Wisconsin fishing reports 04/18/08

[Lee Borgersen]

Algoma Area    ( top )

Algoma Area

Steelhead are hitting on the Kewaunee and Ahnapee rivers, and Silver Creek and Stoney Creek. Spawn, spinners, or spoons will work. Action on Lake Michigan is picking up, and seems to be “weather permitting.” There continues to be good opportunities for brown and rainbow trout closer to shore.

Thursday, April 17, 2008 9:02 AM CDT

Ashland Area    ( top )

Ashland Area

Ice out over deeper water is just about gone, but ice fishing at the river mouths and in front of Washburn and Ashland and at Second Landing was still O.K. for those walking out. Boats have started fishing Saxon, and probably will be out off the south shore soon. Watch for drifting pack ice if fishing open water. Don't expect the smelt before the third weekend of April. Call for ice-out reports.

Thursday, April 17, 2008 9:02 AM CDT

Boulder Junction Area    ( top )

Boulder Junction Area

Cold and snow has put the arrival of spring into retreat. There are still no lakes that have opened up, in fact upwards of 30 inches of ice remain on some lakes.

Thursday, April 17, 2008 9:02 AM CDT

Eagle River Area    ( top )

Eagle River Area

Ice fishing continues - anglers are going out in droves, drilling lots of holes, moving about, and having excellent success with panfish. The bluegill bite has come on strong. Fish around weeds in 15 feet of water or less. Some nice bluegills are being caught. Crappies are in up to 35 feet of water and will suspend at different depths over and around structure. Use a minnow on a small jig under a slip bobber. Best jig colors are chartreuse and orange. Perch are hitting in two different areas - over mud flats in deeper water (35 feet or less), or in weeds in 15 feet of water or less. Use a waxie, spike, wiggler, or fathead.

Thursday, April 3, 2008 11:04 AM CDT

Green Bay Appleton Area     ( top )

Green Bay/Appleton Area

On Green Bay off of Oconto, the breakwater landing is open and boats are trolling a few hundred yards beyond the mouth of the harbor. The Stiles dam and “iron bridge” are getting the most use by anglers, but the fishing has been slow, but anglers caught a few walleyes by fishing very slowly with live bait.

Thursday, April 17, 2008 9:02 AM CDT

Hayward Area    ( top )

Hayward Area

Most lakes are now down to 16 to 18 inches of solid ice. Nearly all access areas have become unusable to any kind of vehicle traffic and some shorelines on the west and north sides of the lakes have begun to show some open-water areas. Anglers have had decent catches of perch, crappies and bluegills. Perch were still being found near the bottom in 12 to 18 feet.

Thursday, April 17, 2008 9:02 AM CDT

La Crosse Area    ( top )

La Crosse Area

Anglers came off the Mississippi River at the Genoa dam with nice catches of jumbo perch, numerous 30-inch northern pike and some decent walleyes. Wind hampered anglers.

Thursday, April 17, 2008 9:02 AM CDT

Lake Michigan Metro Area Lakes    ( top )

Lake Michigan/Metro Area Lakes

Flows are good on the Sheboygan and Pigeon rivers. Anglers fishing the Sheboygan near River Wildlife have been catching a few steelhead. Fishing off the piers has been slow. A few boaters have been fishing in the Sheboygan harbor, and they have been catching browns on crankbaits.

Thursday, April 17, 2008 9:02 AM CDT

Lake Winnebago Area    ( top )

Lake Winnebago Area

Walleyes and perch were biting in the rivers, but the cold weather shut that down. Fishing will pick up again as soon as it warms up.

Thursday, April 17, 2008 9:02 AM CDT

Madison Area    ( top )

Madison Area

Most of the ice is gone from the Madison chain, and guys are just getting out in search of panfish in the shallows. There have been a lot of crappies in the Yahara River and up into Cherokee Marsh.

