Algoma Area ( top )
Algoma Area
On Oct. 16, DNR fisheries crews completed the chinook egg collection for 2009 hatchery production. The eggs are now in either the Wild Rose or Kettle Moraine Springs fish hatcheries. Crews harvested more than 3,000 chinooks from Strawberry Creek in 2008. The 2008 run is now in the downhill side. As expected, the quality of the chinooks for use as human food has started to decline, and crews don't anticipate any more chinooks from Strawberry Creek going to the food pantries this fall.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008 11:21 AM CDT
Ashland Area ( top )
Ashland Area
Trolling has been spotty. It may be because the bulk of the coho run is already in the rivers. There are still a few cohos in the lake, along with a few browns, splake, and steelhead, mostly from the Washburn shoreline north. Try trolling crankbaits off planer boards, small, bright spoons off Dipseys and shallow riggers, and even smaller flasher/fly combos. Shore casters are using spoons, large spinners, and soaking spawn and crawlers off the river mouths. Lake trout fishing is now closed. In the bay, bass fishing is improving. Fish are scattered in deeper water on structure. Jigging spoons, crankbaits, spinnerbaits, jigs, and Carolina rigs are all taking fish.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008 11:21 AM CDT
Boulder Juction Area ( top )
Boulder Junction Area
Water temperatures continue their seasonal drop. The smaller lakes have turned over; the larger lakes are still in various stages of turnover. Muskie and walleye fishing is expected to pick up as turnover nears completion. Grouse and woodcock hunters are reporting greater visibility in the woods, resulting in more birds in the bag. Woodcock are now near peak migration. Archery hunters are reporting scrapes and rubs becoming more prevalent. There have been reports of moose sightings in the area.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008 11:21 AM CDT
Eagle River Area ( top )
Eagle River Area
It's muskie time - there is a very strong and aggressive bite, and it's getting better each day. Hang 12- to 20-inch suckers in 8 to 12 feet of water over the weeds, and throw spinnerbaits and bigger bucktails over the shallow weeds in 5 to 8 feet of water. Northern action has been excellent, but most of the fish are on the small side. Fish shallow weeds, in 2 to 4 feet of water, using spinners and big sucker minnows. Walleyes were putting on a good bite in 15 to 20 feet of water. Fish the green weeds, and use a jig and a minnow. Lots of small fish were being caught. Crappies are hitting, and hanging out with the walleyes in 15 to 20 feet of water. Fish 1 to 3 feet off the bottom using a jig and a minnow.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008 11:21 AM CDT
Green Bay Appleton Area ( top )
Green Bay/Appleton Area
In Oconto County, good numbers of smallmouth and largemouth bass were being seen on inland lakes. There are many happy perch anglers launching from Oconto Park II and the Oconto Breakwater Harbor. Perch were being caught in 30 feet of water all the way down to 12 feet. Perch also were being caught from shore at the landings. Minnows have been working the best, with some nice fish upwards of 12 inches being caught. Salmon were still being caught at Oconto Park II on spawn. Salmon were up by the Stiles dam.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008 11:21 AM CDT
Hayward Area ( top )
Hayward Area
Water temperatures have continued to drop and were in the low 50s on most lakes. Muskies have once again been providing the most consistent action. Most muskie anglers have been dragging suckers around and have been seeing quite a few fish. There have been no reports of any large fish, but quite a few 32- to 38-inch fish have been landed. Some anglers have been throwing baits and have had the best action on the sunny and warmer days. Walleye fishing has been inconsistent; some days have provided good action on smaller walleyes, while other days have found that bites were even hard to come by. Large fathead minnows fished below slip bobbers, on jigs, or bare hooks dragged along the bottom have been the best walleye method.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008 11:21 AM CDT
La Crosse Area ( top )
La Crosse Area
Woodcock have been filtering into the area. Bottomlands along the Kickapoo River are prime areas to hunt for these birds. Most wood ducks have migrated from the area. Typically, by the third week in October most wood ducks have departed Wisconsin. White pelicans numbers are declining in the La Crosse area. The first tundra swans arrived during the past two weeks. Large numbers probably will not show up for a couple weeks, and peak numbers probably will not be reached until mid-November.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008 11:21 AM CDT
Lake Michigan Metro Area Lakes ( top )
Lake Michigan/Metro Area Lakes
In Sheboygan, pier fishing has been slow, but anglers in the marina have been catching a few kings on spoons. In the Sheboygan River, some chinooks and browns have been caught at Kohler dam and in Esslingen Park.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008 11:21 AM CDT
Lake Winnebago Area ( top )
Lake Winnebago Area
The DNR released 120 pheasants, all roosters, at Eldorado Marsh Wildlife Area last week. Another 60 birds were released at Mullet Creek Wildlife Area in Fond du Lac County. Pheasants will be released on a weekly basis until early December. Perch, crappies, bluegills, and white bass are taking minnows and worms in about 6 to 12 feet on the Fox and Wolf rivers. Casting crankbaits in pockets and weedbeds along the shores of Winnebago is producing some smallmouth bass and walleye action. Some good walleye fishing also was reported in the Winneconne area.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008 11:21 AM CDT
