Fishing Report Region - Wisconsin Fishing Reports

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Fishing Report:   The recent weather has been quite enjoyable in North-Central Wisconsin lately, with the exception of rain the past 2 days, and the fihsing has been very good! At present, a wide variety of species are providing excellent action in the greater Wausau area including panfish, bass, walleyes, and muskies just to name a few.

Panfish anglers are having abundant opportunities to score on good catches of bluegills, as large numbers of spawning fish are currently accessible shallow; a few bonus crappies have been mixed in as well. Begin by checking shallow weeds or wood cover in area bays and backwaters to locate numbers of fish. Tiny jigs suspended under a slip bobber and baited with Berkley Gulp! Worms have been deadly, as has the classic piece of worm or night crawler impaled on a small hook. The same presentations, albeit tipped with minnows, are working well for the nomadic schools of crappies which can be found suspended off deep weeds or channel breaks, once located using your electronics. The crappies have been schooled up enough that trolling presentations have been working for them as well, using small crankbaits.

Terrific smallmouth bass action is available now, with anglers doing well fishing rip-rap and wood. Texas-rigged tubes have been highly productive, as have shallow running crankbaits. Pitching a weedless jig tipped with a leech or night crawler into the various woody snags is also producing some big fish of both smallmouth bass and


ID: 4240
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Fishing Report:   Smallmouth bass action continues to be excellent in the greater Wausau area as large numbers of fish are transitioning into spawning mode. Numerous fish into the low 20” range have already been caught and released on the Wisconsin River this year. Key on shallower hard-bottomed areas and explore them with lipless crankbaits or in-line spinners until fish holding sections of shoreline are located. Fan casting rockier hard-bottomed shorelines with small spinner baits such as Mini Slopmasters in the 1/4oz. size or inline spinners such as a #2 or #3 Mepps Aglia will locate areas of active fish. Once concentrations of fish are found, soft plastics have been the ‘go-to’ presentation; 3-3 ½” tubes from Mr. Twister, Berkley, and Roberts Outdoors have been the most productive. Depending on water depth and current conditions, rig the tubes with an offset VMC hook and 1/16 – ¼ oz weight and fish on a lighter, more limber line such as 6# or 8# Trilene XL.
The best walleye action has occurred from jigging or working live bait rigs either under a slip bobber or walking sinker rig. The size structure is excellent, with numbers of fish being caught on a regular basis. Deeper water areas, especially those containing structure, have been holding more fish as walleyes continue working into their summer haunts. Look for deeper wood or hard bottomed humps and spines to hold numbers of fish as well as stretches of river channel containing sharp irregular break lines, especially those


ID: 4162
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Fishing Report:   Spring has arrived in Central Wisconsin, and the fishing has been awesome! With the opening of the general inland fishing season this weekend, anglers will be out in full force. Recent heavy rainfall in our area has been filling several area low reservoirs and raising water levels on local rivers.

As the walleye spawn has finished on local rivers, anglers have reported fast action on post spawn fish. Fish are being caught using traditional jig and minnow or floating jigheads tipped with a fathead along current breaks, as fish are actively feeding to recover from the recent spawn. Anglers casting shallow running crankbaits have also reported success working these areas with Rapalas and Smith Rattling Rogues.

Panfish action is starting to pick up as the shallower waters are starting to warm-up and fish are moving shallower in preparation for the upcoming spawn. Incidental large crappies are being reported being caught by walleye anglers along with white bass and some monster perch. As the weather continues to warm, anglers are encouraged to fish shallower water associated with stump or wood for these fish using small jigs and minnows.

The northern pike bite has been solid with good catches of large fish being reported from shallow bays and backwaters. Anglers casting shallow running stickbaits or smaller spinners have been the preferred methods.

Good luck on your upcoming fishing trips in the Central


ID: 4119
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Fishing Report:   Recent rainfall has made any remaining ice in the Wausau/Central Wisconsin area unsafe for fishing. The rain has, however, opened the majority of the boat landings along the Wisconsin River and it’s flowages including Lakes DuBay and Wausau. Anglers are finding the cure for cabin fever by cashing in on the areas excellent walleye fishing, both from shore and boat. The Wausau/Central Wisconsin area continues to produce some of the finest walleye opportunities both in respect to action and trophy potential in the state.

The majority of walleyes are being found relating to deeper holes and current breaks both below dams and downstream. Jigs painted in brighter colors such as orange and chartreuse have been working effectively when tipped with a medium sized fathead minnow or 3” Berkley Gulp. With the colder water temperatures, slower and subtler retrieves have been
producing the most action. Anglers need to be vigilant for light biting fish as strikes will often feel like a very light tick or even a “mushy” dead weight – if it feels different, set the hook. This early spring period is a fine time to utilize stinger hooks while fishing jigs to aid in hooking any short striking walleyes.

