Report for week of 8/19/2010
GENERAL - Wisconsin’s wet summer of 2010 carried through yet another week, with the entire state
receiving additional rain, with some very heavy rain of 5 to 6 inches reported in the northwest. All
major river systems continue to run extremely high for late summer.
In the north and central parts of the state, the St. Croix, Chippewa, Flambeau and Black rivers were
all running at nearly twice their normal flow for August. In the south, the Kickapoo River has flooded
and closed some roads and canoeing is not advised because of fast current, floating debris and low
to no clearance under some bridges. Most sandbars on the lower Wisconsin River continue to be
submerged. The Rock and Crawfish rivers also are very high, though there has been some easing
of slow-no-wake ordinances in Beloit and the ordinance has been lifted from Lake Monona in
Madison.
Despite a big change from hot and muggy weather to breezy and cool conditions this past weekend,
fishing success continued to be pretty good across the north. Smallmouth bass was a highlight of
the past week, with anglers reporting some real nice catches of 16- to 18-inch fish. Musky action
also continued to be good, with musky getting increasingly active the last few weeks. Walleye fishing
continues to be very slow and panfish action has been fair.
A walleye tournament out of Oconto last weekend had anglers scouting all over Green Bay, with the
most success reported off the West Shore of the southern part of Door County and along some of
the reefs between Egg Harbor and Sister Bay. Salmon fishing on Lake Michigan slowed
considerably this week out of most northern ports, with some trollers reporting the slowest action of
the summer. Trollers out of southeastern ports continued to report fair action with chinook and
some coho, rainbows, and lake trout reported.
Anglers fishing Lake Michigan and Lake Superior are reminded to steer well clear of any potential
obstructions including commercial trap nets. In Lake Michigan, such nets are set off Two Rivers,
Manitowoc, Sheboygan and in Door County and the Bay of Green Bay. In Lake Superior, nets are
set in several locations, including between Houghton Point and Bayfield. People can learn more
about trap net safety on the Great Lakes through a new page on the DNR website.
The Mississippi River was at 10.74 feet Tuesday and rising and forecast to stay steady around the
11.5 foot mark for a week or so. Boaters are finding a large influx of vegetation and debris floating
downstream. Fishing has been disrupted due to the high water.
NORTHERN REGION - Upper Chippewa Basin fisheries report (Price, Rusk, Sawyer Taylor and
inland Ashland and Iron counties) - Area river and stream levels continue to be a little high, but
most are still fully accessible for canoeists or bank anglers. Water temperatures also continue to be
rather warm and have consistently been in the low 80-degree range (though they may start
dropping with the recent cooler weather). The bug crop is also very high yet, with lots of
mosquitoes, gnats and 'ankle biters' around to irritate outdoor enthusiasts. Despite the big change
from hot and muggy weather to breezy and cool conditions this past week, fishing success has
continued to be pretty good across most waters in the Northwoods. Smallmouth bass seemed to be
the highlight of the past week with area rivers and flowages providing some very good action.
Anglers have reported some real nice catches of 16 to 18 inch fish, with a couple of 4+ pound
smallies caught and released in the past few days. Most of the fish were found near wood and
structure along hard bottom areas that were also close to deeper water. Spinner baits, top-water
baits, and larger finesse plastics were the most successful baits. Musky action also continued to be
good. Fish have been getting increasingly active the last few weeks and most anglers report plenty
of activity. Bucktails, bulldawgs and top-water baits continue to be the lures of choice and most of
the fish have been found along the weed edges and in the less-dense weed beds. No lunkers have
been reported, with most of the fish in the 32 to 38-inch size. Largemouth bass fishing has been
erratic - some days produce some great action and other days yield very few bites. The largemouth
do seem to be favoring the woody cover and the deeper weed and bog edges. Top-water action
has been very slow, while soft plastics and jig/craw combinations have provided most of the
success. Walleye fishing continues to be very slow with very few reports of any success. The few
catches that have been reported have come from deep-water structure such as cribs and rock
humps, with leaches and crawlers being the favored baits. Panfish action has been fair, some
decent bluegill and crappie have been picked up suspended over mid-depth structure. Rock bass
however, seem to be especially active and have provided many anglers with at least some sort of
action!
NORTHEAST REGION - Peshtigo DNR Service Center area - Fishing pressure has been light over
the past week due in part to the hot and humid conditions. Water temperatures on the bay have
been near the 80 degree mark.
Marinette County - Peshtigo River bass anglers have had some success fishing the slough areas by
the mouth of the river using spinner and crank baits. Heavy currents in the river is making fishing
difficult. On the Menominee River early morning and evening fishing for walleye, sheephead, and
catfish remains good. Trolling crawler/harness and stick baits works well. Salmon fishing reports
have been spotty at best with no clear indication as to success rates.
