Midwest Fishing Report: Expanded lakes/areas report

(Lead): Very favorable conditions for late season ice fishing action, with an open water option below Wisconsin River dams for a good walleye bite. With warmer temperatures and longer days anglers are getting the itch to do some open water fishing. There are plenty of opportunities in the central Wisconsin area below any one of the many dams on the Wisconsin River. Walleye are abundant, and unlike most inland waters to the North, where there is a closed season, the walleye season (northern and bass, too) remains open on many waters of the central Wisconsin area. Most anglers are tossing 1/8 ounce jigs in orange and chartreuse and tipping them with a minnow or plastic tail like a Mister Twister in yellow or white. Most of the walleyes being caught in open water are holding in 14-17 feet of water and are right to the bottom. Slow finesse jigging is the best approach to taking these lethargic biters. Ice anglers have seen one of the best years on record for panfish in the central Wisconsin area. Crappies have been very abundant and the action has been especially good on cloudy days. Tip downs baited with small minnows set anywhere from one foot up off the bottom to right under the ice in 12-20 feet of water have been the most consistent producer. Using a flasher will help determine the depth at which most of the crappies are holding on any particular day. Just because they were at one level one day does not mean that they will be holding at that same level the next. Bluegills in the central Wisconsin area have been hitting hard and are very active throughout the day. Most of the action has been coming from 8-12 feet of water in scattered stump filled backwater areas off the Wisconsin River. Small ice jigs like Creep Worms and Fiskas in orange and yellow, tipped with a waxie or a spike have been working very well. The shallow weed bite is still pretty good, as well. Look for any green weeds in 4-6 feet of water to be holding numbers of fish. Small ice jigs tipped with waxies or spikes will produce all day long. . . . Perch activity in the central Wisconsin area has been picking up and ice anglers are not only picking up good numbers, but some real decent sized jumbos, as well. Look for most of the perch to be holding tight to the bottom, associated with wood in 12-16 feet of water. Small forage minnows or fire eye jigs tipped with minnows or waxies are working.

The lack of snow cover is causing slippery conditions. Caution is always advised. Crappies and bluegills in the Eagle River area are hanging together in two locations and putting on a good bite. Fish shallow weeds – -15 feet of water or less, or main lake basin mud flats in 20-35 feet of water. Both the crappies and gills are suspending up and down the water column. Start near the bottom and work your way up. Use electronics to pinpoint locations, drill lots of holes and be prepared to move around. Use a crappie minnow, waxie or spike under a small jig. All day bite. Perch in the Eagle River area in two locations. Fish shallow weeds, in 12 feet of water or less, or mudflats in 20-35 feet of water. The perch are holding tight to the bottom. Use a small minnow, waxie or wiggler under a jig. Good action. (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

Inconsistent weather, lots of changing wind direction and at times too much wind made for some challenging fish catching this past week. Unusual for our part of the state, southeast winds came in a couple of times, not good for our fishing. Gamefish season ended Sunday night, dusk and after dark anglers caught some walleyes. Pike anglers scored some fat fish including a 33″, 11 1/2# from Minocqua on Friday. Ice keeps building, we actually have 4″ more than we had two weeks ago. With little in the way of major warm ups heading our way, plus the addition of snow today (3/7) and possibly mid week, it looks like we should have ice into April (scratch last weeks prediction). Perch: Good. Work involved in finding fish. Depths vary, as anglers scoring nice perch in as little as 6′ and as deep as 30′. For 6-8′ weed areas, gob of waxies smushed on a Hexi Fly jig or similar horizontal style jig working best. Dip pockets in the weeds. These small but heavy jigs important to keep perch interested. Minnows on tipdowns also effective. Must key on deep fish (17-30′). These fish are chowing down on wigglers (mayfly larvae). Work depths with fast sinking flickers, pimples, forage minnow jigs tipped with wigglers. Crappie minnows/rosies accounting for larger perch. Lots of good eaters at 8 1/2-10″ with enough 11-12″ers to make things interesting. Bluegills: Good. Most action in 6-10′ weeds. Teardrop and moon style jigs tipped with red, black or motor oil colored plastic. Waxies, red spikes and moussees also effective. Times are best in am till about 10-10:30 then again after 3pm. Crappies: Fair. They are there, just haven’t popped. Could have been the weather but action not good…yet. Slow dropping white, yellow or pink plastic and hanging crappie minnows below tip-downs accounting for some fish just before dusk. Travel on ice excellent. With increased ice plus addition of snow and little of temperature beyond the low-mid 30’s, good ice should hang around through March into April.