The elevation behind the dam on June 4, 2014 at 9 PM was 994.59 feet. Water temperatures averaged out to 82.7 degrees for the week on bay areas with the upper river section at 74.6 degrees.

SUMMARY:
Fishing has been good over the past week for most species. Crappie and Walleye required some searching but could be found and some walleye anglers actually came away with their limit of fish. Largemouth and smallmouth bass are fishing very well with inconsistent patterns of activity.

CRAPPIE: Good
The crappie portion of this report is unchanged from last week and remains accurate. Crappie activity is good. Crappie can be found in large numbers in the backs of creeks under rip rap and laying on the bottom in groups. Crappie are going deep in many creeks as the sun gets high in the sky. Fish have been moving on and off of mud flats at different times of the day. Swann’s Marina area (behind the marina), the bridge piers on the main lake, as well as the shoreline downstream from Swann’s is fishing well but not as well as it normally does.

Try minnow and bobber, crappie flies, crappie spinners as well as trolling methods with minnows. Traditional methods are effective. Small Rapallas and jerk baits have been used this week with great success. Trolling remains the recommended method of attack for this week.

SAUGER/WALLEYE: Fair
These fish are more difficult to catch as they are disbursed across the lake and not confined to the river, although the river section is the logical area to seek them out.
The water has been very stained for the most part of the week and darker colors should be selected. Dark green, red or red and shad colored jigs should be used to fish moving water.

Try shadraps, Rapala Husky Jerks, Redeye Shad, stick jigs and a variety of spinner baits. There isn’t really any secret lures here as most of the baits are traditional and effective for sauger and walleye.

Best fishing should still be on the upper river from point 18 upstream to and above the Rankin boat ramp but remember that a very large population of walleye and sauger have moved downstream to the main reservoir.

BLACK BASS: Good
Bass are being caught at all points on the reservoir. Morning and evening finds both species on the shoreline and near the surface while late morning and bright sunny afternoons find them deep in channels, behind humps and off stony points.
Smaller largemouth normally can be caught against the shore all day long with the larger fish moving to the shoreline late day.

As stated, the bass fishing is sensational on Douglas Lake. Fish all the water. Fish shorelines primarily in the mornings and late afternoons, deep or in the water column mid day and try surface at sun up and just before sundown.

Traditional lures work. Shallow crank baits in the mornings or near cover and deep diving crank baits where necessary. As usual, green or chartreuse are colors of choice. Spinner bait choices are white with silver blades as well as purple or black with gold blades that were used to fish creek bottoms. Jerk baits were deadly on the creeks throughout the week.

WHITE BASS: Fair
White bass are still being caught, but fewer and fewer anglers are targeting them.
Primary place to look for this species would be from point 18 upstream as far as Rankin.
Some great lures to try for white bass are the Rat L Trap crank bait which should work well under trolling conditions. Worden’s Roostertails for shallow fishing has been an old standby. The Road Runner Bucktails work well for deeper fishing.