Lake Delavan 8/2/21 through 8/09/21
Fishing continues to be very good. Most anglers are having great success pan-fishing.
Perch and bluegill fishing has been the most consistent bite. The best depth has been anywhere from 15-22 ft. The only real way to fish them is to anchor and fish approximately 6 inches off bottom, depending on the weed growth. The best bait is hellgrammites, leaf worms and red worms produce fish also, but the size of the fish is typically smaller. The best action has been down by the Island on the west end of the lake, the weed bed off the gray condos and Lake Lawn Lodge. A few days last week, jumbo perch were being caught in front of the Township Park, but by Saturday they weren’t around.
Crappies have been biting off the weeds in about 12-14 ft of water. I exclusively use plastics this time of year. With the warm temperatures, dealing with minnows is a hassle. I use small plastic noodles or cubby jigs. The best color has been purple, red or motor oil. The retrieve of the lure is the key to success. I find that you cannot reel them in too slow. The fish have been partial to the slow retrieve. Last week I caught several 12 inch fish. The best locations have been by the Yacht Club or Willow Point.
Northern Pike fishing has been slow. The fish are active in the 19-23 ft range. Most of the fish are being caught on lindy rigged suckers. Once the floating weeds subside, spoon plugs or the Stanley Musky Boss spinner bait with start to produced fish. The best location has been by Browns Channel or by the Gray condos. I did try the west end of the lake near the island without success. The fish have been averaging around 29 inches.
Walleyes are being caught on the weed lines in 16-21 ft of water. The best approach is either a small lead head jig tipped with ½ of a night crawlers or leech. The smaller the jig the better, so you don’t get snagged in the weeds. The best location has been by the Village Supper Club and by Browns Channel. I’ve also been fishing lindy rigs by Lake Lawn. The fish seem to be slightly deeper in the 21-23 ft. range. I’ve almost exclusively been fishing leeches in this location. Some days it is very hard to keep the northern pike off your line. They seem to like leeches as much as the walleyes do. Dusk seems to be the best time of day for walleyes.
Large mouth bass fishing has been very consistent. The best pattern seems to be dock fishing. The easiest time to fish docks is early in the morning before the heavy boat traffic begins. The best docks are around 6-8 feet of water at the ends. Almost all the fish have been caught on the shady sides of the docks. I like using night crawlers just because it’s easiest with guide parties, but jigs or spider grubs are also an effective approach. I prefer smoke colored or pumpkin seeds.
Good Luck and I hope to see you on the water. For guide parties please call Dave Duwe at 608-883-2050.