Wisconsin Fishing Report 8/14/09

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NORTHERN REGION - Brule River State Forest - Summer certainly feels like it is here.
Temperatures in the upper 80s are bringing many people out to cool off in the area lakes and
rivers. The Bois Brule River is still flowing lower than normal at 103 cfs (cubic feet per second). The
64 year average is 131 cfs.

Bayfield County -- This week DNR fisheries staff are conducting a survey in Bark Bay, Lake
Superior. In-stream habitat rehabilitation has improved portions of the Bark River http://dnr.wi.
gov/wnrmag/html/stories/2005/dec05/fish.htm, an important Lake Superior tributary which flows into
Bark Bay in Bayfield County. The improved in-stream habitat may increase the potential that a
healthy population of "coaster" brook trout could be built up in the river, with a portion of them
eventually using Lake Superior for a portion of their life. The DNR fish crew is setting nets to survey
the present fish community of Bark Bay and determine potential impediments -- like predators or
competition with native and nonnative fish species -- that coaster brook trout may face in Lake
Superior. Brook trout that inhabit Lake Superior for a portion of time are generally considered
coaster brook trout. These trout generally grow larger because of the more plentiful food supply in
the lake.

Upper Chippewa Basin fisheries report (Price, Rusk, Sawyer Taylor and inland Ashland and Iron
counties) - Summer has finally come, if only briefly, to the Northwoods. Air temperatures in the mid
to upper 80s over the past several days have finally raised surface water temperatures to the upper
70s, which should cause several changes in fish behavior. Larger northern pike (over 24 inches)
that have remained in the shallow weeds all summer should finally retreat to the cooler water they
prefer at greater depths. Muskies that actually prefer the warmer water may finally start hitting top-
water lures with their usual mid-summer vengeance, especially at night in lakes where other forms
of recreation force the bigger fish to lay low during the daytime. Largemouth bass should be even
more attracted to the shady undersides of logs and fallen trees near moderately sloping shorelines,
but look for them to cruise the shallow weeds at dawn and dusk. Smallmouth bass won’t venture far
from the shade of boulders, logs, and shade-producing weeds at depths of 6-12 feet. Both bass
species should hit top-water lures at dawn and dusk with greater enthusiasm than they did when
surface temperatures were stuck at around 70 degrees. It is now the “dog days” of summer for
walleyes, which have so much natural food at this time that catching them is a challenge. Slowly-
fished live bait should yield the most action at all but the most active dawn/dusk feeding periods.
Bluegills and crappies of preferred size will be concentrated around deep-water structure in the
daytime, where live bait or vertically fished jigs can take a limit of fish. But panfish will make dawn
and dusk movements into sparse weeds in 5 to 10 feet of water where they can be caught quickly
on small beetle spins (when active in low light) or worms (bluegills) and minnows (crappies) while the
sun is still shining brightly. Don’t overlook the fun of fly-fishing with dry flies or poppers for big
panfish during the half hour before dark when many insects are hatching and fish are boiling at the
surface.

Flambeau River State Forest - Both the north and south forks of the Flambeau are low.

Woodruff DNR Service Center area - Fishing activity has backed off a bit lately. Panfish can still be
found in the deeper water weed lines with walleye action best very early mornings on the bigger
clear water lakes.

NORTHEAST REGION - Manitowoc County - In the Manitowoc and Two Rivers area, trout and
salmon anglers had an alright week of fishing. Pier fishing was better midweek and slowed down
over the weekend coinciding with the thunderstorms that moved into the area. Anglers had to
contend with some strong winds and high seas creating difficult trolling conditions on Lake
Michigan. In between unfavorable fishing conditions anglers had some success fishing the piers and
trolling shallower water depths landing some quality sized fish. In Manitowoc most boat anglers were
trolling between 20 to 60 feet of water. Many anglers were trolling with flasher and fly combinations
or spoons. Some large catches came off green and orange J-plugs. Most success was reported
near sunrise and late afternoon. Anglers had a slower week of fishing off the north and south piers.
Most anglers were casting 3/4 oz. spoons with reflective green, silver, or blue. Few anglers fished
off the bottom with alewife. The average chinook landed off the piers ranged from 15 to 18 pounds.
A few nice Skamania strained rainbows were also caught off the piers ranging from 11 to 13
pounds. Perch anglers had another fair week with a couple good days that produced nice sized
perch ranging from 6 to 10 inches. Perch anglers had success fishing off the rocks in the marina or
off the north pier stub. Most successful anglers were rigging up with a minnow or crab tail with a
bobber. In Two Rivers anglers were also trolling shallow anywhere between 15-45 feet of water.
Many boat anglers were trolling to the north along the Point Beach Park and toward the nuclear
power plant. Boat anglers were running planner boards, dipsy divers, downriggers, and lead core-
line. Glow in the dark spoons and J-plugs were producing some nice catches. Boat anglers on
average had catch sizes ranging from one to five fish. Catches were dominated by chinook salmon
and rainbow trout with fewer coho salmon and lake trout landed this week. Chinook salmon ranged
from 12 to 20 pounds and rainbows were ranging from 5-10 pounds. On the piers anglers were
spread out during the week on the north and south pier. Anglers were casting bright colored spoons
and deep diving stick baits producing some nice sized chinook salmon and rainbow trout. One
angler fishing the south pier on Wednesday afternoon landed a really nice brown trout weighing in
at 12 pounds.

