Well we woke up to some of our favorite white stuff this morning, and its just a little ahead of the fishing schedule.
Musky fishing remains open this week, closing Sunday Night at Midnight. Gamefish season remains open until March, but Musky are given extra protections and the season ends this week.
The reason fishing drops off this week often has less to do with the weather and much more to do with treestands and venison.
Despite the weather, people who have braved the elements are still catching quality fish. Multiple muskies over 45 inches were reported caught in the last five days. Sucker fishing on a quick strike rig remains the best option, but you can increase your chances if you cast. The operative word is big for this last week. Big Suckers, big baits and big fish.
Incidentally, I actually caught my first legal musky out of Garvin Lake the morning of Thanksgiving Day in 1985 casting from our dock with a big Creek Chub Lure. It can be done even this late in the year.
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Rock River Walleye Fishing: There's still some reports of fish being caught at Jefferson and Ft Atkinson, but the reports are getting fewer and fewer. The river already has some skim ice on the out of current areas, so I'd say its almost done till spring.
The Dells, Depere, Winnecone and Oshkosh have been relatively quiet lately, and I imagine that the season's pretty much done in these areas until ice up.
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Ice: There's nothing to report yet. Some ponds and a few of the shallow bays have some skim ice as of this morning, but its nowhere near safe yet. However with another solid cold snap, it won't be long until some of the traditional early areas are ready to go. I'd guess to more weeks before things start to happen assuming it doesn't get warm or rain between now and then.
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Reports: I know I haven't been updating the reports as often as some of you like, and things are likely to be slow for 10-2 weeks ahead, but we'll do our best to keep up to date on early ice reports. As always, if the blog is a day or two behind, call or stop into the shop for the most up to date information.
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Ice Fishing Stuff is going up at the store as I write this, stop in and pick up those things you need before the season gets going.
Happy Thanksgiving,
CT
Monday, November 24, 2008
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Seasonal Weather Ahead
Well gang,
Our bout with that Indian Summer Weather has passed and we now have some more seasonal weather.
Expect the musky fishing, which was steady but slower with the nice weather, to get very serious over the next week. The lakes have turned over, but the fishing has been good with lots of big fish being caught.
Make sure to keep a sucker out anytime you are fishing, your best chance for a big fish will be on a sucker floated on a quickstrike rig. This late in the season, I've even been known to fish three suckers on quickstrike rigs and read a book rather than cast.
Make long drifts and cover lots of water. A drift sock is never a bad idea on the windy days to slow yourself down.
Lac Labelle, Garvin, Fowler, Pewaukee, Fox, Okauchee and Oconomowoc lakes are all giving up fish and should continue to do so for at least the next 10-15 days.
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Walleye continue to bite on the Rock and Wisconsin Rivers. Look for them to move into the deeper holes with the cooler temps. Jigging the current breaks below the dams has been a solid tactic lately, but the cooler temps will push the fish into the holes.
At night casting with minnowbaits and jerkbaits can really produce some quality fish.
CT
Our bout with that Indian Summer Weather has passed and we now have some more seasonal weather.
Expect the musky fishing, which was steady but slower with the nice weather, to get very serious over the next week. The lakes have turned over, but the fishing has been good with lots of big fish being caught.
Make sure to keep a sucker out anytime you are fishing, your best chance for a big fish will be on a sucker floated on a quickstrike rig. This late in the season, I've even been known to fish three suckers on quickstrike rigs and read a book rather than cast.
Make long drifts and cover lots of water. A drift sock is never a bad idea on the windy days to slow yourself down.
Lac Labelle, Garvin, Fowler, Pewaukee, Fox, Okauchee and Oconomowoc lakes are all giving up fish and should continue to do so for at least the next 10-15 days.
------
Walleye continue to bite on the Rock and Wisconsin Rivers. Look for them to move into the deeper holes with the cooler temps. Jigging the current breaks below the dams has been a solid tactic lately, but the cooler temps will push the fish into the holes.
At night casting with minnowbaits and jerkbaits can really produce some quality fish.
CT
Monday, November 3, 2008
Nice days ahead
Well gang, its looks to be a great couple of days, at least weather wise.
Its always nice to get out late in the season when its 60-70 degrees, you might even consider playing hooky this week.
Want to catch some late season bass? You've got a good shot this week. The sunshine will warm up shallow water, especially near shallow rocks, and the fish will move up adjacent to or directly on top of the rockbars. The water is super clear on most lakes, and you can actually sight fish for these fish. If using live bait, a small sucker or medium to large shiner is your best option, and a large jig with a big trailer, a skirted grub or wacky worm will usually produce as well. Stay with natural tones for your artificials, and focus your attention between 10am and dark if possible.
Musky fishing is still good, but the warmer weather has slowed things down a bit, expect it to pick back up later this week when the temperatures are more seasonal. Suckers on a quikstrike rig are always your best option this time of year, but casting with jerkbaits, bucktails or swimbaits is still generating some follows.
Walleye and whitebass fishing is in full swing on the Rock-River. I was there sunday and we caught lots of fish below the dam at Jefferson. I'm hoping to get back down there this week.
Good Luck,
CT
Its always nice to get out late in the season when its 60-70 degrees, you might even consider playing hooky this week.
Want to catch some late season bass? You've got a good shot this week. The sunshine will warm up shallow water, especially near shallow rocks, and the fish will move up adjacent to or directly on top of the rockbars. The water is super clear on most lakes, and you can actually sight fish for these fish. If using live bait, a small sucker or medium to large shiner is your best option, and a large jig with a big trailer, a skirted grub or wacky worm will usually produce as well. Stay with natural tones for your artificials, and focus your attention between 10am and dark if possible.
Musky fishing is still good, but the warmer weather has slowed things down a bit, expect it to pick back up later this week when the temperatures are more seasonal. Suckers on a quikstrike rig are always your best option this time of year, but casting with jerkbaits, bucktails or swimbaits is still generating some follows.
Walleye and whitebass fishing is in full swing on the Rock-River. I was there sunday and we caught lots of fish below the dam at Jefferson. I'm hoping to get back down there this week.
Good Luck,
CT
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