Wisconsin Statewide Fishing report 6.8.12Water levels remain quite high on the St. Croix and Mississippi rivers. The Mississippi is expected to crest today or tomorrow at about 13 feet at Prairie du Chien. High water levels have closed some campgrounds at Merrick State Park. The lower Wisconsin River, however, is running near record lows for this time of year, which means there are abundant sandbars available.
Warm weather has increased water temperatures and caused some blooms of blue-green algae on Lake Winnebago and Dane County?s Lake Kegonsa. Blue-green algae is not only unsightly and smelly, but sometimes produces toxins. People should avoid swimming, wading, skiing or coming into contact with the water in areas of lakes and ponds where a green to bluish-green scum or mat of algae is present. Also make sure pets do not swim in or drink the water. Pets swimming in water with blue-green algae should be washed off immediately so they don't lick the algae off their fur
Lake Superior trollers were finding lake trout six plus miles out from the Superior. Excellent salmon and trout fishing continues to be reported on Lake Michigan. Chinook continue to make up most of the bag, but also fair numbers of coho along with rainbow, brown and the occasional lake trout. Fishing was reported good to excellent out of almost all harbors. Walleye fishing remains good along both the east and west shores of Green Bay. Walleye fishing was also good along the east shore of Lake Winnebago.
Inland, bluegills were still being reported as spawning on some waters but have finished up on others and were moving out into deeper water. Bass spawning is now nearing its peak. Musky fishing continues to be good in the north, with some 40-inch plus fish reported.
Ashland County Recent heavy rains have left fishing success in the Superior area marginal at best. High and muddy accurately describe the St. Louis River system, with anglers now trying to piece together a walleye pattern. Although the rain has stopped the wind caused some issue and made fishing on Lake Superior very iffy at times. Lake Superior trollers are finding lake trout six plus miles from the Superior entry, beyond the mud line. Boaters on the lake should be aware of large amounts of floating debris. This past weekend was free fishing weekend and a few people were out and about fishing but not any large numbers
Bayfield County This past week panfishing activity on both small and large inland lakes has been good to excellent, though the spawn appears to be at its end, most panfish are being caught in the shallows. Those fishing for crappie are finding that minnows seem to be the preferred bait, though with the pumpkinseed and bluegills, wax worms are the ticket. Mixed bag limits of rock bass, crappie, bluegill, pumpkinseed and northern were being seen. Northern fishing has been exceptional this year, many people commenting they have been catching northern while panfishing with minnows and crappie baits. The White River and other inland streams are getting back to normal levels and trout fishing activity has picked up. Trout are responding to both live and artificial baits. There was a large hatch of dragon flies this week, with thousands flying about. Don?t forget bug nets and spray: biting bugs have arrived and with the recent rains the situation is not getting better anytime soon.
Douglas County Bluegills have been spawning but the unsettled weather has been pushing the fish out to deeper water making the fishing difficult at times.
Baron County Area lakes are warming up nicely with surface temps near 72 degrees. Bluegills are done spawning and smallmouth bass are in the process
Polk County Anglers were catching crappies and bluegills on southern county lakes. Small leeches and a bobber near weed edges worked the best.
Rusk County Panfishing action remains steady with fish being found in shallow weed beds near shore. A simple hook and bobber set up baited with a red worm or wax worm seems to be working for most. Snapping turtles have been out laying eggs.
Price County Musky fishing action in the Park Falls area has been steady with reports of some mid 40 inch fish being caught. Smallmouth bass and catfish have been biting very well on the North Fork Flambeau River. River users should be reminded to take out everything they bring in with them. Reports of excessive litter at popular fishing spots has been an ongoing problem and may lead to limiting access to some of these areas.
Taylor County Anglers are out in full force across the county. Panfish are winding down their spawn and will be returning to the deeper waters soon. Bass are active in the shallows and aggressive. Remember that the bass bag limit is zero until June 16.
