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THE 2024 K/D SALMON TOURNAMENT IS IN THE BOOKS AND WHAT A MEMORABLE TOURNAMENT IT WAS WITH 14 FISH OVER 30 POUNDS THAT WERE BROUGHT TO THE SCALES. QUITE UNBELIEVABLE ALL OF THE BIG FISH WE HAVE AROUND. CONGRATULATIONS TO LORRIE COMBS SCHMIDT, SHE WAS CROWNED THE CHAMP WITH HER 33.97 POUND GIANT OF A KING AND TOOK HOME THE TOP PRIZE OF 15 GRAND AND A SALMON RING. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATED AND PATRONIZED OUR BUSINESS ALONG WITH ALL THE BUSINESSES IN THE AREA. AS FOR THE FISHING HERE IS WHAT'S GOING ON.
SALMON - THE SALMON FISHING OUT OF ALL PORTS, FROM WASHINGTON ISLAND DOWN TO KEWAUNEE, CONTINUES TO BE CLASSED AS GOOD. MAYBE NOT AS CRAZY GOOD AS IT WAS BECAUSE OF THE WARMER WATER WE HAVE RIGHT NOW, BUT ONCE IT NORMALIZES A BIT, WE THINK IT’S GOING TO CRANK RIGHT BACK UP AGAIN. 90 TO 14O/150 FEET OF WATER STILL THE BEST DEPTH RANGE AND STILL FISHING IN THE TOP 80 FEET OF THE WATER COLUMN SEEMS TO BE THE BEST RIGHT NOW. IF WE DO GET THAT WEST WIND LATER ON IN THE WEEK THAT THEY ARE CALLING FOR, THERE MAY BE SOME NEAR SHORE OR SHALLOW WATER OPPORTUNITIES SO KEEP THAT IN MIND. THE BEST BAITS HAVE BEEN A WIDE VARIETY OF FLASHER/FLY COMBINATIONS, ASSORTED SPOONS LIKE MAULERS, MOONSHINES AND STINGERS, ALONG WITH MEAT RIGS AND SOME J-PLUG STYLE BAITS.
PERCH - THE PERCH FISHING REPORTS CONTINUE TO BE OUTSTANDING THROUGHOUT OUR AREA. ALONG THE EDGES OF THE WEEDS IN THE STURGEON BAY SHIP CANAL AND AROUND THE MARINAS. THE SAWYER HARBOR AREA, LITTLE STURGEON AND RILEY’S BAY, THE STURGEON BAY FLATS, AND SOME REPORTS COMING IN FROM THE CHAUDOIR'S DOCK AREA ESPECIALLY ON THOSE LESS WINDY DAYS. MINNOWS, CRAWLERS, AND LEAF WORMS THE BEST LIVE BAIT TO HAVE IN THE BOAT. NOW WE HAVE A BATCH OF HELLGRAMMITES WHICH WE HAVENT BEEN ABLE TO GET SINCE LANCE'S MAC’S SPORT SHOP DAYS, ABOUT 28 YEARS AGO. IF YOU HAVE NEVER USED THEM, YOU'RE PROBABLY GOING TO WANT TO GRAB SOME. ANOTHER EFFECTIVE AND FUN WAY TO CATCH A BUNCH OF PERCH IS TO CAST FOR THEM WITH PLASTICS LIKE 2 AND 3 INCH KEITECHS, ESPECIALLY WHEN THOSE PERCH ARE CHASING MINNOWS OR ALEWIVES.
BASS - THE BASS FISHING REPORTS HAVE BEEN FAIRLY DECENT THROUGHOUT THE DOOR PENINSULA. THIS TIME OF YEAR YOU REALLY NEED TO BE MOBILE, FISH ALL DIFFERENT DEPTHS AND HAVE A WIDE ARSENAL OF BAITS AND TECHNIQUES AS THESE BASS ARE STARTING TO ROAM A TOUCH AND MOVE INTO THEIR SUMMER PATTERNS. YOU NEED TO FISH IT ALL AS SHALLOW AS 5 FEET OF WATER OUT TO THAT 20 PLUS RANGE AT TIMES. HOWIE SHORTY TUBES, NED RIGS, KEITECH PADDLE TAILS, AND DROP SHOT BAITS ARE ALWAYS MUST-HAVES ALONG WITH JERK BAITS, AND SPY BAITS. THE SPINNER BAIT BITE HAS BEEN GOOD ON THOSE WINDY DAYS AND THERE IS FAIR TOP WATER BITE AT TIMES WHICH IN OUR OPINION, THE ULTIMATE WAY TO CATCH A BASS.
WALLEYE - THE WALLEYE FISHING IS DEFINITELY ON THE UP AND UP NOW THAT WE ARE GETTING THE HOT WEATHER WE NEEDED TO GET THOSE PUPPIES ROLLING AGAIN. WE HAD SOME REPORTS COME IN FROM THE LARSON'S REEF AREA, MONUMENT SHOALS, HENDERSON'S POINT AND TO THE SOUTH PAST CHAUDOIR'S DOCK DOWN IN THE MUD. BEST BAITS TO TRY THIS TIME OF YEAR INCLUDE FLICKER MINNOWS, DEEP RIP STICKS, SALMO HORNETS, CRAWLER HARNESSES, AND RIP JIG AND CASTING BAITS LIKE DEATH JIGS, BINKS SPOONS AND SHIVER MINNOWS.
THANKS AGAIN TO ALL THE LOCAL GUIDES, LOCAL FISHERMEN AND VISITING FISHERMEN WHO SHARE INFORMATION WITH US SO WE CAN PROVIDE THE MOST ACCURATE AND IMFORMATIVE REPORT POSSIBLE.
REMEMBER, BE SAFE, HAVE FUN, KEEP YOUR CUPS HALF FULL AND GOOD LUCK FISHING EVERYONE!