Wisconsin Fishing Reports

Spring Steelhead Report

2017-03-08T20:40:00.000-06:00

Spring has sprung early this year, which has sparked an earlier than normal spring Steelhead run! Unfortunately the weather has cooled off recently, but regardless of the temperatures the Steelhead are now abundant in many of the tributaries to Lake Michigan up and down the Wisconsin coast line!

With high, cold water conditions, expect the Steelhead to be holding on the edges of the fast current or in the deeper pools as they wait for their eggs to ripen and then they will move onto shallow gravel redds to spawn.

With the cold water temperatures, the fish won't be overly aggressive, so using a finesse presentation and getting it right in their face will get you the most bites. There are many different offerings that will work, including; spawn sacs, beads, hair jigs, waxies, shrimp, flies, and even plastic worms.

Don't be afraid to experiment with different presentations until the fish tell you what they are craving on that given day, as they often prefer different baits on different days. Having confidence in what you are using is also really important right now, as the fish will probably take your offering if it is presented to them properly, and having that confidence allows you to fish your presentation properly without wanting to give up on it.

Many anglers think that early morning and evenings are the best fishing times to catch Steelhead, but with cold nights it can take that sun coming out and warming the water a bit to get the fish interested in feeding. Keep this in mind if you struggle early in the day, as things can change quick when the fish turn on!

Whether you have an entire day to fish or just an hour or two, spring Steelhead fishing in the tributaries can be well worth your time as these fish put up amazing battles in cold, skinny water! I hope your next outing produces some silver bullets!

Walleye Weekend 2016

2016-06-08T21:10:00.001-05:00

Walleye Weekend will be held at Lakeside Park in Fond du Lac June 10-12. The event is centered around the Mercury National Walleye Tournament that features over 200 Mercury powered fishing boats and some of the biggest names in Walleye fishing! Keith Kavajecz, Host of The Next Bite TV show and professional angler, will be emceeing the weigh-in on both Saturday and Sunday.

Anglers have 2 days to catch the heaviest overall bag of 10 Walleyes to have their chance at winning over $10,000 in cash! Anglers are allowed to place 7 Walleyes into their live wells but can only weigh 5 per day which makes for tough on the water decisions when a marginal sized Walleye is caught early in the day! If you have never attended a weigh in, I would highly recommend checking it out on Sunday as a winner will be crowned!

There are plenty of things to do at Walleye Weekend other than fishing as well! There will be children’s entertainment and activities, adult sports tournaments (Volleyball, Basketball, Softball, and Strongman), Yoga on the island, Boss of the Moss putting competition, Familyland, and even the UW marching band will march at Noon on Sunday! For more specific information on all of these great events head to www.fdl.com/walleyeweekend

There will also be great food and refreshments, including the world’s largest Walleye Fry! If you are looking to catch some live music, there will be live music on multiple stages! Jackyl (Southern Rock Band) will be headlining on the main stage on Saturday, June 11 at 8:30pm!

As for my winning Walleye weight prediction, I am guessing that it will take right around 40 pounds to win! Get out and enjoy the summer at Lakeside Park this coming weekend, fun will be had by all!

December Steelhead

2015-12-07T21:53:00.000-06:00

Despite the much warmer than average temperatures we have had so far this "winter", fishing continues to be productive for those that are willing to keep the long rods out! Timely rains have kept the tributaries running higher than normal which has helped draw fair numbers of lake run Brown Trout and Steelhead into the harbors and rivers all around Lake Michigan.

This past weekend I was able to sneak away for a few hours and get some much needed time on the water in with my good friend Chris. It's amazing how much I appreciate each minute spent on the water these days as work and my growing family have been consuming most of my time these days!

Chris and I grabbed our waders and headed to some local creeks and rivers in search of some Steelhead, Browns, or even possibly a couple late Cohos! The morning started off nicely as Chris landed a nice Ganaraska strain buck Steelhead in the 5 pound range on a pink spawn sac. The fish had fun clips that I was able to trace back on the DNR's fish stocking page. Check out the link and start keeping track of your clipped fish!

Minutes later it was my turn to get in on the action as I watched my float slam down beneath the frigid waters! I yelled for Chris to grab the net as my fish took off down river before leaping out of the water a few times! After a great battle I managed to ease the buck Steelhead into the net! After a couple pictures I sent him on his way to get bigger and hopefully offer another aerial show for a deserving angler down the road!

After a lull in the action I moved upriver a little ways and was almost instantly hooked up again! This fish turned out to be about a five pound buck Steelhead which was quickly released as well. Chris evened things up with yet another buck Steelhead and we both landed several small "stocker" Steelhead that were either natural or recently stocked!

We decided to make a move mid morning and clearly zigged when we should've zagged as we only managed a few more sticker trout and one lost fish in four different spots! Trout provide both a thrill and a challenge every time you chase them which is what keeps my drive alive! Each day spent on the water chasing these fish offers you many learning experiences that help you become a better angler on your next outing!

With the warm temperatures expected to last through most of December, I am hoping to get out a couple more times with the open water gear before chasing these creatures through the ice! Thanks for reading and please feel free to comment on here or my Facebook page! Please like the page and share my blog!

Fall King Salmon Fishing Report

2015-09-27T21:15:00.001-05:00

The mature King Salmon fishing on Lake Michigan and its many tributaries has been noticeably slower than normal over the past few weeks. This either means that there are less fish in the lake to return, or the run is later than usual. Only time will tell, as anglers continue to spend many hours on the water for a few fish.

This was the story for Derek and I over the weekend as we made a trip to Sturgeon Bay in hopes of tangling with a few King Salmon on our Walleye gear! Our trip started off with a bang, as Derek hooked into a beautiful Steelhead on his very first cast on a Jigging Rapala! Yes, thats right a Jigging Rapala! When Derek said that he had one I rolled my eyes in disbelief, but I was quickly a believer as I heard his drag start to scream and within seconds a tank of a Steelhead was dancing on the surface!

After a solid 5 minute battle with several aerial displays, Derek was finally able to guide this beauty into the net! The fish bit as the Jigging Rapala hit the bottom in 22 feet of water! We were hoping to tangle with a couple Brown Trout, but honestly never expected to land a Steelhead! Things certainly started off with a bang, so we continued jigging in hopes of landing some more fish but only had one other fish on briefly.

As the sun began to set, we couldn't help but enjoy the amazing sunset and peace and quiet as there were wasn't another boat in sight and the Salmon began jumping out of the water all around us! We were unable to hook up with another fish until after the sun had set and the moon took over.

Derek and I tried fishing skein, Gulp, spoons, and even trolled Flicker Shads and J-Plugs without a bump for nearly 2 hours when we switched to casting Berkley Flicker Shads. I had just casted out and gave the Flicker Shad a couple cranks when WHAM! A big King Salmon absolutely crushed my lure and took off across the canal! If you have never caught a large Trout or Salmon on spinning tackle then you need to give it a shot as it is a rush unlike any other!

The fish had its way with me for the first five minutes, screaming line off my Pflueger President which was music to my ears and this bite had been a long time coming! We eventually were forced into starting up the boat and chasing her down as she was headed for obstructions along shore! After an intense 10+ minute fight in the dark, I was finally able to ease the fish into the Frabill.

This beauty of a hen King Salmon was easily in the 17-20 pound range, and had made the entire trip worthwhile as I had been on a mission to land a King Salmon that night! After a few pictures, I bled the fish out and threw it on ice as this fish would die anyways in the coming weeks after spawning and the skein will be used to hopefully catch more Salmon down the road!

We continued casting at night, having a few fish on briefly before they managed to pull free. It was almost 11:00 and we had both begun to tire from casting, when once again my crankbait got crushed! "Fish On!" I yelled to Derek as he spun around a attempted to get a video of the fight! We quickly realized that we weren't setup for filming at night! This fish tired a little quicker, but was still a great fight with quite the story!

As the fish surfaced by the boat it shot off like a rocket, right between the bowmount trolling motor and the transducer cord on the trolling motor! I was now fighting the fish through that narrow space! Derek and I somehow managed to get the rod through this opening and continue to fight and land this fish! After that battle we were both wore out and decided to call it a night.

Even though we didn't catch a ton of fish, we still had a great time enjoying our time on the water! Hopefully the action continues to improve over the next couple weeks as the fish will hopefully continue trickling in for the spawning run! I will be switching gears back to Walleyes in the coming weeks, then eventually back over to Trout as we near Deer Season! For those of you that take the time to read my posts and check out the site I want to thank you as well as apologize for the lack of posts this past summer. Fishing time has been at a premium for me this season with a new job and growing family. I hope to find more time to post in the coming months, so thanks again and if you ever have fishing questions feel free to post on here or send me an email at lance620@live.com and I will do my best to help you out!

Winnebago System Update 6-17-15

2015-06-17T20:35:00.001-05:00

Summer is upon us as is the Walleye bite on the Winnebago System! The Mercury National Walleye Tournament was held out of Fond du lac this past weekend and there were plenty of nice Walleyes brought to the scales both days! The winning pattern is still a secret as many of the same anglers will be competing in the Battle on Bago - Summer Edition this coming weekend.

Walleyes continue to be caught in the upriver lakes, the river in Oshkosh, and on all parts of Lake Winnebago. Trolling has been the most common method used by anglers, with cranks working better than spinners for most. The reef bite has been hit or miss depending on wind conditions, as has the mud bite. Some anglers have put some really nice fish in the boat in short order when an active school is located, while others are struggling to find keeper size Walleyes. There seems to be an abundance of 10-12" Walleyes in the system which are being caught by just about everybody!