Flambeau River State Forest Water levels on both the North and South Forks of the Flambeau River are good. Fishing remains good. Smallmouth bass are starting to bite and muskies are becoming more active.
Vilas County Summer boating activity is increasing on area lakes as the water warms. A stretch of mainly dry weather has resulted in lower levels of water in the Wisconsin River system including the Rainbow Flowage. Care should be taken during the operation of motorized boats and other craft. Musky season is now open in the area and anglers are reporting good action with some decent fish being boated. Anglers are still finding some walleyes in shallow weeds. Bluegill action is very good with most other fish species becoming more active as well.
Oneida County Bluegill fishing has been excellent on area lakes, although many fishers seem to be fishing in too deep of water.
Langlade County Many area lakes are experiencing the peak of bluegill spawning. The males that are guarding the nests can easily be caught in the shallows of lakes. Their beds are easily recognized by their dish shape in shallow areas. After the bluegills spawn and water temperatures continue to increase, largemouth bass will begin to move into the shallows to spawn, too.
Lincoln County Musky fishing continues to be excellent in the Tomahawk area. Musky anglers are having a record year with many fish over 40 inches being caught. Water levels are good on the area flowages.
Marinette County Anglers trolling in 8 to 10 feet of water at the mouth of the Peshtigo River are reporting some nice catches of channel cats on stick baits and crawler/harness. Smallmouth bass were still biting in the Peshtigo from the dam to the mouth, with tube jigs and crank baits working well. Some walleye were being caught on the Menominee River, with anglers drifting crawlers around the 41 Bridge. Shore anglers on the Menominee were reporting many fresh water drum being caught on bottom. Some catfish were also being caught around the launch areas.
Oconto County Shore fishing below the dam at Stiles has slowed a bit as has the smallmouth bass bite. Some panfish were being caught with slip bobbers and red worms. The walleye bite from Pensaukee landing to Oconto Park II has been good with many boats reporting limits of fish. Most of the action is taking place in 8 to 12 feet of water on trolling crawler/harness. Bigger walleye were being caught in 20-plus feet of water on stick baits and deep divers. Bluegills on area lakes seem to be just starting to spawn.
Brown County The wind continues to blow on the bay of Green Bay but the anglers with boats able to handle the wind are having good success catching walleyes. Some anglers have switched from trolling with crank baits to trolling crawler harnesses. The best speeds seem to be about 1.5 mph. Anglers were catching more walleyes along the east shore of Green Bay but the walleyes were smaller. The anglers along the west shore of Green Bay are catching fewer fish but the fish are bigger. Walleye fishing has been good for anglers in the boats in University Bay with reports of good numbers of fish. Crank baits and harnesses have been producing fish equally. Pike and drum were also being caught by anglers trolling for walleye. Shore anglers on the Suamico River were catching numbers of rock bass and bowfin on bottom rigs with night crawlers. Also a few catfish and drum were being caught as well in low numbers. Shore anglers on the Fox River have been catching numbers of catfish, drum, and carp during the last week. A few walleye were also being by anglers fishing from the metro landing as well. Anglers are also reporting catching a few white bass at the dam using spinners or small crank baits. Catfish have been active with anglers fishing the deeper holes with cut bait or night crawlers. Anglers were having success catching walleyes and bass at the Little Rapids Dam on the Fox River.
