Spent four days in the northwoods with a buddy who lives in Vilas county. We decided to explore some new water this year.
Birch Lake-Clear brown water. Variety of habitat- reeds, rocks, some weeds, mid-lake bars. Lot to learn. We saw two in the 32-33 inch range under a partly cloudy sky and NW blow. Water 67.5 . I would come back to this lake.
South Turtle- Clear brown water. More weeds than Birch, but a lot of old milfoil. Fish were on the cleaner edges or rocks. Buddy got a 30 incher on Top Raider, we saw one other about same size. Water 68.5. Again a wide variety of habitat, good lake.
Ballard- Clear to slight green tint. Shallow, weedy, lots of pig-tailed emergent stuff that was hard to fish cleanly. Some areas of clean cabbage. Saw one thick spotted fish around 40 inches and had one around 30 inches try to eat both of our spinnerbaits at once but we managed to leave him unhooked. Again these fish were in areas where the weedline was more narrow than broad. Early season water or later when cold water thins out the weeds a tad.
Harris- Clear water. Great looking weeds, milfoil shallow, cabbage out deeper. Extensive reeds, deep basin, not as highly contoured with bars as many lakes, but does have a variety of interesting stuff. Saw one around 34 inches, took 3 northerns. I would come back to this lake.
Big (near Boulder Jct.)- Clear green water. Fished it successfully in the past, a great lake with a variety of habitat. An off-day, warming and the two fish we saw were lethargic.
Clear (Manitowish chain)- Clear green water with an algal bloom. Fished it with warm conditions and not a breath of wind. Not a sign of life in the weeds, finally got a good smallie to crush a Mud Puppy on a steep shaded shoreline. The lake is a keeper, we fished it successfully oin the past.
Crab- Clear brown water, fished it twice for smallies with the kids. Rocks, boulders, and nasty reefs. A load of little smallmouths on tube jigs, just like bluegill fishing, with a couple of little walleyes thrown in. Water 70 degrees. The smallies are muskie forage, and my buddy has seen three hooked smallies get crunched by muskies, one of which they netted when it wouldn't let go of the bass.
Osprey, eagles, deer, pileated woodpecker, and loons made for a nice if not muskie-filled vacation with the family. Most lakes we had pretty much to ourselves except Clear, which had five walleye boats on it.