I had the chance to get out last Friday for a few hours after work and it was worth my while! We trolled crank baits and were able to land some really nice fish including this 27" pig! Fire tiger #7 Flicker Shads did the trick for us trolling at 2.1-2.2mph.

If you are looking to get out and catch some Walleyes for dinner now is the time! Remember to use the wind to your advantage! The fish have been on the thin side this year with the lack of forage in the system, especially the Shad which will hopefully have a good spawn to give our Walleyes something to plump back up on! On a positive note, the lack of forage should translate into good fishing all summer!

Lastly, I wanted to let everyone know of a great online site for cigars! Cigars are the perfect topper to a successful day on the water or any other activity as you can see in this photo of me and my buddies after a successful day on the water! Check out Famous Smoke Shop to find premium quality cigars at great prices! These cigars will be shipped to your door within days eliminating the hassle of finding a local cigar shop that carries your favorite cigar!

Make the Most of your Waypoints

2015-04-11T11:26:00.000-05:00

For many years prior to the technology advancements of the current era, anglers used landmarks and a simple depth finder to help them navigate to their honey holes. Today, Global Positioning System’s (GPS) have given anglers the ability to return to a specific location, within a few feet on a consistent basis! Despite the majority of anglers having this incredible capability, there remains a tremendous under use of this technology to get the most out of it to be a more productive fisherman!

GPS has been available for public use since the year 2000, when the government ended the purposeful degradation of GPS which increased precision overnight! Since then, GPS has become even more precise as well as much easier to use and understand. A waypoint is simply a position with coordinates. When you create a waypoint on your GPS or fish finder, you are saving/marking your current location with a symbol.

Waypoints are very valuable for fishermen, as they can be used to mark areas where fish have been caught, drop offs, weed edges, hazards, boat launches, etc. Waypoints can also be named and shown on your graph with your symbol of choice. For instance, if I catch a 29” Walleye while jigging a deep weed edge I can label the waypoint 29 Jig and use a weed or tree symbol. When I see this waypoint in the future, I immediately know that I caught a 29” Walleye while jigging weeds here!

On newer units, you also have the description box option which expands when you select a waypoint. In the description you can label the weather conditions, the lure you caught the fish on, the water temp, etc. All of this data can be looked at years later, which is great because it is nearly impossible to remember what you caught each individual fish on years later!

The actual symbols or icons you choose to use for different waypoints are also significant. For example, I would never use the same symbol for a good fishing spot and a hazardous shallow rock pile. There are many different symbol options, so make sure to pick the proper symbols for the given situation. I try to pick a symbol that will help me remember the actual day I entered the waypoint. For example, when trolling a structureless mud flat, I might pick a certain symbol to use that is different from day to day or year to year. This way, I can quickly see where I caught fish yesterday vs. 2 years ago.

Waypoints are valuable, but like anything else, too much of them can do more harm than good. If you were to enter a waypoint for every fish you caught, your screen would be cluttered and it would be hard to understand what was what. At the end of each season, it is a good idea to go through your waypoints in areas you frequented during the past year and trim the fat. Deleting a few waypoints in areas where you have a high density of waypoints will allow you to fish the area more effectively in the future since you will be able to see the depth contours and how the waypoints relate to the structure.

Cleaned up version of fishing area after a day of fishing

Also using symbols to mark starting points, weed edges, drop offs etc. can help you understand the structure you are fishing better to allow you to make the most of your trolling passes or to help position your boat right along the break while vertical jigging.

Another thing to keep in mind when marking things on your map is the difference between icons and waypoints. Icons simply take up a space on your screen, you cannot easily extract coordinate information from them or change their name. I tend to use icons to label structure like breaks, weed edges, etc. Icons are a useful tool, but aren't as detail oriented as a waypoint and should not be used if you plan on transferring that exact location in the future.

Weed Edge shown with icons, fish shown with waypoint

Typing the proper names for your waypoints might not always be practical while you are fishing, so it’s a good idea to spend a few minutes after your fishing trip to go through the waypoints you entered that day and edit them to help you in the future while the fishing trip is still fresh in your head. I love to do this quickly while I am waiting for my fishing partner to fetch the trailer!

Learning to make the most of your waypoints will change the way you fish, for the better! A little extra effort and care with your waypoints will allow you to be more efficient fisherman on your next outing!

Spring Fishing Update

2015-04-06T21:07:00.000-05:00

The spring Steelhead run is off to a slow start as cold temperatures and a lack of rain have the fish coming in at a trickle. Expect the main run to happen soon as forecasted rains will draw more fish into the system in a short period of time! As of now there are fish around to be caught but the fish are using deeper sections of the rivers rather than typical shallower locations since the water is so clear.

I made it out once so far this spring for Steelhead and managed 5 in 6 hours of fishing, not great but still way better than nothing! We caught our fish drifting both spawn and Slay Em Beads. Fish were relating to the top ends of holes and seemed to bite right away once they were located.

As for Walleyes, there are fish being taken on all of the area rivers, especially the Wolf River north of Fremont. The lack of forage in the system has the fish feeding much better than normal during the "Up Run" as many anglers are reporting 20+ fish days right now! Fish have begun spawning as early as March 31, but I expect the main spawn to happen this week.

I made it out on April 3 and we managed to catch 11 Walleyes, with 2 being spawned out females, 2 being females full of eggs, and the others milking males. All of our fish were caught while vertical jigging in deeper sections of the river with 1/4 oz jigs and Shiners. We did also catch a fish on Gulp later in the day as I decided to give it a shot.

The Fox River in Depere has been consistent for fish, but not quite as hot as some years for shear numbers of fish. The fish have been spawning here for awhile also, and I expect it to start winding down by this weekend already.

The Menominee and Peshtigo Rivers are also giving up Walleyes, with slightly cooler water temps these fish are primarily in pre spawn mode, especially on the Menominee. Fish are being taken while vertical jigging as well as off the Hattie St. Bridge and by guys in their waders near the dam. Expect this bite to gradually improve before peaking in a week or so.

Pick your poison right now, there are so many good fishing opportunities right now it can be tough to decide where to go! One thing is for sure, you can't catch them from your computer so get out of the house and catch some fish!

Steelhead Report

2015-03-09T10:33:00.002-05:00

My dad and I took advantage of the warm and sunny weather this past weekend on the ice chasing Lake Michigan Trout in the Manitowoc area! The morning started off slow, with no action for the first hour. We decided to move 2 of our Automatic Fishermen a little further into the middle of the river. I no more than set the second Automatic Fisherman, walked 5 feet from it, when I heard it trip! I turned around to see the rod doubled over with the drag slowly peeling out!

After a short battle, we were able to land a nice 5 pound buck Brown Trout that had been feasting on Gobies quite heavily! Before I could unhook him, he spit 4 Gobies out onto the ice! This fish had a fin clip, which revealed that this fish was stocked in the Sturgeon River in Big Bay De Noc Michigan! This fish traveled over 130 miles to his final destination! My dad wanted some smoked Trout, so we harvested this fish.

We quickly moved some more lines around in hopes of enticing another strike, but the fish had other plans. After another hour without a bite we chose to pull lines and head to the next spot.

We were pleased to find our next spot open for us to fish, so we did just that. We set 6 Automatic Fishermen and sat back awaiting some action! It didn’t take long for the first bite, unfortunately the fish escaped. I reset the Automatic Fisherman with a fresh spawn sac and set the bobber to allow for the fish to take more line before having the unit trip. 20 minutes later the same Auto popped again, this time the fish was on briefly before it somehow managed to free itself before I could get to the rod.

I again reset the line and increased the amount of line before the Auto would trip. An hour passed with nothing when the Auto popped for the third time! This time I took off running for it as I watched the rod double over! I managed to reach the rod with the fish still hooked, and began fighting another Trout! I immediately knew that this was a Steelhead, as it quickly peeled off 20 feet of line as it made a hard run!

This fish made multiple long runs, meaning this fish was most likely fresh in from the lake! After around a 10 minute battle, I finally managed to ease a beautiful hen Steelhead up the hole and onto the ice! This fish had fin clips, which upon investigation turned out to be a Chambers Creek Strain Steelhead that was stocked in Kewaunee in 2012.

As I unhooked this fish I took a quick glance at the other lines, and to my amazement, there was another Automatic Fisherman tripped with a fish bending the rod up and down! I sprinted the 50 yards to reach this line, and was once again fighting another Trout! After another good battle, I managed to land a holdover buck Steelhead, which had dark coloration from being in the river since fall. This fish was a bit smaller, but was still in the 3-4 pound range.

After resetting the lines and taking a few pictures, we decided to move a few Autos around in hopes of catching more fish. At this point we only had an hour left to fish, so we waited it out but never did get another bite.

Given the conditions, I was very happy with the day we had! As the warm weather continues to melt off our remaining snowpack, you can expect the fresh water entering our rivers to draw more lake run Steelhead in which will make for some great late ice action for those who partake!

Battle On Bago Results 2015

2015-02-28T21:47:00.000-06:00

The 2015 Battle On Bago will go down as the year of the Walleye! With a depleted forage base for the Walleyes system wide it really comes as no surprise that over 360 Walleyes over 3lbs were registered (Primarily Females) It took 4.261 lbs to take 150th place and win a Ford F-150, 2.824 lbs to win the 400th prize of a Lund Boat, 2.257 was just enough to win the Lund 1650 Rebel with a 90hp Mercury, and
the 900th place prize of a Ford F-150 Supercrew was won with a 1.936lb Walleye. This marks the first year where every major prize was won with a Walleye!

