Whitefish Chain Fishing Reports

[MikeG3Boat]

Heading up for the Memorial Day weekend.  I fished the opener and is was cold, snowy and fishing was very slow.  Any reports on how things went last weekend?  It was at least nice for one day.  Hoping the water temps have risen some.  The weekend weather report doesn't look good, but have to go fishing when you can.  Anybody have any new information?  Tight lines and stay safe.

[ozzie]

I went out on Saturday for a bit...checked a few walleye spots and didn't see much and caught less...went to Arrowhead for some crappie fishing as we heard they were biting up there.  Arrowhead is such a hit n miss lake and this time was a miss for us and it appeared a miss for everyone else in there during the time we were fishing it.  we did have on 2 nice crappies in really shallow water but both came unhooked!!   Good Luck!  I should be cruising the area also...if not on the chain will be on a lake near by!  Good Luck

[MikeG3Boat]

Sounds good thanks for the info!

Edited May 22, 2020 by MikeG3Boat
didn't see last responce

[rayguy]

Its been tough guys.  Not only a slow bite but very windy.  Five straight days of 20+  MPH E wind.  Panfish are lockjawed and haven't heard any good walleye reports.   Have a wedding Fri night so wont' t be fishing much the next few days.  Good luck and file the info.

[MikeG3Boat]

Did some fishing this weekend on the chain.  Fishing was slow mostly small pike, but the weather was much better than what was forecast.  I couldn't believe how hard it was to find any panfish to bite.   I will be heading back this weekend, hopefully the fish will start cooperating.

 

Everyone stay safe!

[ozzie]

We decided to not hit up the chain and go to another lake in the area...we found a few eyes in the 13-15 foot range on Saturday mid morning and then came back in the evening and landed one more.  Went back out the next morning and didn't find anything!  Just when we thought we found a bite...will be back up this weekend for golfing and maybe a session or 2 fishing.

[Standard]

Fished Daggett lake Sunday for a bit in the afternoon until the traffic went crazy.  I was fishing from my canoe and buddies were in kayaks, got a bit sketchy with the amount of boats on the lake.  Buddy claims he got a huge bass while we were fishing the south bay but lost it at the side.  I just managed a small bass and pike.  Headed back to his cabin on the northwest side, I decided to drown some worms off his dock and watch the boat show.  Got into some big gills just dropping it right next to the dock.   Was on fire from just before 5pm to about 630.  Went back out on the lake when traffic calmed down around 8 and trolled around a bit.  Got 3 or 4 small pike.  Nothing crazy, but still a fun day.

[rayguy]

Heading up to chain for a couple weeks.  Need some general info on the panfish bite.  They still shallow?  Got a couple grandkids coming up and any info sent on the panfish action will be appreciated.  Thanks   Ray guy

[ozzie]

Wish I had some information for you rayguy but from what I have been hearing the shallow bite in a few popular bays is non-existent this year.  Tough panfish bite...but the sunfish should start biting in the next few days as the water temp on the main lake (Cross) was 60-62 this weekend.  Good Luck and keep us posted!! 

[ozzie]

Got a report that my Father inlaw was out on the chain to see what he could find for Walleyes and said he landed a 18" and a 27.5" on the westside of the chain before the storms were rolling in.  I hadn't talked to him but in this particular area I know we usually will use jigging raps instead of live bait due to the fact that the perch devour any live bait you put down.

[MikeG3Boat]

Last weekend May 29th thru 31.  We just got some northerns that were about 18-20" that we kept to try and help the DNR out.  Caught about a dozen Sunfish and 4 Crappies, they were in real shallow 1-3'.  Couldn't find a walleye to save our lives.  When you say west side of the chain what lake are you refering too? Upper Whitefish or even more west in Lower hay?  Let me know.  I won't be up this weekend, but maybe next weekend.  Stay Safe everyone!

[ozzie]

When I say the west side of the chain i mean the west end of Whitefish Lakes...The Upper Whitefish lake tends to be the better producer of eyes early in the season opposed to other parts of the lake that we fish.  This past weekend we hit the west side for a morning fish from 7:30-11 and in the first hour we managed 4 eyes (14.25, 15, 17.25, 19) all on lindy rigs with a leech.  Nice morning to be out on the lake!!  Good Luck out there and look forward to getting back up there.

[MikeG3Boat]

I am heading up to the Chain this weekend and hoping I can finally locate a few walleyes.  Does anyone have an new info from this past weekend or week?  It had to have been a wonderful weekend up there if you could get out of the wind.  Any new info would be appreciated!  Have a great week everyone!

[ozzie]

I hit Gull on Friday evening as it was the only light wind period to actually get on a lake and fish!  We fished from 7:45 to 11 and came away with 3 walleyes.  All caught on rapalas in 8' or less all as the sun set or was dark.  As for the chain, I have heard of a few fish caught on lindy rigs and leeches or worms if the perch aren't overly abundant.  Jigging Raps have been cold so far but that should change here too.  Good Luck and wish I had a better report but we left Saturday evening knowing the wind was gonna keep us off the lake...

