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Wisconsin River Fishing Report |
Wausau Area fishing report 05/04/08 Opening weekend of fishing season here in Wisconsin found some lakes still locked with ice or with winter-like water temperatures – that was not the case in the greater Wausau area where the ice has been gone now for weeks, and water temperatures are ranging in the mid to upper forty degree range or warmer. After yet another successful walleye spawning season, the marble-eyes of the Wisconsin River and surrounding have begun to depart from their spawning grounds; look for the fish to be more scattered than in weeks past, but certainly catchable. An excellent approach during this transition is to actively search a variety of depths and areas looking for action – “running and gunning”. Once you have located walleyes, fish the surrounding area thoroughly as there will often be numbers of fish working through a spot. Crankbaits or jig and twister tail combinations make for good search lures and have been producing fish for the past few weeks, some of them quite sizeable. One of the many advantages to fishing in the Wausau area is the option of trolling on the Wisconsin River and its flowages – an excellent tactic to use when attempting to locate numbers of walleyes. Many a post-spawn walleye have succumb to trolling presentations in the past week. The Wausau area produces walleyes over 10 pounds each season! A truly under-rated smallmouth bass fishery awaits anglers looking to tie into one of these bronze-backed feisty fighters. Smallmouth bass in Wisconsin typically begin spawning when water temperatures reach 62-64 degrees, although some fish will spawn in cooler water. The smallies have already begun to move from their wintering locations towards spawning grounds, ideally those areas containing a gravel or rock bottom. Locate these areas and being by fishing the deeper water surrounding them during the coolest portions of the day utilizing jig and twister tails, 3” tubes, and suspending style crankbaits. As the water warms, look for fish to begin sliding shallower; terrific presentations for these shallower fish include lipless crankbaits, in-line spinners, and even large fathead minnows suspended below a float. Boasting numbers and trophy-quality fish, the Wisconsin River system is a “must-fish” for anglers looking to capitalize on an exciting angling opportunity for smallmouth bass. Another exciting option for anglers looking to put a bend in their rod right now are northern pike. The Wisconsin River systems as well as the Big Eau Pleine Reservoir are some of the best options for catching a true trophy pike of 40” or more thanks in part to genetics, forage base, and regulations. Some of the largest fish in the systems are currently frequenting the back bays, sloughs, and inlets in the area. Larger suspending-style crankbaits as well as swimbaits and jig-and-creature combinations are scoring daily on these toothy predators. An excellent option to utilize once fish-holding areas have been located is the presentation of jumbo golden shiners or large sucker minnows beneath floats. Not only is this effective during cooler periods of water, but also in higher fishing pressure situations. As with any of the many, many, trophy gamefish in the greater Wausau area, please practice CPR – catch, photo, and release. The early season ice-out found in the Wausau area allows anglers the opportunity at a variety of top-notch fishing experiences this time of year, from crappie to walleye, northern pike to smallmouth bass. Outdoorsmen looking to get into more than just angling action may capitalize on some fantastic bow fishing opportunities as well. Numbers of large carp are frequenting many of the sloughs, backwaters, and bays in the area making for some of the best shooting of the season. Within the past week and a half, there have been evenings where over 500 pounds of carp have been shot from a single boat! Along the lines of hunting, ample turkey hunting exists within Marathon County with an array of quality gobblers already harvested, and countless more available. Wisconsin Angling Adventures www.wisconsinanglingadventures.com 715-297-7573 joelthemuskyman@charter.net "Fishing's our business... and business is good!" |
