Central Wisconsin Outdoor Report
It has been another fantastic week in Central Wisconsin for outdoor activities. The fishing has been very good and it the activity at our bear baiting stations is going strong.
Recent cooler temperatures and periods of rain have dropped the water temperatures quite a bit and they are now in the upper 60’s to low 70 degree range. This drop in temperatures has the fish moving in a fall-type migration, and we are now seeing a lot of our walleyes and bass in that 10 to 14 foot range. With the cooler water temperatures we are also seeing a change in the feeding patterns with a shift from crawlers to minnows. Now this doesn’t mean that we are not still catching fish on crawlers but the fish are starting to show more interest in minnows as opposed to crawlers when the water was much warmer.
The key to catching fish at this time of the year with live bait is by accompanying the bait with an appropriate sized lead head jig. You will want to make sure that you use the proper size jig depending on water depth, and wind, or current. Oh yeah and depending on the species of fish you are targeting. You don’t want to use a ¼ ounce jig for a bluegill, but a 1/16th ounce jig will work perfectly. I also have no problem using a 1/16th ounce jig for walleyes and bass when conditions are right either.
With the cooler water temperatures we have started doing a little musky fishing again and on a recent trip with Ron Hall and John Niko from Chicago we were able to put 2 really nice fish in the boat. One musky came on a custom colored Bulldawg by Musky Innovations and the other musky came on a Toad by Lake X Lures. Both fish were in deep water related to rocky structure.
With the 2018 bear season only a few days away I know many hunters are getting pretty excited. We are seeing a lot of activity at our bait stations and recent photos are showing quite a bit of movement during daylight hours. If things progress as planned I am looking forward to another great season.
Good luck to all the bear hunters out there, have a safe and successful season.
Phil Schweik
Hooksetters Guide Service
Web: www.hooksetters.biz
Phone: 715-693-5843