Wisconsin fishing reports 02/21/08

[Lee Borgersen]

Ashland Area    ( top )

Ashland Area

Lake trout bobbing around the Apostle Islands remains good. Fishing has been best in 150 feet and deeper, with reports of some big fish being caught and released, and plenty of smaller eaters to go around. Fishing has been good in the north channel, all around Hermit and Oak islands. There is unsafe ice between the north end of Madeline and Stockton, so use caution if traveling around over there. Elsewhere in the islands the ice is 8 to 12 inches on average. Pressure cracks and lumpy pack ice are bad this year. ATVs are having trouble crossing cracks. Closer in off Bayview Beach, splake and brown fishing near shore has been good on about 8 to 12 inches of ice. Machine travel inside the bay from Washburn toward the lighthouse, and over to Second Landing has been good. People are still fishing all over Chequamegon Bay, from Washburn south through Ashland, and east over to Second Landing. Fishing reports have been mixed - good one day, slow the next. As usual, a mixed bag has been reported.

Thursday, February 21, 2008 11:17 AM CST

Beaver Dam Area    ( top )

Beaver Dam Area

Anglers are still catching walleyes - on Beaver Dam Lake in the middle of the lake, and on Fox Lake in “the jug.” Fox Lake anglers are catching perch and crappies from the main part of the lake.

Thursday, February 21, 2008 11:17 AM CST

Big Green Lake Area    ( top )

Big Green Lake Area

The northern pike are still biting on Big Green Lake in 8 to 12 feet of water. A 10-pounder was brought in last week. A few lake trout are being found in 40 to 60 feet of water, but most of the fishing effort has been in deeper water. A few bluegills were caught in the bays. Anglers are waiting for the walleyes to kick in again.

Thursday, February 21, 2008 11:17 AM CST

Chippewa Falls Area    ( top )

Chippewa Falls Area

Fishing is in a lull right now. A few anglers are still catching fish because they work hard at it. A 44-inch pike was released on Half Moon Lake recently, and there were some bigger walleyes iced, so there still are fish being caught. Overall it has been a decent winter for ice fishing.

Thursday, February 21, 2008 11:17 AM CST

Eagle River Area Copy    ( top )

Eagle River Area

Northern pike continue to provide excellent action. Fish 15 feet of water or less in and around the weeds. Use a tip-up with a large golden shiner. Walleye action has picked up and can be quite good. Fish in 30 feet of water or less, targeting mud flats adjacent to hard edges. Use a tip-up with a sucker or a jigging spoon tipped with a fathead. It's an all-day walleye bite if you keep on them and are patient. Bluegills are providing good action. Fish around weeds in 15 feet of water or less, using an ultra-light rig with a spike or waxie. Perch are on mud flats just off the bottom in 30 feet of water or less. Use a small jig tipped with a wiggler, waxie, or minnow. The crappie action is average. Use a crappie minnow under a slip bobber.

Thursday, February 21, 2008 11:17 AM CST

Green Bay Appleton Area     ( top )

Green Bay/Appleton Area

The cold weather has tempered anglers' enthusiasm, but they were catching perch on Green Bay near Dykesville. Whitefish also were hitting on the east and west shores of Green Bay - some were being caught by perch fishermen, but there also are anglers who are now targeting whitefish. Many of those fish are being caught between Dykesville and Little Sturgeon on the east shore. Fox River walleye action is starting to pick up, with most of the effort showing up between the Hwy. 172 bridge and De Pere. The walleye fishermen on the Fox River also are catching whitefish in the river, which is very unusual.

Thursday, February 21, 2008 11:17 AM CST

Hayward Area    ( top )

Hayward Area

Things have been a little slow lately, but the fishing interest seems to be off more than the fishing itself, and all because of the cold weather. Anglers are catching perch all over on the big, deep lakes in the area. Walleye action has been decent, but anglers have had to go to deep water, working depths of 30 to 40 feet. Northern pike action has been fair, with most of the action in the weeds in 8 to 12 feet of water. Panfish action should pick up as soon as the cold weather breaks.