Overall there were plenty of fish caught on both Lake Winnebago and Lake Poygan, with some of the largest Walleyes being taken by anglers on Lake Poygan. The fishing wasn't hot and heavy for most, as there weren't lots of large schools of Walleyes to be found like in prior years. The guys that put the most effort in and kept moving until fish were located did on average better than anglers that chose to hang tight in a certain location for the duration of the day. Below is the final results for those who were lucky enough to win!

Place	Prize	Weight	Species	Contestant
1	Grizzly 75 Cooler – Battle on Bago Edition	8.661	Walleye	Chris Jackson
2	Grizzly 75 Cooler – Battle on Bago Edition	8.388	Walleye	Mike Werner
3	Savage 93R17 17HMR Courtesy of Scheels	8.084	Walleye	Nick Rooney
4	Jiffy Propane Auger	7.842	Walleye	Andy Sowls
5	Jiffy Propane Auger	7.728	Walleye	Casey Pingle
6	$250	7.716	Walleye	Dylan Klostrerman
7	$500	7.479	Walleye	Brian Heinritz
8	$750	7.457	Walleye	Mike Hetzer
9	$1,000	7.382	Walleye	Dustin Durrant
10	$2,015	7.356	Walleye	Matthew Malczewski
15	Mills Fleet Farm Gift Certificate	6.890	Walleye	Brandon Lewandowski
20	Mills Fleet Farm Gift Certificate	6.590	Walleye	Mike Witkowski
25	$250	6.343	Walleye	Matt Miller
30	Guided Whitefish Trip for 4 – Sturgeon Bay Trophey Ice Fish	6.203	Walleye	Aaron Grafenstein
35	Frabill Fishing Package	6.096	Walleye	Randy Lee
40	Kansas Bow Hunt G & S Whitetails	5.974	Walleye	Amber Arntz
45	Frabill I3 Series Suit XL	5.813	Walleye	Tony Bridgeman
50	$500	5.711	Walleye	Dan Breaker
55	Marcum LX5 Ice System	5.526	Walleye	Kevin Koeller
60	Frabill I2 Series Suit L	5.318	Walleye	Amber Arntz
65	Smith & Wesson M/P 15-22 .22LR Courtesy of Scheels	5.192	Walleye	Craig Binder
70	Canadian Fishing Trip for 2 – Eagle Lake Trophey Ice Fish	5.153	Walleye	Andy Sowls
75	$250	4.958	Walleye	John Francis
80	Guided Whitefish Trip for 4 – Sturgeon Bay Trophey Ice Fish	4.914	Walleye	Tim Winchester
85	Jiffy Propane Auger	4.878	Walleye	Ryan Pinkall
90	Magic Products Fishing Package	4.810	Walleye	Jeff O`Dell
95	Mills Fleet Farm Gift Certificate	4.769	Walleye	Doug Enders
100	$1,000	4.701	Walleye	Jared Labbus
105	Frabill I3 Series Suit XL	4.598	Walleye	Aaron Hoffer
110	Savage Axis w/Scope 30-06 Courtesy of Schells	4.559	Walleye	Mike Olson
115	Frabill I2 Series Suit L	4.498	Walleye	Jordyn Henschel
120	Mr Heater	4.443	Walleye	Adam Tillis
125	$250	4.431	Walleye	Rich Treleven
130	Mills Fleet Farm Gift Certificate	4.388	Walleye	Neal Fjerstad
135	4 Night / 3 Day Canadian Fishing Trip Duck Bay Lodge	4.373	Walleye	Bill Senner
140	Frabill Fishing Package	4.339	Walleye	Jake Liedke
145	Frabill I3 Series Suit XL	4.283	Walleye	Steven Anderson
150	2014 Ford F150 Extended Cab	4.261	Walleye	Jeff Euclide
155	Guided Fishing Trip Green Lake/Lake Winn Bill & Gills Guide Service	4.237	Walleye	Brett Walser
160	Kansas Bow Hunt C & S Whitetails	4.174	Walleye	Rodney Flintrop
165	Mills Fleet Farm Gift Certificate	4.148	Walleye	Ryan Murray
170	Marcum LX5 Ice System	4.110	Walleye	Mike Kallas
175	$250	4.075	Walleye	Chris Spath
180	Frabill Fishing Package	4.044	Walleye	Mike Kamp
185	Frabill Outpost HUB – Thermal	4.033	Walleye	Eric Nigbor
190	Frabill I2 Series Suit L	4.001	Walleye	Matt Litzau
195	Frabill Windproof Fleece Jacket	3.981	Walleye	Chris Goffard
200	Kansas Gun Hunt C& S Whitetails	3.959	Walleye	Jim Sewall
205	Frabill I2 Series Suit L	3.930	Walleye	Nick Thern
210	Mr Heater	3.889	Walleye	Ryan Paepke
215	Mills Fleet Farm Gift Certificate	3.843	Walleye	Todd Grota
220	Mr Heater	3.809	Walleye	Taylor Hoffman
225	$250	3.780	Walleye	Luke Leanna
230	Frabill Fishing Package	3.763	Walleye	Tim Winchester
235	Guided Whitefish Trip for 4 – Sturgeon Bay Trophey Ice Fish	3.742	Walleye	Anthony Groh
240	Jiffy Propane Auger	3.711	Walleye	Ann Wilcox-Meilahn
245	Frabill Outpost HUB – Thermal	3.682	Walleye	Eric Vander Wielen
250	$500	3.667	Walleye	Lance Sweeting
255	Mills Fleet Farm Gift Certificate	3.652	Walleye	Casey Rinas
260	Frabill Fishing Package	3.632	Walleye	Jessie Proffit
265	Grizzly 75 Cooler	3.605	Walleye	Tom Anfinson
270	Canadian Fishing Trip for 2 – Eagle Lake Trophey Ice Fish	3.562	Walleye	Garrick Kuhn
275	$250	3.511	Walleye	Nathan Thrall
280	Frabill I2 Series Suit L	3.452	Walleye	Nate Welhouse
285	Lowrance Elite 7 Sonar	3.439	Walleye	James Durrant
290	Frabill Ice Shack – Trekker DLX	3.388	Walleye	Mike Schroeder
295	Frabill Fishing Package	3.377	Walleye	Ken Wagner
300	$1,000	3.342	Walleye	Randy Montgomery
305	Grizzly 40 Cooler	3.315	Walleye	Brad Krause
310	Sunglasses by H3O	3.299	Walleye	Andrew Zullner
315	Guided Whitefish Trip for 4 – Sturgeon Bay Trophey Ice Fish	3.272	Walleye	Russ Ory
320	Frabill I2 Series Suit XL	3.258	Walleye	Duane Haedt
325	$250	3.251	Walleye	Ed Wieting
330	Frabill I2 Series Suit XL	3.230	Walleye	Ryan Page
335	Mills Fleet Farm Gift Certificate	3.199	Walleye	Jenny Adkins
340	Frabill Outpost HUB – Thermal	3.187	Walleye	Jesse Lawatsch
345	Benelli Nova Black Synthetic 12ga Courtesy of Scheels	3.132	Walleye	Casey Schneider
350	$500	3.099	Walleye	Ryan Kallas
355	Mr Heater Big Buddy	3.071	Walleye	Nick Laszewski
360	Jiffy Propane Auger	3.020	Walleye	Todd Klundt
365	Frabill Ice Shack Trekker DLX	2.995	Walleye	Travis Swisher
370	Mills Fleet Farm Gift Certificate	2.978	Walleye	Brett Walser
375	$250	2.950	Walleye	Barry Grimm
380	Marcum LX5 Ice System	2.926	Walleye	Kevin Biertzer
385	Frabill Fishing Package	2.886	Walleye	Russ Ory
390	Sunglasses by H3O	2.859	Walleye	Garret Pearson
395	Frabill I2 Series Suit L	2.837	Walleye	Craig Hable
400	Lund 1875 Imact with Mercury 150 Fourstroke Motor	2.824	Walleye	Andrew Manteufel
405	Frabill I2 Series Suit L	2.791	Walleye	Peter H Schroeder
410	Grizzly 75 Cooler	2.774	Walleye	Amber Kornack
415	Plano Prize Package	2.752	Walleye	Kim Berg
420	Lowrance Elite 7 Sonar	2.726	Walleye	Mike Sieben
425	$250	2.706	Walleye	Todd Raddatz
430	Frabill Ice Shack – Trekker DLX	2.669	Walleye	Travis Swisher
435	1/2 Day Guided Fishing Trip for 2 – Lake Winn. Kurts Hooked Up Guide Service	2.656	Walleye	Matthew Proctor
440	Skinzit	2.639	Walleye	Peter Keyser
445	Frabill Fishing Package	2.622	Walleye	Jesse Josephs
450	$500	2.605	Walleye	Jeff Freel
455	Marcum LX5 Ice System	2.594	Walleye	Dave Jannette
460	Grizzly 75 Cooler	2.586	Walleye	Jordan Mock
465	Plano Prize Package	2.563	Walleye	Tim Badtke
470	Canadian Fishing Trip for 2 – Eagle Lake Trophey Ice Fish	2.550	Walleye	Adam Bose
475	$250	2.543	Walleye	Travis Harrington
480	Frabill I2 Series Suit L	2.531	Walleye	Kevin Kellogg
485	Mills Fleet Farm Gift Certificate	2.522	Walleye	Terry Eichinger
490	Frabill Fishing Package	2.509	Walleye	Ryan Kallas
495	Mr Heater Big Buddy	2.500	Walleye	Paul Pfister
500	$1,000	2.486	Walleye	Chris Bendickson
505	Grizzly 75 Cooler	2.470	Walleye	Tim Eickert
