July 8th, 2024
***Fishing Report***
Walleye - Walleye have been settling into their classic summer patterns like weedlines, sunken islands, windy shorelines and edge of points. Crawlers have been hot, hot, hot lately with many anglers reporting the best bite happening on crawlers. Spinner rigs pulled with bottom bouncers or jig and half a crawler have been getting the job done. Best depth has been 10-15ft of water with firetiger, gold and pink continuing to be the must have colors.
Smallmouth - Early morning topwater bite remains strong on many of the area's best smallmouth lakes. Anglers have been working shorelines with downed trees and large boulders for the best bite. Once the sun gets up anglers switch to subsurface bait like square bills, chatterbaits, wacky worms and Ned rigs to keep catching smallies. Walleye anglers have reported that smallies have begun moving out to sunken islands now. Majority of smallies are being caught in 10ft of water and less.
Panfish - Crappies continue to be found in shallow weed beds. Isolated lily pads have been holding crappies as well as coontail clumps and downed trees. 2” twisters and other soft plastics have been getting the job done for anglers. Sunfish bite remains strong too for many anglers. Sunfish are being found shallow in wild rice beds and weedbeds. Small leeches, green crawlers, angleworms and wax worms, all fished under a bobber, have been very effective on the sunfish.
Stream Trout - Stream trout anglers seemed to have taken the week off as stream trout reports cooled off. Still, anglers that went out looking for rainbows reported good fishing for them. Many anglers reported finding rainbows on the bottom, with a night crawler floated off the bottom with a marshmallow or a shot of air. Trolling cowbells, with small minnow baits or small trolling spoons has also been very effective.
Lake Trout - Trolling season has started for lake trout anglers in the Ely area. Majority of lake trout anglers are setting down riggers 30-50ft down and trolling large trolling spoons over deep water. Anglers fishing in the BWCA are drifting over deep water while trolling with keel sinkers and trolling spoons, in 30-80ft of water.
Pike - Large pike remain elusive for anglers this last week as large pike out over deep water chasing ciscos. Smaller pike remain active in shallow bays, weedlines and river mouths. Large spoons, spinnerbaits and large minnow baits trolled or casted around these areas have been very productive.
A grinnin' angler stands tall on the boat holdin' up a chunky smallmouth bass caught July 8th, 2025 in the Ely MN area near the BWCA – this bronzeback giant's dark back and golden-olive sides shine bright under the blue sky, big head gapin' wide with flared gills and spiky dorsal fin as he grips it tight in his light shirt and cowboy hat, sunglasses glintin', boat deck with gear, calm river-like water lappin' the hull, tall pines towerin' along rocky shores and islands in the backdrop – classic Northwoods summer scenery. The winning lure? A VMC Spinnerbait – those flashy Colorado or Indiana blades thump and flash, cast to weed edges, rock piles, points, or shallow bays in 5-15 feet, slow-roll or burn with pauses to mimic a fleein' baitfish or crayfish, and smallmouth explode on it, especially mornings/evenings or windy days when they're aggressive near cover post-spawn as water temps peak. VMC spinnerbaits shine for smallmouth here in the Ely MN area near the BWCA – sharp hooks, durable blades, and that vibration draw reaction strikes from bronzebacks holdin' tight to structure or cruisin' flats feedin' heavy on crayfish and minnows. The cowboy hat, pines, clear water – that's the thrill of BWCA boat fishin' with explosive spinnerbait action. These smallies mix walleye leech jiggin', northern pike spinners, lake trout deep, stream trout flies for full summer fun. Head to Arrowhead Outdoors, voted #1 Bait and Tackle Shop in MN, for VMC Spinnerbaits, smallmouth jigs, tubes, and summer setups to chase giant smallmouth, walleye, northern pike, lake trout, stream trout, and more. July bronzebacks like this? Get spinnin'!