2012

Good to excellent action for northern, and panfish, with a good bite for musky, walleye, largemouth and smallmouth bass; all in the Eagle River, Wisconsin area.

Water temps in the Eagle River, Wisconsin area are hovering around 70 degrees.  Best all around action is on the Eagle River Chain of 28 lakes (largest freshwater chain of lakes in the world), except for smallmouth bass which are hitting best on the deeper, clearer lakes in the Eagle River area.

Northern in the Eagle River area are in 10 feet of water or less in and around weeds.  Use a small bucktail, a Husky Jerk in a walleye or minnow pattern, or a northern sucker under a slip bobber.  Good to excellent action.

Panfish (crappies, bluegills and perch) are in 15 feet of water or less off of weed edges, in the Eagle River area.  Use a chunk of crawler or a crappie minnow under a slip bobber or jig.  The perch will be tight to bottom, with the crappies and bluegills suspending up and down the water column.  Good to excellent all day bite.

Musky in the Eagle River area are in 10 feet of water or less in the weeds.  Use a bucktail, topwater, or jerkbait.  All day bite, with peaks early and late.  Normal retrieve, with a “figure 8” as the lure nears your boat.  Good action.  One note:  While suckers will work, they’re very tough to keep alive in this warm weather, so musky hunters are not using them to a great extent right now — especially because of the high prices for the suckers.

Walleye in the Eagle River area are tight to bottom in 10-20 feet of water off of break edges.  Use a jig and a fathead minnow.  All day bite, with peaks in the evening.  Good action.

Largemouth bass in the Eagle River area are in the weeds in 10 feet of water or less.  Use a top-running plastic frog or rat, or a plastic worm rigged Texas style.  Good action.

Smallmouth bass are locating in the deeper, clearer lakes in the Eagle River area.  Fish 10-20 feet of water off of break edges over hardbottom (rocks, gravel, sand).  Use a plastic tube or crawfish, a deep diving crankbait, or a jig and a minnow. Good all day bite.

(This report based on Creative Brilliance interviews with Eagle River guides “Muskie Matt” of Wild Eagle Lodge, “Ranger Rick” Krueger of Guide’s Choice Pro Shop, and Mat Hegy).

Musky, walleye, panfish and bass all hitting; all in and amidst the lakes and the Wisconsin River in Wisconsin’s Marathon and Lincoln Counties (near Mosinee and Wausau).

Fishing in the central Wisconsin area continues to be very good.  We have been having really good action from muskies on jerk baits like Suicks and Reef Hawgs along with some nice fish still be caught on BIG bucktails.  Most of our action has been in 3 to 5 feet of water associated with weeds and/or wood structure.  A lot of activity is taking place during lowlight periods early in the morning or late in the day, but when there is cloud cover we are seeing some good action during midday hours.

The walleye bite in the central Wisconsin area has been very good with numbers of nice sized fish being caught on almost every outing.  A lot of the fish we are catching are coming in 8 to 12 feet of water associated with submerged wood and rocks.  We are still seeing consistent action on jigs tipped with night crawlers, but are starting to see good action on minnows now that the water temps are cooling down.

The panfish bite has been outstanding in the central Wisconsin area.  We have been having excellent action on giant bluegills and some really nice crappies.  Most of the action is taking place in the deep submerged wood in 8 to 14 feet of water.  Most of these fish are staged close to, or near to the bottom and are being taken on light jigs tipped with a piece of crawler or a small crappie minnow.  We are also picking up a few jumbo perch as well.

This past week the action on smallmouth bass has been really good in the central Wisconsin area.  We are also seeing a couple of nice largemouth bass as well. Both largemouth and smalls are coming on top water baits in shallow water, along rocky rip-rap areas or shoreline wood in 3 to 5 feet of water.

(This report based on interview with licensed guide and trapper Phil Schweik and licensed guide Glenn Moberg, of Hooksetters Fishing & Hunting Guide Service, Mosinee Wisconsin).

Good action for northern, smallmouth and panfish, with a fair to good bite for musky, walleye, and largemouth in the Eagle River, Wisconsin area.

Water temps have risen back up to the mid 70s, resulting in some slowdown in fishing action in the Eagle River, Wisconsin area.  Best consistent action can be had by fishing the Eagle River Chain of 28 lakes (largest freshwater chain of lakes in the world), except for smallmouth bass, where the deeper, clearer lakes in the area will produce best.

The northern bite is good in the Eagle River area.  Fish 10 feet of water or less in and around weeds.  Use a Husky Jerk in a minnow or walleye pattern, small bucktail, spinnerbait, or a northern sucker under a slip bobber.  All day bite.

