December 12th, 2007
The hot early season start to ice fishing tapered off in the past week. Where a week ago we were getting very consistent reports of good walleye and northern pike action this week brought far fewer reports. The question is, Why? And the answer has yet to be found.
It’s possible that there are just not as many anglers out in the past week. A lot of people we talked to were hunting last weekend, with a final chance to put venison in the freezer for the non-archers in the crowd. Add to that Christmas shopping and the Packer game and the cold weather and we may simply be seeing fewer people out in the last 7 days.
Or,lets face it; the initial hot spell of fishing that so often accompanies first ice may be over. Early ice seems to spur walleyes and northerns to feed aggressively and often. That first week or two can be some of the hottest of the entire year. Walleyes often move very shallow then and are easily located. Some of the best fishing we heard of was on the Rainbow Flowage where low water levels concentrated walleyes even more. After several weeks of this fish often relocate into deeper water and fishing can slow until anglers adjust.
We’re taking a “wait and see” attitude this week, especially with walleyes. We expect them to get into a more consistent pattern and when anglers figure it out we think fishing will rebound.
Ice conditions are getting better but on larger, deeper lakes we are still thinking it’s best to be careful and test ice. Every December it seems we get reports of anglers going through, on foot, on machines or in trucks. Even with the cold weather some of those lakes are just not consistent with ice quality yet.
Having said that, this looks to be some of the earliest fishing we’ve had in years and with the cold weather lingering we think most lakes will be as safe as they can get in the next week or so.
Enjoy the Rhinelander Area Outdoors!
Report By:
Mel's Trading Post
105 South Brown Street
Rhinelander, WI 54501
715-362-5800
http://www.fishingrhinelander.com/fishingreports.shtml
