Wisconsin Fishing Reports 1/11/09

[Lee Borgersen]

Ashland Area | Beaver Dam Area | Big Green Lake Area  | Boulder Juction Area | Eagle River Area | Hayward Area | Lake Michigan Metro Area Lakes | Lake Winnebago Area | Madison Area | Manitowish Waters Area | Minocqua Woodruff Area | Price County Area | Upper Peninsula Report | Wausau Area

Ashland Area    ( top )

Ashland Area

Ice conditions have not changed much. Recent reports were that there was an average of 8 to 12 inches of ice off Ashland, and out toward the lighthouse. Washburn out toward the lighthouse had around 4 to 8 inches of ice. North of Houghton Point, what ice is there is just pack ice held together by skim. Guys were poking around on it, but it is thin, and it's not recommended anglers go on it. There are some large drifts and slush holes, but most snow is hard-packed and traveling is decent. Ice is much thinner under big drifts, so use caution and check the ice as you go. Fishing has been decent - a mixed bag of trout, walleyes, northerns, perch, and whitefish all have been reported. Ice fishing is also occurring on all of the inland lakes, with up to 12 inches of ice reported on most waters. There still are some thin spots in areas, and on certain lakes. Most inland reports have been for bass, panfish, northerns, and walleyes, with mixed results.

Wednesday, January 7, 2009 3:15 PM CST

Beaver Dam Area    ( top )

Beaver Dam Area

Ice conditions on Beaver Dam Lake were in good shape as of last week - anglers were driving out with ATVs and snowmobiles. Walleye and panfish action was running above average as of last week.

Wednesday, January 7, 2009 3:15 PM CST

Big Green Lake Area     ( top )

Big Green Lake Area

The bays and the east end of Big Green Lake were iced over as of last week, but the main lake was still open. Anglers were getting out on the bays and catching panfish.

Wednesday, January 7, 2009 3:15 PM CST

Boulder Juction Area    ( top )

Boulder Junction Area

Bluegills and crappies are being caught over the tops of weeds near deep water, and on the weedlines. The walleye bite has been OK, with some scattered pockets of good action. Walleyes were relatively shallow yet and were being caught on rock bars and points - generally in 6 to 15 feet of water. Ice conditions are pretty good for the most part, but slush was appearing on most lakes ahead of last week's cold weather.

Wednesday, January 7, 2009 3:15 PM CST

Eagle River Area    ( top )

Eagle River Area

The excellent northern bite in the Eagle River area continued last week, with fish in 15 feet of water or less in and around the weeds. Use a large shiner or larger sucker under a tip-up, or use a jigging spoon. The better northerns were generally going 24 to 27 inches, with an occasional lunker hitting. Crappies, bluegills, and perch continue to hang together in the weeds. Fish in 15 feet of water or less, using a small jig tipped with a waxie, spike, or crappie minnow. Anglers have reported excellent action. The walleye bite continues to be good. Fish contour edges in 25 feet of water or less. Use a tip-up with a medium shiner or sucker, or a jigging spoon tipped with a fathead minnow. The best walleye action has been at sunset.

Wednesday, January 7, 2009 3:15 PM CST

Hayward Area    ( top )

Hayward Area

Walleyes have been the primary target for most anglers and catches have been sporadic for the tip-up anglers. Some days have provided some good action on 12- to 16-inch fish, and other days produce just a couple of flags. With the thickening ice, the fish have moved to a little deeper water and the best depths are now in the 8- to 14-foot range. Good action has still been occurring over soft-bottom areas and around any deep weed edges, but hard-bottom rock and gravel drop-offs are beginning to see some activity, especially if they are near any weedbeds or mud flats. Medium golden shiners and suckers have been the preferred bait, and the last hour before dark has been the most productive time. Some angling pressure also has been seen for northern pike, and action could only be termed fair, as the cloudy and colder weather seems to have held their activity down. Large golden shiners fished near and over any green weeds have provided the best success.

Wednesday, January 7, 2009 3:15 PM CST

Lake Michigan Metro Area Lakes    ( top )

Lake Michigan/Metro Area Lakes

In Sheboygan, the river was iced over and unfishable in most areas. Ice was forming in the harbor too, but there were still pockets of open water.

Wednesday, January 7, 2009 3:15 PM CST

Lake Winnebago Area    ( top )

Lake Winnebago Area

Fishermen started picking up more perch and walleyes on Lake Winnebago last week. Anglers on Lake Poygan have been having some success with walleyes at Herbst landing. The Lake Butte des Morts channels were seeing some bluegill action.

