NHS FISH REPORT
Everything you need to know to plan your FISHING TRIP to Boulder Jct.
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Fish Report
Late Summer: August 25 – August 31
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LAKE CONDITIONS
The biggest story this week isn't the daytime highs—it's the overnight lows.
After several weeks of warm summer weather, much cooler nights are finally arriving across the Northwoods. While surface temperatures on many lakes remain warm, these cooler nights are beginning to slow the warming cycle and gradually pull heat from the upper layer of the water column. The change will happen fastest on the area's shallower lakes, while the deeper clear-water lakes will remain more stable below the thermocline.
Healthy green cabbage continues to be the foundation of the summer bite, but as water temperatures slowly moderate, expect fish to spend more time actively feeding and a little less time simply avoiding the midday heat.
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FISH REPORT
THE RECENT SCOOP
This is the first week we've seen weather begin working for anglers instead of against them.
The cooler nights are extending morning activity, improving evening bites, and should gradually lengthen feeding windows throughout the day. Fish aren't making dramatic seasonal moves yet, but they're becoming noticeably more comfortable.
Another trend we're hearing is that the best weed beds are no longer just green—they're full of life. Perch, young-of-the-year bluegills, and minnows are stacking up around healthy cabbage, and predators are following close behind.
On the deep clear-water lakes, suspended cisco continue dictating the movements of larger muskies and walleyes. If you're marking bait suspended over basin water, trust your electronics.
MUSKY - EXELLENT
Pattern: Musky fishing should benefit the most from this week's weather change. The combination of cooler nights and approaching weather systems should produce longer feeding windows than we've seen over the past couple of weeks.
Healthy cabbage remains productive, but don't ignore adjacent deep structure—especially on cisco-based lakes where suspended forage continues driving fish movement.
Top Tactics: Bucktails, topwater baits, and larger rubber presentations around outside weed edges and deeper structure.
WALLEYE - VERY GOOD
Pattern: Walleyes continue relating to outside weed edges, hard-to-soft bottom transitions, and deeper breaks during the day before moving shallower after sunset.
The recent cool nights should gradually improve daytime activity, particularly when combined with wind or overcast conditions. On clear-water lakes, continue watching your electronics for suspended baitfish.
Top Tactics: Leeches, crawlers, live bait rigs, and shallow stickbaits after dark.
PIKE - VERY GOOD
Pattern: Pike remain aggressive, and the cooler weather trend should continue improving the bite. Fish are holding where healthy cabbage meets deeper water, providing easy access to both forage and cooler temperatures.
Top Tactics: Spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, spoons, and larger swimbaits worked along outside cabbage edges.
PANFISH - VERY GOOD
Pattern: Panfish continue providing some of the most dependable action in the Northwoods. Bluegills remain active around healthy weeds, while crappies are holding near deeper cabbage, brush piles, and fish cribs. As water temperatures slowly moderate, expect schools to become even more active during daylight hours.
Mixed-species lakes like Allequash continue to be excellent choices for families and anglers looking for steady action.
Top Tactics: Small jigs tipped with waxworms, spikes, plastics, or crappie minnows.
Largemouth Bass - EXCELLENT
Pattern: Largemouth continue using healthy cabbage, lily pads, reeds, shoreline wood, and docks. The recent cooler nights have noticeably improved the early morning topwater bite, and fish are staying active later into the morning than they were earlier this month.
Top Tactics: Frogs, weightless plastics, chatterbaits, swim jigs, and wacky-rigged worms.
Smallmouth Bass - VERY GOOD
Pattern: Smallmouth remain dependable around rock, sand, and deeper transition areas. The cooler mornings are allowing fish to stay active longer before sliding deeper during bright afternoons.
Top Tactics: Tube jigs, Ned rigs, finesse swimbaits, and drop-shot presentations.
PRO-TIP FOR THE WEEK
As the season progresses, many fish are beginning to position just outside the main cabbage beds rather than buried in them. Before changing baits, make a few casts along the outside weed edge and the first break into deeper water. It can make all the difference this time of year.
Good luck this week, enjoy the changing season, and we'll see you at the shop!
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Northern Highland Sports Update
Best Catch Contest is OPEN!
Live Bait IN STOCK
Live bait available at store.
Small musky suckers
Redtail Chubs
Medium blacktail chubs
Tuffy Fatheads
Crappie minnows
Nightcrawlers
Redworms
Leeches
Waxies
Current Weather Data
Boulder Jct. Wisconsin
