Rice Lake Fishing Report 8-1-2013
The past week was a cooler week to fish in terms of weather. The lake temperatures dropped 7-9 degrees depending on the lake. Saturday and Sunday were misty/rainy with stiff winds. The fish still bit, but weren't really aggressive.
Before the cold front, the walleyes were biting very well. Many were found in 14-22 feet of water. Crawlers and leeches were both working. The walleyes slowed down in terms of numbers when the cold front moved in. When finding areas with fish, you had to really work an area over well. Many times fish that were marked were not biting. Color was a huge factor in the past few days. Switching through different color combinations was crucial to get fish. When the fish are located, stop and throw slip bobbers tipped with leeches to catch fish. With warmer weather on the horizon, these fish will spread out and move deeper again.
Bluegills are on several different structure areas. The weeds are the go to area for shear numbers and some good sized ones can be found there. To catch the bigger fish, find areas with sunken wood, or even shallow gravel or rocky areas that top out from 8-14 feet. A small leech under a bobber has been producing very well.
Largemouth bass are still being found in submerged weeds and wood. Casting plastics worm or bait imitations with a bullet weight are working well. When the sun is shining, the fish are holding tight to the structure, in early morning, late evening, or in cloudy conditions, the fish will roam more to find food. So in sunny conditions, hit the wood hard and you will find fish. Low light conditions, be patient and fan cast an area.
Good luck fishing, and remember, introduce someone new into the outdoors. They will appreciate it for a lifetime.
For information on fishing guides, lodging, dining, entertainment in the Rice Lake area, connect with:
Nicky Repka
Visitor Coordinator
Rice Lake Tourism
715.234.8888
800.523.6318
Fax- 715.434.8888
www.ricelaketourism.com