Smallmouth bass are locating in the clearer, deeper lakes in the Eagle River area.  Fish 10-25 feet off of break edges over hardbottom (sand, gravel, and rocks).  Use a jig and a minnow, plastic tube or crawfish, or a plastic worm rigged Texas style or wacky style.  Good all day bite.

Panfish (crappies, bluegills and perch) are providing good action in the Eagle River area.  Fish 15 feet of water or less outside of weed edges.  Perch are tight to bottom, with crappies and gills suspending up and down the water column.  Use a crappie minnow or chunk or crawler under a jig or slip bobber.

Musky action is fair to good in the Eagle River area.  Fish 15 feet of water or less outside of weed edges or weed clumps.  Use a regular sized bucktail, topwater or spinnerbait.  Normal retrieve.  Always do a “figure 8” as your lure nears the boat.  All day bite, with peaks early and late.

Walleye in the Eagle River area are in 10-25 feet of water off of break edges, and are tight to bottom.  Use a jig and a minnow.  All day bite, with peaks early and late.  Action is fair to good.

Largemouth bass are putting on a fair to good bite in the Eagle River area  Fish 10 feet of water or less, with the largemouth locating tight to structure (brush piles, weeds, lily pads, docks, and drowned wood).  Early and late use a topwater like a frog or rat, and for the daytime hours try a jig and a minnow or a plastic worm rigged Texas style or wacky style.

(This report based on Creative Brilliance interviews with Eagle River guides “Muskie Matt” of Wild Eagle Lodge, “Ranger Rick” Krueger of Guide’s Choice Pro Shop, and Mat Hegy).

Strong bite for musky, walleye and bluegills; all in and amidst the lakes and the Wisconsin River in Wisconsin’s Marathon and Lincoln Counties (near Mosinee and Wausau).

Fishing has been very good this past week in the central Wisconsin area, with a strong bite for all species.

The musky bite in the central Wisconsin area is getting better and better by the day.  With water temperatures dropping, the jerkbait bite has really picked up.  Most of the fish are in 3 to 8 feet of water holding along weeds and wood.  We are still catching most of our fish during low light periods, but a few are starting to show up during the mid-day hours.

The walleyes in the central Wisconsin area have been very active early and late in the day in 3 to 5 feet of water associated with rocks and gravel bars.  We have been tossing shallow running crankbaits right up into the rocks or gravel and slowly bringing them back to the boat.  The fish have been so aggressive that we have even had a few blow-ups right at the boat side by following walleyes.

The bluegill bite in the central Wisconsin area has been the best we’ve ever seen. We are catching a lot of nice fish in the 8 to 10 inch range with a few even over that 10 inch mark.  To catch giant gills like this, we are fishing deep water wood in 8 to 12 feet of water.  Most of the fish are coming on tiny jigs with a piece of crawler or worm, but for the really big gills we are using jigs tipped with small minnows or plastic tails.

(This report based on interview with licensed guide and trapper Phil Schweik and licensed guide Glenn Moberg, of Hooksetters Fishing & Hunting Guide Service, Mosinee Wisconsin).

Good to excellent northern bite, with good action for musky, walleye, largemouth and smallmouth bass, as well as panfish.  All in the Eagle River, Wisconsin area.

Water temps in the Eagle River, Wisconsin area hovering right around 70.  Consistent action for most all species on the Eagle River Chain of 28 lakes (largest freshwater chain of lakes int he world, with the exception of smallmouth bass, who are hitting on the clearer, deeper area lakes.

Northern in the Eagle River area are in 10 feet of water or less in and around weeds. Use a small bucktail, bass style spinner bait, Husky Jerk in a minnow or walleye pattern, or a northern sucker under a slip bobber.  All date bite with good to excellent action. The larger northerns will usually be deeper, albeit providing less action.

Musky are in 10 feet of water or less in and around weeds, in the Eagle River area.  Use a medium sized bucktail, spinner bait or topwater.  Standard retrieve, with a “figure 8” as the lure nears your boat.  Good action, with peaks at sunset.

Walleye in the Eagle River area are in 10-20 feet of water off of break edges, and tight to bottom.  Use a jig and a minnow.  All day bite, with peaks in the evening.  Good action.

Largemouth bass in the Eagle River area are in 10 feet of water or less holding tight to structure (weeds, brush piles, lily pads, docks and drowned trees).  Use a topwater like a frog or rat, Rapala, jig and a minnow, or a plastic worm rigged Texas style.  Good action.  All day bite.