510	Mills Fleet Farm Gift Certificate	2.446	Walleye	Tyler Penovich
515	NFL Alumni Autographed Apparel	2.439	Walleye	Ron Parrish
520	Skinzit	2.397	Walleye	Joseph Noffke
525	$250	2.388	Walleye	Tyler Wegner
530	TRS Gift Certificate	2.374	Walleye	Russ Beil
535	Skinzit	2.371	Walleye	Rick Bretl
540	Grizzly 75 Cooler	2.358	Walleye	Jeff Brauer
545	TRS Gift Certificate	2.350	Walleye	Tim Winchester
550	$500	2.340	Walleye	Perry Harrer
555	Skinzit	2.329	Walleye	Clint Kaskavitch
560	Canadian Fishing Trip for 2 – Eagle Lake Trophey Ice Fish	2.317	Walleye	Korey Sprengel
565	NFL Alumni Autographed Apparel	2.312	Walleye	Samuel Slabe
570	TRS Gift Certificate	2.308	Walleye	Scott Kelly
575	$250	2.302	Walleye	Joshua Pecha
580	Skinzit	2.293	Walleye	Jason Haensgen
585	Battle On Bago Prize Package	2.283	Walleye	Dylan Banker
590	Grizzly 20 Cooler	2.277	Walleye	Keith Herman
595	Rivers North Guided Fly Fishing Trip for 2 – MI Original UP Fly Fishing Guide	2.269	Walleye	John Leroy
600	Lund 1650 Rebel XL with Mercury 90hp Motor	2.257	Walleye	Mike Neitzke
605	TRS Gift Certificate	2.244	Walleye	Jon Zellner
610	Lake Michigan Charter Trip for 6	2.237	Walleye	Jeremy Hurst
615	NFL Alumni Autographed Apparel	2.232	Walleye	Kenneth Woelfel
620	Grizzly 75 Cooler	2.226	Walleye	Chris Christopherson
625	$250	2.221	Walleye	Nickolas Stoflet
630	Guided Fishing Trip Green Lake/Lake Winn Bill & Gills Guide Service	2.213	Walleye	Robert Newell
635	Frabill F2 Surge Rainsuit L	2.209	Walleye	Tyler Egan
640	NFL Alumni Autographed Apparel	2.202	Walleye	Beth Tews
645	Grizzly 40 Cooler	2.195	Walleye	Jeff Piazza
650	$500	2.189	Walleye	Mike Cook
655	Battle On Bago Prize Package	2.184	Walleye	Paul Bernier
660	TRS Gift Certificate	2.179	Walleye	Garth Clark
665	Grizzly 75 Cooler	2.176	Walleye	Ross Mueller
670	Frabill F2 Surge Rainsuit L	2.170	Walleye	Brad Sarder
675	$250	2.164	Walleye	Adam Downs
680	Battle On Bago Prize Package	2.161	Walleye	Matthew Butkiewicz
685	NFL Alumni Autographed Apparel	2.154	Walleye	Joe Mayefski
690	Grizzly 40 Cooler	2.149	Walleye	Eric Steinman
695	Battle On Bago Prize Package	2.142	Walleye	Jim Reinert
700	$1,000	2.138	Walleye	Lance Mccue
705	Plano Fishing Package	2.134	Walleye	Tom Nelson
710	Scheels Sport Package	2.130	Walleye	Dennis Coenen
715	Grizzly 20 Cooler	2.121	Walleye	John Miller
720	Battle On Bago Prize Package	2.113	Walleye	Brad Mueller
725	$250	2.106	Walleye	David Skinner
730	Scheels Sport Package	2.097	Walleye	Carmen Tilidetzke
735	Frabill F2 Surge Rainsuit XL	2.094	Walleye	Josh Emerson
740	Frabill I3 Series Suit XL	2.086	Walleye	Randy Finley
745	Scheels Sport Package	2.078	Walleye	Tim Curran
750	$500	2.073	Walleye	Wes Robl
755	Grizzly 20 Cooler	2.069	Walleye	Jim Bruckner
760	Plano Fishing Package	2.066	Walleye	Bob Consolo
765	Elk Haven Colorado	2.061	Walleye	Gordon Schwarz
770	Scheels Sport Package	2.056	Walleye	John Neubauer
775	$250	2.042	Walleye	Travis Vanasten
780	Frabill I3 Series Suit XL	2.037	Walleye	Bill Honick
785	Scheels Sport Package	2.034	Walleye	Mason Day
790	Plano Fishing Package	2.028	Walleye	Craig Nushart
795	Frabill F2 Surge Rainsuit XL	2.023	Walleye	Doug Bloch
800	$1,000	2.017	Walleye	PETER THIELMANN SR
805	Scheels Sport Package	2.010	Walleye	Terry Karst
810	Grizzly 20 Cooler	2.005	Walleye	Stu Wells
815	Battle On Bago Prize Package	2.001	Walleye	Tim Grable
820	Plano Fishing Package	1.998	Walleye	Jake Chipman
825	$250	1.993	Walleye	Joeseph Domask
830	Battle On Bago Prize Package	1.988	Walleye	Paul Tritt
835	Scheels Sport Package	1.982	Walleye	Dan Retzlaff
840	Frabill F2 Surge Rainsuit XL	1.978	Walleye	Joe Wagner
845	Frabill Windproof Fleece & Task Performance Gloves	1.974	Walleye	Doug Swanke
850	$500	1.973	Walleye	Scott Penovich
855	Scheels Sport Package	1.972	Walleye	Tino Mendolla
860	Frabill F2 Surge Rainsuit L	1.969	Walleye	Ben Klein
865	Battle On Bago Prize Package	1.963	Walleye	Paul Haas
870	Grizzly 40 Cooler	1.954	Walleye	Dustin Emerson
875	$250	1.952	Walleye	Jim Brauer
880	Frabill Windproof Fleece & Task Performance Gloves	1.949	Walleye	Gerald Wheaton
885	Plano Fishing Package	1.947	Walleye	Adam Torbeck
890	Frabill F2 Surge Rainsuit XL	1.943	Walleye	Ryan Pinkall
895	Grizzly 40 Cooler	1.941	Walleye	Colby Snell
900	2014 Ford F150 Supercrew	1.936	Walleye	Stefan Jankowski
905	Frabill Windproof Fleece & Task Performance Gloves	1.935	Walleye	Tyler Baenen
910	Plano Fishing Package	1.928	Walleye	Mike Hucker
915	Scheels Sport Package	1.923	Walleye	Mark Cassidy
920	Gizzly 40 Cooler	1.918	Walleye	Ryan Pinkall
925	$250	1.916	Walleye	Joseph Hearley
930	Frabill F2 Surge Rainsuit XL	1.914	Walleye	Tim Roehrig
935	Frabill Windproof Fleece & Task Performance Gloves	1.911	Walleye	Francis Popp
940	Scheels Sport Package	1.905	Walleye	Jim Brown
945	Plano Fishing Package	1.899	Walleye	Bill Ahles
950	$500	1.898	Walleye	Molly Donais
955	Canadian Fishing Trip for 2 – Eagle Lake Trophey Ice Fish	1.895	Walleye	Erica Peters
960	Frabill Windproof Fleece & Task Performance Gloves	1.891	Walleye	Derek Johnson
965	Frabill F2 Surge Rainsuit L	1.886	Walleye	Doug Enders
970	Kansas Gun Hunt C & S Whitetails	1.884	Walleye	Kenneth Woelfel
975	$250	1.882	Walleye	Austin Gruszynski
980	1/2 Day Guided Fishing Trip for 2 – Lake Winn. Kurts Hooked Up Guide Service	1.879	Walleye	Adam Prochniak
985	The Fishing Magicians 3 hr. Charter for up to 4 people	1.876	Walleye	Brock Miller
990	Plano Fishing Package	1.873	Walleye	Tim Evenson
995	Frabill I3 Series Suit L	1.872	Walleye	David C Kuhn
1000	$1000 Gift Card Critter Wolf River Sports	1.868	White Bass	William Haring
1100	Scheels $100 Gift Card	1.807	Walleye	Steve Collar
1200	Thermocell Heated Insoles	1.724	Walleye	Douglas Warner
1300	Gar Get-R Bowfishing Charter	1.635	Walleye	Tom Pfister
1400	Automatic Fisherman 3 Pack	1.539	Walleye	Mike Kamin
1500	Marcum LX-5	1.451	Walleye	Nick Mueller
1600	Scheels $100 Gift Card	1.380	White Bass	Joshua Gagnon
1700	Thermocell Heated Insoles	1.331	White Bass	Brian Scheer
1800	Battle On Bago Prize Pack	1.293	White Bass	Joe Doll
1900	Automatic Fisherman 3 Pack	1.258	White Bass	Nick Crego
2000	Dutches Trading Post Crossbow Package	1.221	White Bass	Scott Toby
2100	Scheels $100 Gift Card	1.197	White Bass	Rocky Wischow Jr
2200	Thermocell Heated Insoles	1.172	White Bass	Lowie Apitz
2300	H3O Sunglasses	1.146	White Bass	Randy Guelig
2400	Scheels $100 Gift Card	1.122	White Bass	Matthew Phillips
2500	Marcum LX-5	1.098	White Bass	Paul Vandaalwyk
2600	Kurts Hooked Up Guide – Half Day	1.077	White Bass	Adam Matthew Breit
2700	Automatic Fisherman 3 Pack	1.057	White Bass	Todd Lueck
2800	Mr. Heater Big Buddy	1.038	White Bass	Tony Gertz
2900	Scheels $100 Gift Card	1.018	Crappie	Wayne Smith
3000	Eagle Lakes Island Lodge Trip for 2	1.000	White Bass	Adam Ruetten

Prizes not redeemed by March 31, 2015 become the sole property of “Battle on Bago Foundation, Inc.”

