August 3, 2007
Wisconsin Fishing Report
NORTHERN REGION
Upper Chippewa Basin fisheries report (Price, Rusk, Sawyer Taylor and inland Ashland and Iron counties) - Largemouth bass have providing the most consistent action as the fish are showing much more of a typical summer pattern. Best success coming from the thick cover - in the down wood, near the bog edges, in the thick lily pad beds and under mats of vegetation. Soft plastics and top-water frogs have been the most productive lures and the key has been to work them slowly through the cover. Smallmouth bass a little tougher to find as it seems that the low water levels and warmer temps have kept most of the fish in deeper water. A few nice fish have been caught on a slow presentation of small plastic finesse baits worked on the deep edges near weeds or wood in 6 to 10 feet of water. Musky action improved with anglers reporting quite a few follows and sightings. Most catches have been of smaller fish in the 26- to 36-inch size and the bigger fish seem to be holding off in deeper water yet. Slow top-water baits, medium-size spinner baits and smaller bucktails favorite lures.
Woodruff DNR Service Center area
There continues to be a great bite for muskellunge with reports indicating numerous good size fish being boated. Bass anglers reporting success throughout the Lakeland area along the deep side weed edges with leeches the preferred bait. Walleye reported to be in and around any weed growth with both leeches and crawlers tempting them to bite.
NORTHEAST REGION
Oconto County - The fishing action has been slow with the high seas on Green Bay. Few boats reported catching salmon and trout in the northern end of Green Bay. However, those salmon caught seem to be nicer in size. The perch seemed to be still spread out in varying depths ranging from 12 to 50 feet of water; a few “limit” catches were reported out of Oconto Harbor and Park 2 in Oconto County. Anglers catching perch on minnows, worms and leeches.
Brown County - Fishing on the bay picked up some. A few limits of perch reported outside of Bayshore and Chaudoir’s parks. Anglers have starting shallow and working their way out to 25 to 30 feet early mornings. Minnows the best bet. Some walleyes being caught off the reefs south of Bayshore. Slow trolling with blue variations on spinner rigs the best bet. Some nice smallmouth bass caught outside of Sturgeon Bay around the state park area, with a few perch being reported out of the canal. The Fox, Duck, and Suamico rivers all still producing sheepshead, catfish, walleyes. Occasional musky anglers have been showing up, although the action has been slow.
Manitowoc County - Anglers trolling Lake Michigan had success with large catches of chinook salmon and rainbow trout. Many boats picked up a couple lake trout, coho salmon, or brown trout. Most chinook ranged from 10 to 16 pounds with a few pushing 20 pounds and rainbow trout ranged from 5 to 8 pounds with larger ones pushing 12 pounds landed. Anglers fishing off the piers had a great week angling as well with many nice catches of chinook salmon and a few rainbow trout reported. Most success in early mornings or late evenings while casting spoons from the end of the north or south pier. In Two Rivers, fishing was excellent. Anglers trolling on Lake Michigan had large catches of chinook salmon, rainbow trout. A few lake trout, coho salmon, brown trout scattered in the catch. Successful morning and evening anglers fished in 30 to 60 feet of water while afternoon anglers fished deeper in 60 to 90 feet of water. Anglers had the most action with dipsys with a spoon or J-plug, while the fly and dodger combination seemed to produce a little slower action. Anglers fishing off the north and south piers landing many large catches of chinook salmon with a few rainbow trout. Success off the piers was split between casting spoons or fishing off the bottom with an alewife for bait. Most chinook harvested ranged between 16 to 18 pounds and the rainbow trout were between 8 to 10 pounds.
Door County – Fishing out on Lake Michigan has been phenomenal. Warm water on the big lake seems to have forced the fish out into slightly deeper waters. Out of Sturgeon Bay, anglers fishing the early morning bite on the Bank Reef reported excellent success on fly and dodger combinations fished 90 to 125 feet deep. Later in the day, action seemed to move out into deeper water with anglers fishing in 160 to 300 feet of water. Fly and dodger combinations along with spoons and J-Plugs - just about anything in the tackle box - producing limit catches of salmon and trout. Off Baileys Harbor, action remained very good. Like the Sturgeon Bay area the action has moved out into the deeper waters. Rowley’s Bay, Ellison Bay, Sister Bay and Washington Island reporting lots of nice fish. Look for big smallmouth on structure in 15 to 25 feet of water. Tube jigs and goby imitation baits were taking some nice smallmouth. In early morning anglers fishing with top water lures and spinner baits in 5 to 15 feet of water. Report of some nice smallmouth taken off of Anderson’s dock in Ephraim. Perch fishing has slowed down a little; however, the southern shore of Green Bay, along with Little Sturgeon and Riley’s Bay producing some perch, although fish are scattered. Majority of walleye seemed to remain in the southern area of Green Bay. However anglers were picking up some fish on crank baits and night crawler harnesses trolled over Larson’s Reef and Monument Shoals along with the area around Chambers Island and Peninsula State Park.
