Wisconsin fishing reports

[Lee Borgersen]

 Wisconsin Fishing Reports
Ashland Area | Beaver Dam Area | Chetek Area | Chippewa Falls Area | Eagle River Area | Green Bay Appleton Area | Hayward Area | La Crosse Area | Lake Michigan Metro Area Lakes | Lake Winnebago Area | Madison Area | Marinette Area | Minocqua Woodruff Area | Park Falls Area | Prairie Du Chein Area | Rice Lake Area | Siren Area | Wausau Area

Wausau Area

The walleye bite is very good, and it's very simple fish for them. Just set up near a deep pool on the Wisconsin River and work the bottom with a jig and a minnow. Anglers are picking up a few good-sized walleyes, too. The muskie bite is going well, with some big fish being released. Use large jerkbaits and soft plastics like Suicks and Bulldawgs in the rocks or along deep weeds. Go shallow early and late in the day, fishing 2 to 8 feet of water, and during the middle of the day target the deeper water, fishing 8 to 20 feet deep. Anglers also are picking up some really nice pike while working these areas. This is also the best time of the year to run live bait. A couple of quick-set rigs below and behind the boat will pick up any trailing or following fish. The panfish bite is good, but with the walleye and muskie bite going so strong, not many anglers are targeting panfish. The rut is here and big bucks are on the move. Target doe feeding areas or set up between bedding and known feeding grounds. Use your grunt tube or doe bleat to bring the big bucks in. A few soft bleats or a couple of soft grunts will more than do the job. Hunters will get more deer by being subtle.


Thursday, November 15, 2007 11:49 AM CST

Ashland Area    ( top )

Ashland Area

The bulk of the coho run is over. There are still a few stragglers showing up, but the flooding rains got most of the fish up the creeks. Trolling for splake and browns has been pretty good in shallow water near sand and rock transition areas. Most action has been from Washburn north, but some fish are still hanging out down toward the head of the bay. In the bay proper, fishing has been good for smallies, which are schooled up and hanging near deep wintering areas. Fall smallies love a ripped jigging spoon, but they'll also hit deep crankbaits, heavy spinnerbaits, and football jigs. Walleye and pike trollers have picked up some shallow fish.

Thursday, November 15, 2007 11:49 AM CST

Beaver Dam Area    ( top )

Beaver Dam Area

A few guys were out on Beaver Dam Lake last week and they were still catching some bluegills and crappies during the day, and a few walleyes at night. There has been more interest in hunting than fishing.

Thursday, November 15, 2007 11:49 AM CST

Chetek Area    ( top )

Chetek Area

Walleyes are being taken by fishermen who are drifting over some of the main lake points throughout the chain. Fishermen have been doing better when they can vertically jig through the schools of fish hanging on the points. Chetek chain northern pike have been active in the bays and on shallow sand points that have some weeds left on them. Bass fishing has been good on the Chetek chain. Walleye fishermen have been catching walleyes while they fish the points. Bluegill fishing has been spotty. Fishermen seem to be able to do OK by drifting for them. Waxies seem to be working the best. Crappie action has been good for the fishermen doing a lot of drifting and jigging off the bottom. Walleyes and northerns are being caught quite regularly below the power dam in Chetek.

Thursday, November 15, 2007 11:49 AM CST

Chippewa Falls Area    ( top )

Chippewa Falls Area

The game fish action has been fair, even with fewer anglers out on the water because of the wind and cold. Bass action on leeches and small minnows has been productive; walleye action has been good on live baits. Crappie action has been sporadic on a variety of baits. Deer activity is up; bucks are making appearances during daylight hours.

Thursday, November 15, 2007 11:49 AM CST

Eagle River Area    ( top )

Eagle River Area

Turnover is complete, and the fishing, while good, will get a lot better when there's a consistent drop in water temperature. Right now the fish are in a holding pattern. This has been an unusual fall season. Muskie action is OK, with fish being seen constantly, but the bite is not overly aggressive. There is no real pattern. Muskies generally are relating to structure (rocks, drop-offs, weedlines) in all depths, ranging from very shallow to quite deep. Anglers are having success rigging a sucker (12 to 14 inches) and letting it soak a few feet off the bottom, or using jerkbaits and plastics. All have been producing on about the same level, according to most angler reports. Walleye action is decent, but could get better before ice-up. Hit the sharp breaks and depressions in the main lake basin in depths from 15 to 35 feet. Northern are biting well. Fish 5 to 14 feet on the weed edges while using a minnow under a slip bobber. The perch are hitting around any type of cover in 4 to 8 feet of water.

