Wisconsin Statewide Fishing report 11.8.10Along Lake Michigan, chinook numbers continued to decrease this week on the northern tributaries, but as expected this time of year, more coho salmon, brown, and rainbow trout have been caught. Anglers reported success on the Manitowoc, East and West Twin, and Kewaunee rivers. In the southeast, a mixed bag of chinook, coho, rainbows, and browns have been taken on the Sheboygan, Milwaukee and Root rivers.
Upper Chippewa Basin fisheries report (Price, Rusk, Sawyer Taylor and inland Ashland and Iron counties) - Water temperatures have been getting colder by the week and most lakes are reported to be in the upper 40-degree range. And along with erratic weather and colder water temperatures, fewer and fewer anglers have been venturing out. Musky continue to be the main species of interest and have been providing some fair to good action lately. Most of the musky anglers have been dragging large suckers around and have been seeing quite a few fish. No recent reports of any large fish, but quite a few 34 to 42-inch fish have been landed. Some anglers are still throwing artificial baits and have been experiencing some action, with fish being more active on the sunny and warmer days when the water has warmed a bit. A few walleye anglers have still been trying their luck and success has been very inconsistent -- some days provide good action on small and medium-size walleye while other days provide virtually no action at all. Live minnows continue to best the best bait, whether fished below a slip bobber, on a jig, or a bare hook dragged along the bottom. Cloudy days often produce some catches all day long, but on sunny days, look for the fish to bite in the late afternoon hours. Panfish action has been fair and a few nice catches of crappie and perch are still being made along mid-depth breaks and near cover. Bass fishing can basically be considered done for the open-water season.
Peshtigo Last week saw rivers on the rise due to rain and very windy conditions. Fishing was more difficult because of the amount of debris being washed down to the bay. Those people who did fish found some success.
Marinette County - The story here has been the Menominee River. Perch and panfish were being caught from shore in and around the boat landings using crawlers and minnows. The walleye bite has been good from the fishermen's walkway using crank baits fished in the current seams. Along with walleye a few browns and even a couple of whitefish were being caught.
Oconto County -Brown trout anglers are enjoying some success fishing the rapids below the highway 141 bridge. Flies are the most common bait with leech patterns working well. Breakwater Water Marina anglers have been scoring perch on a regular basis with crawlers and minnows being the baits of choice, fished in conjunction with crappie rigs, some sorting is necessary.
Manitowoc County - Strong southwest winds at 30-40 mph, gusting up to 60 mph during mid-week influenced very low fishing pressure and created poor fishing conditions. The strong westerly winds significantly lowered water levels throughout the area, making it difficult for trout and salmon to make their way up a few tributaries. By Friday, winds switched out of the northwest and decreased to 10-15 mph. Very little rain fell in the area, but high temperatures by the weekend reached the mid-to-upper 40s, dropping to the freezing mark at night. Water temperatures in the tributaries remain at 47-48 degrees. The hot spot in the county remains the Manitowoc marina for rainbows and a few brown trout. Fishing bottom, success has occurred using rainbow or brown trout spawn this week averaging about ten fish per day. In past weeks, chinook spawn has also worked. Anglers have also landed a few suckers and whitefish. The chinook numbers landed up the East and West Twin Rivers decreased this past week, but as expected this time of year, more coho salmon, brown, and rainbow trout have been caught. Fishing slightly off bottom, anglers have had success using spawn and green or orange twister tails at the Shoto dam on the West Twin. Anglers at the Mishicot dam have been successful casting orange spinners for coho salmon. As we get into November, try floating spawn at various holes up and down the tributaries as the brown and rainbow trout make their way up the rivers. With the westerly winds this week, the water level in the Little Manitowoc River dropped significantly, but a few scattered trout remain in the deeper holes. Off Mill Road on the Manitowoc River, anglers successfully landed a few brown and rainbow trout over the weekend. There hasn?t been great numbers yet, but you should have luck floating brown or rainbow spawn up and down the river in this area. November is a great opportunity to catch trout with beautiful colors with even more fish making their way up the rivers. Hook and line fishing is prohibited from one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise in the tributaries which began Sept. 15. If you observe any violations, please call 1-800-TIP-WDNR (1-800-847-9367).
