Wisconsin fishing reports 03/07/08

[Lee Borgersen]

Ashland Area    ( top )

Ashland Area

Lake trout bobbing continues around the islands; it's good on some days and slow on others. Fishing has been best in 150 feet and deeper, with reports of some big fish being released, and plenty of smaller eaters to go around. Fishing has been good in the north channel, all around Hermit and Oak islands, and up between Stockton and Manitou islands. There is still unsafe ice between the north end of Madeline and Stockton, and west of Oak Island. Around the islands, the ice is 12 to 14 inches on average. Pressure cracks and lumpy pack ice are bad this year. ATVs are having trouble crossing cracks. There have been a few folks poking around near Cornucopia and Herbster. As usual, ice conditions vary day to day, and ice can blow out in a hurry. In the bay, splake and brown trout fishing near shore has been good. Machine travel inside the bay from Washburn toward the lighthouse and over to Second Landing has been good. There have been some trucks off Ashland and Washburn, but it's never advisable to drive on Lake Superior. 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, with a mixed bag possible on any outing.

Thursday, March 6, 2008 10:53 AM CST

Chetek Area    ( top )

Chetek Area

Fishing has been good in the Chetek area. Fishermen have reported good action on the Chetek chain. Before the game fish season closed on March 2, pike were being caught on weed edges in 8 to 11 feet of water. They were there because of all of the panfish hanging on the weed edges. Those panfish are still there, and locals are expecting the panfish action to pick up as the days get longer and the weather warms up. If nothing else, it will be more comfortable out there on the ice. Panfish action on the weed edges has been the best right away in the morning. If the bite slows down, move away from the weeds a little bit. If you don't find anything, move right into the weeds.

Thursday, March 6, 2008 10:53 AM CST

Eagle River Area Copy    ( top )

Eagle River Area

Crappies were hitting last week in 35 feet of water, or suspending over structure, such as cribs or brush piles. The crappies are at different depths, so anglers must work their way down from the top, until the fish are located. Use a crappie minnow under a slip bobber. Bluegills are in 15 feet of water or less in and around weed edges on the Eagle River chain. Use a small jig tipped with a waxie or spike. The perch can be found by using two patterns. The first is over deep water and mud flats - about 35 feet of water - or they're hanging in the weeds in 15 feet of water. Use a waxie, spike, wiggler, or fathead minnow. Panfish action should continue to improve as the cold weather comes to an end.

Thursday, March 6, 2008 10:53 AM CST

Green Bay Appleton Area     ( top )

Green Bay/Appleton Area

There were a few people fishing for perch out of the Oconto harbor last week. Most of the perch have been very small. The people who have been catching perch were fishing in about 18 feet of water. The perch seem to be biting the best on minnows and wax worms. There also have been a few northern pike caught on Green Bay by perch fishermen. There hasn't been much fishing occurring on Shawano Lake because of deep snow and difficult travel. There were some reports of walleye fishing on Larson's Reef or in that area, but it's tough getting around out there. The Fox River is still producing a few fish, but the action has been a little slow. Anglers are seeing fish on their electronics. It's just going to be a matter of time.

Thursday, March 6, 2008 10:53 AM CST

Hayward Area    ( top )

Hayward Area

For the first couple of weeks of the early catch-and-release trout season, the rivers are going to need a couple of weeks of warm weather to get rid of the ice. Snow depths aren't all that bad, but there is a lot of ice on the streams and rivers. Lake fishing for panfish has offered up a wide range of results. Overall, the fishing isn't bad, but anglers are going to have to visit several lakes to find active fish.

Thursday, March 6, 2008 10:53 AM CST

La Crosse Area    ( top )

La Crosse Area

With the early trout season under way, Coulee-region anglers are cautioned they may find that their favorite stream has completely changed after the flooding from last August. Not only have many streams been completely scoured by flooding, but some huge deep scour and blow holes have formed, especially below restricted areas like bridges. The depths of these holes may be deceiving, and they could present a danger to anglers who get too close to slippery snow-covered banks. Wading anglers also are cautioned that the newly formed rubble bottom may be loose, with steeper-than-normal descents into deep pools. Anglers may find themselves in deep water above their waders if they're not careful. Only artificial lures with barbless hooks may be used while fishing for any species of fish on trout streams during this early season.

