Duck Harbor Pond Fishing Report

Current Fishing Report: Fair To Good

A lot of walleye are being caught using new technologies, cutting down the time it takes to locate them. Forward-facing, and side scanning, sonar is assisting anglers, fishing from a boat, to locate fish. Fishing is better as anglers can focus on areas with good numbers of fish. This is true for either trolling or casting. Anglers fishing from the bank still have to search the old fashion way, via test casting, until a school is located.

SUMMER. As water temperatures rise, walleye seek the pond's coolest water during daylight hours and become much more active at dawn, dusk, and after dark. Slow trolling or casting along drop-offs and weed edges is most productive. Water temperatures rise notably in Summer, and walleye fishing is good if you can get your bait deep enough. Early mornings, walleye tend to concentrate in 15 to 20 feet of water. As the day warms they descend in deeper water, around 20 to 45 feet deep. Throughout Summer, early in the morning, and from dusk to long after dark are good times to catch walleye a little shallower. At those times they move slightly shallower to feed in low-light conditions. Night fishing is often good in Summer, as well. When the bite is slow, grubs and nightcrawlers, fished just off the bottom typically catch walleye.

FALL. Fall brings cooler temperatures to shallow water, drawing walleye and baitfish into coves and bays. Walleye continue to be a major draw for anglers, even as the weather cools. This is a prime time to catch some of the bigger fish, and the fishing is generally good. Locals report catching nice walleye on long points, flats along the river and creek channels, and on structure off shore. Early Fall anglers report good results fishing deep weed edges and rocky points in 8 to 18 feet of water. Jigs, swimbaits, spoons, crankbaits, jerkbaits, and spinnerbaits are all historically good for catching walleye this time of year. By October anglers find them in 10 to 20 feet of water. Dragging jigs, bottom bouncers, or worm harnesses with nightcrawlers or leeches, around ledge drop-offs catches walleye fairly consistently. Watch for the bigger walleye to be slightly deeper than the majority of the school.

WINTER. Walleye remain active throughout winter and often feed during low-light periods. Slow jigging near the bottom produces the most consistent catches. Last Winter, fishing for walleye was pretty good, as it has been for the last few years. Before, and during early ice, anglers report catching them in the main basin area, in 12 to 24 feet of water, along deep creek channel edges, rocky humps and ledges. Popular areas include weed edges, next to rock piles, along northern and central basin drop-offs. Steep drops in the area toward the dam are also producing during these cold months. These same areas in 15 to 30 feet of water are classic spots during the middle of ice fishing season. Tip-ups with minnows work well when ice fishing is safe. Walleye primarily feed on small fish, staying close to the bottom. After ice-out blade baits, jigs, swimbaits, spoons, deep-diving crankbaits, and worm harness spinners, all work while deep trolling or drifting.

SPRING. Spring provides the year's best walleye fishing. Fish move into shallow rocky areas immediately after ice-out to spawn before returning to nearby drop-offs and feeding heavily. Early Spring begins warming water in the shallows, and draws walleye to feed, especially rocky areas and inlet channels. They are usually caught 6 to 12 feet deep on points, drop offs, submerged structure, rock ledges, and wind-blown flats adjacent to deeper water. The upriver end of the lake, or on in-lake gravel bars and rip rap, is where many walleye spawn, starting in late February. Here, in 2 to 8 feet deep, they will spawn once the water warms to the mid to high 40's. When they are shallow, bright colored jigs, tipped with minnows or nightcrawlers typically catch them. Spinnerbaits, jerkbaits and crankbaits also work when walleye are up shallow. Afterwards, they move to 8 to 15 feet deep around points, flats, shoals and ledges, nearby shore, often staying in close proximity to their spawning locations. Main lake drop offs tend to produce some nice fish.

Current Fishing Report: Good

Bass fishing is currently experiencing major changes in the way anglers are approaching the sport. The expanded use of high-tech fish finders is giving anglers, who fish from a boat, a distinct advantage. The fishing hasn't really changed, but the catch rate has increased considerably. The advent of new lures and equipment has improved success for anglers fishing from the bank. Savvy anglers, who study bass patterns, continue to catch nice fish, with or without the new gadgets.

SUMMER. Summer bass hold around weed beds, fallen timber, submerged brush, docks, and deeper vegetation during the day. Early morning and evening offer the best shallow-water action, while fish move deeper during the warmest part of the day. Water temperatures warm considerably in Summer, so bass feed shallow, early and late in the day. As the day warms, they are typically caught in 8 to 18 feet of water. During Summer, keep an eye on the thermocline to determine the maximum depth to fish, as there is very little oxygen below the thermocline. Largemouth bass here feed on threadfin shad, gizzard shad, small sunfish and crawfish. During the hotter parts of the day, they are typically caught on points, channel edges, and ledges 15 to 20 feet deep. Drop shots, and wacky-rigged stick worms often catch finicky bass when the bite is slow.

