July 1st, 2025
***Fishing Report***
Walleye - Walleye reports have walleyes sliding out a little deeper. Majority of walleye reports this last week has angler finding walleyes in 8-16 feet of water now. Anglers have been pulling spinner rigs, tipped with crawlers, along weedlines, transitions area along points and out over sunken islands. Gold, perch and blue spinner blades have been popular this last week. Reports of shallow water walleyes remain. Here anglers are catching walleye with soft plastics fished on a 1/8 or 1/4oz jig, over rocky shorelines. Jig and half a crawler has also been worth noting here.
Panfish - Crappies have been snapping in shallow water in and around lily pads this last week. Thick lily pad beds are no good. Scattered lily pads have been the best for crappies. Anglers have been casting small jig and twisters, crappie minnows under a bobber to these lily pads, to catch crappies. Sunfish remain shallow and are being caught back in pencil reed beds and weedbeds. Wax worms, green crawlers and angleworms, fished under a bobber have been very effective here.
Smallmouth - The once super hot topwater bite has been cooling off to mainly early morning for the best bite (before 9am). Once the sun gets up anglers have been having luck with square bills, wacky worms, chatterbaits and spinnerbaits. Rocky shorelines with downed trees, large flats, out around islands and rivers are all holding active smallies. White, crawfish colors and green pumpkin have been hot colors this last week.
Stream Trout - Area Stream Trout lakes remain popular for good reason. Rainbow trout have been snapping! Limits of rainbows are being caught trolling small minnow baits or small trolling spoons over deep water. Good rule of thumb is the brighter the better as far as colors go. Anglers fishing from shore have been having really good luck casting a 2” white twister, small spoons and the tried and true nightcrawler floated under a bobber.
Pike - Pike anglers have been catching good numbers of quality pike this last week. Anglers have been throwing spoons in and around weedbeds for very consistent action. Anglers targeting larger pike have been trolling large spinnerbaits, large minnow baits and large soft plastic baits along weedlines, river mouths and mouths of shallow bays. Best depth for the bigger pike has been 8-14 feet of water.
Lake Trout - Lake Trout anglers have been reporting that lakers are slowly going deeper as surface water temps warm. Anglers have been reporting that they are catching lakers from 30-80ft of water now. Many anglers have been trolling large trolling spoons, with down riggers, over deep water to find active lakers. Anglers fishing from a canoe have vertically jigging large bucktails and tubes over deep water. Red/white, blue/white and solid chartreuse have been popular colors for tubes or bucktails.
A happy angler stands in the grassy shoreline holdin' up a chunky smallmouth bass caught July 1st, 2025 in the Ely MN area near the BWCA – this bronzeback beauty's dark back and golden-olive sides shine in the partly cloudy light, big head gapin' wide with flared gills and spiky dorsal fin as she grips it tight in her black hoodie and custom hat loaded with pins, red flower, and badges. The backdrop is classic Northwoods summer: tall green pines towerin', calm lake water lappin' nearby, weeds and rocks along the edge – perfect spot for smallmouth prowlin' shallow structure post-spawn. The winning rod? A Limit Creek Rod – those high-quality sticks are built for smallmouth fightin' power, sensitivity, and backbone to turn big fish away from rocks or weeds in 5-20 feet on jigs, tubes, craws, or topwater. Cast to rocky points, gravel flats, weed edges, or boulder bays, slow-hop or swim the bait, and bronzebacks explode on it – pound-for-pound the toughest fighters in the BWCA region with jumps, runs, and drag-screamin' pulls that make every fish memorable. The grassy spot, trees, and proud smile capture the shore-access thrill – no boat needed for these summer smallies feedin' heavy on crayfish and minnows. These bronzebacks mix walleye leech jiggin', northern pike spinners, lake trout deep, stream trout flies for full action. Head to Arrowhead Outdoors, voted #1 Bait and Tackle Shop in MN, for Limit Creek Rods, smallmouth jigs, tubes, craws, and summer setups to chase giant smallmouth, walleye, northern pike, lake trout, stream trout, and more. July bronzebacks like this? Get castin'!