ely White Iron Chain-Late June/Early July

[Jmnhunter]

Heading to the white iron chain in about a week. We usually head up there early June and we've exprienced slow fishing in the past, trying to fish walleyes, bass, and crappies. this year i'm hoping with a early jump on spring, I hope they are biting alittle better. Just curious if pulling spinners with crawlers at midlake structure is about the norm out there this time of year. I usually fish white iron at silver rapids and the other rapids at the southern portion of the lake. the wife and i have tried farm lake in search for panfish with no success, but have heard south farm is a good start for locating crapps? garden lake worth a look? I love SMB, thinking i'll trailer the boat elsewhere for those. No need for specific locations, just some tips, thanks!

[monstermoose78]

 For Crappies there much better lakes in the area for numbers of Crappies, but Garden has some.I have caught more crappies from Farm and South Farm than from Garden. Some of lakes I that I have done better on for crappies are Johnson, Low, and One Pine. If fishing Johnson, Low, or One Pine watch for tree that fallen into the water. I like to use fatheads for crappies when I fishing up there, because I know the bigger crappies will not have an issue eating them. A fun lake for Bluegills and a chance for huge crappies is Little Long Lake. There are some big bluegills in there. It also has some massive smallmouth, walleye, northerns, and bonus Largemouth Bass. If fishing this lake remember it has smelt in it so the fish chase them. 

On White Iron you already know to stay with the current areas. 

Shagawa has been giving up walleyes to a good friend of mine. 

Please share how you did and add some pictures to your post. Thank you and good luck.

 

[Neighbor_guy]

Without getting overly specific, the chain doesn't have muskies or trout, but everything else you are looking for is there to be had. Pike, LM Bass, and sunfish in the weedy areas. SM in rocks or stumps. And crappies and eyes on deep transitions. 

 

They at may not be the easiest fish to find but they are there. 

[Wanderer]

Jmnhunter,

Are you up there?  Doing any good?

I'm heading up in a couple days for a long weekend and will be fishing the chain for at least some of the time.  Since you've been there before I assume you know you'll need a permit to get into S. Farm.  Honestly I've had just as good (or bad) success in Farm as S. Farm but it is nice to be in the B-Dub when you can be.

Crappies and good sunnies are tough to find on the chain but I've found most of mine mixed in with the walleyes.  You might want to downsize your crawlers if you're getting short bites.  I plan to fish small plastics on the lightest jig I can get away with, usually 1/8 oz, use parts of crawlers on bait rigs, and leeches on either of those but also with slip bobbers in the low light periods.  I'll fish 20 + feet most of the day and look for spots in +/- 10 feet in the evening.

I'm hoping there'll be some smallies still in the shallows.

[Wanderer]

Well, I've only been able to fish the chain a little the past couple days and only during the mid day.  Tonight the weather is a little too sketchy to plan on being out.

Water temps have been in the mid to upper 70's.  I haven't seen much for mayflies but hear that the hatch has been going.

The fish seem to be deep - about as deep as you can get.  25-30 fow is where I've been marking the most but they're tight lipped.  The only thing I've picked up in less than 20 is rock bass and a small smallie.  

I did pick up one of those nice crappies in 28 fow today on a 1/4 oz jig and plastic.  The only problem with catching them that deep is they will become eagle food if you release them.  I've proven to my self more than once that anything deeper than 24 feet and a released crappie will be  a floater.  I was hoping to let this one go but it tipped over and wouldn't come back.

 

Edited July 6, 2015 by Wanderer

[Jmnhunter]

got back from out trip yesterday, great times as usual, just love it up there. If I was going just for the fishing, I would definitely be going somewhere else though we mostly fished the evenings, walleyes averaged between 8-10" biggest was a 15", caught maybe 10 between sunday-Friday night. I did manage to catch my biggest SMB, a 21.5" slip bobbering for walleyes. another 1/2", i would be having a replica made. My father in law needs some picture taking classes though, was only able to get a couple blurry ones after landing her, i put it back after numerous picture attempts with the phone, ah well. 

after talking to a few different parties at the resort, sounded like we were on par with how the fishing goes up there on that lake this time of year. sounds like the best time to  fish it is around opener at silver rapids or at the south rapids. did find some more structure and potential locations if we ever go back there. shagawa is one that we may have to try next time along with doing a day trip to basswood. group of guys did a day trip out there and landed some nice fish 22-28"ers

 

we also tried little long lake, small bluegills and small smallies is all we manged, nice clear lake though! Did see one decent smallie out there.