Smallmouth bass are hitting in the deeper, clearer lakes in the Eagle River area.  Fish 10-25 feet of water off of break edges, over hardbottom areas (rocks, sand, gravel).  Use a jig and a leech or minnow, 3 inch tube, plastic crawfish, or worm rigged wacky style. All day bite. Good action.

Panfish (crappies, bluegills and perch) are in 15 feet of water or less in around weeds, in the Eagle River area.  Use a chunk or crawler or crappie minnow under a jig or slip bobber.  The perch are tight to bottom, with the crappies and gills suspending up and down the water column.  All day bite.  Good action.

(This report based on Creative Brilliance interviews with Eagle River guides “Muskie Matt” of Wild Eagle Lodge, “Ranger Rick” Krueger of Guide’s Choice Pro Shop, and Mat Hegy).

Musky, walleye, bluegills, smallmouth bass and catfish all hitting; all in and amidst the lakes and the Wisconsin River in Wisconsin’s Marathon and Lincoln Counties (near Mosinee and Wausau).

The musky bite has been very good this past week in the central Wisconsin area, with some nice fish being caught on bucktails and jerkbaits.  With the cooler evenings and nights that we have been getting the water temperatures have dropped a bit, and contrary to popular belief that fish move deeper when the water temperatures drop the fish have actually slid up into the shallow weeds. Most of the fish we caught this past week have come from less than 6 feet of water, with most of them in 1 to 3 feet of water.

Walleye activity in the central Wisconsin area has been pretty good with some decent fish coming from 8 to 12 feet of water on jigs tipped with minnows or crawlers.  Most of the fish are now concentrated on sharp break lines as opposed to being scattered over the flats like they were earlier in the year.

The bluegill bite has been fantastic the past few weeks  in the central Wisconsin area with limits of huge bull sized gills really making a presence.  Most of these giant gills are coming from deep water associated with some sort of wood.  To catch these giant gills we are running small 1/32nd and 1/16th ounce jigs tipped with a piece of crawler or a tiny Cortland Mini-Mite jig and tail.  One nice note is that when running the Mini-Mite jig we have been picking up some nice crappies and a few really nice perch as well.

Smallmouth bass action has been really good this past week with some nice bronzebacks being caught along rocky shorelines in 1 to 5 feet of water. Most of the fish are being caught on rattle traps and spinnerbaits but we are still popping a few on top water baits.

For you catfish lovers, now is a great time to go out and have some great arm wrenching action in the central Wisconsin area. We have been catching quite a few nice cats in the 20 to 30 inch range by working the deeper pools in the main river system. Most of our baits are set up running cut bait or chicken livers set right on the bottom in the deepest part of the pool.  This is primarily a night-time bite so get out right before dark find your location and get ready for some great action.

(This report based on interview with licensed guide and trapper Phil Schweik and licensed guide Glenn Moberg, of Hooksetters Fishing & Hunting Guide Service, Mosinee Wisconsin).

Good to excellent action for musky, walleye, northern, smallmouth bass and panfish (crappies, bluegills and perch), with good action for largemouth bass.  All in the Eagle River, Wisconsin area.

Topflight fishing action remains a constant in the Eagle River, Wisconsin area.  Water temps are in the low 70s, and the fish are responding very nicely.

Best, consistent action for most all species is on the Eagle River Chain of 28 lakes (largest freshwater chain of lakes in the world), with the exception of smallmouth bass which are locating mainly in the deeper, clearer lakes in the Eagle River area.

Musky in the Eagle River area are locating in 10 feet of water or less in and around weeds. Best success is coming on medium sized baits, such as bucktails, topwaters, and spinner baits.  Some action is also being had using a Bulldawg or a jerkbait.  Use a standard retrieve, and always do a “figure 8” as your lure nears the boat.  All day bite, with peaks in the evening.  Action is good to excellent.

Walleye are in 10-25 feet of water off of break edges, in the Eagle River area, and are tight to bottom.  Use a jig and a minnow.  All day bite, with peaks in the evening.  Action is good to excellent.

Northern in the Eagle River area are in 10 feet of water or less in and around weeds.  Use a small bucktail or spinnerbait, or a northern sucker under a slip bobber.  All day bite.  Action is good to excellent.

Smallmouth bass in the Eagle River area are locating in the deeper, clearer lakes.  Fish break edges over hardbottom areas (gravel, sand, rocks), in 12-20 feet of water.  Use a plastic tube or  plastic crawfish, or try a jig and a leech or a jig and a fathead minnow.  All date bite, with action good to excellent.

