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Posts: 2
| Headed up to Whitefish Bay LOTW for a week in the end of July into August looking for "THE QUEEN!" Not looking for specific spots but just trying to eliminate some water. If any body has any insight on certain areas that have produced for them in the past it would be much appreciated. |
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Posts: 306
| I've been to a lodge that has access to Whitefish, and always talked about going one day during our week, but never made it. My thought that time of year would be submerged structure (main lake reefs, points, weeds, etc.) is where the queens will be. Any remaining cabbage (especially by rocks), hit it. I hear there's big pike to be caught, too.
I'm curious what other say, and will also be looking forward to your report when you return, because I may be up there again next year. |
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Posts: 289
Location: Minneapolis | There's lots of good water by Bell Island. I've also done well in Cross Inlet, Whitefish Narrows, and around Fire Island, all of which are in the north end of Whitefish Bay. I have not seen any real horses by Fire Island, but that doesn't mean they couldn't be there. Be prepared to go a long time between follows. The water is exceptionally clear. A reef that tops out at 25' might be golden. It's been more than ten years since I've fished there. Never was much cabbage there (great if found, however), but it may be mowed down by rusties now. I'd be curious to hear if that's the case. |
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Posts: 84
| Cabbage is hard to find now. Still some scattered around, but I'd focus on any rock reefs/points.
Everything rpike mentioned is still good water, but as mentioned before, sightings are much lower in this area of the lake. Less boats though, so it can be more peaceful and rewarding when you get a shot. |
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Posts: 24
| My brother and I, both avid musky fisherman, headed to Whitefish Bay last August to chase rumors of giant musky in the trout water. We have been fishing Sabaskong's meso water since 2002 and have down quite well there, but had only ventured into Whitefish for a few hours a couple of times in the last 15 years via the Turtle Portage boat dolly.
For our WFB trip we were based out of Snake Bay and we covered a lot of water including Bell Island, down to Whitefish Bay Camp and up and around Smith Island.
There was quite a bit of bloom in the water which surprised us since on our day trips from Sabaskong via the portage the water was crystal clear.Skies were relatively high and clear though with some wind for most of the week that we were there.
We focused on deep structure and fished a lot of submerged reefs and points that topped out a 20-25' with adjacent water to 50-60 and even 100ft plus. We fished 5oz grinder spinnerbaits, big rubber, topwater and deep running large and small crankbaits all on long bomb casts using 9ft rods and varied retrieves from slow rolls to high speed burns. We fished natural colors as well as some hot colored baits. We logged a total of three follow ups all in one evening in one area of reef. Fish were in high teens low 20lbs. Not supertankers. Incidental catches included snake northerns primarily on big bladed flashy spinnerbaits over the shallow weedy areas in the neckdowns south of Snake Bay going toward Whitefish Bay Camp. My brother also got a 7lb walleye on a spinner bait off a reef along a drop off.
It was tough musky fishing, the kind of stuff that the legend of the fish of 10,000 casts are made of and something that we had not been accustomed to since we stopped fish northern Wisconsin in the late 80s and early 90s.
If I were to go back I might try going at the opener when one would expect the walleye and lake trout to be shallower. I might also try late September or October.
If I was there again in August and it wasn't happening casting I think I might also try some trolling to cover more water and to avoid spooking any wary fish that might be turning off as they approach the boat. I think I might also even fish a bit deeper and troll open basins. That can be lonely fishing too, but not much tougher than 3 follows in a week.
Hope that helps. Give us a report when you get back.
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Posts: 214
| Get a copy of Dick Pearson's book "Muskies on the Shield", and also his video on the same topic. |
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