Fishing Report

FISHING REPORT - August 18 , 2026

THE WEATHER FORECAST FOR THIS WEEK LOOKS FAIR TO MIDLAND WITH TEMPS PREDICTED TO BE IN THE UPPER 70’S THEN DIPPING A BIT TOWARDS THE END OF THE WEEK AND INTO THE WEEKEND. WE COULD SEE A SHOWER OR TWO, WHICH WE DO NEED. DEFINITELY LOOKS LIKE SOME GOOD FISHING WEATHER NO MATTER WHAT, SO GET ON OUT THERE AND ENJOY WHAT DOOR COUNTY HAS TO OFFER. THIS IS WHAT WE’VE GOT.

SALMON - THE SALMON FISHING REPORTS HAVE BEEN GOOD FOR THE PAST WEEK OR SO. WE WOULD SAY THAT IT IS DEFINITELY NOT CRAZY FAST ACTION LIKE WE HAD MOST OF THE SUMMER, BUT THERE ARE STILL PLENTY OF FISH TO BE CAUGHT. AS FOR THE BEST BAITS, IT’S BEEN PRETTY MUCH THE SAME THE WHOLE YEAR WITH THE GREAT FISHING WE'VE HAD, NOTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY. LOTS OF FLASHER/FLY COMBINATIONS WITH EVERYONE HAVING THEIR PERSONAL FAVORITE COLOR. SPOONS HAVE BEEN GOOD, LIKE MAULERS, STINGERS AND MOONSHINE. THE MEAT RIG AND PLUG BITE HAVE ALSO BEEN PRETTY GOOD AND WILL CONTINUE AS THE MATURE FISH WILL START TO STAGE AND PUSH SHALLOW. BUT THE J-PLUG STYLE BAITS START TO GET POPULAR ALONG WITH THE MEAT RIG BITE. LIKE WE'VE SAID IN THE PAST, THERE WILL BE SOME FISH STAGING UP AND CRUZING AROUND THE PIER HEADS, ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE IS COOL WATER IN SHALLOW, SO KEEP AND EYE ON THE WINDS. IT’S GENERALLY A GOOD TIME FOR SHORE AND/OR SMALL BOAT FISHERMEN TO GET IN ON SOME GOOD ACTION.

PERCH - THE PERCH FISHING REPORTS HAVE BEEN GOOD OVERALL, ESPECIALLY FOR THE FOLKS THAT ARE WILLING TO STAY MOBILE AND FIND THOSE ACTIVE SCHOOLS OF FISH. THIS IS THE PART THAT HAS BEEN HOLDING TRUE THIS WHOLE SUMMER, ESPECIALLY HERE IN THE STURGEON BAY AREA. ONE DAY WILL BE EXTREMELY GOOD IN A SPOT AND THE NEXT DAY THE PERCH ARE GONE OR JUST NOT BITING. YOU JUST HAVE TO KEEP AT IT. A FEW SPOTS TO START LOOKING FOR PERCH INCLUDE THE BAYS OF LITTLE STURGEON, RILEY'S BAY, AND SAWYER HARBOR: IN AND ALONG THE WEED BEDS. THE STURGEON BAY SHIPPING CHANNEL, IN FRONT OF THE MARINAS IS ANOTHER POPULAR SPOT. OF COURSE ALONG THE PARK SHORELINE AND OVER ON THE FLATS CAN BE EXCELLENT AT TIMES. WE HAVE ALSO HAD SOME GOOD REPORTS COME IN FROM THOSE MID-DEPTH TO DEEPER MUD AREAS, LIKE FROM THE RITE'S COVE AREA DOWN PASSED BAYSHORE PARK AND OVER ON THE WEST SHORE WHERE THE FISHING HAS BEEN VERY GOOD. FATHEAD MINNOWS, CRAWLER PIECES, LEECHES, RED WORMS, AND OF COURSE HELLGRAMMITES, WHEN AVAILABLE, ALWAYS A GOOD BET. AS ALWAYS, CASTING WITH SMALL PLASTICS IS A GREAT WAY TO CATCH A BUNCH OF FISH, ESPECIALLY IF THOSE PERCH ARE CHASING BAIT AROUND.

