07/10/2026
🎣 GUIDE'S CHOICE PRO SHOP: WEEKLY FISHING REPORT 🎣
Publish Date: July 10, 2026
Area Covered: Eagle River / Vilas County, WI
Thanks to Gus Mantey of Sug's Fishing Guide Service and host of Muskies On Tap and Andy Hendrickson of Hendo's Angling for the intel.
Current Water Conditions: A heat wave has hit the area! Combined with calm winds, high humidity, and zero cloud cover, our lakes have warmed up dramatically over the past week. Afternoon surface temperatures are already being reported in the low 80s, and the lakes are just starting to stratify very quickly.
⚠️ CRITICAL MUSKY NOTICE: PROTECT THE RESOURCE!
With afternoon surface temperatures climbing into the low 80s, we have entered a dangerous period for our native Musky population. Muskies struggle heavily with thermal stress in water temperatures above 75°F. Because natural reproduction is incredibly difficult for these fish and our local stocking numbers continue to decline, we are asking all anglers to exercise extra caution for the sake of the fishery.
Northwoods Musky Outlook (Insights from tournament angler and guide Gus Mantey, Sug's Guide Service & Host of Muskies on Tap Podcast):
"Summer peak has hit and it brought the heat. Muskies up until this point were at a good spot. Chewing daily to those that casted hard covering water with blades and topwaters. But now we have some mega heat. Small stained lakes or any sized shallow lakes are gonna be cooked for a few days. Clear, cooler water will be the play, as well as midnight to mid-morning will be the timing. It's gonna be a hot water period in the Northwoods, so please consider not fishing midday to sunset when it's the hottest. And if you fish the other cooler times, consider not measuring at all and even doing a water release. If you see red on the tips of the tails of the musky, then it is stressed. The lakes are just getting stratified and this all happened very fast with zero clouds and low wind. A lot of this will blow over with a good wind and some cool nights (hopefully soon)."
🐟 WALLEYE & CRAPPIE
Guide Andy Hendrickson of Hendo's Angling checked in this morning on his way out to a multi-species trip. He reports that while a good number of both crappies and walleyes can still be found holding inside the w**ds, the sudden spike in water temperature has put these fish actively on the move toward deeper water sanctuaries.
Where to Look: Focus your efforts on deep w**d edges, mid-lake humps, and deeper structure like cribs and downed timber.
Tactics to Cover Water: To locate roaming schools efficiently, try Lindy rigging, pulling crawler harnesses, or aggressively snapping Rapala Jigging Raps (or your favorite variation) off deep structure.
Bait & Rigging Selection: If you prefer live bait, crawlers, leeches, and minnows are all actively producing fish. For an incredibly reliable artificial setup that will catch fish all season long, tie on a Jack's Weedless Jig paired with either a Keitech Easy Shiner or a Rapala Crush City Mayor paddle tail.
🐟 SMALLMOUTH & LARGEMOUTH BASS
With surface temperatures pushing past the 80-degree mark, our local bass populations are reacting based on their unique summer instincts.
Largemouth Bass: The sudden heat has pushed these fish deep into heavy cover to escape the midday sun. Look for them tightly tucked under the shade of deeper docks or buried in thick w**d beds. Flipping soft plastics or throwing w**dless frogs into heavy slop will trigger a reaction strike.
Smallmouth Bass: Smallies are shifting heavily to their deeper summer haunts to find cooler water. Target deeper rocky reefs, mid-lake humps, and submerged timber. Crank a deep diving crankbait or drag a weighted tube past deep timber to trigger a reaction. A drop-shot rig tipped with a live leech early in the morning will also be your best bet before the sun gets high.
🐟 PERCH & BLUEGILL
With their spring spawning cycles completely finished and water temps soaring, panfish are locked into stable summer patterns, focusing heavily on deep w**d lines where forage and oxygen are plentiful.
Bluegills: Look for schools suspending tightly around deep w**d edges and submerged cribs.
Perch: Target the muddy or sandy bottom transitions immediately adjacent to deep structure or w**d lines.
Tactics: Vertically dropping a chunk of nightcrawler or a small live leech over deep structure is highly effective right now. Alternatively, slowly swimming a small Jack's Weedless Jig tipped with a downsized plastic through deep cabbage leaves will keep the rods bent.
🛒 Stop by Guide's Choice Pro Shop before you hit the chain this week to stock up on fresh live bait, deep diving cranks, weighted tubes, Jack's Jigs, Jigging Raps, and our full selection of Keitech and Crush City plastics! Stay cool out there!
