Midwest Fishing Report: Perch begin

(Head): Musky and walleye hitting strong, with gun deer season running from Nov. 19-27; all in and amidst the lakes and the Wisconsin River of Wisconsin’s Marathon and Lincoln Counties (near Mosinee and Wausau). For anglers the musky has taken center stage in the central Wisconsin area, and anglers heading out can expect some of the best fishing of the year. Water temperatures are now in the low to mid 30’s (almost freezing) and with that major of a cool-down the fish know it will not be long until total freeze up. Large sucker minnows suspended below bobbers are taking a good share of fish right now but jerkbaits like Suicks and crankbaits like Shallow Raiders and Depth Raiders are taking some nice fish as well. Deep shorelines and areas with rock are the most productive areas right now. To be consistent just make sure that you work the entire water column as fish can be suspended at different depths as well as holding tight to the bottom. With all the interest in musky fishing at this time of the year most anglers forget all about the walleye. With water temperatures close to freezing the walleyes have moved into main lake areas in the central Wisconsin area that have good weeds and nearby depth. For success at fishing for walleyes right now try looking at areas that you would fish for them on first ice. I like weed beds in 3 to 6 feet of water and areas that have a good concentration of forage. The walleyes are already there and can be readily taken on jigs tipped with small sucker minnows and large crankbaits like Rapalas in numbers 11 and 13. With the rut in full swing archers have been not only seeing some very nice whitetail bucks but plenty of them in the central Wisconsin area. The activity has moved from almost all night time activity to a lot of daytime movement with mid day hours being very productive. Areas to target are rub and scrape lines and areas with heavy doe activity. These can be feeding locations and bedding vicinities or transition areas in-between. The firearm deer season runs Nov. 19-27 in the central Wisconsin area. Great time for some top fishing and a trophy buck.

Slow presentation is required. Husky Jerks and X-Raps, White and Fire Tiger. Long casts, very long pauses, has caught fish. Raised water levels have hurt the numbers of fish being caught overall. Water temps were 48.8 degrees Monday evening. Water levels should be back to normal by the weekend.

The plan for the day was to go out to Marseilles State Fish and Wildlife Area to do some squirrel hunting. Only I had forgot that it was closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Rather than waste a rare 60 degree November day, I decided to go fishing. The Fox was flowing at just over 1800 cfs. The two areas I had in mind require wading across the river, but that flow level is just about at my comfort level for wandering across the river. I’ve done it before many times, but it gets a bit tricky. If the water temps had been over 60 degrees, I probably would have gone, but with the water temps in the 40s, even the high 40s, taking a spill would be very unpleasant. I opted to go test a creek wintering hole theory. What I believe to be a wintering hole is about 9 miles up a creek. In theory, the game fish should have all abandoned the creek for the main river, but I’m catching smallies too late in the season and also too early in the season. The Illinois Creek Chub Trout were everywhere in the creek. The cold water seems to have no effect on them at all. The first fish caught was one of the biggest Creek Chub Trout I’ve ever caught. According to different Departments of Natural Resources, they tend to be in the 4 to 8 inch range with some getting as big as 12 inches. The one caught was easily 10 inches, possibly bigger. Every cast had small swarms of Creek Chub Trout attacking the small lure I was using. This supports my wintering hole theory. The hole is around 8 to 10 feet deep. I already know it doesn’t freeze over, I’ve been there in January, but didn’t fish. If there’s that many Creek Chub Trout around, why would a game fish leave. When I got to the hole, I started out with a small lure that looked like a small chub. There were no hits. Then I switched to a 4 inch tan Senko on an unweighted keeper hook. I’d let this sink to the bottom of the hole and just let it sit there. Maybe move it a bit, then let it sit some more. This got me four smallies on, but I didn’t land any of them. I did get to see them before they impolitely spit the hook. Two were small, less than 12 inches, but two were much bigger. Based on what I got to see, and based on how heavy they were, both were over the 16 inch mark. I have a feeling these fish aren’t going anywhere. Come January, I’m sure we’ll have a few days that get above freezing. I won’t go out if it’s lower than that. I’ll be back here with a bucket of minnows to see if this theory still holds. Years ago we had a November like this and for that month my records show I caught 225 smallies out of the Fox. It doesn’t help that the river is up a bit, but since anyone that wants to continue to try to fish the fox should be fishing the slack areas near shore anyway, it shouldn’t matter. Throw something in that you can drag along the bottom and see what happens. Better still, go get minnows. Either way the key is to move things slow. Worked for me.

