September 2nd, 2025
***Fishing Report***
Walleye - Many anglers reported good fishing for walleyes this last week as stable warm weather came to the Ely area. Majority of anglers reported that while minnows worked, night crawlers fished on a lindy rig or 1/4oz jig produced the biggest fish and better numbers. Anglers reported finding walleyes from 11-26ft of water. Clear sign walleyes are transitioning from summer to fall locations. Smaller walleye were often found on the sharpe breaks while bigger walleyes were often found on the flats above a break or at the base of breaks or sunken islands. Orange/chartreuse, black/orange and pink.
Smallmouth - Smallmouth reports are showing that smallies have begun to move to their fall locations. Majority of the best reports for smallies have them out on sunken islands in 8-20ft of water, close to deep water. Smallies out here are hitting spinnerbaits, chatterbaits and square bills on the shallower humps. For the deeper humps anglers have been drop shotting 3-4” soft plastic minnow baits.
Pike - Reports of quality pike continue to grow in frequency. Big pike have been hitting large, active Creek Chubs, fished under a bobber just off the weedlines. Weedlines with deep water right next to them were the most productive for the biggest pike. Anglers looking to cast or troll hardware have been having good luck with large spoons, large swimbaits, and large spinnerbaits.
Panfish - Crappies and sunfish reports continue to be good. Anglers have been finding them mainly relating to weedlines. Sunfish are still being found in weedbeds but increasingly reports are saying anglers are finding them on the weedlines and a few mixed in with the crappies relating to deeper water just off the weedlines. Red worms fished under a bobber has remained the most effective way to catch quality gills. Crappies are increasingly being seen out over deeper water during the day. The last hour of light, crappies move into the shallow weedbeds to feed aggressively. Here search baits like small beetle spins or jig/twister have been most effective in finding the biters before the window closes.
Stream trout - Lots of anglers targeted stream trout this last week and weren’t disappointed. As water temps continue to drop rainbows activity continues to increase. Many anglers had good luck floating a night crawler 5-15 feet under a bobber, right off shore. If anglers were fishing from a boat trolling small minnow baits or small trolling spoons again 5-15ft down produced excellent results for them. Good rule of thumb is the brighter the bait the better.
Lake Trout - Quite a few anglers targeted lake trout this last week, but reports continue to be slow as water temps remain high for lake trout. Anglers that caught lake trout did so with down riggers set 30-50ft down while trolling large trolling spoons. Covering water was the name of the game for successful anglers
