3-20-14 Ashland Fishing Report
~ Fishing Guide Nate Baron from Up North Guide Service and Fishing Guide Scott Bretting from River Rock Inn and Bait Shop, 715-682-3232 (http://riverrockinn.net), report the following:
The lake trout fishing in the Apostle Islands has been good recently, but the snow has reduced the number of anglers venturing out. Some very large lakers ranging from 14-25 pounds have been caught, with a majority of the larger lake trout coming out of 120 to 250 feet of water (FOW). The ice thickness varies from 18" to 26" off of the Bayfield Peninsula and out in the islands. Anglers are heading out of Bayfield and Red Cliff using snowmobiles as their primary means of transportation. The recent warm weather has created a lot of slush on the ice and has made traveling much more difficult.
The bobbers that are out for the lake trout have been able to get out as far as Manitou, Stockton, Cat and Outer islands with reports of good success in 175-260 FOW. Beetles and Chequamegon Mackinaw jigs dressed with herring strips, shiners or smelt along with Zimmer spoons, crippled herring, large white tube jigs and Swedish pimples have all been working real well. Check with the local bait shops for the availability of bait herring and fresh smelt.
Near-shore fishing in the islands for browns and splake has been good for those seeking other species of trout. Cover the depths from 14 FOW out to 40 FOW on steep rocky breaks off the shorelines with tip-ups and Automatic Fisherman rigged with a live Lake Shiner or a Golden Shiner to increase your chances on the roaming trout. Anglers have been catching limits of whitefish off of Basswood and Hermit islands in 80-120 FOW on Swedish pimples in a blue or purple ice color along with jigging Rapalas with waxies.
The ice roads on Chequamegon Bay have been abandoned and snowmobile travel is currently the best means of transportation on the bay. Ice thickness is around 30 inches. Fishing has been at a minimum on the bay this past week due to poor travel conditions. Inland lakes are becoming very difficult to travel due to heavy slush and water conditions beneath the snow.
Anglers have started picking up limits of coho salmon near the Xcel Energy plant hot pond and the coal dock along with an occasional brown trout at first light and a couple of hours into the day. The coho will be moving in schools high in the water column. Use smaller Buck-shots, Northland Tackle Forage minnows, Swedish pimples and panfish-size jigs tipped with waxies or a minnow head. Sebile Vibratos in a 3/8 oz. or 1/2 oz. size with no bait, worked just under the ice, can also be deadly on the coho at this time of year. The coho fishing will just keep getting better and better as the season progresses.
While jigging, be sure to cover the entire water column for the browns and cohos that are often roaming through at different depths. Some nice brown trout have been taken this past week by anglers fishing for smelt off of the lighthouse in the bay. The smelt have really started moving into the bay recently. Hali or Schuck’s jigs tipped with a piece of shiner fished in 20+ foot of water (FOW) seem to be doing the best. The smelt is excellent table fare this time of year and also makes for some great bait for chasing other species. Please check your fishing regulations when using smelt as bait on other bodies of water.
Ice conditions can change rapidly on Lake Superior with currents and the high winds! Please have all the necessary safety equipment and check ice as you go along. If you are unfamiliar with the area you will be fishing, hire a local guide or check with a bait shop prior to venturing out on the ice.
Good luck on the ice and tight lines to all!
~ Fishing Guide Roger LaPenter from Anglers All, 715-682-5754 (http://www.anglersallwisconsin.com), reports the following:
This report is about the Ashland side of Chequamegon Bay. Anglers are doing well catching fish during the daylight hours in the channel and off the coal dock.
People are still walking out from shore to ice-fish and using snowmobiles. We strongly urge you to use snowmobiles or bring a snowmobile with you for easier access, or use an ATV with tracks on it.
Anglers are checking their way with a spud or ice bar. The ice is so thick now it is right up to the end of the auger, but extensions are not needed at this time. The ice on the big lake is still good, but the snow cover has started to melt and turn slushy. If you are thinking of venturing out to ice-fish in other areas, it is very important to call ahead to ask what other anglers and guides are saying about the ice in those areas.
Fishing has been best near the Xcel Energy hot pond and the C. Reiss coal dock, where people are catching coho salmon and rainbow trout. Anglers are also having some luck in the 20 to 35 FOW in the channel or the major drop-offs to the channel out by the lighthouse, and near the former ore dock.
For jigging, Lake Shiners and waxies are the bait of choice. Anglers are using larger minnows on tip-ups such as sucker minnows and Golden Shiners for northerns.
To catch cohos, you will want to have one line set just a couple feet under the ice. Perch and walleye are being caught in the weed beds a couple hundred yards off Second Landing.
Northerns are also being caught in the shallows in the same area as the perch and are reported to be moving into even shallower waters. In fact, fishing is great right now in the bay’s shallower waters.
The walleye fishing is best either very early in the morning or right at dusk, during those low-light hours, a couple miles off Second Landing or over by the hot pond or the coal dock, in the shallower waters.
The inland lakes in Ashland County have had decent crappie and panfish catches. For a safe and up-to-date ice fishing report, give us a call at Anglers All and we will keep you informed.
~ The Ashland Area Chamber of Commerce, www.visitashland.com, 1-800-284-9484, reports:
If you would like an updated ice fishing report or an updated snowmobile report, check out www.visitashland.com. Fishing is great right now in the Chequamegon Bay area!!
IMPORTANT NOTE:
Now that the ice shanty removal date has passed, anglers may continue to use portable ice-fishing shelters (as long as they feel the ice is safe for travel), but they must remove their shelters daily and when not actively being used.