Weekly Fishing Report - June 4, 2014

The bright Park Rapids area sunshine has turned local anglers “lobster red” and the burn has been worth it. Water temperatures are rising by the day making for a progressively more active bite. The area league tournaments are underway and the results are positive. Connor Summers and Mike Johnson were able to capture first place on Thursday night’s bass league. The tournament has a 5 fish limit of either small or largemouth bass. Mike and Connor weighed in a bag over 17lbs and all 5 fish were smallmouth bass. The lilacs are blooming which is usually a good sign that the fish are now active, get ready for another great week of fishing in the Park Rapids area.

Walleyes are almost always the main topic of discussion for those traveling anglers. They can be a tough fish to catch but this week will go against the grain with water temperatures settling in around 65 degrees. The fact that there is still little weed cover makes for an easier time locating the active eyes. In early summer, the eyes’ will feed heavily on the flats and those areas with a more gradual drop off. Bemidji Minnesota made KenKatch™ tackle’s “Long Shank Jig” tipped with a spot tail shiner (trapped out of Red Lake for Smokey Hills Outdoor Store) will put more fish in the boat than your standard “Lindy Rig” this week. Use the wind to your advantage to drift over 10 to 15 feet of water between the hours of 6 to 9pm.

The Pike are still very active as water temps remain below 70 degrees on most of our area waters. Take advantage of our current, near ideal pike fishing conditions. You will find success with many different lure/bait choices since they are active. Increase your odds of catching a wall hanger by using a larger presentation such as an 8” or 10” Jake™ crankbait. A slow retrieve will entice the strike. Don’t forget to use a Windell’s™ steel, titanium or fluorocarbon leader, these guys have teeth!As water temperatures are on the rise, the largemouth bass will move off of their spawning grounds. These fish prefer warmer water; using your electronics will pinpoint their location. Look for an area of the lake that is 3 to 5 degrees warmer than the main lake. They are sure to be feeding nearby. Largemouth feast on spawning bluegill and crappie, so keep your eyes peeled for nesting panfish. The smallmouth bass are currently mid-spawn and can be easily caught “sight fishing”. Scan the lake bottom for a circular nest in a gravel laden area. They are ferocious defenders of their spawning grounds and will often strike the same lure even after being previously hooked. A large “Marabou” KenKatch™ jig dragged through a smallmouth spawning neighborhood will almost always produce results. Please respect nature and let them back into the water so we can all catch them again!

The area bluegills are back on their spawning beds. Polarized sunglasses will make your “sight fishing” task much easier. Search for an area of the lake bottom that is filled with multiple ice cream bowl sized depressions on the lake bottom. Once you locate their spawning area, back off of the nests and drop anchor. The large females will return and will actively feed while spawning. Attach a small FluFlu™ jig tipped with an angle worm to the end of your line and pair it with a slip bobber. The bite is hot!

Stop by Smokey Hills Outdoor Store for the most up to date fishing hot spots and fishing techniques. We are working hard to continue to meet and exceed your expectations. We are all proud and grateful to report that we more than doubled our sales for the month of May in comparison to May of 2013. Thank you for your continued support and we hope to see you soon!

(Uncle Brad Campbell pictured with his niece Kennedy Campbell with a
19″ smallmouth bass caught on a Park Rapids area lake on 6/1/14)