Oconto County - Fishing at the Stiles Dam remains good with some mixed catches of crappie and
bluegill. Slip bobbers and minnows for the crappie and bobbers and worms for the bluegill, cast and
drift is method most anglers are using. The perch action on the bay from Pensaukee landing to
Oconto Park II has slackened considerably with the best success coming in deeper water (16 to 20
feet). Walleye in this same area are still willing to bite when you find them, with crawler/harness and
crank baits the baits of choice and once again the fish seem to be in deeper water.
Brown County - Perch fishing has been spotty over the last few days at Bayshore Park. Most
anglers have been using a run and gun type method of finding fish. Walleye fishing has been slow,
but starting to improve over the last week with anglers trolling harnesses in a purple or white color.
Walleye anglers are also encountering lots of drum and catfish while trolling.
Manitowoc County - Light southerly winds early in the week gave way to increasing strong west
winds by late Sunday. Hot and humid conditions with light winds created heavy fog offshore along
the lakeshore until late in the week when the humidity dropped and the winds picked up.
Temperatures remained in the 80s all week with scattered rain and thunderstorms. Water
temperatures remained scattered in the 66-70 degree range. Angler success remained relatively
low with an average of 0-4 fish per boat with quiet shore fishing. The fishing action appears to be at
its worst this summer, with several boats at the Two Rivers and Manitowoc ramps not landing a
single fish. Success appears to be in the 50-60 foot range up and down the lakeshore with some
boats having success in the 110 to 150 depths straight out of Two Rivers southward off of
Manitowoc. The chinook appear to be scattered off the lighthouse north of Two Rivers, with several
reports coming in of success anywhere from 50-150 feet. Sundays’ strong west wind is forecasted
for a few days and should bring in the cooler water along with the good fishing. Many of the fish
caught in the 50-60 foot range came off of downriggers near the bottom. J-Plugs on the
downriggers and glow spoons early on the dypsy have had the most success recently. With reports
coming in with little to no success recently, experiment with your pump handles and spoons and
flasher/fly combos on your downriggers. Fishing activity off the piers has slowed this last week with
no reports of trout or salmon caught, but the strong west wind is bringing hope to area anglers that
the salmon will begin to come in. A few 8-10 inch perch have been caught in the Manitowoc Harbor
near the marina and off of the south pier. Use small jig heads with night crawlers or fathead
minnows either jigging or using bobbers.
Door County - Another hot and humid week was had around Door County, including possibly the
hottest day of the year so far. Heat indexes mid week reached into the mid 90s, however reduced
considerably going into the weekend. A few days of high winds limited fishing on both the Bay and
the Lake, however there were still some reports of fish being caught. Salmon fishing has slowed for
most anglers along with most fishing spots county wide. Fishing pressure out of Ellison Bay, Gills
Rock, and Rowley’s Bay has been at its lowest point in the last few months, producing minimal
reports along with minimal fish being caught. Fishing out of Baileys Harbor has been somewhat
consistent with average catches between two and four fish. Fishing out of Sturgeon Bay for Salmon
has been slow for most anglers but some very nice catches are still being reported. A few boats
were able to find their limit quite easily this week despite the general consensus that fishing was
poor. Although they didn’t divulge their baits or strategy, they said a change in their presentation
and baits from the summer norm was what brought the fish into the boat. A Walleye tournament out
of Oconto this weekend had anglers scouting all over Green Bay. Most success was had off the
West Shore of the southern part of Door County, along with fishing some of the reefs between Egg
Harbor and Sister Bay near Chambers Island and North towards the Horseshoe Reefs. Perch fishing
has remained decent but slow in terms of size. Many small fish are still being seen which gives some
anglers optimism that the next few years will produce some good fishing. Working minnows near the
bottom in 15-20 feet of water has been the popular choice for anglers recently. Few reports were
had this week for anglers pursuing Smallmouth Bass, however it is likely the fish can still be found in
their usual places along the flats in Sturgeon Bay and other rocky areas in 8-15 feet of water. On a
positive note, the Egg Harbor marina and boat launch that has been closed for construction since
early April opened just over a week ago for public access and fishing opportunities. Sturgeon Bay
walleye fishing picked up in the ship channel over the last few days. Most anglers have been trolling
harnesses or cranks at night to catch fish. Larson's reef has also been good over the last few days
with anglers pulling limit catches when the wind has worked in their favor. Anglers are finding good
numbers of perch in Sawyer Harbor. Anglers are targeting pike with large crank baits, and are
having mixed results. Little Sturgeon Bay anglers have been catching good numbers of perch in the
weeds. Most anglers have been using a night crawler with a slip bobber. Anglers trolling for walleye
are finding good numbers of fish around Henderson Point. Bass anglers are reporting some
success over rocks with tube jigs. Chaudoirs dock- Anglers have been catching some sizable perch
just to the north in 15-20 feet of water. Due to the inclement weather, fewer than normal boats are
actually getting out. Walleye anglers have also found fish willing to bite with most trolling in 20 feet
of water.
