State Wide

DOOR PENINSULA AND_KEWAUNEE _AREA

Seven 7-pound-plus smallmouths, including one just under 8
pounds, were weighed in a Green Bay Bassmasters tournament off Door
County the second weekend in May. A week later, the first
7-plus-pound bass in the history of the 20th annual Sturgeon Bay
Open was brought to the scale. Biologists say the bass likely are
gorging on round gobies. The largest fish, the big females, have
been staging off spawning areas in 7 to 15 feet of water or more.
Most of the fish are males in the 1.5- to 3-pound range. Tube
baits, jerkbaits, crankbaits, topwaters, and spinnerbaits are all
working for bass. DNR fisheries workers have seen a number of
legal-sized, 50-inch-plus muskies this spring, the largest at more
than 40 pounds. Walleyes are active on lower Green Bay by day and
from Sturgeon Bay to Little Sturgeon after dark, hitting trolled
nightcrawler and spinner rigs or crankbaits. Some anglers have
success slip-bobbering live bait near reefs, but most cover water
with planer boards. It’s been an early start for salmon and trout
on Lake Michigan. Catches of one to five fish per trip have been
common among private boaters all month, and some are doing even
better. Many of the kings are running 10 to 20 pounds. Best areas
vary, with most anglers last week scoring in 100 to 200 feet of
water, 30 to 100 feet or more down with a mix of flies and spoons.
A few anglers have reported rainbow trout still being caught behind
Brummer Zoo on crankbaits and earthworms. The fishing by Clydes
Hill seems to have cooled off as a few anglers have still landed
some small brown trout.

Algoma Area Chamber of Commerce hotline, (800) 626-3090.

Algoma Hardware and Sporting Goods, (920) 487-3374

Deprey’s Kwik Stop, (920) 866-2934

Stevenson Pier, (920) 824-5222.

EAGLE_RIVER_AREA

Anglers have seen good action for walleyes. Fish weed areas in 8
to 10 feet of water. There’s also a deep-water bite in 25 to 30
feet of water. A jig and a fathead minnow will produce best.
Orange, chartreuse, and hot pink jigs are working best. The
northerns are hanging in 8 feet of water or less in and around
weeds. Use a Husky Jerk, a Mepps No. 4, or a jig and a minnow.
Action is even a tad better than for the walleyes. Action is mainly
for small to medium fish, with a few trophies. Crappies and perch
are right in the weeds along with the walleyes and northerns. Fish
8 to 10 feet of water, with the perch hugging the bottom, and the
crappies a couple of feet off the bottom. A crappie minnow under a
slip bobber is your best bet.

Eagle Sports Center, (715) 479-8804.

Guides’ Choice, (715) 477-2248.

GREEN_BAY/APPLETON_AREA

Water temperatures on Green Bay this past week were a chilly 51
degrees, coupled with wind and clouds and making for tough fishing
on the pond. Fishing pressure was heavy on the weekend, with
walleye catches below normal.

The Sportsman, (920) 734 3299

Deprey’s Kwik Stop, (920) 866-2934

HAYWARD_AREA

Changing and variable weather conditions late last week
continued to keep anglers guessing on most waters, but the recent
warm and stable weather pattern should provide for more consistent
fishing action. The current warm spell has increased water
temperatures into the upper 60s on many lakes, and this has spurred
on a slug of bass and panfish spawning activity. Largemouth and
smallmouth bass are well into their spawning period, and many
dished out areas can be observed in the shallows.

Pastika’s, (715) 634-4466.

Hayward Bait, (715) 634-2921.

LAKE_MICHIGAN / METRO_AREA_LAKES

In Sheboygan, trollers have been catching chinooks and a few
cohos around 100 feet of water or deeper. Chinooks have been found
from 60 feet down to the bottom, and cohos have been in the top 25
feet of water. Shore fishing has been slow, although a few
whitefish have been taken off the south pier on alewives.

