Fishing Report

Good morning from the Quiet Lakes, blustery conditions yesterday on the lake was an understatement!  We fished for a few hours, but mostly had to hold down the hub shelter.  We managed to get one smaller musky up into the hole and he broke us off with one head shake and slipped back down under the ice.  Picked up a few small perch as well but nothing to write home about.  We did manage a pike on a tip up and got him on the ice, a respectable 22″.  Today looks to be colder with a high of 22, but very light wind which we will gladly take!  The rest of the week looks to warm up again and we will see rain and or snow on Tuesday and Wednesday.  The rest of the week looks good with temps in the 40s.  

Walleye–Walleye should still be in very similar spots under the ice as we close out the season this weekend.  Rocky bottom transitions such as reefs, points, or major changes in bottom contour.  Set up on edges as they will generally come up shallow to feed at night.  Tip-ups rigged with suckers or shiners are still great options as is jigging baits such as jigging minnows or raps, or baits like spoons.

Northern pike–Pike should be set up on the shallow or top edges of reefs, points, and weed beds or bays.  Tip-ups rigged with suckers or shiners are also the go to baits for pike.  
Crappie–I have not heard too much about a crappie bite, but they should still be basin related.  That is all relative to the lakes you are on, but generally 15-30 FOW.  Small jigs and spoons tipped with waxies or minnows.  

Perch–We found perch yesterday in right around 15 FOW and used both small jigging minnows and spoons tipped with waxies to bring them up.  They were holding about a foot off of bottom on a sandy rocky reef.

Bluegill–Bluegill should be set up in weed beds or bays, or close by.  Look for these fish anywhere from 5-15 FOW depending on the lake.  Small jigs with waxies should get bluegill topside and into the frying pan!

I am going to try to get out today and tomorrow to try to get on a last walleye bite.  Good luck to everyone else that gets out, have a great weekend and we will talk soon!

Greg

Good morning from Kenosha, a big warm up on tap for the week ahead in the Northwoods. Temps are looking to hit 45 and stay above freezing until at least next weekend. I originally saw some precipitation on Monday and Wednesday but those chances now look to be minimal if any at all. Most anglers avoided the ice last week as it was just brutal cold to be outside. Ice conditions are still great and “safe” everywhere as we should have 2+ feet on most lakes.

Walleye–‘Eyes are set up on deep weed lines or rocky bottom transitions out to the basins. Set tip-ups a foot off of bottom along these areas and use suckers or shiners.

Pike–Pike will still be haunting shallow weed beds or shallow weedy bays. Set tip-up rigs with the same bait as walleye but set rigs in 4-10 FOW on edges and in pockets of weeds.

Crappie/Perch–I am hearing reports of crappie and perch out in the basins of main lake areas in 20-25 FOW. Small jigs tipped with waxies or plastics are the best options for getting down to suspended panfish.

Bluegill–I have not heard much on a bluegill bite, but they should be closer to cover more so than out in the basins. Look for gills in and around weeds or sunken timber in shallower water. Small jigs and plastics or waxies will be great options for gills right now as well.

That is all I have for this week’s report. Not much as there just weren’t anglers out last week. Have a great weekend and we will talk soon.

Greg