Wisconsin Anglers

[KYBassin']

Blows my mind that you guys are already seeing/hearing about 60 degree water temps...and bass already cruising shallow.  Now, I don't live up there, but I'm guessing this is at least a few weeks sooner than normal.  

[Further North]

9 hours ago, FluffChucker said:

Given the choice between only a drift boat or a motor boat, I'd take the motor boat every day. So much less hassle as far as dealing with trying to line up shuttles and always having a second rower. One thing you quickly learn is that no matter how adamant someone is that they can row a drift boat, 90% of the time they're lying. I love rowing, but I also love fishing. I didn't get to do nearly enough of the latter. I also enjoy fishing by myself a lot of the time. Too many 'back seat drivers'

We may be twin sons of different mothers...when it comes to boats anyways...

What you wrote above is exactly why there's not a drift boat parked alongside my motor boat...and it's why I'm so intrigued by some kind of powered drift boat.

9 hours ago, FluffChucker said:

I can also verify the 60* water temps in NW Wisconsin. While I didn't find 60* this weekend, i did find 57* and I know the guys fishing one of the Chippewa River flowages told me he saw 61*. I've seen a bunch of bass cruising the shallows already, so barring any kind of major weather changes over the next few weeks opener sure will be interesting. Hopefully people will practice some quick, responsible C&R.

The lake I was on was at 52° tops...but it's a deep, clear, cold lake, even in the summer.  The only things I saw cruising the shallows was one 30-something inch musky ans a mid 20's pike.  I was mostly doing my annual "shakedown" cruise with the boat to make sure everything was working right...everything but my trim gauge was 100% and that took about 2 minutes to diagnose and another 5 to fix when I got home.

[KYBassin']

How are the water temps doing up there?  Was out this past weekend here (KY), saw quite a few males in the swallows, a few beds.

[FluffChucker]

Not a lot of change, I'm guessing. In fact, if anything, the lakes have probably gone down a few degrees We've had rain for three straight days, and temps really haven't been very warm. Upper 50's mostly, with nighttime lows in the 30's. That trend looks to continue until next week when it appears we'll start getting into the 60's and near 70 again.

[KYBassin']

On 4/26/2016 at 11:04 AM, FluffChucker said:

Not a lot of change, I'm guessing. In fact, if anything, the lakes have probably gone down a few degrees We've had rain for three straight days, and temps really haven't been very warm. Upper 50's mostly, with nighttime lows in the 30's. That trend looks to continue until next week when it appears we'll start getting into the 60's and near 70 again.

Thanks for the update

[KYBassin']

Any update on the water temp/spawn situation in Northern WI? Thanks.

[FluffChucker]

Definitely not spawning right now. The cold temps have sort of lingered, with the exception of the last few days (last Friday we reached almost 90*!). Water temps this weekend on the clear, deep lakes that I fished ranged anywhere from 48* (in the early a.m. to 58* in the bays. Fish were found all over. I had most of my luck on the steeper breaks in the mornings, and was able to fish some shallow flats in the afternoons when I found pockets of fish cruising around.

Temps on the darker lakes will be at least a few degrees warmer. I'd venture a guess to say they are probably in the mid to upper 50's. Perhaps 60*+ in some of the shallower bays.

This weeks forecast calls for rain, and colder conditions so I wouldn't expect to see much improvement this week. In fact, tomorrow our high is only 54*, and Friday is 50*, Sat 55* and Sunday 55* before the warming trend starts again next week with highs in the 60' through the early part of the week. We've still got lows dipping into the 30's a fair number of nights this week which hurts more than anything.

[Shockwave]

How'd everyone do during the bass opener?  I'll be on Pewaukee this Thursday for my first time getting out for bass this year.  What kinda temps are you guys seeing arouns SE Wi so far?  

I got up to Sturgeon Bay a few weeks ago and had an absolute blast.  We got several 26-28 inch walleye and a couple smaller eaters.  I have a couple of new walleye spots to add to the GPS now!