Trollers in Port Washington have found a mixed bag of fish
scattered from 80 to 240 feet of water. Spoons and flies have been
effective anywhere from 20 to 90 feet down for chinooks, as well as
for a few cohos, rainbows, and lake trout. Shore fishing has been
slow.

In Milwaukee, trollers have been catching decent numbers of
chinooks, cohos, and rainbows. Peanut flies fished 60 feet down in
120 feet of water have taken the most fish.

In Racine, trollers have been catching limits of cohos, along
with a few chinooks and rainbows, in 140 to 240 feet. The cohos and
rainbows have been hitting in the top 50 feet of water; the
chinooks have been 80 to 120 feet down. Cohos have been hitting
orange dodgers and blue or green flies; chinooks have been taking
white or silver flashers and blue flies.

In Kenosha, trollers continue to catch good numbers of cohos
from 180 to 200 feet of water. Cracked ice or blue spoons or orange
dodgers with small flies fished 70 to 90 feet down have been taking
fish, and early mornings have been best.

DNR_hotline, (414) 382-7920.

Smokey’s Bait Shop, (262) 691-0360.

Dick Smith’s, (262) 646 2218.

MADISON_AREA

In Dane County, anglers have found smallmouth bass action along
weed edges on Lake Mendota. Some crappies started staging in the
same areas. Bluegills were hitting in the 12-foot range. Bluegills
and crappies were staging on Lake Monona last week. Fishermen were
catching them above the weeds. Largemouth bass have been active up
tight to weedlines. Muskies have been showing themselves, but have
yet to start hitting.

In Jefferson County, anglers have been having good luck catching
white bass on the Crawfish River north of Hubbleton. Anglers are
catching some nice catfish on the upper Rock and Crawfish rivers.
Water levels are good for this time of year on the upper Rock and
Crawfish rivers.

D&S Bait & Tackle, (608) 244-3474.

Dorn Hardware, (608) 244-5403.

MARINETTE AREA

In Marinette County, Peshtigo harbor anglers are enjoying
success with smallmouth bass on crankbaits while fishing structured
areas. The Menominee River has been producing some nice walleyes
for anglers trolling or jigging in and around the Boom Island area
(bridge to turn basin). Muskie anglers are reporting success in the
Menominee River while using crankbaits fished close to
structure.

In Oconto County, the Stiles dam area continued to see some nice
smallmouths being caught on small crankbaits and by floating
crawlers in current seams. A few brown trout also were being caught
in the area of the “highway bridge.” A few walleyes were being
caught out of the landing from Pensaukee. Panfish and pike were
being caught in the slip at Oconto Park II; worms and minnows are
the baits being used.

MBK Sport Shop, (715) 735-5393.

MANITOWOC/TWO_RIVERS_AREA

Water temperatures rose to 48 degrees lakeside last week, with
temps rising to the mid-50s in the Manitowoc and Two Rivers
harbors. Water clarity improved and the calm winds allowed boaters
to get on the water. Boaters out of both ports continued to try
their luck with brown trout with little success. Most angling
pressure concentrated south of Manitowoc in 8 to 14 feet of water.
Salmon fishing has shown signs of life with a few fish being caught
off of Hika Bay in 130 to 160 feet of water. Any green spoons and a
pearl/white dodger fly combo has had the most success on the
downriggers. The cold water last week north of Two Rivers appears
to have scattered the fish; they were being reported anywhere from
90 to 150 feet of water. Most success came on downriggers 70 to 110
feet down on various dodger/fly combos. Several large carp and an
occasional brown trout have been caught on crawlers on the bottom,
off of the Manitowoc piers. Anglers were reporting success on
steelhead mixed in with smallmouths while using plastics and
crankbaits near the Shoto dam on the West Twin River.

CUB Radio report, (920) 683-6816.

