August 25th, 2026
***Fishing Report***
Walleye - Same story continues again this week with the walleye fishing. Trolling continues to be the most productive way to put a limit of walleyes in your boat this last week. Leadcoring small crankbaits in that #5-#7 range in firetiger, perch or yellow perch, in that 15-30ft of water has been very effective. Other anglers have been having good luck pulling spinners tipped with either a leech or a crawler Around sunken islands, again in that 15-25 ft of water. Orange, firetiger and gold have been hot colors for anglers fishing this way.
Smallmouth Bass - The smallmouth bass fishing continues to be the hottest bite happening in the Ely area right now. Bass really seem to be responding to the cooler nights dropping that water temperature. Anglers are reporting that they are catching numbers of smallies with spinnerbaits, urchin baits, in-line spinners, chatterbaits, crankbaits, whopper ploppers and Ned rigs around rocky shorelines and sunken islands. Bigger the rocks the better! Just about anything in crawfish colors has been red hot right now.
Panfish - The crappie and sunfish bite is right behind the bass bite for the hottest bite happening around Ely right now. Crappies continue to be found hanging around the weed beds, particularly thick cabbage stands. During the day crappies can be found hanging close to the thickest weeds seeking shade and food. Anglers have been having great luck dropping small jig/twisters right next to the cabbage. During the last hour of light crappies break away from the cabbage and start moving, looking for food. This is when fan casting around weedbeds and weedlines often results in fast action. Sunfish can be found in these same areas, but often they are working areas with a little less weeds, pencil weeds and downed trees. Small red worms, fished under a bobber have been deadly right now.
Pike - As water temperatures start to drop, anglers are finally starting to catch some pike over the 32” mark. Many anglers have been encountering these bigger pike out around sunken islands while fishing for other species, but increasingly we are getting reports of bigger pike starting to show up along weedlines and river mouths. Large spoons, large swimbaits and large crankbaits, fished in 10-15ft of water around weedlines, river mouths and large main lake points.
Lake Trout - Lake trout anglers continue to report that they are finding lakers deep in that 50-70ft range. Covering ground is always key to catching lakers this time of the year, so anglers continue fishing for lakers with down riggers or dipsy divers, tipped with large trolling spoons. Anglers fishing up in the boundary waters have been drifting over deep water while jigging heavy tubes, bucktails or twitch blades. These anglers have been finding lakers in that 50-100ft of water range.
Stream Trout - Stream trout anglers fishing from shore are really starting to catch nice rainbows this last week as water temperatures continue to fall. These anglers have been having the best luck hanging a night crawler, under a bobber about 5-15ft down. Anglers fishing from a boat continue to troll with cowbells, tipped with a small crankbait or spoon to catch their limit of trout. These anglers have been focusing on about 20ft of water as they troll over water anywhere from 30-100ft deep.
Nice smallmouth bass caught on an Ely area lake near the BWCA. Cooler nights have the smallmouth fishing on fire right now! Late summer smallmouth fishing has been about as hot as it can get in the Ely MN area. Swing by Arrowhead Outdoors – voted #1 bait and tackle shop in MN – for fresh bait, jigs, and everything you need to get on the water.