Kewaunee County - This was another week of up and down weather that caused some havoc for
anglers in Kewaunee County. The high heat and humidity in the early parts of the week raised water
temperatures all the way up to 74 degrees at the surface in both Algoma and Kewaunee. The latter
half of the week brought cooler temperatures and a strong western wind that actually dropped the
surface temperatures in Algoma along the pier to 61 degrees and brought the surface temperature
out deeper down considerably as well. This week was similar to last week on the Kewaunee pier with
very little fish activity being reported. A couple lucky anglers managed to land some smallmouth
bass and some larger carp but that comprised the majority of the fish that were netted. The boaters
out in Kewaunee didn’t seem to hook into many fish this week with a few of the days averaging only
2 fish per boat. Anglers have been trying depths ranging from 70 feet out to about 240 feet of water
with varying success. Here the hot colors for flies were the same as in Algoma but spoons were a
little more successful with wonder bread and bloody nose spoons catching the majority of fish. It was
another slow week on the Algoma Pier but one rainbow trout was caught earlier in the week. A few
anglers have been catching northern pike lately on fire tiger spoons but the fish have been very
elusive this week. The fishing out on the lake really started strong earlier in the week as quite a few
boats came back with limits on King Salmon but as the week progress the fishing cooled of a bit.
The more successful anglers were fishing in depths of 70-120 feet of water and about 50-70 feet
down. This week Flasher and fly combos out did the spoons with the hot colors being white or
chrome flashers with aqua-pearl flies. Also quite a few fish were caught on J-plugs and glow
moonshine spoons.
SOUTHEAST REGION - Lake Michigan fisheries team report: Sheboygan County - In Sheboygan
trollers have been catching a few chinook and rainbows. Most fish have been scattered from the
surface to 80 feet down in 40 to 130 feet of water, and spoons and J-plugs have been productive.
Shore fishing in Sheboygan remains relatively slow, with a few chinook and rainbows taken off the
south pier on alewives, and a few chinook have been caught off North Point on spoons.
Ozaukee County - Trollers in Port Washington have found some chinook, coho, rainbows, and lake
trout. Fish have been 25 to 70 feet down in 50 to 110 feet of water. Spoons, flashers and flies, and
J-plugs have all produced on occasion, but action has been fairly slow. Shore anglers in Port
Washington have had some success fishing for perch off the pier. Jigs and minnows have taken the
most perch.
Milwaukee County - In Milwaukee trollers have been catching mostly chinook, along with a few lake
trout and rainbows. Fish have been caught in 60 to 110 feet of water, and flies and J-plugs have
taken the majority of fish. Shore fishing effort in Milwaukee remains low, and few fish have been
reported. Perch fishing off the boils and the Oak Creek power plant has been slow, but boats
working the South Shore breakwall have found some perch in the weeds along the rocks.
Racine County - In Racine some chinook have been taken by trollers in 20 to 60 feet down in 120 to
160 feet of water. Rainbows and chinook have also been biting in 220 to 260 feet of water. Shore
fishing in Racine has been generally slow, but a few perch have been caught in the basin near the
boat launch. Effort from the piers has been very low.
Kenosha County - In Kenosha trollers have been catching some chinook nearshore in 25 feet of
water, and others have been hitting further out, around 150 feet of water. J-plugs, spoons, and
some flies have all taken fish, and silvers and greens have been the most productive colors. Shore
fishing in Kenosha has started to pick up, with browns and occasional rainbows hitting white tube
jigs and spoons near the Holiday Inn. The best bite has been in the evenings and into the night.
Perch anglers have been catching a few off the rocks by the south pier as well as in Southport
Marina. Both minnows and crab tails have been producing. Kenosha boaters looking for perch have
been catching a few at the bubbler and off the 75th Street jetties.
SOUTH CENTRAL REGION - No Report
WEST CENTRAL REGION - Willow River State Park - Little Falls Lake remains high and discolored
as is the Willow River. Trout anglers will find it tough going anywhere in the area given the amount
of rain and more is due. Every small river in the area hit flood stage or bank full about a week ago
including the Kinnickinnic. At the office, we have a screen showing photos from around the park.
Park staff shot photos of Willow Falls at maximum flow.
Perrot State Park - Trails are in good condition. Water levels are extremely variable this summer
due to the drawdown on Pool 6. At times, the bay is VERY low, but after heavy rains, the water can
be very high. The level can change over the course of the day and large boats may have difficulty
reaching the Mississippi River from our boat landing. Caution is advised! Currently, the
Trempealeau River is way above its banks and canoeing is not advised due to the high and very
fast water. Call the park for current conditions if you are considering canoeing the bay. Mosquitoes
are out and about.
Great River State Trail - Water levels on the Black River are very high and there is much more
water in the channels.