Preparing For Battle: Battle on Bago 2015

2015-02-27T07:27:00.003-06:00

We are less than 24 hours from the 2015 Edition of Battle on Bago, which will most likely go down as the most productive season yet! Fish have been cooperating system wide this winter, as there is a real lack of forage in the system this winter. The challenge has been finding the fish; once they are located the fishing has been really good on most days!

Tickets can be purchased online until midnight on February 26 on the Battle on Bago Website. Tickets for the fishing portion of the event can also be purchased at these locations:

• Fleet Farm – All Wisconsin Locations
• Fish Tales – Oshkosh
• Critter’s Wolf River Sports – Winneconne
• Dutch’s Trading Post – Fond du Lac
• Festival Foods – Oshkosh
• Fox River Bait & Tackle – Oshkosh
• Jerry’s Bar¬ – Oshkosh
• All Ultimart and Holiday Food & Sport – Locations w/bait
• Wendt’s on the Lake – Van Dyne
• Vinland Still & Grill - Neenah
• Noffke’s Landing

There are also raffle tickets available for purchase for a chance to win one of many great prizes. Raffle tickets may be purchased at Mills Fleet Farm stores as well as The Reel Shot in Appleton and Oshkosh. You can also buy your raffle tickets at the Battle on Bago tent on Friday and until 4:00pm on Saturday. These tickets are a great option for those wishing to get in on the action without even fishing!

There have been a few rule changes to the event for 2015, which I feel are for the better. The big one is the elimination of the Burbot (Eelpout) as a weighable species. Last year these fish dominated the top weights of the tourney, which was hard on the species as many fish were harvested while trying to spawn. This also made it tough for the people targeting Panfish or White Bass to even have a shot at placing high enough to win anything, thus the elimination of the Burbot.

The next rule change was the addition to a size limit on Walleyes. There were lots of 7-9” Walleyes registered last year that were harvested for no other reason than to fill a ticket. The fish had absolutely no chance of placing high enough to win a prize and were being killed as a result. Walleyes must now be at least 12” in length to be registered.

Ice conditions on Lakes Winnebago, Butte des Morts, and Poygan are at their peak for the 2015 season as recent cold temperatures have really added to ice thicknesses throughout the system. Most of the lakes have around 24” of ice at this time. Lake Winnebago has more cracks this season that normal, so make sure to be aware of this when traveling out there! Try to stay in old tracks when traveling away from the roads, and never drive too fast to be able to react to poor ice conditions ahead of you. There are some drifts on the lakes as well, so 4WD is recommended at this time.

Make sure to donate to the local fishing clubs if possible as they spend countless hours and dollars working on the roads to provide the most positive experience possible for those venturing out!

Here is a current map of Lake Winnebago showing the ice roads in blue, the major cracks in red, and the bridges in green.

I hope everyone has a safe and productive Battle on Bago 2015, there should be some really nice fish brought to the scales this year!

Choosing the Right Weight for Presenting Your Spinner

2015-02-08T12:40:00.001-06:00

Throughout the course of the year, Walleyes can be caught trolling spinners in a multitude of different scenarios. Whether you are targeting Walleyes in the weeds, over open water, or along rocky structures, spinners have become one of the most reliable methods of putting Walleyes in the boat throughout the warm water months. Understanding the many different weight options available will help you pick the proper weight for the job!

The first weight option we will discuss is the no weight or split shot method. This option is most commonly used in very shallow waters. (Less than six feet) This method is your best bet when trolling over the tops of weeds since it allows you to dictate the depth your spinner will run above the weeds. Changing your depth back by only a few feet can make a major difference, many times short leads are your best bet since you will be constantly tending lines to remove weeds. The split shot method can also be used in open water when fish are very high in the water column. This method works great in extremely clear waters, since all the flash from above will trigger an active Walleye to race up and grab your spinner!

Another very popular weight option is the inline weight, which can also be known as bead chains or keel weights. Inline weights come in several different shapes and sizes, which allow an angler to cover any depth desired. The inline weight attaches to your line ahead of the spinner, which is generally 4’-6’ from your spinner. This option works great in open water situations where a specific depth is being targeted. The inline weight also works best in waters that aren’t crystal clear, as the weight is fairly close to the spinner. Inlines are often used in calm to moderate wind situations, as noticeable surge occurs during rough seas which can compromise your spinner’s appearance. Inline spinners are a great all around weight to use for open water trolling when suspended fish are being targeted.

Snap weights have become another handy weight option to have in your arsenal. Snap weights are added onto your line wherever you choose to snap them on. Anglers typically run 20’ - 40’ of line before snapping their weight on and then running more line out. These weights work great in rough conditions, as the weight will lift and fall during surges, which allows the spinner to remain at a fairly steady pace. Snap weights are also a deadly method to use when fishing extremely clear water. Since the weight is added to your presentation a distance away from the spinner, fish don’t tend to spook as easily as they would with other weights near the spinner.

Snap weights work best in open water situations or while fishing suspended in the water column, as they can be tough to keep at a specific depth when trolling structure. As you make minor turns to follow a contour or run over a hump, your inside lines will slow down, which causes your spinner to drop in the water column; this often leads to your spinner making contact with the bottom. On the Great Lakes, this typically results in Gobies making a meal of your spinner, many times without you knowing it.

Bottom bouncers have been around for ages, and for good reason. These weights work great when, you guessed it, targeting fish on the bottom! A bottom bouncer allows you to contact the bottom without having your spinner drag bottom and snag up constantly. Bottom bouncers come in many different sizes and can be used in all depth ranges when targeting fish near bottom. Bottom bouncers also work well when running flat lines, since you can very easily adjust them as the depth changes to maintain the proper depth of your spinner. Bottom bouncers can also be used when trolling emerging weeds and in shallow water situations early in the year.

The final option for pulling spinners is the pencil weight. Pencil weights are typically used for rigging or single rod applications. (Not for trolling planer boards) A pencil weight can be attached inline by the use of a clevis, or even used on a three way rig to keep your presentation higher in the water column. This presentation works best in rivers and dirty water contour trolling scenarios since you are usually fishing rod in hand. Having the weight rigged on your line allows you to feed fish line before setting the hook which makes a huge difference during cold front conditions. Using pencil weights on a three way rig works really well when targeting Walleyes in current situations as your dropper length places the spinner in a precise location near bottom where the fish are feeding.

As you can see, there are plenty of options when it comes to weighing your spinner down to get to the fish, understanding which weight is your best bet for specific scenarios will certainly put more fish in the boat! The next time you pull out your spinners, make the most of your day by selecting the proper weight for the job!

How To Keep Your Minnows Alive This Winter

2015-01-31T08:42:00.002-06:00

Winters in the Midwest can be brutal, especially when it comes to keeping bait alive. Just a few hours of sitting out in the elements can change a bucket full of lively minnows into a deadly tomb of ice. There are however, a few ways of preventing lifeless, frozen minnow buckets.

For starters, it is important to make sure that the minnows have plenty of water. Standard styrofoam minnow pails are usually too small and do not hold enough water during the winter months. A five gallon pail has more room for a sufficient amount of water during the winter. The color of the pail should also be considered in the winter. A black pail with a black lid is ideal in the winter since the sun will act as a heater on the black pail during the day, preventing the water from freezing even in the coldest of conditions. A black pail with a styrofoam liner would be ideal, providing the styrofoam liner was nearly as tall as the pail.

Today there are many buckets with built in battery powered aerators attached to them. While these buckets work great, you have to also realize that you can buy quite a few minnows for the cost of these high tech minnow buckets! Generally your minnows will be just fine during a day of ice fishing as long as you change the water a couple of times, make sure they don't freeze up, and also don't have too many minnows in a bucket.

Once returning home from a day on the ice immediately removing any dead minnows from the bucket and placing an aerator into the bucket will give your minnows a fighting chance at staying alive until your next voyage onto the ice. When dead minnows remain in your bucket, they continue to break down, which causes the water quality to decline which in turn put more stress on the remaining minnows and will kill the weaker ones. A simple pet store aerator pump and a few of the larger air stones are all that you need to keep you bucket filled with sufficient oxygen for your minnows.

Keeping your minnows in an insulated garage is ideal, as the temperature should remain just above freezing for most of the winter. If you do not have this convenience, it may be necessary to bring your bucket inside daily to allow the ice build up to melt. When doing this, make sure not to let the minnows warm up too much, as the temperature swing can cause them to die as well.

Another key to keeping minnows alive in the winter between fishing trips is to change the water every couple days using non tap water. Sump pit water works well, as does well water. Regular tap water may be used, just be sure to add a de-chlorinating solution that you would use for a fish tank. Once you have added the proper amount of solution, you must then set the water outside to allow to cool to the temperature of the water that the minnows are currently occupying.

