Wisconsin Statewide Fishing report 5.26.12With a warm
Memorial Day weekend in the forecast, conservation wardens are expecting there to be lots of activity on Wisconsin?s lakes and rivers and are reminding people to be sure they have a life jacket for each person on board that is readily accessible or, better yet, being worn. Wardens are also reminding people that launch a boat or leave a boat landing with aquatic weeds on boats or trailers, and to follow the proper rules to avoid spreading aquatic invasive species or the deadly VHS fish disease.
Water levels have begun to drop and most river systems and were approaching normal summer levels in most locations. The lower Wisconsin and Mississippi rivers both dropped, and there are once again abundant sandbars on the Lower Wisconsin Riverway. Water levels were still good for paddling on the North and South forks of the Flambeau River.
Some fantastic salmon fishing was reported this week on Lake Michigan and Green bay with many reports of bag limits of chinook coming in along with some coho, and brown and rainbow trout at many harbors. Walleye fishing also continued to be good on both the east and west shores of Green Bay, and smallmouth bass action was good at many locations along Door County, with many fish caught during last weekend?s Sturgeon Bay Smallmouth bass tournament. Perch season has opened on the bay, but has been slow so far.
Inland, walleye fishing continued to be fairly good in the Northwoods, though the rain and cold front that came through last weekend seemed to put a damper on what had been a rather consistent bite for walleye and panfish. Both bluegill and pumpkinseed have begun nesting and good numbers of crappie continue to be found near shallow water cover. Largemouth and smallmouth bass activity has also been increasing. Largemouth have started to build nests on many lakes, but varying water temperatures seem to continually chase the fish back to deep water. Northern pike success continued to be good around newly forming weed beds.
Iron County Fishing on the Turtle Flambeau and the Gile flowages has been good, with some nice catches of walleyes taken.
Baron County Bluegills are staging in shallows preparing to spawn and some nice catches have been taken on the Chetek Chain. Anglers are finding a lot of action on Prairie Lake with a large year class of 9-inch crappies. The best bait seems to be minnows hung from a stick bobber in 10 feet of water. Walleye action has been very slow, but northern pike were biting steady on large shiners.
Burnett County Anglers are having luck with walleye on Clam Lake. Smallmouth fishing has also been very good on rivers in the area. The panfish action has been slow. The fire danger is still high in the blow down area.
Upper Chippewa Basin fisheries report (Price, Rusk, Sawyer Taylor and inland Ashland and Iron counties) The erratic weather of the last week has made for some real variable fishing conditions, and water temperatures have hovered in the mid-60 degree range on most lakes in the Northwoods. The rain and cold front that came thru on Sunday seemed to put a damper on what had been a rather consistent bite that anglers were seeing for walleye and panfish. The walleye anglers had been experiencing some good success on 12 to 18-inch walleye and had been finding them in a variety of habitats. Jig and minnow combinations and slip bobber rigs were working well on gravel drop-offs and deeper break lines, and casting crank baits along shore also produced some pretty good catches. Panfish angling continued to provide a multitude of opportunities as both bluegill and pumpkinseed have begun their nesting seasons and good numbers of crappie continue to be found near shallow water cover. A piece of night crawler fished just below a bobber has been the favorite for bluegill and the sunfish, while a small minnow about a foot under a bobber has been more successful for the crappie. Largemouth and smallmouth bass activity has also been increasing, but the erratic weather has really been affecting both of these species. Largemouth have started to build nests on many lakes, but varying water temperatures seem to continually chase the fish back to deep water. Look for bass spawning activity to explode with any warm and stable weather pattern. Northern pike success continued to be good, with most fish being found in and around the newly forming weed beds.
Taylor County Fishing pressure has been heavy on area lakes and rivers as the weather permits. Panfish are attempting to spawn as water temperatures continue to fluctuate.
Flambeau River State Forest Water levels on both the North and South Forks of the Flambeau River are good. Fishing remains good, heavy rains in the area have raised the level of some of the area lakes and flowages making finding them a little more difficult.
Vilas County Anglers are working hard to find walleyes right now and are having some good success. Walleyes have been located all over with reports of some being caught in 30 feet of water and some being taken in shallow weeds at 7-8 feet. Panfish are starting to bite and crappies should start to head to the shallow wood as the water warms.