[KYBassin']

On 5/9/2016 at 2:40 PM, FluffChucker said:

Definitely not spawning right now. The cold temps have sort of lingered, with the exception of the last few days (last Friday we reached almost 90*!). Water temps this weekend on the clear, deep lakes that I fished ranged anywhere from 48* (in the early a.m. to 58* in the bays. Fish were found all over. I had most of my luck on the steeper breaks in the mornings, and was able to fish some shallow flats in the afternoons when I found pockets of fish cruising around.

Temps on the darker lakes will be at least a few degrees warmer. I'd venture a guess to say they are probably in the mid to upper 50's. Perhaps 60*+ in some of the shallower bays.

This weeks forecast calls for rain, and colder conditions so I wouldn't expect to see much improvement this week. In fact, tomorrow our high is only 54*, and Friday is 50*, Sat 55* and Sunday 55* before the warming trend starts again next week with highs in the 60' through the early part of the week. We've still got lows dipping into the 30's a fair number of nights this week which hurts more than anything.

Thanks FluffChucker!  Still have a few weeks until I'm up there but I appreciate any info leading up.  

[Brew City Bass]

On 5/9/2016 at 6:53 PM, Shockwave said:

How'd everyone do during the bass opener?  I'll be on Pewaukee this Thursday for my first time getting out for bass this year.  What kinda temps are you guys seeing arouns SE Wi so far?  

I got up to Sturgeon Bay a few weeks ago and had an absolute blast.  We got several 26-28 inch walleye and a couple smaller eaters.  I have a couple of new walleye spots to add to the GPS now!

I was fishing Waukesha on the opener, it was dismal. 25mph winds and a mix of weather. Grinded for 5 hours with two bass to show.

Water temps are in the low 50's, too much rain for it to get warm. I give it two more weeks before spawn.

Going out to Okauchee tomorrow.

[Shockwave]

On 5/11/2016 at 0:34 AM, Brew City Bass said:

I was fishing Waukesha on the opener, it was dismal. 25mph winds and a mix of weather. Grinded for 5 hours with two bass to show.

Water temps are in the low 50's, too much rain for it to get warm. I give it two more weeks before spawn.

Going out to Okauchee tomorrow.

Good luck!!  I'll be hitting Pewaukee in a couple hours.  Update us on how you do and I'll do the same. 

[Brew City Bass]

4 hours ago, Shockwave said:

Good luck!!  I'll be hitting Pewaukee in a couple hours.  Update us on how you do and I'll do the same. 

Was in the boat for 9 hours, caught 4 all around 15".. What a grind. 

I am going to Pewaukee tonight as well. 

[Brew City Bass]

12 hours ago, Shockwave said:

Good luck!!  I'll be hitting Pewaukee in a couple hours.  Update us on how you do and I'll do the same. 

Was out from 5pm - 12am with no luck. Wind was terrible..

[Shockwave]

8 hours ago, Brew City Bass said:

Was out from 5pm - 12am with no luck. Wind was terrible..

Similar day here.  A buddy and I were out from 3:30pm - 8:30ish and I got one bass in the boat over on the northwest side of the lake.  The wind definitely made it a rough evening.  I watched the wind wreak havoc on a sailboat out there.  Tore one of the sails right off.  We mainly stuck to the bays that were out of the wind.  Everyone I talked to on the lake was having similar luck.  

[Brew City Bass]

7 hours ago, Shockwave said:

Similar day here.  A buddy and I were out from 3:30pm - 8:30ish and I got one bass in the boat over on the northwest side of the lake.  The wind definitely made it a rough evening.  I watched the wind wreak havoc on a sailboat out there.  Tore one of the sails right off.  We mainly stuck to the bays that were out of the wind.  Everyone I talked to on the lake was having similar luck.  