Thursday, February 21, 2008 11:17 AM CST

Lake Holcombe Area Lakes    ( top )

Lake Holcombe Area Lakes

There is plenty of ice and snow, and even a little bit of cold weather. The anglers who fish every day are staying on the fish and are having some luck on crappies on 18 to 20 feet of water on the Holcombe Flowage. Bluegill action has been a little spottier, but the action has been steadier in the bays than on the main lake. Walleye action has been hit and miss. Anglers are catching a lot of fish in the 14- to 18-inch slot, but not a lot of fish above or below the slot. Northern pike action has been decent, but the fish have been running small.

Thursday, February 21, 2008 11:17 AM CST

Lake Michigan Metro Area Lakes    ( top )

Lake Michigan/Metro Area Lakes

Pike fishing has been pretty good on Lake Okauchee in 10 to 14 feet of water. Walleyes are still hitting in shallow water on Pewaukee Lake, but panfishing on Pewaukee is a little more hit and miss. Travel is difficult because of all of the snow on the lakes. Anglers are even having trouble pulling a portable shelter around the lakes. Pike were hitting in “the kettle” on Nagawicka, but it's tough getting out there.

Thursday, February 21, 2008 11:17 AM CST

Lake Winnebago Area    ( top )

Lake Winnebago Area

Fishermen have been finding perch off and on, and the whitefish action has been slow. On good days, the perch have been active all along the west shore, but they are topping out at less than 11 inches. Most of the fishing has been in 10 feet of water, or out as far as 17 to 18 feet of water. If it's hot one day in a certain spot, it's been cold the next, so move around.

Thursday, February 21, 2008 11:17 AM CST

Madison Area    ( top )

Madison Area

There is a lot of snow on Lake Mendota, making foot travel difficult. There also is a lot of slush on the lakes, making ATV travel possible, but difficult. The perch just kicked in last week on Lake Mendota. Northern pike were hitting around Governor's Island. Bluegills are biting on Monona Bay and Squaw Bay on Lake Monona, along with some northern pike. Lake Waubesa has shown some bluegill action in the usual spots.

Thursday, February 21, 2008 11:17 AM CST

Marinette Area    ( top )

Marinette Area

Fishermen were starting to find some perch at the mouth of the Oconto River. The bay has a lot of snow, so travel has been difficult. A few guys were out there and were catching a few whitefish and walleyes. On the Bagley Flowage, anglers were catching bluegills, crappies, and panfish, and even a few walleyes and pike were hitting on Lake Noquebay. The turning basin in Marinette is giving up some walleyes, perch, and pike. Walleyes are hitting below the Hattie Street dam at night on Rapalas and minnows.

Thursday, February 21, 2008 11:17 AM CST

Minocoqua Woodruff Area    ( top )

Minocqua/Woodruff Area

It's been a little tough out there, but mostly because of the cold weather and snow, not so much a lack of fish. The bite has been less than stellar at times, but guys who have time to poke around are finding fish. Walleye action has been fair, with the best time being late afternoon and into dark. Fish deeper coontail edges and sand grass flats in 14 to 20 feet of water. Anglers focusing on deep, off-shore rock humps are using Chubby Darters and jigging Rapalas in larger sizes for nice fish to up to 27 inches. Pike action has been fair with a standard setup - 8 to 12 feet of water around cabbage, and use tip-ups with large shiners or suckers. The larger lakes, such as Big St. Germain, Flambeau, and Tomahawk, were giving up nicer fish over deep sand grass (15 to 20 feet). Perch fishing is fair. Locate the mud flats where perch are feeding and using wigglers on Hali jigs, pimples, or Genz worms. There is still some weed action in 8 to 10 feet on waxies or small crappie minnows.

Thursday, February 21, 2008 11:17 AM CST

Nekoosa Area    ( top )

Nekoosa Area

The cold weather has kept most of the fishermen indoors lately, so fishing reports have been light. Local fishermen have plowed access points at Monroe Park and the Petenwell county park. Anglers who have been going out were catching some walleyes and crappies on the Petenwell Flowage. Deep snow is making travel difficult.

