Wisconsin Statewide fishing report 8.13.10The rainy patter from June and July has carried into August, with the entire state receiving additional rainfall in the last week ranging from half and inch in the south to 5 inches in the north. The most eastern portion of the state received the least rain in the last week. Almost all northern river systems are running well above seasonal norms, with some rivers at or near flood stage. Most of the major river systems in the south also continue to run very high, though some have started to recede slightly. The lower Wisconsin River remain very high with most sandbars still submerged.
The continued sultry and wet weather has made for some real variable angling success. Both largemouth and smallmouth bass fishing moved to a little more consistent pattern on northern lakes, but action still could only be considered fair. Musky activity was a bit hit or miss this week, with some days producing a lot of follows and hits, and others showing barely a hint of activity. Walleye action continued to be especially slow and panfish success continued to be fair.
On Green Bay, perch and walleye anglers were having some success at Oconto on the west shore and at Sturgeon Bay, Little Sturgeon Bay and Chaudoir?s dock along the east shore. Salmon fishing slowed somewhat, with fewer anglers out this week following completion of the Door-Kewaunee salmon tournament. Fox River shore anglers were catching sheepshead, catfish and white perch.
Near shore water temperatures on Lake Michigan continued to fluctuate between 66 and 68 degrees, and fishing off of piers and at harbors was slow. Trollers out of the northern ports were averaging about two fish per boat, with a few boats returning with five to seven fish. The catch remains mostly chinook salmon but with a few more coho starting to show up. Trollers out of southeaster Wisconsin ports have taken fair numbers of chinook and coho, as well as rainbow and brown trout. Shore fishing was picking up at Sheboygan but was slower at most other harbors.
Upper Chippewa Basin fisheries report (Price, Rusk, Sawyer Taylor and inland Ashland and Iron counties) -
With the high amount of rainfall in the past two months, wet conditions continue across the north and most rivers and streams are at very high levels. Canoeists should check local conditions before starting any extended float trips, as many rivers may be near flood stage after 4-plus inches of rain in the last week. The high stream and river flows have also filled most flowages and drainage lakes to the brim, tho many smaller seepage lakes are still slowly creeping up as ground water levels increase. Also, all recreationalists should bring their bug repellent on any outdoor trips, as there are very high numbers of mosquitoes, gnats and 'ankle biters'. The continued sultry and wet weather of the past week made for some real variable angling success across the Northwoods. Both largemouth and smallmouth bass fishing has provided a little more consistency, but action still could only be considered fair. Most of the largemouth were being found in and near mid-depth woody cover and could be coaxed to bite with plastic finesse baits. Some were also being found in the thick weed beds and were hitting top-water baits in the early morning hours. Smallmouth bass were a bit more predictable and many have moved to near woody cover along deeper water breaks. The best success was coming on larger plastics, which seem to be easier to find with the high and dark-stained water in many flowages and rivers. Musky activity continued to be a hit or miss proposition. Some days seem to produce a lot of follows and hits, and other days would show barely a hint of activity. The most productive lures have been bulldawgs and large two-bladed bucktails, though slow-moving surface lures have also provided quite a bit of action. The best areas have been the weed edges and some of the best times have been in the mid-day hours during the middle of the week when boat traffic is lightest. Walleye action seemed to be especially slow with some fish being found suspended over the deeper mud flats and near deep rock bars. Panfish success has been fair with some decent crappie and bluegill catches still being made over mid-depth cover and on the deep edge along emergent weed lines. And of course, rock bass are always there to provide action when success for other species is slow!
Marinette County -
The Peshtigo River is producing some smallmouth bass along with a few sheepshead and rough fish, fishing for catfish has slowed a bit as the river is running high with a lot debris floating down river. The Menominee River continues to produce walleye during low light periods both trolling and drifting live bait in the area of the Interstate Bridge up to Bum Island. Some nice panfish were being caught in the slough areas below the Sixth Street Slip using slip bobbers and worms in the evening. Reports of salmon catches have been spotty with few interviews to rely on. The information being gleaned from such reports puts the best salmon bite in the Chambers Island area. For those of you who want to stay closer to home some nice walleye were being caught around the Green Island area.
Oconto County -
The bluegill bite at the Stiles Dam is going strong, fishing with slip bobbers and worms or drifting live bait in current seams. Some sorting is required. Pensaukee Landing, Oconto Breakwater Park, and Oconto Park II are catching limits of both perch and walleye. The Perch bite is coming in 12 to 16 feet of water adjacent to weed cover, using crappie rigs and slip bobbers. The walleye bite is coming in the same depth of water with people concentrating on rock bars and using both crank baits and crawler/harness. The perch have been running a respectable size in the 8 to 9 inch range with the walleye running 18 to 23 inches. Some nicer walleye being caught in the 20 to 30 foot range according to anglers.