Manitowoc County Fishing success for trout and salmon on Lake Michigan continues to be very strong. Anglers are still catching good numbers of salmon out of Manitowoc and Two Rivers. Some coho are starting to show up, though they are on the small side so far. Occasional large lake trout and increasing numbers of rainbows are being caught. Salmon fishing has been good off the Manitowoc County shoreline. Boats are setting up in 80 to 180 feet of water with most having the best action in 100 to 175. Kings have been hitting throughout the water column and on a variety of setups. Spoons and fly/flashers in blue or green seem to be producing many fish. The northwest winds have made waters appear calm near shore, but boats have been reporting choppy conditions out farther, most evident out from Rawley Point, north of Two Rivers. Top locations include strait out from Manitowoc and to the south (deeper water) as well as to the north of Two Rivers. Water temperatures are still quite cool and anglers are reporting trolling speeds of 2.3 to 2.8 mph working well. Some larger kings are showing up with some over 20 pounds seen. Kings are being caught off piers in Manitowoc and Two Rivers. Anglers that are putting their time in are doing well with a variety of spoons. The northwest wind has brought some cool clearer water near shore, though this didn?t seem to affect the fishing considerably. Alewives are spawning near shore and the salmon are feeding on them. River water flows are low. Smallmouth bass have been active in area rivers and can be caught on a variety of artificial lures and plastics. Occasional catfish and many bullheads were also being caught. The Wisconsin Carp Championships were this last weekend in Two Rivers on the banks of the East and West Twin Rivers. The homepage for the tournament provides information and a history of the sport. Check out
http://sites.google.com/site/wicarpchamps/Home/2010-championship. Carp anglers from around the world were successful with some fish over 25 pounds being caught. With water temperatures continuing to increase on inland lakes, most panfish, bass, and northern will be starting their summer patters. Some fish may still be feeding in shallower water but many may be off of weed lines and near deeper water.
Door County The water temperature fell to about 58 degrees in most areas. The weekend was warm and sunny bringing more fishing activity and an increasing water temperature to the mid 60s. Area fishing pressure continued to increase this week with the Sturgeon Bay ramp, Ole Stone Quarry ramp, Egg Harbor ramp, Sister Bay ramp and Rowley's Bay ramp seeing the most launching action. Boats returning to the Sturgeon Bay ramp reported a great chinook catch trolling at 100-115 feet up to 200 feet of water using spoons and flies, catching a few rainbow and lake trout with the same setup. There are good reports on salmon and trout catches from boaters returning to Bailey's Harbor as well. Smallmouth bass are in various stages of spawning activity, on their beds in the southern areas and on their bed to scattered in the more northern areas. A good catch of smallmouth bass continues to be reported with the most catches on twister tail baits and grubs in greens and whites; live bait in the form of crawlers on jigs has also been working. Perch catch is still low but a few are being caught on live baits and soft plastics in the Sturgeon Bay ship canal area. Walleye are being caught in the Sturgeon Bay area and south in the 8-15 range using deep diving stick baits; live bait in the form of crawlers on harnesses and other rigs has also been working. Pier anglers have been catching smallmouth bass and perch in the Sturgeon Bay ship canal area and the Ole Stone Quarry shoreline. Shore anglers are also catching smallmouth off Egg Harbor piers, Ephriam piers, and Rowley's Bay piers as well. Some anglers have even taken to wading along the shore or using kayaks near shore to get out just a little farther from the shore and catch smallmouth bass in various locations throughout Door County. Tactics for these shore-based anglers have been similar with soft plastics and live crawlers working best. On Little Sturgeon Bay, anglers were targeting mainly smallmouth bass and some perch. A few anglers were looking for musky and largemouth bass. They were using mostly live bait with the perch and smallmouth bass (night crawlers, minnows, grubs) and some were using artificial. More sheepshead were coming in as well. At Chaudoir's Dock, anglers were targeting walleye using both live (night crawlers, minnows) and artificial bait. Artificial included jigs, crank baits, flicker shads, stick baits with purple and perch color being the most successful. Sheepshead are still numerous and the walleye were ranging from about 15 inches to 26 inches and 1/2 pound to about 5.8 pounds. At Bayshore Park, anglers were targeting walleye using artificial bait (cranks, crawler harnesses, and flicker shads) with purple being the most successful. Sheepshead are numerous there as well. In Sawyer Harbor, anglers were targeting smallmouth bass mainly using live and artificial bait. Crank and stick baits were the most successful with purple and green being the most color used. Rock bass were being caught as well while targeting smallmouth bass. Muskie fishing opened on May 26 in the Door Co waters of Green Bay, and since the opening, anglers have been caught several muskie of the Great Lakes Spotted variety in the 40 inch range. The numbers and size of these fish have steadily increased over the last decade. The steady strong winds over the last couple weeks in Door County have actually made for pleasant trail and woods hiking, keeping the mosquitos and other biting insects away.