Crawford County - Flooding conditions exist on most area waterways. Heavy rains fell in the upper
basins of the Kickapoo, Wisconsin and Mississippi Rivers. Flood waters began entering Crawford
County last week and have caused several road closures. Motorists are urged to use caution in the
Gays Mills and Steuben areas as the Kickapoo is approaching the moderate flood stage. The
Mississippi River was at 10.74 feet Tuesday and rising. During the next few days the river will
continue to rise and crest at 11.5 feet this weekend. The forecast is for the river to stay steady
around the 11.5 foot mark for a week or so. The Wisconsin River stage in Muscoda Tuesday was
4.75 feet and rising. Most of the sand bars are under water on the Wisconsin River. The Kickapoo
River stage was at 15.43 feet in Gays Mills. It was expected to crest Tuesday or Wednesday around
15.6 feet. State Highway 171 in Gays Mills is closed at the Kickapoo River bridge. Several other
town road are also closed due to high water. In Steuben the river is at 12.21 feet and rising. It is
expected to crest on Wednesday or Thursday at 13.4 feet. Local trout streams are still running high
and a bit dirty. They are expected to settle down and clear up within a couple days. Boaters are
urged to stay off the Kickapoo river due to swift current and floating debris. Mississippi River
boaters are finding a large influx of floating vegetation floating downstream. Additionally debris is
being pulled off the shorelines and floating downstream. Keep a sharp eye open and slow down.
The “slow-no-wake” zone on the Mississippi River is in effect for the summer boating season. The
main channel is marked with buoys in the McGregor Iowa area. Fishing has been disrupted due to
the high water. Heavy current, dirty water and floating debris and weeds are causing problems for
anglers. Earlier this week bluegill anglers were doing very good. Some nice sized bluegills were
taken. Some anglers report taking limits of “gills”. Anglers have been finding some pretty decent
bluegill action in backwater snags. Also try fishing along deeper weed edges. Some angler are
finding bluegills in deeper channels (8 to 12 feet) that have light current flowing through them. Most
anglers are either “dead-lining” or using a worm and bobber. Bluegills are active all over the place,
so keep moving and trying different areas to find decent fish. The increasing volume of water
moving down river will most likely affect the bluegill activity. Floating vegetation will also cause
problems. Perch fishing has been very good in some areas. Perch have been taken along the
deeper weed edges in light current and in backwater sloughs in deeper water. Primarily anglers are
using a chunk of nightcrawlers on a dead line. Perch anglers, like bluegill anglers will have to move
around to find active fish. Crappie action has been spotty to very slow. Anglers have been targeting
flooded timber and using small jigs tipped with plastics or minnows. White bass action has been very
spotty with this high water. Some white bass action can be found along wing dams and up near the
Lynxville dam. Very good action for both smallmouth and largemouth bass has been reported. Look
for smallmouth bass on the main channel on wing dams, closing dams, and rocky shorelines. Small
mouth bass fishing might be hampered now that a large volume of weeds are floating down the
channel. The Wisconsin River has seen some very good smallmouth bass action too. Largemouth
bass are being caught in all types of cover. Large mouth are being taken on a variety of top water
baits fished in the weeds. Bass are also being taken along weed edges, newly flooded areas and in
the timber. A variety of artificial baits have worked. Even with the high water walleye and sauger are
being taken, but fishing conditions are changing for the worse. Angler will have to move around a bit
and try different tactics. Wing dams are probably the best bet, although some the deeper back
water sloughs are producing fish. Drifting with live bait (leeches or nightcrawlers) and trolling are the
most popular tactics. Areas to check for walleye and sauger would be up near the Lynxville dam,
McDonald’s Slough, the “S” curve by Harper’s Ferry Slough, wing dams, Roseau Slough, and the
Wisconsin River. Up on Pool 9 near Lynxville and Ferryville try the Deer Island complex and the
area of the main channel by Lansing. Northern pike action has been pretty good. Most anglers are
targeting northerns by trolling in back water sloughs and lakes. Check for northerns where feeder
streams enter the main river. Most bass anglers report catching northers incidentally to bass
fishing. Sheephead (freshwater drum) are very active even in the high water. Sheephead are being
caught on nightcrawlers throughout the area. Catfish, both channel and flathead had been spotty.
However fishing conditions are a bit tough as most cats are caught fishing off the bottom. Floating
weeds and other debris makes that type of fishing difficult. Catfish fishing on the Wisconsin River is
still pretty good. Trout: Fishing conditions aren’t the best right now. But in a few days the water will
settle down. Once that happens anglers will be met with a variety of insects and heavy shoreline
vegetation. Fly fishers, spinners and live bait are working well even with the high water. Gnats, deer
flies, horse flies and mosquitoes are out. River bottoms are especially bad.
A three-minute audio version of this report can be heard by calling (608) 266 2277.
Copyright© 2006 - 2010 BobberStop.com
GENERAL - Wisconsin’s wet summer of 2010 carried through yet another week, with the entire state
receiving additional rain, with some very heavy rain of 5 to 6 inches reported in the northwest. All
major river systems continue to run extremely high for late summer.
