Ashland Area Fishing Report for Feb. 26, 2016
~ Fishing guides from Anglers All, 715/682-5754, report the following:
This report is about the Ashland side of Chequamegon Bay. Fishing continues to be good for those who are venturing out. A wide variety of fish are being caught in the area, including brown trout, whitefish, perch, northern pike and splake.
“They’re fishing shallow, they’re fishing deep, and what’s funny is that the folks fishing shallow seem to be doing better than the ones fishing the deep water,” observed Carolyn Swartz, co-owner of Anglers All in Ashland. “Off of Second Landing, they’re catching perch in anywhere from 10 to 30 foot of water.”
She said anglers are using crappie minnows, fatheads, shiners and waxies while doing both jigging and setting tip-ups. “And they’re getting trout and salmon on the Ashland side.”
The atypical weather pattern for this time of year has made for some odd ice conditions. It has also made for some disappointed young anglers as last Saturday’s ice fishing tournament for kids sponsored by the ABC Sportsmen’s Club had to be canceled due to poor ice conditions. And now this weekend’s high school ice fishing tournament sponsored by the Wisconsin National Guard has also been canceled – after having been postponed from Jan. 16.
“In the middle of the bay, (the warm weather/rain) isn’t doing much to the ice,” she continued. “The problem will occur at the landings. People are going to have to be careful getting on and off the ice, especially if the sun comes out and starts eating up that ice.”
“The iffy places are outside of Houghton Point,” she added. “People should beware of pressure cracks, too.”
Carolyn recommends travel on the ice by snowmobile/ATV or on foot. “The ice isn’t such that you would want to drive a car or truck out there.”
On the inland lakes, people have been finding some good crappies and bluegills over in the Iron River and Delta areas. “There is a lot of slush reported on most of the inland lakes,” Carolyn noted.
With the unusually warm winter the northland has experienced, Carolyn urged anglers to be very mindful of ice safety.
“People are going to have to be prepared for some conditions they don’t normally face here at this time of the year,” she noted. “They really need to go back to checking their way as they go and using extreme caution.
** Located at 2803 E. Lake Shore Drive (U.S. Highway 2) in Ashland, Anglers All is a full-service tackle and fly shop with a professional guide service for Lake Superior and area inland lakes and rivers, offering the largest selection of baits and tackle in the Chequamegon Bay area. For the most complete and up-to-date fishing report, just give them a call at Anglers All and they will gladly keep you informed!
~ Fishing guides from River Rock Inn and Bait Shop, 715/682-3232, report the following:
“Looks like it’s going to be a fast spring,” commented Scott Bretting, fishing guide and owner/operator of River Rock Inn & Bait Shop. “We’re not making any new ice, that’s for sure. And in fact, we’re softening up out there. They’re predicting a little cold weather for next week, but nothing subzero.”
“On the other hand, it’s been nice weather for fishing,” he continued, “not too cold and not windy. It’s been decent fishing, guys are out catching a little whitefish.”
The usual spots – such as the Ashland lighthouse, off Second Landing 3 miles east of Ashland, and off the Ashland shoreline by the marina – have all been producing fish, Scott said.
“We’ve had very few reports of people who are not catching fish and those who aren’t have been sitting in the same spot all day, a spot where there aren’t any fish! Again, people need to move around if they’re not finding any fish because they are definitely out there.”
Anglers are still catching smelt out by the Breakwater Lighthouse and perch are still biting off of Second Landing if people are willing to look for them.
“The perch off of Second Landing are picking up in numbers,” said Scott, “but if you’re catching only small ones, move. Because there are some schools of small ones swimming around out there, but we’ve had some nice reports of some big ones, 9-14 inches.”
He said that lake shiners are working well for perch and for most fish. “Tip-ups with a shiner are definitely a mainstay. Jigging with a waxie on a buckshot or pimple is always good for perch and gold has been a good color.”
Scott said anglers are getting northern pike too in the same spots as the perch, so going off of Second Landing is a good plan for those targeting pike.
There have been a few reports of catches of Coho salmon around the coal dock in Washburn. “It’s a little early to say there’s going to be a lot of them over there though, so stay tuned,” Scott noted.
Anglers out at the Washburn coal dock are seeing whitefish as well as brown trout and lots of splake. And there are plenty of whitefish out by the S-curve, Scott said. “They are very prevalent in the bay this year.”
Scott said he would describe the current situation as “spring fishing conditions.”
“It’s fairly typical of the time of the season when the ice gets shaky,” he said. “If this weather continues, we will see ice conditions deteriorate, especially since it’s less thick than normal. We are losing the snow on top of the ice and there are slush pockets now.”