Kewaunee County Chinook salmon are still hitting on Lake Michigan and there has been many exceptional catches. The winds conditions were a little better this week which allowed both large and smaller boats to enjoy the action. Good size chinook are still being caught with averages somewhere between 8 to 15 pounds with some larger fish in the mix. Chinook continue to make up the bulk of the catch but in recent weeks more rainbows, coho salmon, and lake trout are also being caught. Best depths have varied and have ranged from 80 to 240 feet of water, 30 to 70 feet down at dawn/dusk and 50 to 110 feet down during the day. On calm, sunny days, anglers are still getting some bites outside of the dawn and dusk flurry by getting down deep and away from the boat using lead core, 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 with flies and spoons being used most. On the inland scene, bluegills and bass are in various states of spawning activity in area lakes, and river anglers are still enjoying a mixed bag of warm-water species on the Ahnapee and Kewaunee rivers. Bass season is still catch-and-release only in the rivers and lakes north of State Hwy. 29.
Waupaca County Bluegills are still on their beds and actively spawning in area lakes. Still some white bass being caught on the Wolf River, but no where near peak bite. May anglers say the bite has been best the last hour of light. Channel catfish are biting well near New London. Anglers have reported good catches of bass ? most have been caught in the shallow areas of the lakes.
Calumet County The walleye bite remains strong along the east shore of Lake Winnebago. This coming weekend is the Stockbridge Harbor Walleye Tournament. Many tournaments will be held on the lake throughout weekends in June. Turtles are becoming more visible as they cross roadways in search of nesting site. Young robins are also leaving nests in search of earthworms. A fisherman?s body was recovered from Lake Winnebago within the past week and anglers are reminded to wear their personal floatation devices. Anglers are also reminded to monitor weather conditions and to consider going home when winds and waves make the lake unsafe for navigation. Bank pole and Setline anglers have their lines in the water along the east shore in search catfish.
Fond du Lac County Walleyes continue to bite on Lake Winnebago and anglers are having good luck trolling on the east shore from their boats. Largemouth bass were biting on Lake Winnebago near the Lighthouse in Lakeside Park. Shore anglers are reminded the minimum size limit for largemouth bass is 14 inches with a daily bag limit of five fish. Preparations are underway for the upcoming walleye weekend festival at Lakeside Park in the City of Fond du Lac this Thursday through Sunday come out and enjoy the anticipated good weather.
Winnebago County With the summer in full swing and school about to end, a lot of families will be taking their boat to the water. The Winnebago System provides ample opportunity for families to have a fun day on the water. However, that fun can come to a crashing halt if boaters are not being safe. Here are some safety tips. Keep drinking alcohol to a minimum. Alcohol combined with sun, waves, heat and wind have drastic implications on someone?s judgment. Follow navigation markers and signs, wear your personal floatation devices when underway, always be very alert to your operation and others around you, and keep a constant watch on the weather. Go to the Wisconsin DNR website for further information on safe boating and laws. Also, with boating season underway boaters are reminded about the aquatic invasive species and laws regarding the transportation of those species. As the summer heats up and weeds at landings become more prominent it is the responsibility of the boater to clean all visible aquatic weeds from their boat and trailer prior to leaving the landing. It is illegal to transport any aquatic plants on your boat or trailer and to transport the water in your live well away from the landing.
Milwaukee Smallmouth bass are very active on the Milwaukee River near Kletch and Estabrook parks. Unfortunately, many anglers are choosing to leave their garbage behind at public fishing areas in the Milwaukee/Muskego area. Leaving your garbage behind is littering and is illegal, and it reflects poorly on all anglers. Please don?t litter. Remember size limit is 14 inches.
