Midwest Fishing Report: Perch and waiting on ice

(Head): Musky and walleye on the move and hitting, with gun deer season underway; all in and amidst the lakes and the Wisconsin River of Wisconsin’s Marathon and Lincoln Counties (near Mosinee and Wausau). This past week we have been catching nice sized walleyes in the central Wisconsin area by working the deeper water with large jigs in 3/8 to 1/2 ounce. At this time of the year we are tipping the jigs with small sucker minnows and red tail chubs that are at least 4 to 6 inches long. We have been concentrating on water depths of at least 16 feet deep and in some instances up to 25 feet deep or more. For more consistent action try targeting water depths of 12 to 16 feet and use smaller jigs like 1/8th and 1/4 ounce. Tip the jigs with large or extra large fathead minnows. You will see a lot more fish but they will be substantially smaller. The musky bite this past week in the central Wisconsin area has been pretty good. We have been averaging 2 to 4 fish per day on outings with most of the fish coming on suckers in the 12 to 14 inch range rigged up on quick set rigs in. We have also seen a few nice fish on Suicks and a couple of fish have come on Depth Raiders. Most of the muskies have been suspended about 6 to 12 feet down over 14 to 20 feet of water. The 2011 gun deer season is here in the Central Wisconsin area and there are a lot of great opportunities for hunters taking to the woods in search of that BIG BUCK! The number one thing to remember when hunting a big buck during gun season is to target escape routes. As hunters enter the woods the deer will feel the pressure and turn tail and head for the deepest cover that they can find. In route to their destination they will travel the thickest, dirtiest routes possible to get them there safely. If you can position your stand in a cut-off type area overlooking this type of location you will set yourself up for a great opportunity at taking a nice buck this season.

a little higher than normal flow, around 2,500 CFS and dropping. clearer in slack areas, still stained in faster flow. water temps twixt 44 and 45 degrees[finally broke out the underarmour]. floating stuff minimal, still algae on bottom in favorite stretch. air temps good for this time of year, some days windier than others. It’s been spotty fishing, can’t put together a consistent pattern for location or technique. crankbaits, rattlebaits and spinnerbaits have been abysmal at best in any type of current situation. a weighted keeper hook/power pulse worm has got some bass on seams and at the base of bars/riffles. Flukes either weighted or not have not produced but hard jerks have in flats, slower-slack areas. neither hard jerk nor soft has produced in any harder current. The countdown Rapala has produced a few fish in softer flows but nothing of any size lately. The lure that has produced the most fish has been the Rattling Spook over deeper water with softer flows. Usually this time of year windier days are best but it has produced when the wind wasn’t a factor as well as when it was. It has been a real minimal retrieve, a few twitches amongst longer dead stick drifts. The takes were far from explosive, many just gentle slurps. Interestingly, many of the bass either spit up or had shad in the gullet. It can be frustrating committing to topwaters in these water temps. One day I fished them for several hours, got 5 fish in about a 45 minute span. Another day, just a couple fish in over 3 hours of tossing them. On a related note, the Subwalk has not produced any fish when used after topwater action ceases.

These river conditions good for fall! Fairly clear, low and decent temperatures! Very few fishing during the early deer season. Try for pike around ditch and bayou mouths on* big minnows *Weedless Doctor Spoons. Walleye fair…sometimes in shallow water near deeper parts of river, because the fish find food easier to catch in shallow sections…often, right up against the bank. smallmouth bass continues good usually now at 3 to 5′ depths on *#2 Spinners *crankbaits *live minnows. Croppie will be good all winter along with bluegill in ponded locations. Catfish continue good, esp. in low light hours on *live minnows *nightcrawlers.

(Head): Good action for walleye, northern and panfish, with musky fair, in the Eagle River , Wisconsin area. Water temps are holding in the upper 30s in the Eagle River, Wisconsin area; with fishing providing good action for anglers. Walleye in the Eagle River area are holding in 15-30 feet of water off of weed and break edges, and in the transition area from off break edges to main lake basins. The walleyes are a foot or less off the bottom. Use a 1/8 ounce jig and a fathead minnow. Good all day action. Northern in the Eagle River area are locating in 15 feet of water or less in and around weeds. Use a Husky Jerk in a minnow or walleye pattern, or a northern sucker under a slip bobber. Good all day bite. Panfish (crappies, bluegills and perch) in the Eagle River area are hanging in the same general areas as the walleye. Fish 15-30 feet of water off of weed and break edges, and in the transition area from off break edges to main lake basins. The crappies and bluegills are suspending 1 to 8 feet off the bottom, with the perch a foot or less off the bottom. Use a crappie minnow on a small jig or under a slip bobber. Good all day bite. Musky action in the Eagle River area is fair. Fish are being caught, but anglers are working for them. The muskies are holding outside of weed and break edges in 10-20 feet of water. Use a medium size crankbait, glidebait or jerkbait, or a 12-17 inch sucker on a quick set rig. Medium retrieve is recommended, with a figure 8 as the lure nears your boat. There are no specific feeding windows. (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

With most outdoorsmen and women in the woods pursuing deer, there are very few anglers taking advantage of this very late open water season. Those that have, have done well though. Musky: Good-Very good. Despite few reports, anglers have done well. One duo boated two 47″ers and two 44″ers on Saturday 11/19, then a pair of 34″ on Sunday 11/20. Reports of a 49 1/2″er and another 47″er also reported this weekend. Season runs till Nov 30th. Snow on the ground and a few small lakes skimmed over, but forecast with temps in the 40’s, maybe low 50’s by weekend should keep options open. Walleye: Good. Fish deep. Anglers choosing to use 3-4″ suckers on Lindy style rigs finding walleyes in 30-50′ of water on the deep lakes of Vilas County. Had two anglers today venturing out to check ice conditions, but we do NOT recommend it.

Southern Lake Michigan Fishing Report: November 22, 2011 Kenosha Co. Shore fishing in Kenosha has been generally slow, but occasional browns have been taken in the harbor and off the south pier. Most fish were caught on spawn or orange spoons. Racine Co. In Racine, water levels on the Root River are just below average, and the water temperature is 46 degrees. Numbers of steelhead and brown trout in the river continue to increase in downstream areas, while the coho have tapered off. Most angling success in downstream areas has been in Island and Lincoln Parks, and upstream anglers have been working between the Horlick dam and down into Quarry Lake Park. Most fish caught have been taken on flies, and pink has been a popular color. The DNR is finished collecting coho eggs, and the Root River Steelhead Facility is shut down for the season. DNR crews processed a total of 3,828 fish and passed upstream 1,798 Chinooks, 1,258 coho, 57 brown trout, and 18 rainbow trout. A total of 573 coho were spawned. Milwaukee Co. In Milwaukee, fly anglers on the Milwaukee River have been catching some steelhead in Kletzsch Park and browns and steelhead near Estabrook Park. When Milwaukee trollers are able to get out on the lake, decent numbers of 3 to 4 pound brown trout have been hitting spoons in 40 to 60 feet of water north of the harbor. Ozaukee Co. In Port Washington, shore fishing in the harbor has been relatively slow, but some brown trout have been in the area. Spawn remains the most productive bait. The water temperature near the power plant has been around 46 degrees. Sheboygan Co. In Sheboygan shore anglers have reported a few brown trout caught on spoons fished off the piers and in the harbor. On the Sheboygan River the water level is good, and fishing pressure on the river has been generally light. Fly anglers have had moderate success with egg pattern flies for brown trout and steelhead.