Green Bay DNR Service Center area
With fishing on Wisconsin?s Great Lakes in full swing, anglers who are trolling in deeper waters are reminded to steer well clear of any potential obstructions including commercial trap nets. In Lake Michigan, such nets are set off Two Rivers, Manitowoc, Sheboygan and in Door County. In Lake Superior, nets are set in several locations between Houghton Point and Bayfield. Information on the Lake Michigan trap nets [http://dnr.wi.gov/fish/lakemich/Trapnet_Wisconsin.pdf] can be found on the DNR website and on Lake Superior trap nets [http://aqua.wisc.edu/publications/PDFs/trapnet_superior.pdf] on the (exit DNR) on the University of Wisconsin Aquatic Sciences website. (Both pdf documents open in a new window.) Learn more in a ?Don?t Get Trapped? brochure from the Sea Grant Institute available on the DNR Web site
http://dnr.wi.gov/fish/lakemich/Trapnet.pdfBrown County -
Fox River shore anglers were catching a plethora of sheepshead, catfish and white perch from the metro landing all the way to Voyager Park. Anglers trolling for walleye were not having the same good luck. Most have been trolling harnesses or crank baits. Walleye fishing has been spotty over the last week at Bayshore Park. Most have been trolling harnesses. Walleye anglers have reported catching some very nice perch, catfish and sheepshead as well. The perch anglers are having some good success in 15-20 feet of water just north of the harbor. Most have been using bottom rigs tipped with a minnow or piece of night crawler. Perch anglers are also reporting catching numerous sheepshead and catfish.
Manitowoc County -
Water temperatures continue to fluctuate between 66 and 68 degrees resulting in very little angler success. Light westerly winds picked up by Sunday along with heavy rain and thunderstorms, leaving the lakeshore relatively quiet over the weekend. Temperatures remained around 80 degrees, reaching the upper 80s by the weekend. Boaters continue to average two to four fish per boat consisting mostly of chinook salmon. Fishing action continued to slowly move in due to the light westerly wind throughout the week. The few fish that have been caught appear to be in the 100-125 foot range and out as deep as 150 feet. Many anglers report finding temperature breaks in all depths, so find those areas and work those breaks as much as you can. Work the areas straight out of Manitowoc and northward outside the nets all the way to the lighthouse north of Two Rivers in the 100-125 foot range. White flashers with blue/white flies and green and pearl J-Plugs have been taking some kings 60-80 feet down on the downriggers. Flasher/fly set-ups on the dypsy have also been taking a few fish when set down deeper in the water column. For the boats that run pump handles, set them 175-230 feet back on the line counters with an 8 or 10 ounce ball. The sizes of the chinook have varied from small jacks to 3- and 4-year-olds getting up to 15 pounds. Fishing off the piers remained slow with the warm water still swarming the lakeshore. One or two kings a day have been caught off the Two Rivers piers and the south pier in Manitowoc. A few salmon have been caught in the Two Rivers harbor, a good sign considering how warm the water is inside the harbor. Perch fishing picked up in the Manitowoc harbor and south pier using night crawlers, minnows, or just plastics. Casting crank baits and little cleos inside near the Manitowoc marina, several pike have been caught mixed in with a few smallmouth bass. The weed beds near shore have created excellent action recently, with many of the pike striking five yards from shore. Good Luck.
Door County -
For a second straight week rain and inclement weather was absent from Door County allowing for anglers and tourists to enjoy the beautiful features around the peninsula. Fewer anglers were seen this week likely due to the completion of the Door Kewaunee Salmon Tournament. Salmon fishing has slowed somewhat county wide from Sturgeon Bay to Gills Rock. Some decent coolers were seen but most anglers averaged around two or three fish. Many boats were seen still working green j-plugs and looking for cooler water. Few reports came from the Green Bay side of the county correlating to the decreased fishing pressure. Walleye fishing has been good fishing on Green Bay towards the southern part of the county. Crawler harnesses have produced some nice catches with most of the fishing pressure taking place along the southwest shore of Door County. A few Musky anglers were out this week however had nothing good to report. Perch anglers in Sturgeon Bay continue with the, ?same report, different day,? story in which many fish are being seen with minimal size. The perch bite has been going strong the last few days with some good catches reported, but they have been on the small side. Working minnows along the weed edges and in the moored sailboats has been a popular choice for anglers. Sturgeon Bay walleye anglers have been fishing Larson?s Reef with some good luck. Most angers have been fishing in 20 feet of water during the day and moving shallower during low light periods. A few anglers have been venturing out for salmon from Potawatomi State Park. Action has been slow but some nice fish are being taken. A few smallmouth bass anglers were seen having success on the flats in Sturgeon Bay and along the West shore of the county. Plastics grubs and tube jigs have worked for artificial baits and night crawlers have been a good choice for live bait. Little Sturgeon Bay anglers have been targeting perch with some success. Most are still fishing the weeds inside the bay itself. Also, walleye anglers have been venturing out at night with acceptable outcomes. Most anglers are trolling harnesses or crank baits. Fishing south on Green Bay near Chaudoir?s Dock has been promising with good fish and decent size. Perch anglers have been finding size and numbers of perch the last week or so. Most anglers are fishing 20-30 feet of water with crawlers or minnows. A few walleye anglers have struck gold over the last week off the dock. Most have been trolling harnesses for the best results.