Kewaunee County - Kings and some browns have been caught on silver spoons and live bait. Anglers trolling out on the lake have been coming in with some good catches of kings and rainbows. Anglers catching a few lakers, browns and cohos as well. Many good catches of fish coming in throughout most of the week, but it has slowed down over the weekend. Anglers started the week fishing in shallower waters, but move to deeper waters in an attempt to find the fish. Most anglers fishing in water depths of about 60 to 120 feet. Fish being caught anywhere from 70 to 100 feet. Fish have started to move deeper as the water temps have been rising. Anglers reporting the best tackle has been various combinations of flashers and flies.
SOUTHEAST REGION
Sheboygan County - In Sheboygan, shore anglers fishing both the north and south piers have been catching a few chinooks in the early morning hours. Blue or green spoons have taken the most fish, although alewives fished on the bottom have also produced. Trollers off Sheboygan catching chinooks, along with occasional rainbows and coho. Fish have been found 60 to 70 feet down in 90 to 120 feet of water.
Ozaukee County - In Port Washington shore fishing has slowed, with only a few chinooks caught off the pier. Trollers out of Port Washington have been catching mostly chinooks and a few coho and rainbows 50 to 70 feet down in water 70 to 100 feet deep. Spoons and flies have both taken fish.
Milwaukee County - In Milwaukee, shore fishing shut down after nearshore waters warmed up again. Milwaukee trollers catching good numbers of chinooks, along with a few coho, lake trout, rainbows, browns. Most fish have been caught on spoons and J-plugs 70 feet down in water 100 feet and deeper.
Racine County - A few perch caught near the mouth of the boat launch at Pershing Park. Crab tails provided the only action. Boaters catching perch off and on at the breakwall. Both minnows and crab tails have taken perch there. Racine trollers catching good numbers of chinooks and a few steelhead. Most fish taken on spoons and J-plugs in over 100 feet of water.
Kenosha County - In Kenosha perch fishing from shore has been fairly good in the mornings, but the window of opportunity has been short. Minnows and crab tails produced the most consistent catches. From the boats, perch have been hit or miss, but the lake side of the breakwall has generally produced perch in the mornings. Shore anglers fishing the Kenosha harbor for brown trout catching a few each day, mostly on white tube jigs. Kenosha trollers have been catching chinooks and coho in 80 to 120 feet on spoons in a variety of colors.
Milwaukee County - The Milwaukee River has been giving up a few smallmouth and walleyes below the dam in Estabrook park, most fishing deep holes with crank baits and spinner baits, best times seem to be at dusk. Kletzsch park area producing a fair number of smallmouth bass. Smallmouth running small and less than the 14-inch minimum. Similarly, smallmouth and a few small northern pike being taken in Ozaukee and Washington counties.
Waukesha County - Best bluegill catches coming from Pewaukee, Pine, Beaver lakes. Bluegills in their summer holding patterns, suspended over deep water about 11 to 17 feet down. Musky action spotty at best. Some anglers speed trolling smaller cranks over shallow weed cuts on Pewaukee, Oconomowoc and Upper Nemahbin lakes. Walleye fishing excellent on area lakes after dark on large golden shiners and suckers on slip rigs over rock humps.
WEST CENTRAL REGION
Crawford County - Bluegills biting on Mississippi River. In the Prairie du Chien area anglers having success on wing dams and in deeper slow moving sloughs and on the Main Channel. Ambro Slough Complex continues to produce bluegills in downed trees. Nice catches of bluegills reported in the East Channel near Indian Isle and along the Iowa side of the main channel. Many anglers “dead lining” bluegills in deep water while other use small jig heads tipped with pieces of night crawler. Wing dam action good for bluegill. Perch biting on St. Feriole Slough along the weed edges. Perch fishing action in Pool 9 near the Ferryville wasn’t bad but anglers have to search for active fish. Walleye action in the McDonald Slough area and the Lynxville dam spotty. In the area of the “S” curve near Harpers Ferry anglers drifting with a jig and night crawlers or leach or trolling with fair success. Some anglers drifting or trolling the west shoreline below Harper’s Ferry slough in about 10 feet of water. Saugers and walleyes active outside Cold Spring on some days. Best baits have been chartreuse crankbaits or live bait rigs. Bass fishing on the Mississippi River remains very good. Anglers catching decent fish using plastics, crank and spinner baits. Catfish continue to bite fairly well. Most cat anglers using cut bait, stink bait or night crawlers. Best bullhead action in shallow backwater areas of both the Mississippi River and the Wisconsin River. Lower Wisconsin River producing smallmouth. Many local trout streams produced decent brook and brown trout.
Brunet Island State Park - Bass action on spinner baits has been productive, and there has been good musky action on Cornell flowage and below the Cornell dam.
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