The Bite is on!
“The bite is on when the lilacs are blooming!”
This is not just a saying, but a crucial natural indicator that fishermen rely on when deciding which fish species to target. These natural indicators, used by hunters and gatherers since the dawn of time, play a significant role in our fishing strategies.
When we start to see the first lilac buds form in an array of tiny purple droplets on each branch, it is safe to say that water temperatures are rising, and the weed growth in the Mississippi River is kicking into full gear. This is prime time to go chasing northern pike on backwater weed flats.
Getting the timing right will allow anglers to use a variety of semi-weedless baits like spinnerbaits, chatter baits, swimbaits, and spoons by casting over the weed tops in hopes of enticing one of the most ravenous (and fun) predators in the Mississippi River.
The bite can be excellent from mid-April, when water temperatures are in the 50s, all the way up to May when water temps reach the 70s. The key is finding weeds that are low and sparse enough to present bait effectively. Drift and move quickly through these weed flats, making frequent casts. These fish will not be shy.
You can watch a recent video of this exciting bite on Lake Onalaska here.
It’s also time to chase post-spawn shallow-water walleye!
At this point, walleye have fully completed their spring spawn and are moving into warmer waters that are alive with forage fish. Shallow back channels, current seams, and gravel bars are alive with life, and many predatory fish use these shallow water feeding grounds to consume calories as their metabolism ramps up.
Backwater sloughs can be a great place to start. Look for moderate flow through channels that are 3-10 feet deep. Troll the backwater sloughs with shallow running crankbaits or drift with the flow while making frequent casts. Keep moving and cover water to find groups of active fish.
Walleyes will also move into shallow backwaters with very little flow if there is an easy meal. Cast shallow running crankbaits or a jig and plastic along wind-swept shorelines. This is a simple cast and retrieve presentation that can be very effective. We have caught many eater-sized walleyes along the shores of Lake Pepin using this technique.
Check out this video to see some of this action.
Channel Catfish!
During this time of full-bloom lilacs, the channel catfish follow the walleye’s lead and pack on the pounds. Channel cats are hungry after a long winter hanging out in the river’s deepest holes. The warming waters coax the channel catfish out of their wintering areas and lead them into shallow river current seams, riprap banks, wing dams, and backwater areas that have warmed up the fastest.
Grab a stout medium-heavy rod, a reel spooled up with a 50# braideline, and a handful of hooks and sinkers. Fresh-cut bait will be your best bait option for channel catfish and flatheads early in the summer. This bite will be good well into early summer, so there is plenty of opportunity to chase the strongest fighting fish in the river.
Pre-Spawn Bluegills
As the lilacs reach full bloom and start to lose some flower petals, the bluegills move into shallow spawning grounds and become extremely aggressive feeders on anything and everything. Find an area warmed up by the sun that has a combination of hard and soft bottom and emergent weeds that are sparsely scattered about.
These pre-spawn bluegills will be in ultra shallow water, less than 1 foot. On calm days, you may even see disturbances on the water’s surface caused by bluegill activity. Pitching light jigs, casting bobber setups, and fly-casting poppers are all effective ways of catching these shallow running gills.
You can watch some recent action of this shallow water bluegill bite here!
We enjoy hearing what triggers other anglers into chasing certain species. What natural indicators do you use to determine the timing of your favorite bites?
May and June offer some of the year’s best fishing, so get out there early and often. You know we’ll definitely be on the water!
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