Wisconsin Statewide Fishing report 3.4.10The early catch-and-release trout season opens Saturday with much of Wisconsin still covered with snow. That can make for tough sledding, but new online resources on the Early Trout Season page of the DNR Web site will help anglers meet the challenge. A new video features DNR stream ecologist and avid trout angler Mike Miller, showing anglers where to find fish and how to change their tactics to suit the conditions. And a new feature shares the secrets of success with a spinning rod, honed over the years by a foursome of DNR fish biologists and technicians. The early trout season is catch and release only, with artificial baits, but starting this year, anglers are no longer required to use barbless hooks. Streams in southern Wisconsin should be in good to excellent condition for the opening, with snow melt having water levels up and water running clear and cold. Most northern trout streams remain locked in ice and snow.
While the early trout season opens this weekend, the inland game fish season closes at the end of the day Sunday, March 7. That is also the last day permanent ice fishing shelters are allowed on waters south of Highway 64. The panfish season remains open year-round on inland lakes, and the current Guide to Hook and Line Fishing Regulations lists specific lakes where the gamefish season remains open year round.
In the south, access areas to major lakes are starting to weaken and some shoreland ice is eroding. Access remains good to many northern lakes, but with the warm weather this week, some spots are getting slushy and rutted. In general, ice anglers have reported fishing is slower, with the best action for panfish. Northern pike fishing also picked up some. Green Bay anglers reported perch fishing slowed this week, but whitefish and pike action has been good. More open water anglers have been seen at the Fox River, and on open water below dams on the Wisconsin River.
Upper Chippewa Basin fisheries report (Price, Rusk, Sawyer Taylor and inland Ashland and Iron counties) -
The recent mild weather has really settled the snow pack on area lakes and the depth is down to 2 to 3 inches of grainy snow cover. Ice thickness is holding in the 20- to 22-inch range and travel conditions have been very good. However, with the warm & sunny conditions, some access areas have been getting slushy and rutted up, so anglers should be a bit cautious when getting on and off of the lakes. In addition, anglers are reminded that the gamefish harvest season closes at the end of the day on Sunday, March 7. Variable weather conditions made for another erratic week of fishing in the Northwoods. Panfish have provided the most consistent success in the past week as some decent catches of crappie and perch have been reported. Anglers have had to move around quite a bit to find the fish, but success has been good when a school of active fish are found. The best action has been over the deeper mud flats, with perch being found just off the bottom and crappie suspended a few feet up. Small minnows, spikes, and wax worms have all worked good for bait. Walleye success has been especially slow lately, with many anglers having a hard time finding any active fish. On most trips, anglers have been lucky to catch just a single fish, and only a few anglers have reported getting a two or three-fish limit. With the bright sunny days, northern pike action has picked up and tip-up anglers have been seeing some decent action on area pike waters. Large golden shiners or sucker minnows fished over the top of any old weed beds have been producing the best action. On many pike lakes in the north, anglers have had to move their baits up a couple feet off the bottom. This is to get above the low oxygen levels that are starting to show up on these generally shallow and weedy lakes.
Marinette County -
The ice at 6th street slip is fast becoming untenable. Some walleye were being caught, but caution must be observed. Trout during the day and a few walleye in the evening is what the Hattie street area brings to the table. The trout were biting on stick baits fished from the walkway in open water. Walleye were being caught through the ice as well as the walkway.
Oconto County -
Pike anglers are dominating the bay from Geano Beach to the Peshtigo Harbor. Golden shiners fished a foot or two off the bottom depending on the water depth as well as fishing on bottom with dead smelt works if the pike are hungry
Brown County -
People are still fishing through the ice at Voyageur Park; what ice is left is small. Perch were being caught along with a few small walleye using jigs and minnows; take care when fishing the ice in front of Voyageur. Open water fishing for walleye is attracting more people, stick baits and jig heads are the baits of choice. Sunset Beach was giving up some perch if anglers could hit them at the right time; jigs and minnow heads in 10 feet of water worked well.
Door County -
The perch fishing has slowed over the last week at Sturgeon Bay. Most anglers that were finding any perch have been fishing in front of the state park. Anglers have been targeting northern pike by the yacht club with some success. Larger suckers or golden shiners have been working the best. Smelt were still being caught off Stone Quarry; most anglers have been walking off the landing and setting up 50-100 yards from shore. Sand Bay anglers have been doing well on whitefish over the last week. Most anglers have been targeting whitefish in water 20 to 40 feet deep. A few walleyes were being caught off Larson Reef. Perch fishing also slowed over the last week at Little Sturgeon Bay. Most anglers have been moving a lot to find the few perch that were being caught. Whitefish have also slowed over the last week; successful anglers have been moving away from the large groups of people to find any fish. Red River anglers are finding some respectable numbers of perch in 20 to 30 feet of water out in front of Red River. Most have been using minnows or waxworms to target their catch. Also anglers have been catching good numbers of whitefish as well, mostly fishing north of the park. Anglers have been targeting mainly whitefish at Volks Reef. Successful anglers have been finding most of the whitefish in 8 to 15 feet of water. Anglers are also reporting a few perch and walleye being caught as well.