In the north and central parts of the state, the St. Croix, Chippewa, Flambeau and Black rivers were
all running at nearly twice their normal flow for August. In the south, the Kickapoo River has flooded
and closed some roads and canoeing is not advised because of fast current, floating debris and low
to no clearance under some bridges. Most sandbars on the lower Wisconsin River continue to be
submerged. The Rock and Crawfish rivers also are very high, though there has been some easing
of slow-no-wake ordinances in Beloit and the ordinance has been lifted from Lake Monona in
Madison.
Despite a big change from hot and muggy weather to breezy and cool conditions this past weekend,
fishing success continued to be pretty good across the north. Smallmouth bass was a highlight of
the past week, with anglers reporting some real nice catches of 16- to 18-inch fish. Musky action
also continued to be good, with musky getting increasingly active the last few weeks. Walleye fishing
continues to be very slow and panfish action has been fair.
A walleye tournament out of Oconto last weekend had anglers scouting all over Green Bay, with the
most success reported off the West Shore of the southern part of Door County and along some of
the reefs between Egg Harbor and Sister Bay. Salmon fishing on Lake Michigan slowed
considerably this week out of most northern ports, with some trollers reporting the slowest action of
the summer. Trollers out of southeastern ports continued to report fair action with chinook and
some coho, rainbows, and lake trout reported.
Anglers fishing Lake Michigan and Lake Superior are reminded to steer well clear of any potential
obstructions including commercial trap nets. In Lake Michigan, such nets are set off Two Rivers,
Manitowoc, Sheboygan and in Door County and the Bay of Green Bay. In Lake Superior, nets are
set in several locations, including between Houghton Point and Bayfield. People can learn more
about trap net safety on the Great Lakes through a new page on the DNR website.
The Mississippi River was at 10.74 feet Tuesday and rising and forecast to stay steady around the
11.5 foot mark for a week or so. Boaters are finding a large influx of vegetation and debris floating
downstream. Fishing has been disrupted due to the high water.
NORTHERN REGION - Upper Chippewa Basin fisheries report (Price, Rusk, Sawyer Taylor and
inland Ashland and Iron counties) - Area river and stream levels continue to be a little high, but
most are still fully accessible for canoeists or bank anglers. Water temperatures also continue to be
rather warm and have consistently been in the low 80-degree range (though they may start
dropping with the recent cooler weather). The bug crop is also very high yet, with lots of
mosquitoes, gnats and 'ankle biters' around to irritate outdoor enthusiasts. Despite the big change
from hot and muggy weather to breezy and cool conditions this past week, fishing success has
continued to be pretty good across most waters in the Northwoods. Smallmouth bass seemed to be
the highlight of the past week with area rivers and flowages providing some very good action.
Anglers have reported some real nice catches of 16 to 18 inch fish, with a couple of 4+ pound
smallies caught and released in the past few days. Most of the fish were found near wood and
structure along hard bottom areas that were also close to deeper water. Spinner baits, top-water
baits, and larger finesse plastics were the most successful baits. Musky action also continued to be
good. Fish have been getting increasingly active the last few weeks and most anglers report plenty
of activity. Bucktails, bulldawgs and top-water baits continue to be the lures of choice and most of
the fish have been found along the weed edges and in the less-dense weed beds. No lunkers have
been reported, with most of the fish in the 32 to 38-inch size. Largemouth bass fishing has been
erratic - some days produce some great action and other days yield very few bites. The largemouth
do seem to be favoring the woody cover and the deeper weed and bog edges. Top-water action
has been very slow, while soft plastics and jig/craw combinations have provided most of the
success. Walleye fishing continues to be very slow with very few reports of any success. The few
catches that have been reported have come from deep-water structure such as cribs and rock
humps, with leaches and crawlers being the favored baits. Panfish action has been fair, some
decent bluegill and crappie have been picked up suspended over mid-depth structure. Rock bass
however, seem to be especially active and have provided many anglers with at least some sort of
action!
NORTHEAST REGION - Peshtigo DNR Service Center area - Fishing pressure has been light over
the past week due in part to the hot and humid conditions. Water temperatures on the bay have
been near the 80 degree mark.
Marinette County - Peshtigo River bass anglers have had some success fishing the slough areas by
the mouth of the river using spinner and crank baits. Heavy currents in the river is making fishing
difficult. On the Menominee River early morning and evening fishing for walleye, sheephead, and
catfish remains good. Trolling crawler/harness and stick baits works well. Salmon fishing reports
have been spotty at best with no clear indication as to success rates.