Lake Michigan fisheries team report
Sheboygan County Trollers in Sheboygan have been catching chinook, along with a few rainbow and lake trout in 80 to 120 feet of water. Spoons and dodger and fly combinations have both been effective. Anglers fishing off the Sheboygan piers have been catching a mixed bag of chinook, rainbow and coho, but numbers caught have been limited. Fish have been taken on glow-in-the-dark spoons and alewives. Some whitefish have also been caught off the north pier.
Ozaukee County In Port Washington trollers have been catching mostly chinook and a few coho, and lake and rainbow trout in 80 to 130 feet of water. Spoons as well as dodger and fly or flasher and fly combinations have been productive. Port Washington anglers fishing off the pier and near Rotary Park in the harbor have been catching a few brown trout and coho, and most fish have been taken on alewives.
Milwaukee County In Milwaukee trollers have been fishing for chinook and coho; a few lake trout and rainbows have been picked up with the salmon. Most trollers have been focusing in 80-130 feet of water with baits about 50-80 feet below the surface. The best baits have been spoons of various colors and dipsey divers with flashers and flies. Flashers and flies of white and blue have produced the best. Fishing on McKinley pier has been very slow in recent days with a few coho and chinook and an occasional rainbow caught alewives during low light times of the day. The shoreline along Summerfest is producing a few small brown trout. Most have been caught on minnows with a few taken on spoons. Shore fishing at Jones Island has been slow, but a few small browns have been caught off of Grant Park and along the Oak Creek power plant fishing pier. The Bender Park boat ramps will be under construction for the next couple of weeks, however one launch lane will be open daily.
Racine County Trollers in Racine have had great success with dipsey divers and flies, along with spoons, in anywhere from 80 to 120 feet of water. Anglers were focusing mainly on coho and have picked chinook as well. Also, a few rainbow and lake trout have been caught on similar presentations. Those fishing from shore in Racine have had their best luck casting spoons while soaking live bait on the bottom at low light conditions, but success has been very limited. Anglers have been catching a mix of browns, coho, and a few chinook from the pier and in the harbor.
Waukesha County Largemouth bass fishing remains strong on lakes in southern Waukesha County. Many anglers are reporting success using weed less baits in shallow areas on Lower Phantom, School Section and Eagle Spring lakes. The bluegills are in 15 to 20 feet of water 10 -15 feet down on area lakes. Pewaukee Lake anglers, boaters, and area residents will notice aquatic vegetation will be thicker in certain areas than previous years. The aquatic vegetation harvesting plan will focus on creating channels through the vegetation to improve navigation and reduce free floating vegetation. Anglers have reported catching largemouth bass in the channels cut by the weed harvesters on the east end of Pewaukee Lake. Anglers and recreational boaters are reminded that weeds must be removed from trailers and boating equipment before leaving the boat landing. Water levels on the Fox River are dropping, but anglers are finding catfish in the deeper holes using night crawlers and stink bait.
Theresa Marsh State Wildlife Area Anglers have been catching mostly bullheads and a few northern at the Theresa Marsh dam.
Kenosha County Lake Michigan anglers report coho salmon fishing to be almost over, but king salmon have been plentifully biting in 90-120 feet of water on spoons with UV stripes in the early morning. The weather has been excellent for getting the boat on Lake Michigan in the last week, calm waters and light winds. Yellow perch season does not open until June 16 on Lake Michigan, but the warm water has brought the perch in close to shore offering a good outlook for the opener.
Racine County Anglers were having great success with pan fishing on Tichigan Lake but it has slowed down with some anglers having success yet as the bluegills move off of their beds. Anglers on Tichigan Lake were having good success with bass fishing with a few northern being caught as well.