Lincoln County Anglers are reporting spotty success with crappies; however, bluegills have been biting well near shore. There are plenty of wood ticks out in the woods, and the mosquitoes have also been coming on strong.
Peshtigo With the warmer weather there was an increase in fishing pressure, mainly on Green Bay for walleye. Water temperatures are in the low 60s and when the wind allows fishing has been good.
Marinette County Peshtigo Harbor anglers have been catching walleye trolling south from the mouth of the river in 6 to 12 feet of water. Smallmouth action has picked up along the shore line and in the Peshtigo River up by the Dam in Peshtigo. The fishing on the Menominee River has been slow due to low water. Anglers are reporting some walleye being caught trolling below the Turn Basin. The North and South Branch of the Pembonwon were stocked with more than 10,000 brook trout late last week.
Oconto County The fishing in the Stiles Dam area remains good with panfish and smallmouth being the main attraction. Live bait has been working well are has tube jigs and crank baits mainly for bass. The walleye bite from Pensaukee to Oconto Park II was good with anglers catching limits of fish in the 17 to 24 inch range. Trolling with crawler/harness has worked well, fishing in the 6 to 12 foot range. Some of the bigger walleye are being caught using stick baits in 20 feet of water. Walleye continue bite at Geano Beach with anglers trolling at night. Smallmouth Bass are also plentiful in shallow water along the bay shore, tube jigs and crank baits are working well.
Brown County With the recent nice weather, many boaters and anglers have already been on the water. Please remember the Fox River dredging is operational again and boaters should use caution around the work areas. The pipeline is marked with buoys and boaters should treat it as a construction zone by slowing down or staying clear of the operation. Fishing pressure on lower Green Bay is increasing with nice weather and a good bite. Walleye continue to bite on both the east and west shores. Anglers with the best luck are those who are trolling flicker shad lures at a speed between 1 and 1.8mph. The anglers using crawler harnesses are having some luck but are also catching a fair amount of sheepshead. The perch fishing since the opener has been poor. The Wings Over Wisconsin 2012 Youth Fishing Day event in Poland brought out more than 100 students and parents from Denmark School district. They were instructed on different methods of fishing, how to clean their catch, boating safety and aquatic invasive species. A lunch for everyone included fried fish. At the end of the day the participants were given their own fishing rods and reels along with their own fishing tackle to take home, to continue to enjoy the sport of fishing.
Manitowoc County Fishing on Lake Michigan out of Manitowoc and Kewaunee counties has been fantastic. Limits of trout and salmon are common. Most fish are being caught between 100 and 150 feet of water. Strong winds in the afternoons have made it fishing difficult at times. King fishing is hot off the Manitowoc County shoreline. The strong winds, generally in the afternoons, have been keeping some boats dry or in the harbors as of late. Boats are setting up in 80 to 170 feet of water from north of Two Rivers to south of Manitowoc, and in between. Kings have been hitting throughout the water column with more success from lower lures. Some anglers are targeting steelhead, and many over 30 inches have been caught. Flasher/flies as well as spoons have been equally effective for kings, and many different colors and styles are being used along with the occasional J-plug. Coho were showing up mixed with king catches. Leadcore, copper line, dipsey divers, and downriggers are all working to help catch fish. Trolling speeds of 2.5 to 2.9 mph were reported to be effective. Some of the larger kings have been hitting the 18 pound range. Fishing has been slow from the piers in Two Rivers and Manitowoc. Angling pressure is very light. Water clarity near shore is better since the heavy rains a few weeks ago. Wind direction needs to change to bring cooler waters and fish nearer to shore for pier fishing to pick up. Piers to the south have been giving up some nice salmon. Some alewives have been seen around the Manitowoc piers and near shore. River water levels have dropped considerably in the last week. There have been good numbers of smallmouth caught on the West Twin River. Bullhead anglers have been very successful on the West Twin River with live bait. Some large channel cats have been caught in the Manitowoc River, though anglers say the catfishing is still slow. Carp anglers were doing well on the East and West Twin Rivers. With water temperatures increasing on inland lakes, bluegill, bass, and crappie should be shallow near cover. Live bait under a float or fly fishing would be effective. Nice bluegill have been taken from Bullhead Lake. Bass may be done spawning on many lakes and feeding in shallow flats or adjacent weed beds.