Oconto County - Fishing at the Stiles Dam remains good with some mixed catches of crappie and
bluegill. Slip bobbers and minnows for the crappie and bobbers and worms for the bluegill, cast and
drift is method most anglers are using. The perch action on the bay from Pensaukee landing to
Oconto Park II has slackened considerably with the best success coming in deeper water (16 to 20
feet). Walleye in this same area are still willing to bite when you find them, with crawler/harness and
crank baits the baits of choice and once again the fish seem to be in deeper water.
Brown County - Perch fishing has been spotty over the last few days at Bayshore Park. Most
anglers have been using a run and gun type method of finding fish. Walleye fishing has been slow,
but starting to improve over the last week with anglers trolling harnesses in a purple or white color.
Walleye anglers are also encountering lots of drum and catfish while trolling.
Manitowoc County - Light southerly winds early in the week gave way to increasing strong west
winds by late Sunday. Hot and humid conditions with light winds created heavy fog offshore along
the lakeshore until late in the week when the humidity dropped and the winds picked up.
Temperatures remained in the 80s all week with scattered rain and thunderstorms. Water
temperatures remained scattered in the 66-70 degree range. Angler success remained relatively
low with an average of 0-4 fish per boat with quiet shore fishing. The fishing action appears to be at
its worst this summer, with several boats at the Two Rivers and Manitowoc ramps not landing a
single fish. Success appears to be in the 50-60 foot range up and down the lakeshore with some
boats having success in the 110 to 150 depths straight out of Two Rivers southward off of
Manitowoc. The chinook appear to be scattered off the lighthouse north of Two Rivers, with several
reports coming in of success anywhere from 50-150 feet. Sundays’ strong west wind is forecasted
for a few days and should bring in the cooler water along with the good fishing. Many of the fish
caught in the 50-60 foot range came off of downriggers near the bottom. J-Plugs on the
downriggers and glow spoons early on the dypsy have had the most success recently. With reports
coming in with little to no success recently, experiment with your pump handles and spoons and
flasher/fly combos on your downriggers. Fishing activity off the piers has slowed this last week with
no reports of trout or salmon caught, but the strong west wind is bringing hope to area anglers that
the salmon will begin to come in. A few 8-10 inch perch have been caught in the Manitowoc Harbor
near the marina and off of the south pier. Use small jig heads with night crawlers or fathead
minnows either jigging or using bobbers.
Door County - Another hot and humid week was had around Door County, including possibly the
hottest day of the year so far. Heat indexes mid week reached into the mid 90s, however reduced
considerably going into the weekend. A few days of high winds limited fishing on both the Bay and
the Lake, however there were still some reports of fish being caught. Salmon fishing has slowed for
most anglers along with most fishing spots county wide. Fishing pressure out of Ellison Bay, Gills
Rock, and Rowley’s Bay has been at its lowest point in the last few months, producing minimal
reports along with minimal fish being caught. Fishing out of Baileys Harbor has been somewhat
consistent with average catches between two and four fish. Fishing out of Sturgeon Bay for Salmon
has been slow for most anglers but some very nice catches are still being reported. A few boats
were able to find their limit quite easily this week despite the general consensus that fishing was
poor. Although they didn’t divulge their baits or strategy, they said a change in their presentation
and baits from the summer norm was what brought the fish into the boat. A Walleye tournament out
of Oconto this weekend had anglers scouting all over Green Bay. Most success was had off the
West Shore of the southern part of Door County, along with fishing some of the reefs between Egg
Harbor and Sister Bay near Chambers Island and North towards the Horseshoe Reefs. Perch fishing
has remained decent but slow in terms of size. Many small fish are still being seen which gives some
anglers optimism that the next few years will produce some good fishing. Working minnows near the
bottom in 15-20 feet of water has been the popular choice for anglers recently. Few reports were
had this week for anglers pursuing Smallmouth Bass, however it is likely the fish can still be found in
their usual places along the flats in Sturgeon Bay and other rocky areas in 8-15 feet of water. On a
positive note, the Egg Harbor marina and boat launch that has been closed for construction since
early April opened just over a week ago for public access and fishing opportunities. Sturgeon Bay
walleye fishing picked up in the ship channel over the last few days. Most anglers have been trolling
harnesses or cranks at night to catch fish. Larson's reef has also been good over the last few days
with anglers pulling limit catches when the wind has worked in their favor. Anglers are finding good
numbers of perch in Sawyer Harbor. Anglers are targeting pike with large crank baits, and are
having mixed results. Little Sturgeon Bay anglers have been catching good numbers of perch in the
weeds. Most anglers have been using a night crawler with a slip bobber. Anglers trolling for walleye
are finding good numbers of fish around Henderson Point. Bass anglers are reporting some
success over rocks with tube jigs. Chaudoirs dock- Anglers have been catching some sizable perch
just to the north in 15-20 feet of water. Due to the inclement weather, fewer than normal boats are
actually getting out. Walleye anglers have also found fish willing to bite with most trolling in 20 feet
of water.