There are also several products available that will help keep your minnows lively. Bait Saver products balance the water your minnows are in, lower minnow stress, provide the minnows with an extra protective slime coat, any may even add electrolytes which are known to keep minnows lively.

With a little extra effort and a good understanding of the needs of your minnows, you should have no problem extending the life of your next batch of minnows! It may take a little extra work, but with the price of minnows these days it is more than worth it!

January Pike Report

2015-01-26T20:10:00.000-06:00

Well it has been a few years since I have targeted Pike on Tipups here in Northeast Wisconsin, since I had been determined to figure out the Great Lakes Trout every chance I had! Let me tell you it was a great change of pace being surrounded by tip ups and a great group of guys!

Our morning started off with the first flag popping at around 7:30. To our surprise, the fish had taken a hot dog on a treble hook, a secret weapon for big Pike!

After a solid battle, my good friend Derek guided a 31.5" Pike through the hole! This was a great start to our day, as all the tip ups hadn't even been deployed yet. It also made for great conversation, as none of the other guys had ever heard of using hot dogs as bait!

A little while later we had two flags pop within seconds of one another! This time we were less fortunate, as one was a 8" Perch and the other managed to get our Shiner but not the hook! Despite the missed opportunity, we knew we were in for an action packed day of chasing flags on the ice!

It wasn't more than 20 minutes when another flag tripped. As we approached the tip up we noticed the spool slowly spinning, then it stopped for a few seconds, before the fish took off again! This time Chris was able to hook the fish, and was quickly fighting another scrappy Pike. This fish turned out to be smaller than the first one, but still reached that 26" mark.

There was a lull in our action, but in the midst of it a father and his young son landed a 35" Pike, which was really cool to watch from a distance as the two worked together to ice the beauty! We all decided that a little game of football would get the fish to bite, so we setup a field and were about to play when a flag went up! The five of us all ran over to the hole where Chris told me to take it even though it was his tip up. I took him up on the offer and was able to land a 34" Pike after several big runs on a 10 pound leader!

The football trick worked so well that we quickly went back to playing! By third down of the first drive we noticed another flag up and once again went running! This fish somehow managed to swim right at us and spit the hook after a brief battle. You win some, you lose some in this game, so we simply reset the tip up and headed back for the football field.

After several possessions of football each and every one of us were wore right out, so we decided to give the football thing a break and go and check our tip ups. We found that one of the tip ups had a fish take most of the line without tripping the flag, and then dropped the minnow.

My wife and son also decided to stop out on the ice for a bit as the weather and fishing were too nice to pass up getting my son on the ice for his first ice fishing experience! As they arrived, the fish went on a feeding frenzy, as we caught 3 and had one break us off over the next 45 minutes! I couldn't have planned that out any better as my son was able to watch 3 nice Pike hit the ice!

We also had a livewell in the ice where he was able to see the fish which he thought was the coolest thing! We also attempted to catch some Perch, but unfortunately they didn't cooperate during my son's two minute attention span!

After such a long lull away from Pike fishing, I must say that great friends and family make for great memories on the ice! All of us had a blast, and hope to get back at it again in the near future!

Wisconsin Steelhead and Brown Trout Report

2014-12-10T22:17:00.001-06:00

With a much cooler than average November, many area tributaries to Lake Michigan actually formed ice as early as mid November, which severely shortened the open water Trout chasing for many. With the recent up and down temperatures, there are some open water areas available to fish as well as some ice fishing opportunities available on the slower moving tributaries.

Anglers that have been venturing out on early ice have been finding a mix of Browns and Steelhead, with most fish being caught on spawn at this time. A few of the harbors have safe ice, but with the forecast calling for mid forties for three days this weekend chances are that will change. Be careful when venturing out now, as the lack of an extended period of cold weather has hampered the ice formation.

Anglers that have been targeting open water areas further upriver on the tributaries are also finding a mix of both Steelhead and Browns, with very few Coho Salmon showing up this fall. Most fish are being taken out of deeper runs and holes with spawn, some have also been having luck with spinners.

There have also been plenty of guys still getting their boats out in the Milwaukee Harbor and have been doing rather well on a mix of Browns, Lakers, and the occasional Steelhead. Trolling the inner harbor has been producing with crankbaits and Stinger Spoons. Those that have been jigging have also been doing well around the discharge as well as the gaps and any pockets of warmer water that can be found.. Best baits here have been the Pearl 4" Gulp as well as some jigging spoons.

Last weekend I was able to break out the Automatic Fishermen in the Manitowoc Marina, going 1-3 on Trout. The fishing wasn't fast and furious but there were a fair number of fish around. There were also a few Northern Pike caught on Shiners as well. Once this bite slowed, I ventured into the Manitowoc River and managed a nice spawned out Brown Trout and lost another one just short of the net.

With the upcoming warm weather, I am hoping to break out the drift rod and put it to good use next week for some Trout! Make sure to check back to find out how my upcoming fishing trips go!

2014-15 Ice Fishing Season off to an Early Start

2014-11-21T20:32:00.001-06:00

With much colder than average temps over the past couple weeks, anglers in most of the northern Midwest have found themselves replacing their boats with their ice fishing gear! This cold has been so persistent that even the larger bodies of water have frozen over and are being fished by brave anglers...

This weekend is calling for a brief warmup with rain, then it appears as if temps will once again stay below freezing for the foreseeable future. The forecasted rains and winds could change early ice conditions fast, so please be safe when venturing out on the ice this weekend, especially if you are travel long distances to fish!

With an early onset winter like this, there are lots of great early ice opportunities to take advantage of! The shallow bays will hold Panfish and Pike, while Crappies can be found both shallow and deep. Walleyes are sure to be lurking the remaining green weeds as well as the mud flats, and Great Lakes Trout can be found in both the rivers and harbors.

Whatever species you decide to chase during this early ice, make sure to play it safe and enjoy yourselves! I will be posting updates on my early ice trips which will hopefully begin next weekend...

2015 National Walleye Tour Schedule

2014-11-03T17:36:00.001-06:00

The National Walleye Tour has wasted no time preparing for the 2015 season, as they have released the 2015 schedule on November 3, 2014! The early release of the schedule is great to see, as anglers will have plenty of time to make arrangements to fish each event in 2015 if they desire!

2015 will be the third season of the Cabelas National Walleye Tour, which has quickly become the elite Walleye Tournament in America. Expect more of the same from the NWT in 2015; impressive payouts, high angler participation, great media coverage, and of course a television show which will air shortly after the season concludes.

The 2015 season will start out on the Mississippi River and Lake Pepin out of Lake City Minnesota on May 8-9. Anglers can expect a strong post spawn bite during this event (if mother nature cooperates) with the potential for 30 plus pound sacks of Walleyes. There will be many different tactics employed here to catch fish, so expect the top anglers to be spread out fishing using multiple techniques to bring their fish to the boat.

The second stop of the 2015 season will land the pros in Leech Lake Minnesota June 12-13. Anglers will be limited to one rod per angler as they compete for the title, which will all but eliminate the trolling patterns. Anglers will likely be jigging and rigging for this event, which should come down to a game of ounces as overs will be tough to come by and those 20"-26" fish must be released. The anglers that can find those perfect "unders" and manage to get an "over" will have a real shot at taking the win!

Green Bay is no stranger to large scale Walleye tournaments, and 2015 will be no exception as the NWT will be in town from July 24-25. This event is being held out of Green Bay, Wisconsin which will make each anglers decision on where to spend their time prefishing very important. By July, Green Bay Walleyes will be spread out across the Bay with pods of the right sized fish becoming difficult to locate. Expect long runs from takeoff with potential 40 pound bags if things fall into place. This will be a shoot out you won't want to miss, as open water trolling, structure trolling, and even jigging structure will all have a shot at being the winning tactic!

For the 2015 Championship the NWT will be heading to Devils Lake North Dakota to top off an exciting year of competition September 9-12. Devils Lake offers a very diverse fishery that allows an angler to fish to their liking as many different tactics will put fish in the boat here. Expect a great bite that will come down to the last competitor to weigh in to determine who will be named the winner of the 2015 Championship!

The 2015 schedule looks to be an even more exciting one than the past two seasons have been, as there are multiple tactics likely to be used to reach the top in each event! For those anglers/fans looking to catch Walleyes in ways other than trolling, this is your year to fish the NWT as either a pro or co angler! Look for more information to be released on sponsors, rules, payouts, etc. by visiting the National Walleye Tour Website

2015 NWT Schedule
May 8-9              Mississippi River - Lake City, MN
June 12-13           Leech Lake - Leech Lake, MN
July 24-25        Green Bay - Green Bay, WI

Championship
September 9-12    Devils Lake - Devils Lake, ND

Lake Gogebic Perch Fishing

2014-09-30T17:49:00.000-05:00

Lake Gogebic is home to some of the largest Perch in the Midwest, with Perch exceeding 13" on a regular basis with behemoths surpassing the 16" mark on occasion. There are several theories as to why these Perch are so much larger than Perch out of neighboring lakes, ask a local and they will be sure to give you their .02 on the topic as well.