[ozzie]

another weekend is in the past...anyone get out on the chain and wet a line?  I went late night trolling over to Gull again for Friday and Saturday nights.  Caught fish both nights with Saturday setting up to be awesome until mother nature pissed on our party!

[rayguy]

Heading up for a weeks fishing.   Any reports?   Neighbors are saying Bass are going pretty good.  Will file  a mid week up date.  Stay down wind

[ozzie]

enjoy your week of fishing!  I will be up this weekend for a guys golfing/fishing weekend as a buddy is bringing some Iowegians up...should be a nice weekend!!  Good Luck

[rayguy]

Well here is my two cents.  Have done a lot of fishing and not much catching.  Been very windy and now feels like a oven so its a hard bite. Walleyes we have caught have been fairly shallow.  Most on live bait but a couple on shad raps.  No real pattern ,  one here and one there. Bass are more active.  Morning has been good for them.  The past weekend I think its the most pontoons and wake boats I have ever seen on Whitefish.  Big fishfly hatch the last few days. This weekend you better get up early cause the armada forms about 10:00 am.  One strange thing is we still have sunnies on nests around our dock.  Very late for that.  So guys keep your eyes open as there are some crazies out there buzzing around.  Happy fourth!

[ozzie]

Good report rayguy!  I have heard from many lakes in the area that the sunnies are just getting onto their beds!!  The armada will sure be out in full force this weekend as the fourth always draws a major crowd out there!!  Great for sight seeing but not so much for fishing...on calm days if you can get over to trout lake the whitefish have been biting on jigging raps in the 60 ft range.  troll till you see a bunch of fish in 40+ ft of water and start jigging until your rod bends over!!!  great fish for the smoker!!!  Good Luck

[Wanderer]

@ozzie I’ve been wanting to get on some whiteys for a while and have talked about hitting the chain for some time.  Just might have to try that tip now that I have an honest fishing boat again.

 

Or let me know if you have an open seat sometime or want to jump in with me. 

[Wiley Coyote]

Algae!

 

Ever since the zebra mussels have gotten into Whitefish the floating mats of algae have been a nuisance, but this year is terrible.  I hate that crap.  You can't troll without it getting all over your line and lure.  Not fun to swim in either!  My parents have even mentioned leaving the chain it bothers them so much.  

 

Does anyone know if this is the blue-green algae that is toxic to dogs?

 

No chance I'll fish during the day this weekend, it's nuts out there right now.

[Wanderer]

What part of the lake are they on?

[Wiley Coyote]

Rutger Bay

[Wanderer]

I happened to be out on the chain this morning and drove from Big Trout to the very west end where Pine River comes in.  Rutgers Bay was the worst for moss by far from what I saw.

[ozzie]

I honestly have not even attempted to fish the chain in the recent weeks.  This past week my FIL did go on Tuesday to Trout and found a few willing whitefish for the smoker again but he said it got too hot to fish.  On Thursday and Saturday we went to lake further north and found a few willing crappies to keep us active but could not find any walleyes.

[ManBearPig]

Fished Whitefish both Sunday and Monday from about 6AM until 10AM each day. Used only artificial lures.  Trolled  weed edges some of the time with Shad Raps #8 size, and then a little deeper with the #9 size Flicker Minnow.  Only caught one 29 inch Northern trolling.  Spent about 1/2 of the time casting  a jig and soft plastic into about 12 ft to 18 ft  where there were decent, but not great weeds.  Caught  several small Northerns plus 2 more that were 27" and 28".   The bonus was a 17.5" Largemouth.  No Walleyes either day.

 

Monday had several "bite offs" on the soft plastics.  That is kinda the problem with using them where there are Pike.

Edited July 14, 2020 by ManBearPig
spelling

[rayguy]

Fishing is tough right now. And 2 1/2 inches of rain last night probably won’t help.  Tried yesterday trolling my favorite crank in my favorite spots and ended up with one 15” Walleye and about six Northerns. A guy could get a lot of them right now in 12-15 feet on anything silver. There good pickled. Now more storms coming so times are tough. Had no trouble trolling yesterday so floating weeds must of hit shore. Was lots of fish suspended but ignored my offering. 

Edited July 18, 2020 by rayguy

[ozzie]

rain was sorely needed in the area...firm believer that we need to keep taking the smaller pike out to better the size structure of the pike population out there!  The lake used to be known for its massive pike and now they are a thing of the past!  Of course there are some decent sized pike in the system but there should be more roaming the fertile fishing grounds out there!!  off my soapbox now  Glad to hear the floating weeds have maybe washed ashore for a bit.  I hope to get up there this coming weekend and give the deep troll a go and maybe a quick stop on some break lines and send a jigging rap to the bottom and see what takes the offering!  Good Luck- Oz

[anchor man]

Fished middle WF on Friday afternoon and got a 17.5" and 22" eye on a white jighead/leech in 18 and 23 fow. Tried midday on Saturday for a bit and didn't get a bite. The boat waves were insane at times so I called it quits for the day.

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The algae has really changed the lakes on the chain.  The last three summers have been a struggle for me and bass fishing.  The algae is thick and attached to existing weeds.  I wonder if this is keeping the bass a lot deeper.  Overall I think the bass population is not as numerous as five years ago.