Panfish (crappies, bluegills and perch) in the Eagle River area are in 10 feet of water or less in and around weeds.  Use a waxie, crappie minnow or chunk of crawler under a slip bobber.  The perch are tight to bottom, with the crappies and gills suspending anywhere in the water column.  All day bite, with good to excellent action.

Largemouth bass in the Eagle River area are locating in 10 feet of water or less at shoreline structure (docks, submerged trees, weeds, lily pads and brush piles).  Use a jig and a leech or plastic worm rigged Texas style during the day, and a topwater at sunset.  All day bite, with good action.

(This report based on Creative Brilliance interviews with Eagle River guides “Muskie Matt” of Wild Eagle Lodge, “Ranger Rick” Krueger of Guide’s Choice Pro Shop, and Mat Hegy).

We are sorry to inform you that there are no fishing report for Marathon & Lincoln this week.

Excellent action for northern and panfish, with good to excellent action for musky, and smallmouth bass, and a good bite for largemouth bass and walleye.  All in the Eagle River, Wisconsin area.

Water temps in the Eagle River area, are in the low 70s. Best all around success for most species is on the Eagle River Chain of 28 lakes (largest freshwater chain of lakes the world), except for smallmouth bass who are hitting best on the deeper, clearer lakes in the Eagle River area.  Eagle River is having a wonderful fishing season, and you should be up here enjoying it.

Northern in the Eagle River area are providing excellent all day action.  Fish 10 feet of water or less in and around weeds.  Use a small bucktail, or a bass style spinner bait.  While you’ll want to cover water quickly, use a medium to fast retrieve, but don’t “burn ’em.”

Panfish (crappies, bluegills and perch) are putting on an excellent bite in the Eagle River area.  Fish 15 feet of water or less in and around weeds.  Use a chunk or crawler, waxie, or Berkley Gulp under a slip bobber.  The perch are tight to bottom, with the crappies and gills suspending up and down the water column.  All day bite.

Musky action has improved markedly in the Eagle River area, and the musky are providing a good to excellent bite. Fish 10 feet of water or less off of weed edges.  Use a standard, medium sized bucktail, topwater or jerkbait.  They’re all working.  Use a medium speed retrieve, and always do a “figure 8” as your lure comes close to the boat. All day bite with peaks around sunset.

Smallmouth action in the Eagle River area has picked up nicely, with the smallies providing a good to excellent all day and evening bite.  Fish the deeper, clearer lakes in the Eagle River area for best success.  Fish 10-20 feet of water off of break edges, over hardbottom (gravel, sand, rocks, boulders). During the day use a 3 or 4 inch tube, plastic crawfish or a jig and a leech.  In the evening try a topwater like a Heddon Torpedo or a buzz bait.

Walleye in the Eagle River area are putting on a good bite.  Fish 10-25 feet water, off of break edges.  The walleye will be tight to bottom.  Use a jig and a leech or a jig and half of a crawler.  All day bite, with peaks in the evening.

Largemouth bass are providing good action in the Eagle River area.  The largemouth are tight to structure — like lily pads, heavy weeds, brush piles, docks, and downed trees.  Fish 10 feet of water or less.  Use a jig and a leech or a plastic worm rigged Texas style during the day, and in the evening try a topwater like a plastic frog or rat.  All day bite, with peaks in the evening.

(This report based on Creative Brilliance interviews with Eagle River guides “Muskie Matt” of Wild Eagle Lodge, “Ranger Rick” Krueger of Guide’s Choice Pro Shop, and Mat Hegy).

Musky, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, and walleye all hitting well; all in and amidst the lakes and the Wisconsin River in Wisconsin’s Marathon and Lincoln Counties (near Mosinee and Wausau).

This week’s report is pretty short, pretty simple, and provides some great fishing opportunities in the central Wisconsin area.

The musky bite has picked up nicely in the central Wisconsin area, with the cooler nights starting to come on.  We are targeting depths of 8 to 14 feet along deep weeds and rocks.  Low light periods are the best time of the day for catching a musky.  Bucktails, topwaters, and jerkbaits are all working nicely.

There’s very good walleye, and both largemouth and smallmouth bass action in the central Wisconsin area, and they’re all pretty much in the same types of area. Fish 8 to 12 feet of water in rocks and wood.  Jig with a 1/16th or 1/8th ounce jig, tipped with plastics or live bait — minnow, crawler, or leech.

(This report based on interview with licensed guide and trapper Phil Schweik and licensed guide Glenn Moberg, of Hooksetters Fishing & Hunting Guide Service, Mosinee Wisconsin).