Kewaunee County - This was another week of up and down weather that caused some havoc for
anglers in Kewaunee County. The high heat and humidity in the early parts of the week raised water
temperatures all the way up to 74 degrees at the surface in both Algoma and Kewaunee. The latter
half of the week brought cooler temperatures and a strong western wind that actually dropped the
surface temperatures in Algoma along the pier to 61 degrees and brought the surface temperature
out deeper down considerably as well. This week was similar to last week on the Kewaunee pier with
very little fish activity being reported. A couple lucky anglers managed to land some smallmouth
bass and some larger carp but that comprised the majority of the fish that were netted. The boaters
out in Kewaunee didn’t seem to hook into many fish this week with a few of the days averaging only
2 fish per boat. Anglers have been trying depths ranging from 70 feet out to about 240 feet of water
with varying success. Here the hot colors for flies were the same as in Algoma but spoons were a
little more successful with wonder bread and bloody nose spoons catching the majority of fish. It was
another slow week on the Algoma Pier but one rainbow trout was caught earlier in the week. A few
anglers have been catching northern pike lately on fire tiger spoons but the fish have been very
elusive this week. The fishing out on the lake really started strong earlier in the week as quite a few
boats came back with limits on King Salmon but as the week progress the fishing cooled of a bit.
The more successful anglers were fishing in depths of 70-120 feet of water and about 50-70 feet
down. This week Flasher and fly combos out did the spoons with the hot colors being white or
chrome flashers with aqua-pearl flies. Also quite a few fish were caught on J-plugs and glow
moonshine spoons.
SOUTHEAST REGION - Lake Michigan fisheries team report: Sheboygan County - In Sheboygan
trollers have been catching a few chinook and rainbows. Most fish have been scattered from the
surface to 80 feet down in 40 to 130 feet of water, and spoons and J-plugs have been productive.
Shore fishing in Sheboygan remains relatively slow, with a few chinook and rainbows taken off the
south pier on alewives, and a few chinook have been caught off North Point on spoons.
Ozaukee County - Trollers in Port Washington have found some chinook, coho, rainbows, and lake
trout. Fish have been 25 to 70 feet down in 50 to 110 feet of water. Spoons, flashers and flies, and
J-plugs have all produced on occasion, but action has been fairly slow. Shore anglers in Port
Washington have had some success fishing for perch off the pier. Jigs and minnows have taken the
most perch.
Milwaukee County - In Milwaukee trollers have been catching mostly chinook, along with a few lake
trout and rainbows. Fish have been caught in 60 to 110 feet of water, and flies and J-plugs have
taken the majority of fish. Shore fishing effort in Milwaukee remains low, and few fish have been
reported. Perch fishing off the boils and the Oak Creek power plant has been slow, but boats
working the South Shore breakwall have found some perch in the weeds along the rocks.
Racine County - In Racine some chinook have been taken by trollers in 20 to 60 feet down in 120 to
160 feet of water. Rainbows and chinook have also been biting in 220 to 260 feet of water. Shore
fishing in Racine has been generally slow, but a few perch have been caught in the basin near the
boat launch. Effort from the piers has been very low.
Kenosha County - In Kenosha trollers have been catching some chinook nearshore in 25 feet of
water, and others have been hitting further out, around 150 feet of water. J-plugs, spoons, and
some flies have all taken fish, and silvers and greens have been the most productive colors. Shore
fishing in Kenosha has started to pick up, with browns and occasional rainbows hitting white tube
jigs and spoons near the Holiday Inn. The best bite has been in the evenings and into the night.
Perch anglers have been catching a few off the rocks by the south pier as well as in Southport
Marina. Both minnows and crab tails have been producing. Kenosha boaters looking for perch have
been catching a few at the bubbler and off the 75th Street jetties.
SOUTH CENTRAL REGION - No Report
WEST CENTRAL REGION - Willow River State Park - Little Falls Lake remains high and discolored
as is the Willow River. Trout anglers will find it tough going anywhere in the area given the amount
of rain and more is due. Every small river in the area hit flood stage or bank full about a week ago
including the Kinnickinnic. At the office, we have a screen showing photos from around the park.
Park staff shot photos of Willow Falls at maximum flow.
Perrot State Park - Trails are in good condition. Water levels are extremely variable this summer
due to the drawdown on Pool 6. At times, the bay is VERY low, but after heavy rains, the water can
be very high. The level can change over the course of the day and large boats may have difficulty
reaching the Mississippi River from our boat landing. Caution is advised! Currently, the
Trempealeau River is way above its banks and canoeing is not advised due to the high and very
fast water. Call the park for current conditions if you are considering canoeing the bay. Mosquitoes
are out and about.
Great River State Trail - Water levels on the Black River are very high and there is much more
water in the channels.
