Pine Lake

Spent the holiday weekend at the cabin on Pine. Got in 3 decent fishing trips with my nephew. Saturday we managed a decent catch of pre spawn gills along a rocky shoreline. Sunday we did some searching and didn’t find much. Monday found some perch and crappie in 4-6’ of water with scattered weeds. Kept enough panfish for a couple meals. Had 2 hammer handle northern and one stocky 24” northern. Had a dozen bass with a mix of large mouth and smallies in the 8-10” range while panfishing. 60-64°F water temp and the new dam has good control of the water level. Weed growth is about normal for the time of year. Left a lot of usually fished water unexplored as the wind was a beast most days limiting where we could fish. Whitecaps are no fun. Back in 2 weeks for an 8 day go at it with my grandson. 

Fished Pine 6/8 - 6/12. Water level was up to normal levels and fairly clear. Temp was 62-66°F varying with the cold rains. 2 plus inches of rain the week we were there. Weed growth was near mid summer levels already. Some bluegill had spawned as evident by empty beds around the dock. Most success on mid lake rock structure with weeds present. The 8-10’ weed edges and deeper weeds held few fish. Fished mainly for panfish. Caught plenty of bluegill with enough 7-9” fish for a couple fish fries. Some perch with enough 7-8” fish for a few meals. Did not pursue crappie but caught one with spawn in yet. Many full of spawn gills that were released. Panfish leeches, worms and small minnows all caught fish. Incidental catches of bass. 10 or so 14-18” and dozens upon dozens of 6-12” bass. Equal mix of large mouth and small mouth bass. A 17” & 18” walleye and only 1 small northern. Also an oddity for the lake an 18” sucker. Lost 3 1/2 days fishing time to the weather. 2 1/2 days of rain and a 46°F day with 20 plus mph winds with whitecaps. Last fall the new dam at the headwaters of the Wolf River was completed. It appears the water level is more stable and being held at a good higher level. Have fished Pine for nearly 50 years. Years ago northern were overly abundant, a small mouth bass was a rarity, large mouth were common, crappies, perch and gills were abundant. The perch were usually small with an occasional eating size one here and there. Now the bass are abundant with an even mix of large and small mouths, Crappies are not as common, gills abundant as ever and the perch same as always. The occasional walleye also. Pics 18” large and small mouth and a meal of gills.