Walworth County Bluegills are on their beds throughout parts of Delavan and Whitewater lakes. Bass were being caught about half with eggs and half without. The baits of choice on Delavan for the pre-spawn bass have been head hooked night-crawlers on our just suspected off the bed location. Males and spawned out females are hitting any variety of drop-shot plastics. As the bow fishing season ramps up in the southeast part of the state, late night bow fishers are urged to be mindful of homeowners along the lakes and rivers. Avoid shinning lights into the homes and boats of these homeowners. These types of activities often trigger a law enforcement response that can potentially harm the future of this sport. Keep lights low in the water and try to give lake homes a wide berth to avoid any potential conflicts. Bow fishers should become familiar with the rules and regulations governing this sport. As the sport has increased in popularity, there have been incidents of individuals bow fishing in front of dams(within 200 feet) and from the paved roadways(within 50 feet). These violations often generate citizen complaints and citations are issued to address these situations.
Richland County Area lakes are continuing to produce panfish due to the spawning season. Catfish are biting on the Wisconsin River. Water levels remain average for this time of the year.
Wyalusing State Park The Mississippi River is high due to heavy rains north of here. The Mississippi River in Prairie du Chien was at 12.9 feet Thursday, up 12.4 from Wednesday. It is expected to crest Friday at 13.1 feet.
Dodge County Fishers are having some success on walleye and catfish on Beaver Dam Lake; however, due to continued strong winds, most of the fish were being caught from shore. Only a few are venturing out onto the lakes. The Beaver Dam River is very low right now thus fishing activity has diminished from earlier months. Boaters are anxious to hit the water, but again have been plagued by high wind and rough waters.
Sauk County Smallmouth fishing on the lower Dells is going real good and the largemouth fishing on Mirror Lake has been good. Occasional walleyes on the Lower Dells, trolling the lower river has been productive during the day.
Jefferson County The catfish bite has been getting better as temperatures rise. Boaters and anglers alike should be careful navigating county rivers, lakes and streams. Water levels are low and may be hazardous to navigate. Let someone know what body of water you are going to, when you are leaving and what time you should be expected home. Carry a cell phone and update family or a friend if you plan on staying out longer.
Baldwin The Mississippi and St Croix rivers are still in minor flood stage. Many boat landings are closed due to High water. The St Croix River is still Slow-No-Wake river wide, but river levels are now dropping. Check NOAA River Stage information on their web page or call local Marinas and bait shops for current conditions before planning a trip. Walleye and sauger have been hitting trolled crank baits and live bait rigs on Lake Pepin. Panfish and bass action has been good on area Lakes. Area trout streams have settled down after last week?s heavy rains and are in good shape.
Crawford County The Mississippi River is rising and expected to crest at 13 feet. Anglers have been picking up bluegills in flooded timber in the shallows. Anglers are picking up numerous walleye trolling over top of and along wing dams on Pool 10. Bluegills continue to be picked up in the shallows on warm days.
Trempealeau County Anglers report they are finding bluegills in the shallow water over sand beds. Use a worm and bobber for best results. Anglers are also reporting success with crappies in shallow waters. The crappies are hitting primarily on minnows. People planning on fishing a different lake or looking for a new spot on a favorite water body can check out the lake maps posted on the DNR website at:
http://dnr.wi.gov/lakes/documents/lakemaps.aspx The maps feature depth profiles and common fish species located in that particular lake.
Adams County Anglers are having success on area lakes for panfish and bass. Some walleye and catfish action is taking place on the Wisconsin River flowages.
Minocqua area fishing reporthttp://www.wisconsinoutdoor.com/minocquafishingreport.htm
Lake Michigan Fishing Report and tipshttp://www.wisconsinoutdoor.com/lmfishingtips.htmWausau Area fishing reporthttp://www.wisconsinoutdoor.com/wisconsinriverfishingreport.htm
Chippewa Flowage fishing reporthttp://www.wisconsinoutdoor.com/chippewaflowagefishingreport.htm
Information compiled from the WDNR Outdoor report and private sources
