Wausau area fishing report 8.22.11 Walleyes are being caught from deeper holes, flats, and breaks, especially during mid-day hours. While there is still good action to be found while fishing shallower wood or weed edges, the largest walleyes have been consistently coming from deeper water. Live bait rigs tipped with minnows or leeches are working well, as are jigs tipped with plastics and/or livebait. Trolling has been another very productive option for targeting walleyes, with both crankbaits and crawler harnesses producing good catches of fish.
Anglers looking to target smallmouth bass should try throwing lipless crank baits, popper/chugger style surface lures, or in-line spinners in and around logs, stumps, and rocky areas, especially those exposed to current. While smallmouth are being caught throughout the day, the early morning and evening periods have consistently had the most intense feeding windows. An often overlooked species in our area, largemouth bass have been producing steady action for anglers throughout the day as well. Thick vegetation and areas of tangled submerged wood have been the best areas to target. Weedless surface lures, buzzbaits, spinnerbaits, and jig-and-pig combinations have all been producing fish.
Catfish anglers continue to enjoy one of North-Central Wisconsin’s hardest fighting fish by working holes and pools with fresh-cut bait on a slip-sinker rig and circle hook. While commercially prepared offerings and even chicken livers will catch channel catfish, anglers looking to see the most consistent action, especially with the largest fish in the system, will do best with fresh chunks of fish.
Late-summer stream conditions currently have the brook, brown, and rainbow trout more concentrated in deeper pools and cuts. With the reduced flow and increased water clarity, the trout have been a tad more skittish and wary, and thus requiring stealthy presentations to consistently catch fish. Fly-fishing using both dry and streamer flies have been productive, as has casting ultra light in-line spinners during the day. A few large brown trout have been caught and released recently by casting crankbaits after dark.
Double-ten bucktails and prop-style surface lures are continuing to produce the most consistent musky action, although jerkbaits are starting to come on strong recently as well. While classic summer musky haunts such as weed edges and submerged wood/stumps are still holding plenty of active fish, rock structure, especially where current is present, has been holding plenty of fish as well. Jerkbaits and crankbaits have been working well amongst the rocks, with perch, walleye, and sucker patterns all producing well.
Wisconsin Angling Adventures
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