Wisconsin Outdoor News Fishing Report – Feb. 23, 2018

AMERY AREA

It’s been a slower week of fishing, especially for walleyes. The north end of Lake Wapogasset is giving up crappies and sunfish in 12 feet, while pike are being caught on the Apple River, Balsam Lake, and White Ash Lake.

Lucky Baits (715) 268-6231

ASHLAND AREA

Machine travel has been the norm. There are some folks taking vehicles out on the Ashland side, but always remember to use caution. Fishing has begun out in the Apostle Islands area, but conditions can change rapidly with fluctuations in the weather so use caution. Fishing has remained steady with a great mix bag of browns, splake and whitefish being caught off the Washburn side. Reports of perch, walleyes, browns and northerns are being caught on the Ashland side of the bay.

Angler’s All, (715) 682-5754.

River Rock, (715) 682-3232.

DOOR PENINSULA AND ALGOMA/KEWAUNEE AREA

Cabot’s Point anglers were coming in with their limits of whitefish while other anglers going out of Oak Avenue had varying luck – some coming in with two whitefish and others coming in with limits after a full day on the ice. One group of anglers out of Rite’s Cove reported coming in with their limit of whitefish and one walleye, which has been an uncharacteristic catch lately.

Howie’s Tackle, (920) 746-9916.

Algoma Chamber of Commerce, (920) 487-3090.

EAGLE RIVER AREA

Walleye fishing is good, with good numbers – plus a few large fish being caught in the last week or so. This is usually a slow time of year – right before the end of the season. This year the fishing has held up better for those guys who were willing to brave the weather. We have had reports of good jigging success on some of the bigger lakes in the last several weeks during the daytime. The use of vertical jigs tipped with the heads of crappie minnows has been effective during daytime hours in 25-30 feet of water. Tip-up fishing in the evenings and after dark has as usual been good using either medium shiners or suckers in the evening. The action in the holes on the Eagle River Chain has been good also.

Northern fishing is good right now, and will get even better as it warms up this week. Larger shiners under tip-ups have been effective. Look for the greenest weeds you can find, including those in deeper water.

Panfish action has been very good in the last several weeks despite the cold weather. Crappies have highlighted this action on many of the area lakes. These fish are in schools and moving on a daily basis, so you will have to do some searching for them. Perch action has also been good on lakes like Kentuck and South Twin.

Eagle Sports Center, (715) 479-8804.

FLORENCE COUNTY AREA

There’s very little action to report this week. With the exception of a 42-inch northern pike, there were just a few small ones caught on large shiners under tip-ups. A nice 27-inch walleye was reported, but the majority of catches were small. Suckers and shiners under tip-ups were producing the best bite. Panfish action was slow in most areas but some fishermen were catching their limits of bluegills and crappies on boundary waters.

Whisler Outdoors, (715)528-4411.

GREEN BAY/APPLETON AREA

On Fox River at Voyageurs Park, anglers are reporting slow fishing for walleyes and whitefish. Very few fish are being caught. Aggressive jigging with spoons and jigging raps tipped with minnows heads caught the few fish being reported. At Longtail Point, fishermen have reported catching a few keeper perch. Anglers are also catching some decent size northern pike on tip-ups with large shiners. Sunset Beach anglers are reporting hit or miss perch fishing. West Shore anglers reported slow fishing along the west shore.

Smokey’s on the Bay Bait, Tackle and Guide Service, (920) 436-0600.

HAGER CITY/RED WING

Walleyes are hitting jigs and plastics during low-light periods, and sauger biting jigs and minnows during the day on the Mississippi River. Work the current edges from Red Wing to the dam. Ice anglers are catching sauger in the Maiden Rock area of Lake Pepin in 16 to 20 feet.

Four Season Sports, (651) 388-4334.

HAYWARD AREA

A few walleyes continue to be caught during low-light periods on Lac Courte Oreilles, Grindstone Lake, and Round Lake in 20 to 27 feet. Look to Smith Lake and Nelson Lake for sunfish in 16 to 22 feet or crappies in 25 to 35 feet.

Hayward Bait, (715) 634-2921.