WALLEYE - THE WALLEYE BITE HAS BEEN FAIRLY DECENT LATELY. IT’S PROBABLY NOT AS CRAZY GOOD AS IT WAS A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, BUT THERE ARE STILL GOOD REPORTS COMING IN. YOU CAN CAST FOR THEM WITH DEATH STYLE JIGS, SPOONS LIKE SHIVER AND BINK'S SPOONS, SHIVER MINNOWS OR RAPALA JIGS, ALABAMA RIGS, OR JUST THROW A CRAWLER OR A LEECH ON A JIG HEAD. ALSO, SLIP BOBBER FISHING WITH A CRAWLER AND/OR A LEECH HAS BEEN VERY EFFECTIVE. OF COURSE YOU CAN TROLL FOR THESE FISH WITH CRAWLER HARNESSES AND DEEP DIVING CRANK BAITS LIKE FLICKER MINNOWS, BANDITS, HUSKY JERKS, AND HIT STICKS JUST TO NAME A FEW. HERE AGAIN, STAYING MOBILE IS THE KEY. FIND THE ACTIVE FISH AND YOUR NUMBERS GET BETTER.

BASS - WE HAVE HAD SOME PRETTY DECENT REPORTS DOWN HERE IN THE STURGEON BAY AREA ALL THE WAY NORTH TO WASHINGTON ISLAND, WHERE THE FISHING HAS BEEN PHENOMENAL. SHORTY TUBES, PADDLE TAILS, NED RIGS, SENKOS, DARK SLEEPER STYLE BAITS, AN ASSORTMENT OF DROP-SHOT STYLE BAITS LIKE BERKLEY FLAT WORMS, AND Z-MAN TRICK SHOTS. WITH FISH CHASING BAIT AROUND A BIT MORE, SPY BAITS ARE A “MUST-HAVE” AS WELL AS JERK, CHATTER, AND SPINNER BAITS. SOME TOP WATER BAITS WILL ALL WORK WELL AT TIMES. AS FAR AS BEST DEPTHS, YOU REALLY NEED TO BE MOBILE AND FISH IT ALL DEPENDING ON THE WIND. BASS CAN BE OUT IN THAT 20 PLUS FOOT RANGE OR AS SHALLOW AS 3 FEET OF WATER DEPENDING ON THE WIND.

NORTHERN PIKE - THE NORTHERN PIKE ACTION IS STARTING TO CRANK UP AS IT USUALLY DOES THIS TIME OF YEAR. THE PIKE FISHING WILL JUST GET BETTER AS WE PUSH THROUGH AUGUST AND INTO SEPTEMBER. THIS TIME OF YEAR YOU CAN FIND SOME BIGGER FISH ALONG SOME OF THOSE DEEPER WEED EDGES LIKE THE STURGEON BAY SHIPPING CANAL, POTAWATOMI STATE PARK, THE DEEPER FLATS, AND DEEPER SHORELINES LIKE SHERWOOD POINT AND HENDERSON'S POINT. TROLLING OR CASTING WITH LARGE CRANK BAITS, SPOONS, SPINNERS, AND LARGE PLASTICS ALWAYS A GOOD BET. ALSO, DRAGGING AROUND SUCKER MINNOWS CAN BE VERY EFFECTIVE AT TIMES, ESPECIALLY ONCE THE WATER STARTS TO COOL.

THANKS AGAIN TO ALL THE LOCAL GUIDES AND ANGLERS AND VISITING ANGLERS THAT SHARE INFORMATION WITH US SO WE CAN PROVIDE THE MOST ACCURATE AND IMFORMATIVE REPORT POSSIBLE.


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