In my experiences on Lake Gogebic, bug hatches seem to happen all summer long, which keeps the Perch well fed and also growing at higher rates throughout the warmer months. The reason I believe there are so many bug hatches, has to do with the bottom content of the lake. While dropping anchor on a warm summer day to anchor the boat and float, I was shocked at how thick and soft the mud at the bottom of the lake actually was. It seemed as if the anchor sank through around two feet of soft muck before it hit anything solid. On another occasion, while retrieving my anchor I noticed a reddish muck unlike any muck I had ever seen before, which could be another clue as to the unique nature of this Perch paradise.

As for the Perch fishing, don't expect to make the long journey to Lake Gogebic and simply start catching Perch hand over fist. Large Perch on this lake tend to roam in small schools or even on their own at times, which requires plenty of moving around by anglers to keep catching fish. A good day on Lake Gogebic may only yield 8-15 Perch, but those 8-15 fish will produce more meat than 30 Perch out of any other lake within 100 miles!

The average sized Perch in my experience is right around 11", with plenty of fish within an inch or so either way of this. Not only are these Perch abnormally long for the region, they are also impressively fat. These Perch eat so well year around which creates plump fish and great fillets!

Perch can be found all over the lake, but the south and north ends of the lake contain the most weed growth which in my experiences held the most consistent Perch bite. The mid-lake mud basin also holds Perch, with certain areas producing better than others. Another often overlooked area for catching Lake Gogebic Perch is the drop offs where the bottom transitions from hard to soft bottom.

Another huge bonus Lake Gogebic offers is the peace and quiet. On the busiest weekend of the summer, there might be a total of 50 boats, which are spread throughout the lake! With over 14 miles of distance between the north and south shores of the lake, there is plenty of room for everyone to enjoy the lake and enjoy its beauty.

Ice fishing Lake Gogebic can also be hit or miss for Perch, but if you are fortunate enough to land on top of them, you can do really well! The one thing to remember about the ice fishing is the snow. Most years there is so much snow that vehicles aren't an option for travel, leaving snowmobiles as the most practical means of travel on the lake. Without a snowmobile, you will likely spend more time pulling your vehicle out of the snow than actually fishing.

For more information on Lake Gogebic along with current fishing reports and lodging options, check out Lake Gogebic Chamber of Commerce

Kewaunee River Salmon Report 9-29-14

2014-09-29T19:23:00.001-05:00

There have been King Salmon in good numbers hanging out in the Kewaunee River for the past two weeks straight. Most of these fish have now moved into the upper stretches of the river from Footbridge all the way to the hatchery.

These fish have gone from silver to tan and are now approaching black zombie status. This hasn't stopped plenty of anglers from fishing/snagging for them. Catch rates have plummeted as these Salmon are now spawn minded.

There had been a pretty decent skein and crankbait bite in the lower stretches of river while the fish staged and allowed their eggs to develop fully before moving upstream to spawn.

There are also a few Cohos, Browns, and Steelhead entering the river to feed on spawn and prepare for their spawn as well. Expect things to slow down and then pick back up once the Cohos move in in higher concentrations over the next couple weeks.

Spawn, skein, flies, small crankbaits, spinners, and spoons will all work for Cohos and the bonus Trout over the next few weeks.

Stay tuned for more updates and reports for the Kewaunee River as well as other area Lake Michigan tributaries.

National Walleye Tour Bay de Noc

2014-08-28T16:30:00.000-05:00

The National Walleye Tour will be making a stop in Escanaba Michigan for the third event of the 2014 Tournament Season. The tournament will be held Friday August 29 and Saturday August 30. Anglers will be allowed to fish all Michigan waters of Green Bay as well as the Bays de Noc. Due to a restrictive slot, anglers will only be allowed to weigh 2 fish per day that exceed 23" in length, while their other 3 fish must fall between 15"-22.99".

With such a tight slot limit, anglers must find both big fish as well as those perfect unders to propel themselves to the top of the leaderboard. The bite has been reported to be fair, with fish being caught scattered throughout the system, which will make for an exciting event with potential big changes at the top from day one to day two.

The weather will also throw a curveball into the equation, as rain and storms are predicted for both days, as well as south winds day one switching out of the north for day two. Despite so many variables thrown at the competitors, expect some solid limits of Bay de Noc gold to cross the stage!

The weigh ins will be held at 2:00 pm Central at Ludington Park Harbor in Escanaba, MI. There will also be a live stream of the weigh in available online for those interested to watch from home. The link to the live weigh in can be found on the National Walleye Tour's website at http://www.nationalwalleyetour.com/

Winnebago System Fishing Update

2014-06-01T08:07:00.001-05:00

Walleye fishing throughout the Winnebago System seems to be at or near its annual peak, as limits of fish are being caught from Shiocton to Menasha, and everywhere in between. Now is the time to get out with your family and friends to get in on the action!

The Wolf River is still holding good numbers of male Walleyes as well as some larger females that have stayed put after spawning in locations with an ample food supply. Casting crankbaits and dragging jigs along the bottom tipped with crawlers have been the most productive tactics here.

Lakes Poygan, Winneconne, and Butte des Morts have also had a solid Walleye bite happening recently. There are fish in the bays, deep main lake basins, and even fish residing in the shallow cane beds and weeds. Trolling with Salmos, Shad Raps, and Flicker Shads will yield Walleyes right now, as will trolling spinners. As for fishing the cane beds, jig and leech or crawler combinations have been working best, but slip bobbers will also yield fish, especially on those windy days.

The Fox River in Oshkosh has been holding Walleyes recently, with guys pulling flies having the best success. There are lots of rough fish in this river, so live bait has been tough to get in front of the Walleyes before it is grabbed by something else.

Lake Winnebago is currently in transition, as the Lake Fly has is winding down and the fish continue to leave the shallow shoreline areas for the mud flats. During windy conditions Walleyes have been moving shallow onto the reefs to feed, but during calm conditions the water is too clear for the Walleyes in shallow. There is also an algae blooms that is beginning on the lake, which has brought those pesky little gnats out also. Be prepared for these buggers if you plan to troll the mud during flat calm conditions as they will drive you nuts! Overall the water clarity on the lake is still really clear, but finding areas of dirty water in shallow will almost always lead you to Walleyes!

Crappies continue to be caught in great numbers around the lake, many of them even being caught by trollers pulling #4 Salmos and #5 Flicker Shads! Crappies have completed their spawn and will continue to spread back out which will slow the bite some.

There are also several big tournaments on Lake Winnebago over the next few weekends, so remember to be safe and courteous to one another out there as we are all out there to enjoy a day on the lake!

Walleyes in Spawn Mode Along the Wolf River

2014-04-13T10:29:00.001-05:00

Since the ice started to break up and depart the Wolf River around April 3rd, the above average temperatures since then steadily warmed the waters of the Wolf River and the marshes adjacent to it up to prime spawning temperatures for Walleyes. It is pretty hard to believe that in only a little over a weeks time the river went from ice covered to having Walleye spawning activity.

Due to the quickly rising water temperatures, anglers only had a very short fishing window for the "Up Run" as it is referred to in the area. This is the time period where Walleyes are heading upriver towards their spawning locations and usually lasts a couple weeks on a normal spring. As water temperatures climb into the low 40's in the river, water temperatures begin climbing into that mid 40° range that Walleyes favor to spawn in. The closer the water temperatures get to this, the tougher the fishing becomes as the fish become focused on getting to their spawning locations to carry out their annual duties.

The interesting part of the Winnebago System Walleyes is their tendency to spawn in marshes rather than in the actual river. Each year that water levels allow it, male Walleyes enter the marshes right after the ice leaves them, where they will stay for several weeks waiting for the females to show up and carry out the spawn. Females play a much different role, only entering the marshes when they are ready to spawn, which takes one night. Once they finish spawning, the females return to the river and begin their journey downriver towards the lakes.

This year, I expect there to be a very strong "Down Run" of primarily females to begin by Tuesday of this upcoming week and last around a week. Soon after this, the males will begin to exit the marshes and make for some great fishing in the following couple weeks as they also make their way back to the lakes.

Each year there seems to be a 3-5 day lull in the fishing action, as the main spawn is in progress and the majority of the fish are in the marshes rather than the river. We are in the midst of this lull as we speak, which means by the middle of this upcoming week the fishing should greatly improve as long as the rains don't dirty the river to badly.

I hope to make it out on the Wolf River this upcoming week to partake in the action, check back often for future reports and updates!

Great Spring for Steelhead

2014-04-12T11:15:00.001-05:00

This spring has been off to a great start for the annual spring Steelhead run along Wisconsin's Lake Michigan tributaries with fish being caught from Racine all the way up to Door County. The gradual warmup allowed a nice gradual snow melt that was eventually coupled with rainfall which finally drew solid numbers of Steelhead into the tributaries and also took care of the remaining ice on most of the tributaries.

My friend Derek and I were fortunate enough to get out and enjoy some of the action recently. The fishing started off great, as Derek landed a beautiful chrome Hen Steelhead within minutes of fishing! Things were looking promising as we had the area to ourselves and the fish were certainly present and hungry!

Derek really put the heat on, landing a second Steelie before I could even get back to fishing after landing his fish and getting it on the stringer! I now found myself playing catch up, which was a challenge I was excited to take on. Before too long, my bobber quickly plunged under and I was yelling fish on to Derek!

Another nice fresh chrome Steelhead was eventually brought to the net after an intense 10 minute battle filled with line screaming runs downriver and even a couple aerial shows. Derek landed this fish and was right back to fishing his little honey hole!