Crawford County - Flooding conditions exist on most area waterways. Heavy rains fell in the upper
basins of the Kickapoo, Wisconsin and Mississippi Rivers. Flood waters began entering Crawford
County last week and have caused several road closures. Motorists are urged to use caution in the
Gays Mills and Steuben areas as the Kickapoo is approaching the moderate flood stage. The
Mississippi River was at 10.74 feet Tuesday and rising. During the next few days the river will
continue to rise and crest at 11.5 feet this weekend. The forecast is for the river to stay steady
around the 11.5 foot mark for a week or so. The Wisconsin River stage in Muscoda Tuesday was
4.75 feet and rising. Most of the sand bars are under water on the Wisconsin River. The Kickapoo
River stage was at 15.43 feet in Gays Mills. It was expected to crest Tuesday or Wednesday around
15.6 feet. State Highway 171 in Gays Mills is closed at the Kickapoo River bridge. Several other
town road are also closed due to high water. In Steuben the river is at 12.21 feet and rising. It is
expected to crest on Wednesday or Thursday at 13.4 feet. Local trout streams are still running high
and a bit dirty. They are expected to settle down and clear up within a couple days. Boaters are
urged to stay off the Kickapoo river due to swift current and floating debris. Mississippi River
boaters are finding a large influx of floating vegetation floating downstream. Additionally debris is
being pulled off the shorelines and floating downstream. Keep a sharp eye open and slow down.
The “slow-no-wake” zone on the Mississippi River is in effect for the summer boating season. The
main channel is marked with buoys in the McGregor Iowa area. Fishing has been disrupted due to
the high water. Heavy current, dirty water and floating debris and weeds are causing problems for
anglers. Earlier this week bluegill anglers were doing very good. Some nice sized bluegills were
taken. Some anglers report taking limits of “gills”. Anglers have been finding some pretty decent
bluegill action in backwater snags. Also try fishing along deeper weed edges. Some angler are
finding bluegills in deeper channels (8 to 12 feet) that have light current flowing through them. Most
anglers are either “dead-lining” or using a worm and bobber. Bluegills are active all over the place,
so keep moving and trying different areas to find decent fish. The increasing volume of water
moving down river will most likely affect the bluegill activity. Floating vegetation will also cause
problems. Perch fishing has been very good in some areas. Perch have been taken along the
deeper weed edges in light current and in backwater sloughs in deeper water. Primarily anglers are
using a chunk of nightcrawlers on a dead line. Perch anglers, like bluegill anglers will have to move
around to find active fish. Crappie action has been spotty to very slow. Anglers have been targeting
flooded timber and using small jigs tipped with plastics or minnows. White bass action has been very
spotty with this high water. Some white bass action can be found along wing dams and up near the
Lynxville dam. Very good action for both smallmouth and largemouth bass has been reported. Look
for smallmouth bass on the main channel on wing dams, closing dams, and rocky shorelines. Small
mouth bass fishing might be hampered now that a large volume of weeds are floating down the
channel. The Wisconsin River has seen some very good smallmouth bass action too. Largemouth
bass are being caught in all types of cover. Large mouth are being taken on a variety of top water
baits fished in the weeds. Bass are also being taken along weed edges, newly flooded areas and in
the timber. A variety of artificial baits have worked. Even with the high water walleye and sauger are
being taken, but fishing conditions are changing for the worse. Angler will have to move around a bit
and try different tactics. Wing dams are probably the best bet, although some the deeper back
water sloughs are producing fish. Drifting with live bait (leeches or nightcrawlers) and trolling are the
most popular tactics. Areas to check for walleye and sauger would be up near the Lynxville dam,
McDonald’s Slough, the “S” curve by Harper’s Ferry Slough, wing dams, Roseau Slough, and the
Wisconsin River. Up on Pool 9 near Lynxville and Ferryville try the Deer Island complex and the
area of the main channel by Lansing. Northern pike action has been pretty good. Most anglers are
targeting northerns by trolling in back water sloughs and lakes. Check for northerns where feeder
streams enter the main river. Most bass anglers report catching northers incidentally to bass
fishing. Sheephead (freshwater drum) are very active even in the high water. Sheephead are being
caught on nightcrawlers throughout the area. Catfish, both channel and flathead had been spotty.
However fishing conditions are a bit tough as most cats are caught fishing off the bottom. Floating
weeds and other debris makes that type of fishing difficult. Catfish fishing on the Wisconsin River is
still pretty good. Trout: Fishing conditions aren’t the best right now. But in a few days the water will
settle down. Once that happens anglers will be met with a variety of insects and heavy shoreline
vegetation. Fly fishers, spinners and live bait are working well even with the high water. Gnats, deer
flies, horse flies and mosquitoes are out. River bottoms are especially bad.
A three-minute audio version of this report can be heard by calling (608) 266 2277.
Copyright© 2006 - 2010 BobberStop.com
| WDNR Weekly Fishing Report |
| "All the romance of trout fishing exists in the mind of the angler and is in no way shared by the fish." Harold F. Blaisdell |
| "There is certainly something in angling that tends to produce a serenity of the mind." Washington Irving |
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