Kewaunee County -
The weather this has been a lot more cooperative with guys fishing both off shore and on the piers. The water temperatures in the middle of the week dropped down to about 63 degrees at the surface but unfortunately a shift in the wind brought the temperatures back up into the upper 60s. The fishing off of the Kewaunee pier remains slow due to the warm water temperatures in the area. A few small king salmon have been caught earlier in the week on green/silver spoons down towards the lighthouse. A few anglers have landed some smallmouth bass right along the pier using bobbers and crawlers. The fishing out of Kewaunee remains pretty much unchanged from the previous week with very few fish being caught by the off shore anglers. Boaters are averaging about two fish per boat this week but a few lucky boats have returned with five to seven fish. The catch remains mostly king salmon but a few more coho salmon are starting to show up. The hot lure for the week has been green J-plugs and spoons that glow green. The fish have been caught in a wide range of depths but it seems most consistent around 120-140 feet of water and about 50-70 feet down. The fishing on the Algoma North and South piers remains very poor with only one report of a rainbow trout being caught in the last week. The fish was caught on an orange/silver spoon on the south pier. Many anglers are trying their luck with different colors spoons and flies but haven't had any success. It was another slow week of fishing off the shores of Algoma. The fishing was a little better at the beginning of the week because the water temperatures dropped down to 63 degrees but the wind shifted and brought back warmer temperatures and have risen as high as 70 degrees in some areas. The most successful anglers have been fishing in depths of 140-180 feet of water and about 60-80 feet down. The catch was split evenly between spoons and flies this week but the hot color has been green glow with almost 75% of the fish being caught on that color.
Lake Michigan fisheries team report
Sheboygan County - In Sheboygan trollers have been catching a few chinook and rainbow trout. Fish have been scattered throughout the water column, and spoons and flies have taken the most fish. Shore fishing in Sheboygan has improved, with a few chinook taken off the north pier on alewives and a mixed bag of rainbows, coho, chinook, and brown trout taken off the south pier. Spoons and alewives have both produced off the south pier, and early mornings have had the most action.
Ozaukee County -
Trollers in Port Washington have taken fair numbers of chinook, coho, and rainbow and brown trout anywhere from 40 to 170 feet of water. Most fish have been 20 to 70 feet down, and spoons, flashers and flies, and J-plugs have all produced. Shore anglers in Port Washington have had some success off the pier, with a few chinooks and coho taken on alewives, and perch have been caught on jigs.
Milwaukee County -
In Milwaukee trollers have been catching mostly chinook, along with a few coho. Fish have been caught in 40 to 60 feet of water or deeper, and spoons have taken the majority of fish. Shore fishing effort in Milwaukee has dropped considerably, especially off McKinley pier. Perch anglers fishing from shore have had some limited success at Cupertino pier and the Lake Express Ferry dock. Small shiners have produced the most when fished early in the morning. Boaters fishing perch at the boils off South Milwaukee have been catching some on small shiners, but the bite has been slow overall.
Racine County -
In Racine some chinook and coho have been taken by trollers in 90 to 110 feet of water. Spoons and J-plugs have been catching fish 40 to 60 feet down. Rainbows have also been biting in 200 to 220 feet of water. Trout and salmon fishing off the piers has been slow, and perch fishing from shore has been hit-or-miss. Boats looking for perch have taken fair numbers at the south breakwater on crab tails, minnows, and shrimp.
Kenosha County -
In Kenosha trollers have been catching some chinook and coho 30 to 40 feet down in 70 to 90 feet of water. J-plugs, spoons, and some flies have all taken fish, and silvers and greens have been the most productive colors. Some rainbows have also been reported from trollers in 200 to 220 feet of water. Shore fishing in Kenosha has been generally slow for trout and salmon anglers as well as perch anglers. Kenosha boaters looking for perch continue to catch some at the bubbler or near the jetties off of 75th Street. Crab tails, minnows, and spinners have all produced at times, but most perch have been on the small side.
Minocqua Area Fishing Report
http://www.wisconsinoutdoor.com/minocquafishingreport.htmChippewa Flowage Fishing Report
http://www.wisconsinoutdoor.com/chippewaflowagefishingreport.htmLake Michigan Fishing Report and tips
http://www.wisconsinoutdoor.com/lmfishingtips.htmCentral Wisconsin Fishing report
http://www.wisconsinoutdoor.com/wisconsinriverfishingreport.htmInformation compiled from the WDNR Outdoor report and private sources