Door County Because of the Sturgeon Bay Open Bass Tournament this past weekend, most of the fishing pressure on Green Bay was for smallmouth bass. Smallmouth are in various stages of spawning activity from south to north. The Sturgeon Bay City Dock, Ole Stone Quarry Ramp, Ephraim launch and Rowley's Bay launch saw the most action this week. There were reports of great bass catches by boaters in 5-10 feet of water using a wide variety of artificial lures including soft plastics and suspending stickbaits; live bait in the form of crawlers has also been working. Pressure in the Sturgeon Bay area up to Sister Bay continues for walleye with reports of catches in both the morning and evening hours. Boaters were reporting outstanding catches of chinook on Lake Michigan from Sturgeon Bay north to Bailey's Harbor, fishing in 80-200 feet of water, using flasher fly combinations and spoons. A few rainbow trout have also been caught in this same range. Pier and shore anglers are fishing the Sturgeon Bay canal shoreline, the Ole Stone Quarry shore and piers, Fish Creek piers, and the piers at Ephraim with reports of decent smallmouth bass catches casting tube jigs, grubs, and other soft plastics; a few walleye have also been mixed in the catches. Perch opened on the Bay of Green Bay this past weekend with anglers reporting little success so far. There are no reports of anglers fishing in area creeks. Fishing pressure was slow during the middle of the week at Chaudoir's dock. The anglers were targeting walleye using artificial bait. The water temperature was about 63 degrees and the walleye were caught in about 20 feet of water. The fishing pressure was high at Bayshore Park with anglers targeting Walleye. It was moderately busy in Sawyer Harbor at the end of the week. Anglers were targeting Smallmouth Bass and they were using rubber worms (green) for bait. On Little Sturgeon Bay, the fishing pressure was high with anglers targeting smallmouth and catching good numbers of them. The bait of choice was plastics and spinners for the smallmouth bass, red/brown or purple in color were the most used. The water temperatrure was about 64 degrees and the fish were caught in about 6 to 10 feet of water. The weekend was busy in Sawyer Harbor and on Little Sturgeon Bay. smallmouth bass were still the main target, but some anglers were starting to target bluegill and pumpkin seed. Some anglers were also starting to catch rock bass as well. There were more pleasure boaters showing up on Little Sturgeon Bay too. It was very busy at Bayshore Park and Chaudoir's Dock at the end of the weekend. They were targeting walleye out of Bayshore Park mostly, but some were also going for perch perch and walleye. Lots of Drum, some catfish and gobies were also caught.
Kewaunee County Similar to last week, reports on chinook salmon fishing on Lake Michigan are still very positive. Both charters and private anglers have continued to catch high numbers of fish with the chinook averaging 8 to 15 pounds and up to 20-pounds. Chinook continue to make up the bulk of the catch but some rainbows and lake trout are also being caught. Best depths have ranged from 80 to 240 feet of water, 40 to 100 feet down. On calm, sunny days, anglers are still getting some bites outside of the dawn and dusk flurry by using leadcore, copper wire or 8 and 10-oz. weights off of magnum-size planer boards well away from the boat, or deep downriggers in the 70- to 150-foot down range. Flasher and fly combos, spoons, small J-Plugs, Cut Plugs and even flasher and preserved herring cut bait combos all are attracting strikes. Inland waters showed improving signs of biting panfish, warm weather the southern small lake in Kewaunee County full of boaters/anglers, while Lily Lake was slow for fishing, the kayakers and kids catching frogs were having a great time.
Outagamie County The white bass are still biting on the Wolf River with good catches being made by those who put in their time to find the right spot. The Wolf River is dropping daily with the lack of rain and areas that were safe for boat operation just weeks ago can now be dangerous. Boaters should take their time on the upper reaches of the Wolf and go slow if you are on an unfamiliar section of river. An always wear your PFD and the kill lanyard when out on the water. Effects from heavy rains of from May 2-7 have almost dissipated in Calumet, Brown and Outagamie counties. Worst effects were in Calumet County where close to 4 inches of rain fell in a few hours.