Thursday, April 17, 2008 9:02 AM CDT

Manitowoc Two Rivers Area    ( top )

Manitowoc/Tow Rivers

In Manitowoc, anglers were catching browns up to 6 pounds from the north pier stub, the north side of the breakwater and the south pier. Anglers fishing just off the bottom from the breakwater also caught a couple big catfish. Boaters caught browns along shore and off of the marina's breakwater on crankbaits. Fishermen also found action on the Manitowoc River, at Lower Cato Falls Park, and on the West Twin and East Twin rivers.

Thursday, April 17, 2008 9:02 AM CDT

Marinette Area    ( top )

Marinette Area

Water levels are nearing the top of the banks on the Lower Peshtigo River. Water temperatures have not increased, staying in the high 30s. Walleyes were hitting on the Menominee River below the Hattie Street dam. In Peshtigo, fishing was slow, with some pike being caught, along with a few suckers. The ice is out of most landings and the Peshtigo harbor is open for about 500 yards.

Thursday, April 17, 2008 9:02 AM CDT

Minocqua Woodruff Area    ( top )

Minocqua/Woodruff Area

The area still has a lot of ice. Anglers will be able to ice fish for panfish for some time yet. A spot on Big Arb's south side measured 32 inches on April 1 and 27 inches on April 6. Crappie action has been very good, and bluegill action is also good.

Thursday, April 17, 2008 9:02 AM CDT

Nekoosa Area    ( top )

Nekoosa Area

As of early last week, water levels were still very low. With warm weather coming, the dam gate may be opened to get levels rising and fish moving up to the dam. Boaters are having excellent catches of walleyes. Many slot fish in the 20- to 25-inch range are being reported in the deeper holes downriver, and limits of “harvest” walleyes also are being caught. Shore fisherman are having a slower bite due to water levels and the lack of flow. Some are having success downstream in few areas early and late in the day. Most fish are being taken on jigs and minnows, river rigs, and Lindy rigs. Fish slowly.

Thursday, April 3, 2008 11:04 AM CDT

Prairie Du Chien Area    ( top )

Marinette Area

The main channel of the Mississippi and most of the backwaters are now open. The main channel is seeing some barge traffic. Bluegill, perch, and crappie action was spotty. There has been some decent perch fishing along the shorelines below the dams on the Mississippi River. Fishing below the Lynxville dam for saugers and walleyes was pretty spotty, probably due to the rising water. There were a few days when some very nice catches of walleyes and saugers were taken. The boat landing at Gordon's Bay is open.

Thursday, April 17, 2008 9:02 AM CDT

Price County Area    ( top )

Price County Area

Anglers still report a modest ice bite, but many anglers have packed the ice fishing equipment away.

Thursday, April 17, 2008 9:02 AM CDT

Sturgeon Bay Area    ( top )

Sturgeon Bay Area

Anglers trolling Lake Michigan off of Door County have been picking up some brown trout. A nice brown was caught by an angler wading the shallows off of Anclam Park in Baileys Harbor. Reports of some nice steelhead have been coming in from most of the tributaries. All of the harbors on the bay side remained iced over last week; however, ice conditions are dangerous. A least one very experienced angler went through the ice, but fortunately he was able to get out and the only injury was to his pride.

Thursday, April 17, 2008 9:02 AM CDT

Wausau Area    ( top )

Wausau Area

Walleye fishing is under way on the Wisconsin River. Work the deep pools and river bends with heavier jigs, tipped with fatheads. Anglers can still cash in on late-ice crappies and bluegills; they're taking rocker-style jigs tipped with waxies or spikes. There also are a fair number of crappies and a few jumbo perch hitting on tip-downs baited with small minnows.

Thursday, April 3, 2008 11:04 AM CDT

Wolf River System Lake Poygan Area    ( top )

Wolf River System/Lake Poygan Area

There has been some good walleye fishing. Most of the guys are catching walleyes on this end of the system. Not tubs full, but some nice size (good eaters). Water levels are very good, and the ice is completely out.

Thursday, April 17, 2008 9:02 AM CDT