Both of us continued to land fish for the next several hours, eventually ending up landing 9 Steelhead and a bonus Brown Trout. Derek landed a mammoth 34" Buck Steelhead, while I landed a 33" Hen that weighed around 14 pounds and took me nearly 100 yards downriver before I could slow her down, talk about a battle!

Our best setup was floating pink and peach spawn sacs with Steelhead Skein cured in Pautzke's Natural Bor X O Fire cure. The fish really showed preference to these two colors, as we tried multiple other colors without any success. We also landed a couple fish on uncured Steelhead eggs, but the cured eggs seemed to get a few more bites on this outing. It is amazing how particular these fish can be on certain days, and then on other days they seem to bite just about anything. This is what makes it challenging, and what keeps me going back for more!

Steelhead are honestly one of the hardest fighting fish pound for pound that we can catch in Wisconsin, although they are never easy to catch there are times when you can do quite well! All the hard work and effort put in to learn how to consistently catch these fish will eventually pay off, as it did for Derek and I on this day!

Wolf River Nearing Ice Out

2014-03-26T17:08:00.001-05:00

With one of the coldest winters on record now officially behind us this spring has started off right where our frigid winter left off! Most of March has seen below average temperatures and a lack of rain, which has caused our snow pack to slowly melt while not swelling the Wolf River and causing the ice to break up. Couple this with the thicker than usual ice found along the Wolf River and it’s not hard to believe that there are still guys ice fishing the river!

Some of the high current areas on sharp bends are opening up along the river, which is a good sign that the current is starting to eat away at the ice from underneath. The sun is also eating away at the top layer of ice, making it honeycombed and weak. At the rate we have been going, the ice would probably hold on for a couple weeks yet.

Luckily, the upcoming weather forecast may have just what the doctor ordered to get the ice to start breaking up and heading downriver. The area is expected to receive upwards of 0.50” of rain on Thursday, which will hopefully bring current and water levels up enough to start breaking up the stubborn ice.

Post by Ron Brooks.

Once the ice does finally let loose, the river will become a dangerous place, as trees and other debris will likely be swept downriver with the ice. Even though spring fever has gotten to almost everyone this year, waiting for the ice to clear the river, which may take a few days, is highly recommended as fishing during heavy ice flows is both dangerous and unproductive.

Now is a great time to get your boat and tackle prepared for a day of fishing on the Wolf River. Charge those batteries, make sure the anchors are in the boat, check tire pressure on your trailer, lube those wheel bearings, check your jig inventory, re-spool reels with fresh line, and make sure you have a Minnow net as its never fun reaching into a frigid pail of Minnows in the spring!

Another thing to help with Spring Fever is the Wolf RiverCam. There are multiple live cameras that are in the Wolf River showing fish movements, which is really neat to see. These cameras can help pass the time, but may also tempt you into hooking the boat up and going fishing as countless Walleyes fly by the cams! As of today, I have not yet seen a fish on the cameras, but expect this to change in the near future as water temperatures begin creeping upwards once the ice goes out!

Before we know it, the Wolf River will be littered with boats all hoping to catch a few Walleyes and enjoy being back on the water after a long winter! A little preparation now will lead to a smooth first fishing trip on the Wolf River that can be spent fishing rather than working out the kinks.

Late Ice Steelhead

2014-03-22T17:59:00.000-05:00

The Automatic Fisherman is IDEAL for catching Trout through the ice!

It has been one of the coldest winters on record, which has blessed us with some of the thickest ice conditions we have ever seen on the tributaries to Lake Michigan. For those who have ventured onto the ice in search of Trout, there have been some fish around but nothing spectacular. As temperatures start to rise and melt off some of our snowpack expect fresh Steelhead to enter the tributaries to carry out their annual spring spawning run.

With there being so much ice on the tributaries this year, expect a good amount of Steelhead to come in under the ice, which will likely translate into some phenomenal late ice fishing! However, with late ice on rivers there is always risk involved. Ice conditions can deteriorate rapidly as runoff begins to increase the current which begins eating away at the ice from underneath. Shorelines and high current areas are the first to deteriorate so be especially careful in these areas! Safety is paramount at this time of the year, fishing alone is not recommended unless you are aware of the ice conditions.

There are lots of portions of the tributaries that will hold fish at this time of the year including; lower portions near the lake, barriers restricting fish movement, deep holes, deeper runs with good current, and especially areas where runoff is entering the tributary. Being mobile and trying multiple spots in a day will increase your chances of finding the spots holding the most fish.

When fishing for Steelhead at this time of the year, spawn sacs and Shrimp are the preferred baits, and Automatic Fishermen are the preferred tip ups to use to catch these finicky fish. Setting your tip ups so that your bait is within a foot of the bottom will catch the most fish, as these Steelhead tend to swim up and downstream near bottom in search of an easy meal.

You always have a chance at a bonus late ice Brown Trout

Paying attention to how aggressive the fish are on a particular day can also yield more fish. If you are missing fish on your Automatic Fishermen, try giving the fish more line before allowing the Automatic Fisherman to trip by pulling the bobber all the way down to the ice when setting it up. This has worked for finicky fish in the past, as these fish will eventually take the bait and start to swim off. As this happens, the hook gets firmly set into their mouths!

When using spawn sacs, water clarity is a big thing to pay attention to. In clear water, smaller sacs tied in natural netting like peach and white will work well, while larger sacs tied in brighter netting like pink or chartreuse will work best in murky water. Cured eggs will also work better than natural eggs when there is good current, as the cured eggs tend to milk scent downriver for longer than the natural eggs will. Pautzke’s Borax O Fire has been my personal favorite, as it really seems to catch fish!

Take advantage of the great ice conditions Mother Nature has given us this year to capitalize on some late ice Steelhead! Remember safety first, go with a friend, and always be prepared to fall through. Stay mobile, experiment with different spawn sacs, and pay attention to how aggressive the fish are on a given day and you will ice more Steelhead!

A Guide to Tying Your Own Spinners

2014-03-08T13:12:00.001-06:00

Night crawler harnesses, also known as spinners have become one of the most popular and productive methods used while trolling for Walleyes throughout the Midwest. Spinners can be purchased from your local sporting goods store pre-tied, but these pre-tied spinners are both expensive and lack the necessary customization for specific fishing conditions. Once you understand how easy it actually is to tie your own spinners, you will never again even consider buying a pre-tied one ever again!

There are several things you will need to get started, but once you purchase these items you will be equipped to tie your own spinners for the foreseeable future!

For starters, you will need a spool of line to tie spinners with. I have experimented with a variety of different lines, and have determined that Seaguar Fluorocarbon holds up better than anything else on the market today. I prefer the InvisX when trolling open water, while the AbrazX works great when trolling along the bottom and through weeds and brush as it is incredibly resistant to abrasion from rocks and even Zebra Mussels! When trolling spinners I generally run 15 pound test, but there are times where I will run as light as 10 pound test.

You will also need hooks for your spinners. Octopus hooks are designed for spinners, and are my preferred hook type when pulling spinners. Small treble hooks can also be used as the back hook on your spinners, but I only suggest using trebles when trolling open water, as trebles are much more likely to get caught up in weeds or snagged on bottom debris. Gamakatsu makes the highest quality hook for the price on the market, which is why I exclusively run them on my spinners. Many other brands of hooks will have the tip bend over or round off after extended use, while the Gamakatsu’s maintain their sharpness through it all. Hook size is another variable to consider. When targeting large Walleyes I like to run red #2 hooks, while I prefer #4 and #6 hooks when targeting eating sized fish.

Beads are the next component to a spinner. There are many different bead options out there today, so experimentation is key to finding what colors, materials, and sizes work best for each situation. I suggest purchasing a few of your favorite fish catching colors in a couple different sizes to start, then pur chase more as you determine what works for you. Big Eye Custom Lures has a great selection of great fish catching colors in multiple sizes that have proven themselves as some of the best money can buy.

Clevises are the next component that is needed to attach the spinner blade to the harness. There are two types of clevises, fixed and quick change. The fixed clevises are generally metal, and don’t allow the angler to change spinner blades without cutting the line and re-tying. Quick change clevises are plastic, and have a small opening on the clevis that allows anglers to simply snap blades on and off. I highly recommend the quick change clevises, as being able to change blades often is a huge component to catching more fish!

Barrel Swivels are also recommended for tying your own spinners. I also recommend using stainless steel barrel swivels, as they will hold up much better than the cheaper swivels. The barrel swivel is used to eliminate line twist, and also doubles as a quick change option rather than tying the spinner directly to your line.

Blades are the final component to complete your custom spinner, and potentially the most important. Spinner blades come in a variety of colors, sizes, and shapes. There are countless blade manufacturers today, but there are a select few that fill my tackle boxes. Northland Tackle has some of the most realistic blades on the market, with their Baitfish Series, while Tommy Harris Blades offer the largest variety of high quality custom blades you will find. You cannot go wrong running either one of these companies’ blades!

Now that you have all of the components necessary to tie your own spinners, let’s get to work! Begin by cutting a 6’ length of line, then thread your octopus hook onto the line and tie a snell knot. Slide your next hook onto the line and space it approximately 2.5”-3” from the first hook. Tie this hook onto the line also. You are now ready to add beads to make the spinner come to life! Add anywhere from 4-8 beads depending on size and preference, once completed add a quick change clevis. You may also add a bead or two above the clevis if desired. Once you have your spinner looking good, it’s time to tie a barrel swivel on the end to finish the spinner. Once completed, you now have your first finished spinner, easier than you though huh? You can now add a blade to the clevis if desired and are ready for action!