Cub Reporter", it's good for fishing and that's good for everybody!

Use the Contact Us page, or if you prefer to be "social", use our community page on facebook Fishing Reports Minnesota, that is the Facebook counterpart to this page and it is open to the public, so you can post your own fishing update or just share a photo of a nice catch.

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