Thursday, March 6, 2008 10:53 AM CST

Lake Michigan Metro Area Lakes    ( top )

Lake Michigan/Metro Area Lakes

In Washington, eastern Fond du Lac, and inland Sheboygan counties, fishing reports indicate that action slowed somewhat last week. Fishing should begin to improve as warmer temperatures begin to melt the heavy snow cover. Trout streams are pretty well socked in with snow and ice, and will likely not be very fishable the first week or so of the early trout season. Some good panfish action was reported from the north end of Long Lake near Dundee. A few bluegills and crappies also were reported from Crystal Lake in Sheboygan County. Anglers were catching panfish on Crystal Lake, Silver Lake (Washington County), and Little Cedar Lake near West Bend.

Thursday, March 6, 2008 10:53 AM CST

Lake Winnebago Area    ( top )

Lake Winnebago Area

The walleye season remains open year-round on Lake Winnebago, so Fox Valley fishermen are still pursuing the popular game fish. The best walleye action has been on the east side of Lake Winnebago in about 16 to 17 feet of water. Anglers are jigging spoons with minnow heads for those walleyes. Lake Winnebago perch have been scattered all over, but they're biting if you can find them. Most of the guys have been fishing near Wendt's Marina. The best bet lately have been white bass. They're moving in large schools, and they've been hitting jigging spoons, also tipped with minnow heads. If they're biting fast and furious, skip the minnow head and use spikes.

Thursday, March 6, 2008 10:53 AM CST

Madison Area    ( top )

Madison Area

There hasn't been a lot of fishing activity in the Madison area, but some guys were starting to move around. Bluegills were hitting along the university shoreline on Lake Mendota. Crappies and bluegills were hitting on Cherokee Marsh. Bluegills also were hitting on Lake Monona and Lake Waubesa in the usual spots.

Thursday, March 6, 2008 10:53 AM CST

Manitowish Waters Area    ( top )

Manitowish Waters Area

Perch continue to provide good action in the weeds in the shallow water on most area lakes of average depth. Crappies and bluegills are also starting to wake up a little bit. Fishing action will improve with each passing day. Keep moving around and punching holes - something good is bound to happen sooner or later.

Thursday, March 6, 2008 10:53 AM CST

Marinette Area    ( top )

Marinette Area

The perch action was spotty the past week, with only a few fish being iced at the Peshtigo harbor. There also have been a few anglers fishing for northern pike. Most of the pressure has been in the river itself, or out in the bay in about 10 feet of water. Success rates have been low, but a few northerns have been caught. Ice anglers had moderate success at the Lake Noquebay last weekend near Crivitz. Some sunnies and crappies were harvested. There were some trout anglers looking for open water for the early trout season, but anglers north of Amberg were still looking at streams that were snowed in and iced over.

Thursday, March 6, 2008 10:53 AM CST

Minocoqua Woodruff Area    ( top )

Minocqua/Woodruff Area

The weekend warmup was a welcome relief after several sub-zero mornings. Days with warmer temperatures and lower barometer readings helped the fish bite out considerably. Perch fishing has been good to very good, with the “deep bite” being the most consistent (on wigglers). Use No. 2 Swedish Pimples (copper, gold, orange), Forage spoons, or No. 25 Hali jigs to get down quickly in 20 to 38 feet of water over deep mud flats. Wigglers are very important because that's what these fish are eating. Red spikes are a distant second choice. When fishing weeds in 8 to 12 feet of water, go with small minnows (rosie reds have been hot on Big Arbor). A thin Rocker spoon or small plain hook with a lightly back-hooked minnow have been the best. Try Minocqua, Kawaga, Squirrel, and Big and Little Arb for perch numbers. Fewer, but nicer, fish have been coming off Lake Tomahawk. Crappie fishing has been poor to fair - weather dependent. If it's a cloudy day, fish all day. On high skies, fish at dusk. Plastics have been preferred on clear lakes. Use minnows on tip-downs on darker water (like flowages, or Little Arb). Bluegill fishing has been fair to good. When clouds move in, use No. 10 or No. 12 dark jigs tipped with waxies, mousies, or plastic. Deeper-water bluegills (12 to 14 feet) want brighter jigs in chartreuse, white, or glow. Work weed pockets in 6 to 10 feet of water. Minocqua and Little St. Germain lakes have been the best.