MINOCQUA/WOODRUFF/ LAKE TOMAHAWK AREA

A week of stable May-like weather has things looking up. Water
temps are rising and the fish that were shut down by the cold are
getting ready to get back at it. Smallmouth action is good to very
good – staging up tight in some waters (dark flowages). There is
some nesting going on already. Crappie action is good to very good.
Crappies are moving back into the shallows, with lots of action on
fish to 15 inches last week. Crappie minnows rule, but lots of
anglers are taking nice catches on Gapen Freshwater Shrimp,
Mini-Mites, Charlie Bees, Chippewa Charlie jigs, and 1-inch Gulp
Alive minnows. Walleye action is good, with high skies in the early
mornings and evenings (especially evenings) being the best. Lakes
are exceptionally clear due to a lack of rain. Fish deeper than
usual. Wood is the key on flowages. Use dace minnows, redtails, or
large fatheads. Some after-dark action has come on Shad Raps on top
of shallow bars. Once lake temps hit 60 degrees-plus, bluegills
will start moving into the shallows.

Island Sport Shop, (715) 356-4797.

Great Outdoors, (715) 356-6818.

Captain Hooks, (715) 277-2405.

J & J Sports, (715) 277-2616.

NEKOOSA_AREA

At the Buckhorn State Park, people have been catching fish from
the pier and at their campsites.

Sunrise Bait, (715) 886-5440.

Petenwell Sports, (608) 564 7707.

PRAIRIE_DU_CHIEN_AREA

Local river systems received a lot of rain. The Mississippi was
rising slowly. As of May 19, the Mississippi River stage was at
9.39 feet. The Kickapoo River in the Gays Mills and Steuben area
rose rapidly after the rains. The river approached the action stage
of 10 feet, but is now dropping. The river stage in Steuben was at
7.59 feet. The Wisconsin River was up but steady. Prairie du
Chien’s lower bottoms and Ambro Slough complex saw spotty fishing
activity. Anglers were trying some panfishing in the lower bottoms
south of Prairie du Chien with limited success. Some crappie and
bluegill action has been reported. Anglers fishing in the Ambro
Slough have taken some perch, crappies, and a few bluegills. The
Cold Spring area remains very slow. Most anglers are venturing
under the train bridge to the Mississippi River where smallmouth,
largemouth bass, and walleyes are being taken. There has been some
bluegill, perch, and crappie action, but generally it’s been very
slow. Mississippi River walleye and sauger action was pretty good
last week. The Lynxville dam area and the McDonald cut were
producing some walleyes and sauger, along with a few perch and
northern pike. Some anglers are targeting wing dams now that the
walleyes are done spawning. Another place to check for walleyes is
the “S” curve by Harpers Ferry.

Stark’s Sport Shop, (608) 326-2478.

PRICE COUNTY_AREA

Crappies are full into their nesting period and many
dark-colored males have been observed in the shallows along
weedlines and brushy cover. Larger bluegills also have been
congregating near shallow water, and spawning colonies started
showing up late last week. Walleye fishing success has been very
erratic, with just a few reports of good catches being made. Jig
and minnow combinations continue to be bait of choice, though
leeches and crawlers are becoming more popular. The first few
mayflies also have showed up on a few lakes, so the leech and
crawler bite will only get better as the season progresses. Casting
crankbaits along shore near dusk has produced a few walleyes.
Northern pike action has been good with the fish being active with
the warming water. Just look for new weedbeds and roll a
spinnerbait over the tops.

Bridge Bait & Tackle, Park Falls, (715) 762-4108.

Ross’s Sport Shop, Phillips, (715)_339-3625.

WAUSAU_AREA

Walleyes are active, with anglers catching some nice fish by
long-line trolling crankbaits in 8 to 12 feet of water. Bass
anglers are finding their quarry up shallow and holding tight to
wood, rocks, or a combination of the two. Crankbaits will work, but
for the persistent angler, try tossing in a jig and a pig, and
thoroughly work the structure for better action. Panfish anglers
are having a great time with crappies and bluegills – shallow and
suspended. Crappies are done spawning and are hanging out in 10 to
14 feet of water, about 4 feet off the bottom. Use slip bobbers set
up at this depth and rigged with minnows. Bluegill anglers should
find some shallow-brush action.

Hooksetters, (715) 693-5843.

Wisconsin Angling Adventures, (715)_297-7573.