Thursday, November 15, 2007 11:49 AM CST

Green Bay Appleton Area    ( top )

Green Bay/Appleton Area

Wind has been keeping most anglers off of the water, but muskie fishermen are still putting their time in on the Fox River for muskies. Gizzard shad have moved into the river, so the muskies should follow soon, but anglers were still fishing the lower bay last week. Perch are still hitting, but the wind has made it tough for anglers to get to them. Milder weather would help anglers tremendously.

Thursday, November 15, 2007 11:49 AM CST

Hayward Area    ( top )

Hayward Area

With the deer rut going full force, bowhunting has pretty much been the main form of outdoor recreation the past week (along with fair numbers of grouse hunters as well). There has still been some fishing, and muskies have been the main species of interest. Action has only been fair, with no reports of any exceptionally large muskies, and just a few catches of fish in the low 40-inch size. A few walleye anglers have still been trying their luck, but action has been slow. Most of the walleyes have been in the 12- to 15-inch size range, and the most productive bait has been a large fathead minnow fished under a slip bobber or on a bare hook dragged slowly along the bottom in 8 to 14 feet of water. Water temperatures have dropped to the mid to low 40s and ice cover is still several weeks away for most lakes.

Thursday, November 15, 2007 11:49 AM CST

La Crosse Area    ( top )

La Crosse Area

More duck hunters have been going out than fishermen. Duck hunters have been reporting good hunting on windy days. There are not a lot of fishermen going out because of the cold weather of late.

Thursday, November 15, 2007 11:49 AM CST

Lake Michigan Metro Area Lakes    ( top )

Lake Michigan/Metro Area Lakes

Shore anglers in Port Washington have been catching a few cohos and browns on spawn sacs and minnows in the harbor and near the power plant. Pier fishing has been slow.

Thursday, November 15, 2007 11:49 AM CST

Lake Winnebago Area    ( top )

Lake Winnebago Area

White bass action on the Fox River has been mixed, with action hampered by strong winds. The guys who caught fish caught a lot of fish, and those who didn't - well, they didn't catch anything.

Thursday, November 15, 2007 11:49 AM CST

Madison Area    ( top )

Madison Area

Fishing reports have been slim, but anglers have been seeing a little bit of muskie, northern, and walleye action on Lake Monona. On Lake Mendota, a few pike were being caught over the weeds at Governor's Island, Fox Bluff, and several other spots. A few walleyes were hitting crankbaits in shallow water toward dark. Crappies and walleyes have moved up into the river above Lake Mendota. Shore anglers are catching walleyes on the river up to Cherokee Marsh. Lake Waubesa also is giving up a few walleyes, along with some bluegills and crappies.

Thursday, November 15, 2007 11:49 AM CST

Marinette Area    ( top )

Marinette Area

Deer activity is increasing along roadways with decreasing daylight hours. Bowhunters have been making good use of the rutting action. Fishing activity is low on the Menominee River due to cold temperatures.

Thursday, November 15, 2007 11:49 AM CST

Minocqua Woodruff Area    ( top )

Minocqua/Woodruff Area

As good as things were for this past weekend, the coming week looks awesome for muskies. Surface temps were ranging from a low of 42 degrees on shallow lakes and flowages to nearly 50 degrees on the large lakes. Temperatures will soon drop as cold weather and a chance of snow will cool things off even more. Muskie action is very good and getting better. Sucker action has been tops, but fish were responding to Hellhounds, Smutly Dogs, Smity's, and Mantas. Fish are all over, with reports of fish as deep as 30 feet and as shallow as 6 feet. Fish up to 481/2 inches were reported, with most fish quite heavy for their length. Walleye action is good. A few bright-sky days made for tougher fishing, but anglers were able to catch their limits by slowly dragging redtail chubs on jigs. Flowages have been the best for walleyes, but also try Big Arb, Squirrel, and Minocqua.

