KABETOGAMA-NAMAKAN 7/17

[Realtree]

KABETOGAMA-NAMAKAN - Gateway Store, Phil Hart, US Hwy 53 & Co Rd 122, 30 miles south of Int'l Falls-Canadian border, kabfishingreport.com (218-875-2121)

Tropical storm-type weather plagued anglers most of the week. Getting to and from fishing holes was a wet task for the most part. I applaud the anglers that got out; they did remarkably well on walleyes in spite of the wind. Leeches and crawlers are still the best bait. Lindy-type rigs or bottom bouncers are still your best presentation. Some anglers swear by a spinner, others plain hook. Getting your baits in a school of hungry fish is the key; mornings and evenings have been the best time of day for walleyes. A slow presentation, something less than 1 to 2 miles an hour, has been working. Namakan anglers, using lots of crankbaits on well-defined break-lines, are doing well. Both walleyes and bass are responding. Northern pike were either elusive or not fished hard??not many reports or pictures received this week. Reef structures are the best choice for walleyes this coming week??depths on either side of 26? should work. My favorite picks this week would be center reef on West Kabetogama; Chase Island, and Headlight Island on mid-Kabetogama; and the deep pockets found by Green and Larkin Islands on East Kabetogama. Namakan Lake should offer plenty of choices; most navigational markers are located on some nice reefs or bars that have good drop-offs for both walleyes and bass. Northern pike are in and out of the weedy bays; often times lurking in adjacent deep waters. Smallmouth are satisfying their hunger with crayfish??look for these guys on rock ledges and gravel bottom areas where crayfish are abundant. Artificial lures, imitating crayfish, are working well; as are Heddon torpedoes up near the weeds and shallows. Have a good week; bring buckets for blueberries, picking is still good.