Lake Michigan fisheries team reportSheboygan County Trollers in Sheboygan have been catching good numbers of chinook in 65 to 105 feet of water. Spoons and dodger and fly combinations have both been effective. Fishing off the Sheboygan piers has been picked up, with anglers catching a mixed bag of chinook, browns, rainbows and coho. Fish have been taken on glow-in-the-dark spoons, spinner baits, and alewives.
Ozaukee County In Port Washington trollers have been catching decent numbers of chinook, along with coho, rainbow and lake trout in 65 to 180 feet of water. Limits have been taken, and spoons as well as dodger and fly or flasher and fly combinations have been productive. Port Washington anglers fishing off the pier and in the harbor have been catching a few brown atrout and coho, and the most fish have been taken on alewives.
Milwaukee County Large numbers of trollers have been out on the lake recently. They have been targeting chinook and coho, with limits of chinook common. A few lake trout have been picked up as well. Most trollers have been focusing in 80 to 115 feet of water with baits about 40 to 60 feet below the surface. The best baits have been spoons of various colors and flies. Fishing action on McKinley pier has slowed down in recent days, but the coho and chinook caught were taken on alewives. Casting spoons has picked up an occasional chinook as well. The shoreline along Summerfest is producing small browns, with the majority being caught on minnows and a few additional fish being taken on spoons. Shore fishing at Jones Island has been slow. The Bender Park boat ramps will be under construction for the next three to four weeks, however one launch lane will be open daily.
Racine County Pleasant weather has had anglers out in large numbers. Those fishing from shore have had their best luck casting spoons or soft plastics while soaking live bait on the bottom at low light conditions. Anglers were catching brown trout, coho, and a few chinook from the pier and in the harbor. Racine trollers have had success with dipsey divers and flies, along with trolling spoons in anywhere from 50 to 90 feet of water. Anglers have been catching good numbers of coho and chinook, with a few rainbows and lake trout as well.
Waukesha County Anglers report catching bluegills, largemouth bass, and northern pike in the shallows on Moose Lake. Anglers also report catching largemouth and smallmouth bass on Pine Lake. Both lakes have clear water and it is recommended that anglers go during low light conditions for the best fishing. Bow fishers report seeing some carp spawning in the shallows on Pewaukee Lake.
Grant County The Wisconsin River is flowing at lower-than-normal levels for this time of year, with the sandbars re-appearing on the southern end of the Wisconsin River. The lack of rain for the past two weeks has kept the flow rate and the mosquito population down. As a result, there are many exposed sandbars for camping. The weather will be on the hot side this weekend. Fishing activity has picked up on the river and area trout streams recently. Woodman Lake near Boscobel is a great location to catch fish. The water levels on the Mississippi River has returned to near normal levels. Bluegill and crappie fishing has slowed on the Mississippi River, as the water levels have dropped and the panfish have moved out of the flooded timber edges into deeper water
Richland County The Wisconsin River is about average and fish are starting to bite for the upcoming Memorial day weekend.
Dane County Water levels have improved on the Madison Area Lakes with most or all landings now fully accessible and functional. Weed growth is already very substantial in shallow areas and near landings so boaters will need to make some extra effort to remove aquatic vegetation from their boats and trailers and to drain any bilge water prior to departing to prevent the spread of invasive species. With the moderate weather forecast boaters should expect the Madison Area lakes and landings to be quite busy over the Memorial Day Weekend. Pan fishing action has generally been moderate to good in the shallows and on the beds of lakes Monona and Waubesa and some fishers have reported moderate action on walleyes casting and trolling baits and fishing with live bait in 10-20 feet of water. Bass fishers have been finding some decent action using rubber jigs and top-water baits in the shallows. Muskie fishing action has been sporadic with some fishers reporting action using spinner baits or rubber creature baits along weed lines and breaks and near inflows and outflows on Lakes Waubesa and Monona.
Jefferson County Anglers are catching white bass on area rivers. Most white bass being caught are smaller males. Anglers are having good success fishing walleyes on the Rock River from Fort Atkinson to Lake Koshkonong. The hottest method seems to be vertical jigging from a boat while drifting. However, motor trolling on Lake Koshkonong is still producing fish as well. The big bluegills are biting on Mud Lake in Lake Mills also.