Scott said people are still taking four-wheelers and snowmobiles out on the bay. “But without snow on the surface,” he explained, “I would warn people to watch out because those slides could overheat on their sleds.”
Scott noted that anglers are using “crappie minnows” or “small fatheads” on the inland lakes to get those panfish like bluegills. “Or waxies are working, too. They’ve been putting out tip-ups with a golden shiner to get northerns on those smaller lakes.”
Anglers should be aware that northern pike season is coming to an end on the inland lakes on March 6.
** Stop in and see their wide variety of live bait, fishing tackle, gear, accessories, smoked fish, local cheeses, meats, and microbrews, and much more at River Rock Inn & Bait Shop, 1200 W. Lake Shore Drive (U.S. Highway 2), in Ashland. Call River Rock for the most current ice fishing report and they’ll give you the 411 on the bay area!
~ The Ashland Area Chamber of Commerce, 1-800-284-9484, reports:
Fishing is always a thrilling adventure in the Ashland area! Chequamegon Bay is famous for its world-class smallmouth bass fishing. The 12-mile-long bay’s rock piles and breakwater structures make for perfect bass habitat.
The Neighborly Bar 2016 Ice Fishing Tourney and Ice Raffle will be held this Saturday, Feb. 27, and will feature cash prizes in seven categories of fish, including walleye, lake trout, perch, crappie and more. And whoever catches the biggest fish overall will be crowned the 2016 King of the Lake! Tickets must be purchased by bar close on Feb. 26. Entry fee includes food and prizes. Fish any lake. All fish must be registered by 5 p.m. on Feb. 27. Ice Raffle drawing at 6 p.m. Need not be present to win. Call 715/682-9908 for more information.
The Annual Claus Kraetke Memorial Ice Fishing Jamboree at Donner’s Bay Resort, 2974 Hiawatha Rd., Butternut, on the Turtle-Flambeau Flowage, also will take place Saturday, Feb. 27, from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cash prizes will be given for the largest fish caught in several categories. There will be hot food, warm & cold beverages and tickets for many raffles for sale inside the resort's lodge. For more information, call 715/476-2555.
The Mellen Rod & Gun Club Annual Ice Fishing Contest on Lake Galilee is planned for Sunday, Feb. 28, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Drawings will be held from noon to 3 p.m. Call 715/274-2080 or 715/274-2330 for more information.
The 29th Annual Ice-O-Rama ice fishing contest sponsored by the North Wisconsin Rod & Gun Club will be held Saturday and Sunday, March 5-6. The contest starts at 5 a.m. Saturday and continues through noon on Sunday. There will be $100 prizes awarded for five categories of fish, plus cash prizes for the 2nd and 3rd largest fish in each category. In addition, a raffle drawing for five Grand Prizes will take place at 1 p.m. on March 6 at the Rod & Gun Club, 67032 Sloughs Lane (Second Landing), Ashland. Contestants may fish at their own risk anywhere on Chequamegon Bay. All fish must be registered by noon on Sunday, March 6. No frozen fish will be registered. For more information, call 715/685-9778.
The Annual Pan-a-Rama Ice Fishing Tournament will be Saturday, March 12, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Northern Lure Resort & Campground on Gordon Lake in Glidden. This contest is for panfish only. There is a $5 entry fee. Prizes will be awarded for the biggest panfish in several categories. Lunch will be served. For more information, call 715/264-3677 or visit www.northernlure.com.
The Snowbelt Longbeards Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation will host their 16th Annual Hunting Heritage Banquet on Saturday, March 12, at the AmericInn Hotel & Suites, 3009 E. Lake Shore Dr., Ashland. Doors open at 5 p.m. with dinner served at 7 p.m. Ticket includes the dinner and membership in the NWTF. This is the Snowbelt Longbeards Chapter’s annual fundraising and membership banquet. There will be a pre-event raffle and early bird incentive drawing. For more information, call 715/893-2216 or 715/893-2270.
An angler named Brandon holds up the “two nice Chequamegon Bay browns caught on lake shiners with chartreuse Live Fire Dye by Pautzke Bait Co.” He was out ice fishing Feb. 21 with Nate Baron of Ashland-based Up North Guide Service. “Brandon kicked my butt Sunday!” Nate commented, adding, “Awesome day!” (Photo courtesy of Nate Baron)
Another smiling angler shows off a gorgeous brown trout he caught during a weekend fishing trip with Josh Teigen, owner and operator of Josh Teigen’s Guide Service in Iron River. “It's been a great winter so far!” Josh enthused. “Quite a few nice fish are hitting the ice. Trout fishing has been phenomenal the past two weeks and it should continue!” (Photo courtesy of Josh Teigen)
This handsome splake was caught using an Echotail made by Vibrations Tackle. (Photo courtesy of Josh Teigen)