Madison Area ( top )
Madison Area
Quite a bit of fishing has been going on around town. Crappies were suspended on Lake Mendota, and smallmouths were up tight to shore in shallow water. Northern pike action was found in University Bay and at Fox Bluff. Walleyes have been hitting after dark, and a few anglers are catching them by wading the shorelines. Lake Monona has been giving up a lot of bluegills on bobbers and small jigs in Monona Bay. Panfish also are hitting all over Lake Waubesa. Kegonsa had been showing some perch action.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008 11:21 AM CDT
Manitowoc Two Rivers Area ( top )
Manitowoc/Two Rivers Area
Pier anglers around Two Rivers had slow fishing last week. Anglers fishing on the East Twin River experienced a good week of fishing. Angler pressure was concentrated around the Mishicot dam and the Village Park area. Anglers were landing cohos, with a few brown trout and chinook salmon mixed in. On the West Twin River, anglers had a fair week using spawns sacs or fly-fishing near the Shoto dam. In Manitowoc, anglers had a fair week near the marina or the north pier. Salmon anglers had mixed success in the harbor on chinooks. On the Manitowoc River, salmon anglers had a fair week, with fishing activity concentrated around Mill Road, Manitou Park, and Union Road.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008 11:21 AM CDT
Marinette Area ( top )
Marinette Area
The early antlerless deer season in parts of Marinette County did bring out hunters eager to get an early start on deer hunting in 51A and 51B. Close to 100 antlerless deer were registered at the T&B station in Crivitz. Fishing pressure has been light. Anglers continue to catch good numbers of chinooks in the Menominee River, Peshtigo River, and at Little River. Spawn and spoons are working well. A few walleyes are being caught on the Menominee River, by those trolling at dusk and into the evening.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008 11:21 AM CDT
Minocqua Woodruff Area ( top )
Minocqua/Woodruff Area
Lakes were holding surface temps of 49 to 52 degrees, and fishing pressure dropped as more sportsmen turned to deer and grouse hunting. Muskie action is very good. Much of the action has been on suckers on quick-set rigs, though crankbaits and jerkbaits also are doing well. Weeds have held most fish as of this report, though as water falls into the 40s, start searching deeper grass flats in 15 to 25 feet. Walleye action was improving. On lakes with more than a 25-foot maximum depth, work mud/gravel transition zones in 22 to 40 feet of water with large fatheads on heavy vertical jigs. Try Lindy rigging redtail chubs for bigger fish. On shallower lakes, slowly jig small redtails in weeds in 6 to 10 feet. Pike action has been good on large chubs or crankbaits in weeds.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008 11:21 AM CDT
Prairie Du Chien Area ( top )
Prairie Du Chien Area
Perch were still taking live bait on jigs worked quickly through the weeds in shallower water. Perch and white bass action has been spotty. Largemouth and smallmouth bass fishing was kind of slow. Some of the best action was found near weed edges, flats, underwater points, and in the timber. Walleye and sauger action was spotty, too. Some decent action was reported on some wing dams, deeper sloughs, and near the dam at Lynxville. Anglers are trolling crankbaits along wing dams, flats, or drop-offs along the main channel or dead lining or casting jigs tipped with crawlers. Northern pike action was slow. Duck hunters on the Wisconsin River found there were still plenty of wood ducks. Some mallards, gadwall, and teal also were taken. Many areas in the Wisconsin River bottoms still hold decent water levels. Mississippi River duck hunters found duck numbers varied with location. Duck hunters in the Prairie du Chien area found the going spotty with wood ducks, mallards, pintails, and teal included in some hunters' bag. Hunters up the Ambro Slough complex report spotty action and low water. Up in Pool 9 (Lynxville and Ferryville) hunters saw good to spotty action. The islands from Lynxville to Lansing saw fair action on Canada geese, mallards, teal, and other dabblers. Hunters that walked in from Rush Creek, Sugar Creek, and Copper Creek found pretty good numbers of ducks using those areas.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008 11:21 AM CDT
Sturgeon Bay Area ( top )
Sturgeon Bay Area
There were still good numbers of chinooks swimming in the Sturgeon Bay canal, as well as in all harbors on both sides of the peninsula. Smallmouth action was on the slow side; the deeper waters off of the points were producing a few smallies on tube jigs and grubs. Shore anglers at the Stone Quarry County Park caught a few smallies. Walleye fishing was slow. The best bets for walleyes were at Sherwood Point, Henderson Point, Dunlop Reef, and the flats, along with the shoreline off of Potawatomi and Peninsula state parks, and around Washington Island. Crankbaits and crawler harnesses were the best bets. The muskie and northern pike bite has slowed slightly. The pike seem to be biting better in deeper water, while the muskies were biting better in shallower water near weedbeds or drop-offs.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008 11:21 AM CDT
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Topic: Wisconsin Fishing Reports 11/01/08 (Read 1989 times)