Crawford County -
The Mississippi River remained steady this week and was at 7.9 feet Monday. Ice conditions in most backwater areas are pretty good. Most of the popular ice fishing spots have anywhere between 12 to 28 inches of ice. Even so, ice fishers are urged to use caution when traveling out onto the frozen waters. Many stretches of the main channel are starting to open up, but it remains ice covered in many areas. Open water exists at the confluence of Mill Coulee Creek and the Ambro Slough just upstream from the USFWS boat landing. Also, the East Channel in the Prairie du Chien is showing some open water areas. Ice fishing action this week was spotty. Prairie du Chien Area and Lower bottoms: Garnet Lake has decent ice but access to it is tricky and action there has been slow. Pickerel Slough was slow also. Fishing pressure in these two areas was light. White bass action is slow in Dillman?s pit. In the past stripers were caught on jigging rapalas or sweedish pimples near the bottom of 40 feet of water. Ice conditions are pretty good there with over 20 inches of ice. Rotten Slough, St. Feriole Slough and Hunter?s Slough which are located near the sewer treatment plant is becoming unsafe. Caution in these areas is advised. Anglers have been fishing between the Blackhawk and Washington Street bridges. On some days the bluegill action was pretty good, but the average size was small. St. Feriole Slough has open water areas near the bridges and in the center of the channel so use caution there. Prairie du Chien Ambro Slough Complex: Gremore Lake?s northern end has very low oxygen so fishing action there is very bad. The lower end of Gremore Lake was very spotty. A few crappie, bluegill and perch along with some bass have been taken from time to time. For the most part Gremore has about 24 or so inches of ice. Tilmont Lake and Mud Slough have been very slow. Good ice conditions exist on Tilmont Lake and Mud Slough. Anglers are urged to use caution crossing over the Black Slough to get to Tilmont Lake as warm temperatures might cause the Black Slough to become unsafe. The Lower Doubles and Fish Lake have been pretty slow recently. Ice conditions there are good with around 24 inches of ice. Little Missouri has been spotty with some smaller bluegill and a few decent crappie being taken. Good ice exists on Little Missouri. Big Missouri on the other hand has been very slow for some reason. The Upper Doubles has slowed too. Even so some decent bass and crappie are still being taken. Upwards of 24 inches of ice exist on the Upper Doubles and Big Missouri. The Fennimore Cut has produced some perch, crappie and bluegill. The bluegills have been small and overall action was spotty. Spring Lake has been very slow even though good ice conditions exist. Spring Lake has produced a few bluegill and crappie just under the ice. Access to the Doubles, Big and Little Missouri, the Fenimore Cut, and Spring Lake can be tricky. Poor ice conditions exist where Mill Coulee Creek enters the Ambro Slough. Anglers traveling on the Ambro Slough must monitor ice conditions as current is slowing in it and ice conditions can change rapidly. Sturgeon Slough Area: Sturgeon Slough remains very quiet. Some anglers have ventured down to Sturgeon (aka McGregor or Horseshoe) Lake but success there has been very spotty, especially on the northern ? of the lake. Recent oxygen level testing on Sturgeon Lake shows very low oxygen levels. Some crappie and bass action was reported on Sturgeon Lake closer to the East Channel. Sturgeon Slough and Sturgeon Lake have good ice, however travel to Sturgeon Lake can be tricky. Stay on established paths. Cold Spring: Fishing here remains very slow. Reports of a few small bluegill and an occasional crappie and a fair amount of small bass have been reported. Ice conditions on the southern lobe are still good except when you get near the boat landing/stream where open water and very thin ice exists. Mississippi River: Walleye and sauger anglers had been venturing out onto the ice below the Lynxville dam earlier in the week. Ice conditions there have deteriorated a lot. Travel in this area is not advisable.
Chippewa Flowage fishing report 3.2.10
http://wisconsinoutdoor.com/smf/index.php?topic=3469.0Minoqua Area Fishing Report 3.2.10
http://wisconsinoutdoor.com/smf/index.php?topic=3464.0Jamie Derleth 26" 8lb Walleye
http://wisconsinoutdoor.com/smf/index.php?topic=3449.0