Sauk County Fishing activity on Lake Redstone has been improving. Bluegills have been biting in deeper water on lindy rigs as well as walleyes. Crappies also continue to bite in bays and drop offs around 6-8 feet down on minnows. Smallmouth bass have been biting on any bait along shorelines and drop offs. Crappies have slowed down on Dutch Hollow Lake but the largemouth bass have been biting well. Bluegill fishing on Mirror Lake has been very good. Crappie have been biting on Lake Delton really good. Walleye fishing further downstream from the Dells Dam has been picking up when water conditions are moderate and steady. Thousands of dead black crappie and white suckers washing ashore on Lake Delton properties this week were killed by a common bacterial disease of fish called columnaris.
http://dnr.wi.gov/news/BreakingNews_Lookup.asp?id=2386 Baldwin Walleye fishing should pick up soon on Lake Pepin as water levels drop. Anglers have reported a slow bite, blaming that on high and muddy waters. There is generally a lot of debris floating in the lake when the water is high. Always use caution while boating during high water. Panfish continue to be in the shallows with the water temps rising, Bass, Pine and Cedar lakes are good bets in St Croix County. The St Croix River crested; the water is still high with swift currents. Trout fishing in Pierce County has been good lately on area streams as streams have cleared after recent rains. Good insect hatches have been occurring also.
Buffalo County Bluegill are starting to guard beds in the shallows on pools 4 and 5 of the Mississippi River.
Jackson County The smallmouth bass are biting below the dam in Black River Falls, with some walleye reportedly being caught on white twisters tipped with minnows. Remember there are Lake Sturgeon in the Black River, but there is no season for them here. All fish should be released immediately if caught. One sturgeon was reportedly caught that was marked with a PIT tag or "Passive Integrated Transponder". Fisheries biologists use these markers to track and record the locations and migrations of fish in streams and rivers. If you catch a fish with a unique tag, try to record the number and report it to your local DNR fisheries biologist or technician. The boat landing above the Black River Falls dam is officially open, boaters can travel upstream to about 1/2 mile above the rail-road crossing before running into rocks. Watershiiers should watch out for hidden stumps in this section. The area between the interstate and the dam is about 22 feet deep, but boaters towing skiiers or tubers should watch for other boats in this narrow stretch of river. Large trout can be caught on Lake Wazee in deeper water. Try using really light line and used salmon eggs or powerbait off the bottom. Tubing is becoming popular on the slower stretches of the Black River between Black River and North Bend.
Marathon County Lakes around the county should be in good condition for the weekend. Warm weather should keep the panfish activity going through the weekend as well. Anglers on the Big Eau Pleine Reservoir are catching good numbers of walleyes, most in the 12 to 14-inch range, but just about everyone targeting walleyes are finding a few keeper sized. Weed edges and drop offs are producing the most fish with jig / minnow combos working the best. Casting crankbaits against shallow shorelines at night is also paying off with bigger walleyes. Anglers fishing below Moon Dam are reporting that the crappie bite is on. 1/16th oz. jigs with tipped with minnow are getting the job done. Jig color seems to change on a daily basis, so try different colors until you find what works. Contrasting colored jigs with chartreuse seem to be pretty reliable. Reminder for the folks that will be traveling from lake to lake about AIS rules, specifically checking their trailers for weeds and draining their live wells.
Adams County Anglers are reporting spotty success with crappies, however bluegills have been biting well near shore. There are plenty of wood ticks out in the woods, and the mosquitoes have also been coming on strong.
Minocqua area fishing reporthttp://www.wisconsinoutdoor.com/minocquafishingreport.htm
Lake Michigan Fishing Report and tipshttp://www.wisconsinoutdoor.com/lmfishingtips.htm
Wausau Area fishing reporthttp://www.wisconsinoutdoor.com/wisconsinriverfishingreport.htm
Chippewa Flowage fishing reporthttp://www.wisconsinoutdoor.com/chippewaflowagefishingreport.htmInformation compiled from the WDNR Outdoor report and private sources