FALL. Cooling water temperatures increase bass activity as baitfish move shallow. Bass feed aggressively around weed edges, shoreline cover, and points in preparation for winter. When Fall arrives, bass here will follow schools of baitfish into coves and shallow bays where crankbaits, swimbaits, and slow-rolled spinnerbaits have been successful in prior years. In early Fall, anglers typically have success in 5 to 15 feet of water, around points and shallow flats leading to deeper water. As deeper water cools, bait and bass move out to ledges, channel edges, points and humps. Here flutter spoons are often the ideal bait in 15 feet of water, or deeper. Some of the larger bass will seclude themselves away from the school, often in slightly deeper water.

WINTER. Bass become less active and hold near deeper structure, steep breaks, and remaining vegetation. Slow presentations close to the bottom are the most productive. The cold of Winter will isolate largemouth around deeper structure, flats, points and creek channels. Water temperatures are usually in the low high 40's to mid 50's, and bass can be found near the bottom, or suspending from 12 to 22 feet deep over deeper structure. Bass often move a bit shallower on warm, sunny days. Also, some of the larger bass will isolate away from schools, a few feet deeper. Here they hold, feeding less frequently, awaiting warmer water to return in Spring. Slow presentations with drop shots, jigs, spoons, finesse worms, or lipless crankbaits are often the key to getting bites.

SPRING. Spring offers the year's best largemouth bass fishing. Fish move into protected coves and shallow vegetation to spawn before feeding aggressively during the post-spawn period. When water temperatures rise into the low 60's, largemouth move from deep wintering holes, to shallower water near spawning areas. Vibrating jigs, crankbaits, jerkbaits and spinnerbaits are typically get bites just away from the shoreline. In early Spring they feed aggressively in about 4 to 10 feet of water, and prepare for the spawn. Once water warms into the mid to high 60's, they will move into 2 to 6 feet of water, and create nests, then lay their eggs. Immediately afterwards, females move to deeper water and males remain to guard the eggs, and then the fry. After a couple weeks, the males also move to slightly deeper water, around 5 to 15 feet deep. Anglers report good topwater action from mid Spring through Summer, especially early in the morning, and on cloudy days. Deep-diving crankbaits, vibrating jigs, drop shots, plastic worms, jigs, spoons, and swimbaits catch bass when they are not shallow.

Current Fishing Report: Good To Very Good

SUMMER. During summer, yellow perch form schools along deep weed edges, basin drop-offs, and submerged vegetation where cooler water and abundant forage are available. Early morning and evening are typically the most productive feeding periods. Fat yellow perch here feed primarily on small fish and invertebrates. Spinners, underspins, small crankbaits, mealworms, nightcrawlers and maggots are catching perch in 10 to 20 feet of water. In early Summer, plus the first and last hours of the day, seek them out in feeding zones, 8 to 10 feet deep. Drop-offs, standing timber, lay-down trees, shallow weed lines, and in areas with submerged vegetation, are key feeding spots. Later in Summer, perch drop into 15 to 20 feet of water.

FALL. Cooling temperatures increase perch activity as schools move toward mid-depth flats and shoreline structure to feed heavily before winter. Action is often fast when active schools are located. Early Fall finds yellow perch feeding in 8 to 16 feet of water. Later in the Fall, they begin migrating toward Winter holding areas, often in the deeper sections, around the edges of weedbeds, drop offs along flats, channel edges, rock piles and humps. In late Fall focus on 8 to 10 feet deep cover in sheltered bays and coves. Minnows, spinners, spoons and small jigs are ideal this time of year.

WINTER. Winter provides some of the year's best yellow perch fishing. Schools gather over deeper basin areas and along drop-offs, where they feed steadily throughout much of the day. Yellow perch are among the most popular species targeted through the ice. Small jigging spoons, tungsten jigs tipped with waxworms, spikes, or minnows are highly effective. Always confirm ice thickness before venturing out. Winter is arguably the premier season for yellow perch here. Large schools form under the ice and provide excellent action. The cold of winter has driven perch in search of food and stable water conditions. They are typically caught while ice fishing in 12 to 24 feet of water. Last Winter, perch fishing through the ice was quite good, and it's expected to be again this year. Mid-depth flats are ideal Winter holding spots. Later in Winter, shallow perch are typically caught when they are feeding in weedy areas on flats, in 12 to 15 of water. Other schools suspend deeper, above structure changes. Fishing for them in Winter is good using minnows, mealworms, maggots, and nightcrawlers. These baits work now while ice fishing, and will continue to work once the ice is gone.

SPRING. Spring is an outstanding time to catch yellow perch as they move into shallow coves and protected shorelines to spawn. After spawning, schools remain relatively shallow while feeding aggressively. Perch spawn in Spring when the water temperature warms to the mid 50's and mid 60's. Anglers will begin to catch them in 6 to 12 feet of water using spinners, small spinnerbaits, underspins, minnows, mealworms, maggots, and nightcrawlers. Docks, weed lines, drop offs all attract yellow perch searching for a meal. They spawn in 2 to 8 feet of water. Later in Spring, they migrate back to deeper water to feed.