Kewaunee County - Weather this past week continued to be a little cooler than average, but some
rain finally moved in at the end of the week. Winds remained out of the west at the start of the week,
but the storms at the end of the week helped to bring the winds out the east. Anglers have been
reporting some success casting spoons for trout and salmon off of the piers in Algoma and
Kewaunee. The fish are mostly being caught during the night with a few being caught during the
day. Anglers that have been going out on the lake had some good fishing to start this week, but
things slowed down during the middle of the week and remained slow through the weekend. Kings
and steelhead still account for most of the catch with there being more kings than steelhead being
caught. Anglers have found that the fish are still holding closer to shore and as such they are
finding fish in shallower waters. Most fish are being caught in water depths between 30 and 70 feet
with most anglers fishing over water that is in the 75 to 125 feet range. Water temperatures out on
the lake this past week have been in the middle to upper 40s. Most anglers have been using a
combination of dipsy divers and flashers and flies, but spoons and J-plugs have also been having
success as well. The most common colors seem to be either a bright green or blue.

Oshkosh DNR Service Center area - Anglers out night fishing this week have had a great show of
meteor showers. Reports of large gizzard shad hatches in the bays of Lake Winnebago are still
coming in. Dawn is the best time to be out catching fish. The most success may be found fishing the
wood, or along any type of structure. Blackberries and wild rice are ripening. Wildlife staff
eradicated black locust from the Mullet Creek Wildlife Area this week. This species was most likely
planted for soil erosion control or for firewood before the property became a State Wildlife Area. It is
now generally considered a weed because it spreads prolifically by suckering. The much anticipated
"People of the Sturgeon" is now available for purchase on amazon.com and the Wisconsin Historical
Society website. Sturgeon for Tomorrow donated $25,000 towards publication costs to keep this full
color, 300+ page book at a very reasonable price for sturgeon enthusiasts.

SOUTHEAST REGION - Kettle Moraine State Park - Pike Lake Unit - Check out the new pier on the
accessible trail north of the beach area. This pier was donated by the Kettle Moraine Lions of
Hartford.

Ozaukee County -- People paddling and fishing on the Milwaukee River this week might encounter
what look like baby crocodiles but are actually young lake sturgeon making their way in the wide
world. On Thursday, July 30, DNR' fisheries staff released 760 lake sturgeon into the Milwaukee
River below the dam at Thiensville. Photos are available on the Fish Wisconsin Flicker Web page
[www.flickr.com/photos/fishwisconsin] (exit DNR). This is the first time there have been enough
fingerlings at the Milwaukee River Rearing Facility to stock-out early; typically, the young sturgeon
are stocked out in the fall after spending their first few months growing in a streamside rearing
facility. In 2009, like the first three years of the project, staff and volunteers at the Riveredge Nature
Center in Newburg provided most of the manpower to raise these sturgeon. Innovations in
improving water quality, fish health treatments and feeding protocols improved the early survival of
lake sturgeon. This allowed not only an early stocking of lake sturgeon to meet our 1,500 annual
goal but will also provide 1,000 fish to be stocked on October 3, 2009, as large fingerlings.

Lake Michigan fisheries team report: Sheboygan County - In Sheboygan anglers on the end of the
south pier have been catching chinooks and browns on spoons and alewives. Sheboygan trollers
have been taking mostly chinooks and a few rainbows, and the best catches have been in 40 to 70
feet of water on a variety of spoons and J-plugs.

Ozaukee County - Pier anglers in Port Washington have been catching a few chinooks and coho on
alewives and spoons, and shore anglers near the power plant have been taking browns. Trollers
out of Port have reported chinooks, coho, and browns taken 20 to 30 feet down in 40 to 70 feet of
water.

Milwaukee County - In Milwaukee boats near the Oak Creek Power Plant and at the boils continue
to catch perch on minnows. For Milwaukee shore anglers, McKinley pier has produced some late
night chinooks and coho taken on glow-in-the-dark spoons, and browns have been caught behind
the Summerfest grounds. Trollers out of Milwaukee have been catching chinooks, coho, and lake
trout have been taken in 35 to 55 feet of water.

Racine County - Shore fishing off the piers in Racine has been good, with chinooks and steelhead
hitting both spoons and spawn. Trollers out of Racine have been finding coho, rainbows, and
chinooks in as shallow as 20 to 30 feet of water right off the harbor, and out as deep as 70 feet.
Glow-in-the-dark spoons and J-plugs have been producing.

Kenosha County - In Kenosha brown trout fishing in the harbor has been hit-or-miss. On good days,
shore anglers have taken fair numbers of browns on spawn sacs or silver spoons. Kenosha trollers
have been catching chinooks, browns, and rainbows in as shallow as 30 to 60 feet of water off the
mouth of the Pike River.

SOUTH CENTRAL REGION - No Report.

WEST CENTRAL REGION - Black River State Forest – The Black River area received heavy rainfall
last Friday night.

Chippewa Moraine Ice Age State Recreation Area - Fishing has been good within the Reserve and
area lakes, even with lower lake levels. Panfish including crappies and bluegills of varying size and
largemouth bass have been caught.