Cordell Gay Blades, in second hole, worked just fast enough to keep above the bottom. used occasional pop, sometime drew strike other times hit on straight retrieve. slightly slower, deeper water off main current, mixed bag walleye and smallmouth.

A GOOD TIME to try for KANKAKEE River walleye!. In Indiana, shorelines along Point area near English Lake. Various sections around Momence, Aroma Park. Kankakee IL Dam thru Sawmill Creek. Kankakee River State Park and Wilmington Area. Good baits include:*Jointed plugs *snagless Dr. Spoons *jig and minnow *jig and crawler *yellow bucktail jigs. Smallmouth Bass still hitting well at above locations on *minnows *Double Twister Tails *Mepps #2 spinners *fly rod streamers. Largemouth Bass, Catfish, pike and croppie still hitting well!

(Head): Good action for walleye, northern and panfish, with musky fair, in the Eagle River , Wisconsin area. Water temps ranging from upper 30s to low 40s in the Eagle River, Wisconsin area. Good fishing action available in the Eagle River area. Walleye are hitting in the Eagle River area. Fish 10-25 feet where break edges transition to main lake basins. The walleye will be about a foot off the bottom. Use a jig tipped with a minnow. All day bite. Good action. Northern in the Eagle River area are locating in 15 feet or less of water in and around weeds. Use a Husky Jerk (minnow or walleye pattern), or a sucker minnow under a slip bobber. All day bite. Good action. Panfish (crappies, bluegills and perch) in the Eagle River area locating with the walleye. Fish 15-25 feet of water where break edges transition to main lake basins. Perch will be tight to bottom. Crappies and bluegills will be suspending 3 to 6 feet off the bottom. Use a chunk of crawler or a crappie minnow under a slip bobber. All day bite. Good action. Musky in the Eagle River area are locating in 15 feet of water or less outside of weed edges or holding on break edges. Use a medium sized crankbait, glidebait, jerkbait, or a 12-14 inch sucker on a quick set rig. Medium retrieve. Always do a figure 8 as the lure nears your boat. All day bite, with small feeding windows. Anglers are getting muskies, but they’re working for them. All around action is fair. (Report for the Eagle River Chamber of Commerce based on Creative Brilliance interviews with Eagle River guides Muskie Matt of Wild Eagle Lodge, Ranger Rick Krueger of Guide’s Choice Pro Shop, and Mat Hegy). Contact info for Eagle River: * Eagle River Chamber of Commerce; 800-359-6315; 715-479-6400; e-mail: info@eagleriver.org; web: www.eagleriver.org * Muskie Matt, 715-891-5980; e-mail: rfrgoutdoors@gmail.com * Mat Hegy, 715-571-7544, e-mail: lunkerclunkerguideservice@yahoo.com * Guide’s Choice Pro Shop, guide/owner Ranger Rick Krueger 715-477-2248 * George Langley, Eagle River Fishing Guides Association, 715-479-8804. e-mail: fishing@eaglesportscenter.com

Pretty much just musky anglers fishing for the most part. One walleye angler did boat a 31 1/2″, 10#12 oz walleye on Saturday. Other walleye anglers fishing deep gravel finding good action, nice eaters for the lonely few still fishing for eyes. Musky anglers working deep, 20-40′. Suckers best, but large rubber baits and slow working countdown gliders also good. Water temps ranging from 36-43 degrees. For example Minocqua was 41 this weekend, larger lakes are a little warmer, smaller lakes are cooler. Most attention on upcoming deer hunt. Rut still in progress as bucks are ranging looking for does.

Root River Fishing Report for November 14, 2011 Water and flow conditions The river was high and fast over the weekend, but is currently dropping. The water temperature was 46 degrees. For up to date river conditions, check out the USGS web site of stream flow conditions in Wisconsin. Fishing Report Upstream of the Weir Fishing success was lower this weekend than it has been most of the fall, but that was likely due to the higher flows. Anglers caught coho, brown trout, and a couple of rainbow trout. Pink flies were most productive in the area from the Horlick dam downriver into Quarry Lake Park. Downstream of the Weir Fishing was slow below the weir, with only a few brown trout caught in Lincoln Park over the weekend.