Wednesday, January 7, 2009 3:15 PM CST

Madison Area    ( top )

Madison Area

There has been quite a bit of fishing going on as ice conditions have improved on all of the lakes. On Lake Mendota and Lake Monona, most of the effort has been concentrated on the bays. No one had ventured out over deep water on either lake as of last week. Anglers also have been poking around on Lake Waubesa for bluegills and a few crappies. The key to success has been first locating some weeds, but anglers are not finding weeds everywhere, so you have to do some searching.

Wednesday, January 7, 2009 3:15 PM CST

Manitowish Waters Area    ( top )

Manitowish Waters Area

Ice conditions were improving last week as cold weather settled in to firm up some of the slush that showed up after the December rain. Anglers were also doing well on walleyes, pike, and panfish on most any of the area's lakes.

Wednesday, January 7, 2009 3:15 PM CST

Minocqua Woodruff Area    ( top )

Minocqua/Woodruff Area

Despite the almost daily weather changes, fishing has been pretty good overall. Walleye fishing has been good. Obviously some nights are better than others. Set up by 3 p.m., because on most afternoons the bite starts by 4 p.m. Very early mornings also have been good. Be set up before light. Shiners are still the best for walleyes in 8 to 12 feet of water and cabbage. Choose suckers over mud and sand grass in 18 to 28 feet of water. Jigging also is effective. Use Chubby Darters, Rapalas, even Gulp Alive minnows. Fish to 26 inches were caught last week by jigging. Perch fishing also is good - not many limits, but anglers are taking home plenty for a meal. The best bites were weed-related in 7 to 10 feet of water. Wigglers, waxies, and minnows were working the best. The bluegill bit has been fair to good, with the best bites on overcast days. Use mousies or waxies over weeds. Crappie action has been fair to good. Tip-downs with minnows have been effective on days above 20 degrees. Use plastics and waxies on No. 10 Moon Glow jigs, or No. 8 Rockers in 8 to 12 feet of water near cabbage. The pike run has been fair, with some nice fish caught on large shiners over 6 to 10 feet of water near weeds.

Wednesday, January 7, 2009 3:15 PM CST

Price County Area    ( top )

Price County Area

Walleyes, crappies, and bluegills have been active on Butternut Lake. Not surprisingly, the best walleye action has been coming early and late in the day. The trout action on Patterson Lake that kicked in last month has continued to hold up pretty well. Fishermen also are finding good action for most species on the Turtle-Flambeau Flowage. Ice travel is in good shape on the Phillips chain, and fishermen are logging plenty of success out there, too.

Wednesday, January 7, 2009 3:15 PM CST

Upper Peninsula Report    ( top )

Upper Peninsula Report

Lake Gogebic fishermen have come alive after all of the below-zero temps. Recent mild temperatures have not only brought out the fishermen, but also increased water and slush on the ice. There have been reports of a few ATVs out there, but snowmobile or foot travel is still the best. Mild temps will decrease the snow pack and will firm up again as cooler temperatures arrive. Walleye action has been good at dawn and dusk when anglers use both jigging Rapalas or spoons and tip-ups baited with sucker minnows. Northern pike will offer some activity during the day. Concentrate on the 6-to 12-foot flats around weeds - even throughout the night expect action. Only a few perch have been reported, but this will pick up as soon as anglers begin to target them during the day.

Wednesday, January 7, 2009 3:15 PM CST

Wausau Area    ( top )

Wausau Area

The walleye bite has been fantastic in the area. The bite on suspended fish has, for some reason, been very good for this early in the winter. This bite is usually a late-winter pattern, but anglers are finding big walleyes suspended over deep water. Tip-ups baited with golden shiners are working best right now. The northern bite has been outstanding. Lots of big northerns are being taken on tip-ups baited with golden shiners. Shallow flats in 2 to 4 feet of water are the best areas to target. Look for any structure and set up within 2 to 3 feet of it. The panfish bite has been as good as it can get. Limits of crappies and big bluegills are being taken daily. For the crappies, look for water in the 10- to 14-foot range and run tip-downs baited with small minnows set at different depths, usually 2 to 4 feet off the bottom. While fishing with the tip-downs, you can either target bluegills or crappies by fishing with a small teardrop ice jig on a light pole set up with 2- to 4-pound test. Use a flasher to locate active fish and then lower the bait into the strike zone. Tip your ice jig with either waxies, mousies, or spikes to make it more appealing.

Wednesday, January 7, 2009 3:15 PM CST