In addition to jigs, live bait rigs such slip-sinker and three-way rigs are also accounting for good numbers of fish. A diverse fishery, anglers are also experiencing action from crappies, white bass, channel catfish, northern pike, and other species,


ID: 4014
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Fishing Report:   Ten to 15 years ago, I used to spend a lot of time night fishing along the banks of the Wisconsin river. On a good night, a pair of warm, insulated neoprene waders, a headlamp, St Croix rod & a small box full of lures was all a guy needed to get in on all the action you could want.
Last week I dug out all my night fishing equipment and put them to use once again. Along the way, I found out that some things have changed along side the banks of the Wisconsin river.

For one thing, there are a lot more muskies swimming around out there. Used to be we would get bit off every once in a while and maybe catch a muskie once or twice during the spring walleye run. Saturday & Sunday night I got bit off four times & landed four other muskies. All were quickly photographed and released unharmed. The first one gave me a challenge trying to figure out how I was going to get a quality picture without harming the fish. The fish ended up being just fine but the 2nd finger on my left hand sprung a leak in the process. Well worth it in my opinion!

It is pretty awesome catching muskies while targeting spring run walleyes at night. Yes, you do tend to lose some baits along the way and I definitely need to figure out a better setup for the terminal end of my rig. Right now, my plan is to splice in a two foot section of 8# seagur flourocarbon but I'm not sure that will make much of a difference. Light line is very helpful when it comes to the action of the lure


ID: 3894
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Fishing Report:   Recent flurries of activity from large numbers of bluegills and crappies, including some impressive specimens, have kept anglers in the Wausau/Central Wisconsin area busy of late. Fishing tip-downs baited with crappie minnows has remained the most consistent produce of slab crappies. Anglers have been finding fish as shallow as 7’-8’, although be prepared to search for suspended fish out to depths exceeding 20’. The schools of crappies should also be worked thoroughly with light jigging equipment once located on your electronics; tipping jigging spoons and other vertical presentations with a small minnow head has made for the best results. Bluegills have been consuming small jigging lures tipped with waxies when worked along deeper wood cover or any remaining green weeds.

Walleye fishing continues to pick up on the ice as flats and backwater areas are providing anglers access to some excellent March fishing for marble-eyes. Tip-ups baited with golden shiners have been the most productive, although some fishermen are taking advantage of the opportunity to land good numbers of fish on dead sticks also baited with shiners. While the bite has typically been in shallower depths, vertical jigging presentations, especially during low-light periods, are also accounting for walleyes.

Anglers looking to cash in on some of the earliest open water opportunities have been catching walleyes, often in large numbers, below area dams and from access points


ID: 3875
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Fishing Report:   Recent flurries of activity from large numbers of bluegills and crappies, including some impressive specimens, have kept anglers in the Wausau/Central Wisconsin area busy of late. Fishing tip-downs baited with crappie minnows has remained the most consistent produce of slab crappies. Anglers have been finding fish as shallow as 7’-8’, although be prepared to search for suspended fish out to depths exceeding 20’. The schools of crappies should also be worked thoroughly with light jigging equipment once located on your electronics; tipping jigging spoons and other vertical presentations with a small minnow head has made for the best results. Bluegills have been consuming small jigging lures tipped with waxies when worked along deeper wood cover or any remaining green weeds.

Walleye fishing continues to pick up on the ice as flats and backwater areas are providing anglers access to some excellent March fishing for marble-eyes. Tip-ups baited with golden shiners have been the most productive, although some fishermen are taking advantage of the opportunity to land good numbers of fish on dead sticks also baited with shiners. While the bite has typically been in shallower depths, vertical jigging presentations, especially during low-light periods, are also accounting for walleyes.

Anglers looking to cash in on some of the earliest open water opportunities have been catching walleyes, often in large numbers, below area dams and from access points


ID: 3874
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Fishing Report:   The walleye bite has picked back up in the past week or two and remains solid during the low-light and nighttime periods. Frabill tip-ups baited with large golden shiners or sucker minnows are a good bet - leave the "small" bait at the bait shop. Look for mid-lake humps, large points extending into deeper water, and channel irregularities in the lakes and reservoirs to be holding fish; begin by working the sharper breaks, especially those adjacent to the deepest water during the day.

As the evening progresses, move tip-ups up the breaks, with some right on the top of the structure. Locate and fish the greenest weed edges where available. Rocks as well as stumps/snags should we fished as well. Keep in mind that some very good-sized walleyes are yet coming from depths of water less than 6'. Anglers looking to score while jigging should consider using jigging spoons such as the Buckshot Rattle spoon or lures such as the Jigging Rapala - whichever you use, tip the lure with a minnow head.

Northern pike are greedily consuming large golden shiners along the deeper weed lines of back bays, as well as along the stump fields and irregular breaks of sections of main river channel; the bite has been best from mid-morning until late afternoon. As February progresses and the average temperature increases, large dead baits will begin producing some of the biggest pike of the ice fishing season.

The channel catfish population has been


ID: 3766
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