Door County - The last week of October was a wild one to put to lightly. Record winds during the middle of the week gusting upwards of 60 mph throughout the county provided for extreme low pressures and impossible fishing conditions. Winds calmed by the end of the week and into the weekend as water temperatures finally dropped due to the intense stirring of Lake Michigan and Green Bay allowing anglers to hit the water. During the wind storm Coast Guard marker buoys recorded average wave heights of 20 plus feet in Lake Michigan, and the wind storm was considered in the top three most intense of its kind on record. Due to the high winds fishing pressure in Door County was at a minimum all week. Some salmon can still be found in the canal and some of the marinas on the west shore of the county; however, the fish have nearly completed their spawning stage and are likely on their way out. A few boats traveling out into deep water on the lake before the storm reported catching numbers of salmon and trout in the high teens, however very few boats are still journeying out. Another smallmouth bass club from down south was in the northern part of the county this week and were able to get on the water toward the weekend. Anglers looking for late year trophy fish have been fishing the deep water structures and points around Ellison Bay and Gills Rock in excess of 45 feet down. Live bait has been a popular choice as well as deep diving crank baits. Walleye fishing around Surgeon Bay and Door County has been slow but should pick up here into November. Fishing the southern reefs of Green Bay will likely start to produce some fish as well as the structures up around Fish Creek and Sister Bay. A few nice northern pike were still being caught in Sturgeon Bay in between the bridges. Working the edge of the shipping channel or any remaining weed beds with spoons, crank baits, or live bait has shown some activity. Musky fishing has been slow and minimal but should pick up dramatically as we move into November. Perch fishing was slow this week in Sturgeon Bay likely due to the stirring up of the bay due to the wind storm. Some anglers were still seen on the inner bay off of Laethem Smith Lodge, out toward Sawyer Harbor, and across onto the flats. There is still a lot of great fishing left around Door County, make sure to get out for a chance at some trophy fish.
Lake Michigan fisheries team report
Sheboygan County - In Sheboygan shore anglers in the marina have been catching a few chinook on skein and stick baits. On the Sheboygan River, a mixed bag of chinook, coho, rainbows, and browns have been taken between Esslingen Park and the Kohler dam. A few northern pike have been taken as well. Most anglers have been fly fishing, but a few fish have been taken on spawn sacs as well.
Ozaukee County - In Port Washington, shore anglers have been catching a mix of chinook, rainbows, and browns on skein in the north slip and near the power plant. A few chinook and coho have also been caught in Sauk Creek, but water levels have been dropping throughout the week.
Milwaukee County - In Milwaukee shore fishing has been relatively slow along the lakefront. Salmon numbers have increased in the Milwaukee River, and anglers have been catching fish in Kletzsch and Estabrook Parks. Egg sucking leeches and yarn have been effective for fly anglers. Water levels are low on area tributaries again, and fishing has slowed on the Menomonee River and Oak Creek.
Racine County - On the Root River in Racine flows have been decreasing steadily, and the water level is fairly low. More anglers have been concentrating above the Root River Steelhead Facility, with most fishing effort from Quarry Lake Park to the Horlick dam. Downstream of the facility anglers have been taking decent numbers of coho and chinook, along with increasing numbers of brown trout. Both small natural colored flies and spawn sacs have been producing. Fish were processed at the Root River Steelhead Facility on Monday, November 1, and an additional 99 chinook, 197 coho, 10 rainbows, and 15 browns were passed upstream. So far this season, DNR crews have spawned 454 coho and collected over 500,000 eggs. Coho will be spawned again at the Root River on Thursday, November 4 and Monday, November 8.
Kenosha County - Shore anglers in Kenosha continue to catch occasional chinook and brown trout in the harbor near the hotel, and spawn and white tube jigs have taken the most fish. The majority of fishing pressure in Kenosha has been concentrated around the hotel, but a few anglers have been fishing near the mouth of the Pike River with limited success.
Gant County - Fishing in general has been slow. A few bluegills were caught in 6-8 feet of water in the Bertom/MCartney area south of Cassville. Walleye and sauger anglers have reported a few small saugers caught and released while fishing the Ackerman cut area below Lock and Dam 11. Smallmouth bass fishing has slowed with several 11-13 inch bass caught and released at Bertom/McCartney. Anglers have been fishing artificial lures right along wood structure, commenting that if you do not hit a log or two-you are fishing too far away!. Waterfowl hunters are reporting very poor success in pool 11, with very few birds seen, and none within range. Trumpeter swans have moved into the area near Potosi Point - Pool 11 and are visible in Bode's pond north of Potosi and along River Lane to the south. Mississippi River water levels are back on the rise with Cassville at 11.4 feet and rising.
Dane County - Musky have been biting pretty well on Lake Monona and decent catches of walleyes are still being caught in the evenings on lakes Monona and Mendota.
Jefferson County - Walleyes and crappies are biting in the Rock and Bark rivers.
Minocqua Area Fishing Reporthttp://www.wisconsinoutdoor.com/minocquafishingreport.htmChippewa Flowage Fishing Reporthttp://www.wisconsinoutdoor.com/chippewaflowagefishingreport.htm
Lake Michigan Fishing Report and tipshttp://www.wisconsinoutdoor.com/lmfishingtips.htmCentral Wisconsin Fishing reporthttp://www.wisconsinoutdoor.com/wisconsinriverfishingreport.htmInformation compiled from the WDNR Outdoor report and private sources
