Central Wisconsin Outdoor Report
It has been a great week for fishing in the Central Wisconsin area. The walleye bite has been phenomenal on the Wisconsin River along with some nice crappies and perch showing up. Water temperatures are ranging between 36 and 40 degrees depending on the time of day and accessible sunlight.
The walleye bite has been very good with nice catches of fish in the 15 to 20 inch range this past week. A lot of fish are still holding in the deeper pools in the main river sections in 12 to 16 feet of water, but as the daytime sun warms up the river water we are seeing a shift in movement to as shallow as 8 FOW. Most of the walleyes we have been catching have been on 1/8th to ¼ ounce lead head jigs. Color has definitely been a factor this past week where one day the fish seem to prefer a green/chartreuse jig then the next day they want orange or pink, so don’t be afraid to change it up.
In addition to the number of walleyes we have been catching we have also been catching a lot of nice crappies and perch. Most of these fish are incidental catches while walleye fishing but we will take them. They are fun to catch and great eating at this time of the year as well.
Another surprise for us this past week is the number of catfish and bass we have been catching. Just in the past two outings we have caught several nice catfish and smallmouth bass. Catching fish like this is not typical at this time of the year but we have seen it before. Last week it was sturgeon and now its catfish and bass. I guess the early spring warm-up has all the fish on the move.
Speaking of being on the move if you haven’t already taken your boat out or are maybe you’re looking at a new one, swing into Amherst Marine and see what they have to offer. They have a lot to choose from and the guys that work there are very helpful and knowledgeable. If you don’t have time to stop down at the shop, check out their newly updated website at: www.amherstmarine.com or visit them on Facebook at Amherst Marine. You won’t be disappointed!
Have a great week,
Phil Schweik
Hooksetters Guide Service
Web: www.hooksetters.biz
Phone: 715-581-2620