Thursday, November 15, 2007 11:49 AM CST

Park Falls Area    ( top )

Park Falls Area

Cold temperatures and some snow arrived in the area last week, but a few anglers still have been fishing the rivers and lakes, though most pulled and stored their boats. Bucks are very active during daylight hours as the rut is under way. Archery hunters are finding bucks responding to rattling and grunt calls. Beaver and otter season opened, and trappers have been working in the wetlands. A few bobcat have been trapped and registered in the area. Hunters are finding some grouse in areas that were clear-cut in the past few years and have heavy aspen regeneration.

Thursday, November 15, 2007 11:49 AM CST

Prairie Du Chein Area    ( top )

Prairie Du Chien Area

Most of the boat landings on the Mississippi River are in good shape. The landings at Gordon's Bay, Lynxville, Cold Spring, Ferryville, Winneshiek, and Big Slough are pretty much weed-free. Bluegill action was kind of slow, but crappies were biting in many areas. Cold Spring heated up again late in the week for crappies, but was spotty all other times. Walleye and sauger action was good. Try fishing at Lynxville or farther downstream near the Harpers Ferry slough. Casting or vertical jigging One-Eyes has been productive. Walleyes and sauger are being located in deeper sloughs. The Roseau and Black sloughs have produced at times. Walleyes have been biting up in Pool 9 in the deeper backwater areas south of the Lansing dike. Wing dam action was fair. Some of the wing dams have produced some smallmouth bass, but the best action has been in backwaters adjacent to deeper water. Duck hunting was pretty average, even though more than 150,000 waterfowl were on Pool 9. Some hunters reported moderate action up in the Ambro Slough complex. The Lower Bottoms south of Prairie du Chien is now closed to duck hunting. Some areas of Pool 9 like the Copper Creek, Buck Creek, and Rush Creek bottoms had some good days of waterfowl hunting. Hunters in the bottoms of the Wisconsin River need to scout around to find active duck spots. Archery deer hunters are glad to see the colder weather. A lot of cornfields are being harvested, and the rut is in full swing.

Thursday, November 15, 2007 11:49 AM CST

Rice Lake Area    ( top )

Rice Lake Area

Muskie action is good, with fish up to 48 inches being caught. Depending on the lake, depths holding fish will vary from 4 to even 20 feet. Anglers are mainly using big suckers, suspending them off the bottom. Artificials like big plastics also are producing fish. Northern pike action is good, with fish up to 10 pounds not uncommon. Fish weed areas in 4 to 12 feet. Walleye action is OK, but it's nothing to write home about. Fish mid-lake holes and humps in 15 to 30 feet of water during the day, and then move shallower toward evening, fish break lines or weedlines in depths to around 12 feet. Use a jig and a minnow. Crappies and bluegills are still biting, but with hunting taking some of the attention, anglers are not really targeting them.

Thursday, November 15, 2007 11:49 AM CST

Siren Area    ( top )

Siren Area

Walleye fishing has been going OK in the area, with fish starting to come in a little bit shallower now that the water is cooling off. Fishermen have also tangled with a few muskies on live bait. Most of the walleye and muskie success has been on Yellow Lake or smaller area lakes. Deer hunting took off last week, with the rut under way. A lot of nice bucks recently have been taken.

Thursday, November 15, 2007 11:49 AM CST

Wausau Area    ( top )

Wausau Area

The walleye bite is very good, and it's very simple fish for them. Just set up near a deep pool on the Wisconsin River and work the bottom with a jig and a minnow. Anglers are picking up a few good-sized walleyes, too. The muskie bite is going well, with some big fish being released. Use large jerkbaits and soft plastics like Suicks and Bulldawgs in the rocks or along deep weeds. Go shallow early and late in the day, fishing 2 to 8 feet of water, and during the middle of the day target the deeper water, fishing 8 to 20 feet deep. Anglers also are picking up some really nice pike while working these areas. This is also the best time of the year to run live bait. A couple of quick-set rigs below and behind the boat will pick up any trailing or following fish. The panfish bite is good, but with the walleye and muskie bite going so strong, not many anglers are targeting panfish. The rut is here and big bucks are on the move. Target doe feeding areas or set up between bedding and known feeding grounds. Use your grunt tube or doe bleat to bring the big bucks in. A few soft bleats or a couple of soft grunts will more than do the job. Hunters will get more deer by being subtle.