Hayward Lakes Visitor and Convention Bureau, (800) 724-2992.

LAKE MICHIGAN/METRO AREA LAKES

In Milwaukee, most of the inner harbor and shoreline areas are froze over. Boat ramps at Riverfront in Milwaukee and the Bender boat ramp in Oak Creek were iced in and closed last week. Ice fishermen fishing in the McKinley Marina or the Summerfest lagoon within Lake Shore State Park are finding good ice conditions ranging from 10 to 15 inches. Areas along the breakwalls and piers should be avoided. Anglers putting in the time are having success catching a few browns and steelhead early or late in the day; try soaking spawn bags or medium shiners a foot or two off bottom. Trying several techniques through the day to see what the fish prefer is crucial for getting the trout to bite.

DNR hotline, (414) 382-7920.

Smokey’s Bait Shop, (262) 691-0360.

Dick Smith’s Bait, (262) 646 2218.

LAKE WINNEBAGO AREA

Fishing action on Lake Winnebago has been steady for about a month now on white bass, perch, and walleyes. Walleye action has also been fairly decent on Lake Poygan.

Critter’s, (920) 582-0471.

Fox River Bait, (920) 233-7409.

Dutch’s, (920) 922-0311.

MADISON AREA

There is a little bit of a walleye bite going on all around Lake Mendota, but most of the fish have been sub-legal. Pike action has been decent in several areas of Lake Mendota. Perch action has been a little slow, with some scattered decent reports on the east side of Lake Mendota in 45 to 50 feet of water. Lake Monona bluegill anglers have been sorting out some fairly big fish. Mud Lake has slowed down quite a bit; so has the Lake Farm Park on Lake Waubesa. There have been some perch and legal walleyes coming out of 25 to 30 feet of water on Waubesa.

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

Dorn Hardware, (608) 244-5403.

MARINETTE/OCONTO AREA

In Oconto County, Geano’s Beach anglers report catching a few perch. Using larger minnows seemed to be the ticket for catching the larger perch and keeping the small ones at bay. A few whitefish are still being caught off the reefs out from Geano’s as well.

In Marinette County, Peshtigo Harbor anglers report catching a few smaller northern. Little River anglers are reporting catching good numbers of whitefish now that the cracks have frozen up again. Menomonee River fishing pressure was low, but there was still one gate open on the Hattie Street dam.

Waterfront Sport Shop, (906) 792-0467.

MINOCQUA/WOODRUFF/LAKE TOMAHAWK AREA

It looks as though an uptick in action,  may be starting to come out of the mid-winter blues. Certain species are making a stronger showing and the warm-up could provide some better fishing conditions.

Bluegill action was very good with some above-average size reported. The best action has been late morning through early afternoon.

Pike were biting good on big shiners, partially due to lack of larger suckers, but also due to activeness and flash of shiners. Larger fish are coming from deeper 12- to 17-foot weed edges.

The crappie bite was also good, with a few reports of large fish moving into shallow weedy bays towards dusk, but for the most, deeper edges and flats.

Walleye action has been fair over deep sand grass flats on suckers, large rosey reds and large fatheads on tip-ups. Jigging spoons with rattles or lights and tipped with minnow heads are also working.

Island Sport Shop, (715) 356-4797.

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

NECEDAH/NEKOOSA AREA

Things have been fairly slow lately after a good run on walleyes the previous three weeks. There hasn’t been a lot of talk about panfish, either. A few guys are getting into catfish here and there, but it hasn’t been anything to write home about.

Petenwell Sports, (608) 564 7707.

PRICE COUNTY AREA

Action for all panfish species has been kind of spotty lately, with some of the better reports coming on crappies from guys who are using spoons and plastics. The next best news has been on bluegills with small jigs tipped with bright-colored plastics. The walleye action has been better than OK. The pike action has been decent, too, with most catches coming on tip-ups and live bait.

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

Ross’s Sport Shop, Phillips, (715) 339-3625.

SPOONER AREA

Spooner Lake started giving up perch and crappies in 5 feet, and the Gordon Flowage continues to produce bluegills in 6 feet. Walleye action remains slow.

AAA Sports Shop, (715) 635-3011.