Thursday, February 21, 2008 11:17 AM CST

Prairie Du Chien Area    ( top )

Prairie du Chien Area

Fishing interest has been pretty light because the cold weather has kept anglers off of the ice. Fishermen have been having some success between the bridges spanning the Mississippi in Prairie du Chien.

Thursday, February 21, 2008 11:17 AM CST

Price County Area    ( top )

Price County Area

The cold weather really put the kibosh on fishing interest, but the anglers who were still going were catching crappies and perch on lakes in the northern part of the county in 18 to 22 feet of water. The fish seemed to be preferring a soft bottom - minnows for crappies and spikes for perch. The walleye action right around Phillips has been OK for this time of year. A few guys were still getting limits, with a lot of 14- to 16-inch fish being caught. Northern pike action has been really good on the edges of any green weeds. Use golden shiners and put the minnow just below the ice. Some 30-inchers have been landed.

Thursday, February 21, 2008 11:17 AM CST

Rice Lake Area    ( top )

Rice Lake Area

Walleye action has picked up in the Rice Lake area. Fish in 14 feet of water, right along the weedlines, using a walleye sucker under a tip-up. It's a low-light bite. Northern pike are in the same general areas as the walleyes, but it's a daytime bite. Fish off of the weeds in 8 to 12 feet of water, and use a large shiner under a tip-up. There has been good action. Bluegill anglers are doing real well. Fish the weeds in 8 feet of water, using a Dot Rocker type of jig with a waxie. Some nice-sized bluegills are being caught.

Thursday, February 21, 2008 11:17 AM CST

Sauk City Area    ( top )

Sauk City Area

Fishermen were catching trout on Devils Lake last week, and panfish were hitting on Crystal Lake (mostly bluegills and crappies the last hour before dark). Fish Lake was giving up a few bass and northern pike on tip-ups baited with shiners.

Thursday, February 21, 2008 11:17 AM CST

Siren Area    ( top )

Siren Area

Fishermen are still catching bluegills on the south end of Big Clam and crappies on Big Sand and Viola lakes. Big Sand also has been producing a few walleyes. A 10-pound, 12-ounce northern pike came in recently, along with a 1-pound bluegill. Even though it has been cold, anglers have been catching a few fish. Interest is picking up among coyote hunters, and a timber wolf walked across Big Clam on Feb. 10 just south of the Hwy. 70 bridge.

Thursday, February 21, 2008 11:17 AM CST

Upper Peninsula Report    ( top )

Upper Peninsula Report

Lake Gogebic fishing has been up and down with the recent fronts moving through. Fishing reports have followed suit, depending on the day you were out. Quality perch continue to hit, but the lookers have outnumbered the biters. Wigglers over the deep mud continue to offer the best results. Sucker minnows and jigging Rapalas continue to produce good walleye action in either depths of 6 to 10 feet, or 22 to 26. The smaller area lakes are producing some fair catches of bluegills and crappies for anglers using spikes and small minnows. Ice conditions are excellent for travel, but mid-winter fish activity can be unpredictable at best.

Thursday, February 21, 2008 11:17 AM CST

Wausau Area    ( top )

Wausau Area

Instead of tapering off, as is usually the case at this time of year, the walleye bite in the Wausau area is getting steadily stronger. The evening and late-night bite has started to progress into an afternoon bite, and anglers are getting some nice eaters, with some fish hitting the 20-inch mark. While targeting walleyes, anglers also are picking up some very respectable northerns. Fish in the 28- to 36-inch range are relatively common. To target these walleyes and pike, run tip-ups in 8 to 16 feet of water, baited with golden shiners or sucker minnows, and suspend them about a foot to 18 inches off the bottom. Crappies and bluegills are hitting well, and some jumbo perch are showing up, as well.

Thursday, February 21, 2008 11:17 AM CST

Wolf River System Lake Poygan Area    ( top )

Wolf River System/Lake Poygan Area

Anglers were still catching walleyes and white bass around Indian Point on Lake Poygan. There were still a few perch being caught near the mouth of the Rat River.

Thursday, February 21, 2008 11:17 AM CST