I got out to Fowler for a few hours, just got home. Fished right til it started raining, caught 3 bass, 2 northern in three hours. Biggest bass was 17" 2.5lbs. 

[Shockwave]

I haven't fished Fowler before.  I've done very well on Lac La Belle but never really thought about fishing Fowler.

[Scott F]

I arrived in north central Wisconsin Saturday afternoon and was greeted by 36 degree air temps and snow flurries. The surface water temp in the lake I'm on ranged from 45 to 49 degrees this morning. Even with this massive cold front, I managed a half dozen smallmouth and a couple green bass before lunch. I'll be here for the next 16 days, if we don't any more cold fronts like this, things should get better each day.

[Brew City Bass]

On 5/14/2016 at 9:56 PM, Shockwave said:

I haven't fished Fowler before.  I've done very well on Lac La Belle but never really thought about fishing Fowler.

Fowler is worth giving a shot. I've pulled some 4lbers out of the lake. They are in there. Most people I see there are casting for muskie, only ever seen a few fishing for bass. 

[KYBassin']

17 hours ago, Scott F said:

I arrived in north central Wisconsin Saturday afternoon and was greeted by 36 degree air temps and snow flurries. The surface water temp in the lake I'm on ranged from 45 to 49 degrees this morning. Even with this massive cold front, I managed a half dozen smallmouth and a couple green bass before lunch. I'll be here for the next 16 days, if we don't any more cold fronts like this, things should get better each day.

Thanks Scott.  And 16 days?! That sounds awesome.  

[Shockwave]

20 hours ago, Brew City Bass said:

Fowler is worth giving a shot. I've pulled some 4lbers out of the lake. They are in there. Most people I see there are casting for muskie, only ever seen a few fishing for bass. 

I'll probably head out there in the next couple weeks.  I'll update with how I do for sure!

[KYBassin']

Looks like some warmer, more consistent is moving in to northern Wisco.  I'll be up there next Monday so any insight on current conditions would be awesome.  Thanks!

[FluffChucker]

On 5/15/2016 at 1:13 PM, Scott F said:

I arrived in north central Wisconsin Saturday afternoon and was greeted by 36 degree air temps and snow flurries. The surface water temp in the lake I'm on ranged from 45 to 49 degrees this morning. Even with this massive cold front, I managed a half dozen smallmouth and a couple green bass before lunch. I'll be here for the next 16 days, if we don't any more cold fronts like this, things should get better each day.

 

Based on my outing yesterday, I currently have no idea what they're doing right now. All I managed to get was about a dozen 13-15" males in the shallows. Surface water temps up to 60* yesterday though on a crystal clear, deep lake. I imagine those temps will be at least 65* by Sunday and we'll start seeing some fish bedding down. I cruised one large spawning flat for about an hour yesterday and didn't see much in the way of fish or beds. Going to try another lake of similar  makeup (clear and deep) tonight to see if I find different results.

[DevinFishing29]

Hi, I live in the Chequamegon Bay area. Do you think Largemouth will be on beds in inland lakes this weekend? Also when will the Bluegill head to there beds?

[Scott F]

5 hours ago, KYBassin' said:

Looks like some warmer, more consistent is moving in to northern Wisco.  I'll be up there next Monday so any insight on current conditions would be awesome.  Thanks!

The overnight temps in North Central WI have been near freezing every night up until last night. Daytime temps have been going up everyday , but the water is slow to warm. Fishing has been improving slowly everyday and should really pick up in the next few days. I'm seeing the first few smallmouth beds being made right now.  It will take at least a week if the good weather holds for the smallmouth to lock on the beds. Largemouth I'd guess would be sometime soon after that.

[Scott F]

It really picked up this evening. The surface water temps are up to 62 and the top water bite was hot. Lots of smallies up shallow now. Tons of mosquitos and some kind nats that are out by the millions. As long as the weather holds fishing will be great until they get on to the beds.