Thursday, March 6, 2008 10:53 AM CST

Prairie Du Chien Area    ( top )

Prairie du Chien Area

Ice conditions vary greatly throughout the area. Ice travel is dangerous in many areas, especially on the Mississippi River. Ice thickness ranges from less than an inch, primarily on the main channel, to more than 16 inches. Sloughs that have current flowing through them can be dangerous. Bluegill, perch, and crappie action was generally slow, but there were a few days where anglers found some pretty good catches. Cold Spring continued to be spotty. Anglers were still crossing over the Ambro Slough to fish Mud Slough and Tilmont Lake. Anglers were using a variety of baits, and on some days have to change colors frequently to find what's working. Some anglers ventured up to Fish Lake and the Lower Doubles where bluegill fishing also was slow. Action farther up at Little and Big Missouri and the Upper Doubles was slow, too. Ice conditions on the Ambro Slough upstream from the USFWS landing is a bit dangerous because of the feeder stream that enters the slough. The lower bottoms outside Prairie du Chien have not seen much activity due to access problems. Airboats or hovercrafts are the best, and safest, way to access this area. Some anglers have been fishing through the ice below the Lynxville dam for walleyes and sauger. There are plenty of coyotes roaming around, and some hunters are having fair success calling them into gun range.

Thursday, March 6, 2008 10:53 AM CST

Rice Lake Area    ( top )

Rice Lake Area

Crappies will be in the 20-foot range on the deeper lakes, and in the 12-foot range on shallower lakes. Anglers are having success, but they have to move around. There are the usual spots like cribs or drop-offs, but the crappies are drifting and there's no sure thing. The action can be furious when the crappies are located. Use a crappie minnow. Bluegills are providing good action in about 8 feet of water over sandy bottom or weed areas.

Thursday, March 6, 2008 10:53 AM CST

Upper Peninsula Report    ( top )

Upper Peninsula Report

Lake Gogebic fishing has seen some improvement this past week. Recent warmer weather brought out good numbers of anglers, and they found improved perch action in 22 to 27 feet of water, mostly when using wigglers and spikes. A few decent-sized crappies added to the excitement. Bluegill and crappie action on smaller area lakes has been excellent in 15 feet of water. Most anglers are using spikes and minnows. If past patterns occur this year, the perch action should continue to improve through the month of March.

Thursday, March 6, 2008 10:53 AM CST

Wausau Area    ( top )

Wausau Area

Local anglers are enjoying some of the best action in years. Walleyes and northerns have been very aggressive under the ice, striking on medium shiners and small sucker minnows. Work the shallow flats in 2 to 6 feet of water during the day for northerns, and at night for the walleyes. The walleye and pike season remains open on the Wisconsin River in the Wausau area. The panfish bite for bluegills and crappies has been outstanding. Fish the Wisconsin River backwaters for bluegills and crappies. Work mud flats in 8 to 12 feet of water, running tip-downs baited with small minnows, or jig small ice jigs tipped with spikes or waxies.

Thursday, March 6, 2008 10:53 AM CST

Wolf River System Lake Poygan Area    ( top )

Wolf River System/Lake Poygan Area

Ice travel is limited to ATVs or snowmobiles because of deep snow, but there has been some very good perch action at the mouth of the Rat River and at Pages Slough. There is a one-lane road out from the old Duck Inn onto Lake Poygan, but travel is limited. The weight of the snow is pushing ice down and water up onto the ice when you cut a hole.

Thursday, March 6, 2008 10:53 AM CST