Central Wisconsin Outdoor Report
The 2016 northern Wisconsin musky opener started out with a bang. If I could have written up a recipe for success I couldn’t have done much better than what actually happened.
My two clients for the opener were Nap and Mike Pozulp who have been fishing with me for the opener for 15 years now, and at the end of this trip they both said that this one was the best one ever! Just a quick recap, we boated 3 nice muskies on Bulldawgs, one big pike and a couple of really good walleyes. Nap caught his largest pike to date that came in at a solid 40 inches and Mike had success with several nice pike and banged out his largest walleye ever that came in at over 9 pounds.
Water temperatures for the opener were right around the 70 degree mark and the current on the river was flowing at a good steady rate. The muskies were holding in typical post spawn locations and were caught by throwing Bulldawgs around shallow rocky structure in heavy current areas. A lot of our success was a result of precise casting to specific locations associated with structure. If you could put your lure in front of the fish that were holding tight to structure they were going to eat it!
I also had good luck targeting muskies later in the week with bucktails and top-water baits by working weed beds and shallow river grass in 4 to 8 feet of water. With the dark stained water we have here in Central Wisconsin, I have been throwing baits in orange and black when it has been cloudy out and green and black when it is sunny out. I really believe that color does make a difference.
The walleye bite has been consistent with good action on the Wisconsin River and Lake Dubay. I have been targeting the river channel edges in 12 to 14 feet of water by drift fishing with the current. I am running 1/8th and ¼ ounce jigs tipped with fathead minnows. Most of the time I am trying to keep contact with the bottom with my jig but I continually do a lift-drop method as I go along. As the boat drifts with the current I will slowly raise and lower my rod tip about 1 to 3 feet to create an up and down action in my presentation. This not only keeps the bait presentation more active, it also help with keeping you from constantly snagging the bottom.
When I am drifting the river channel for walleyes I also pick up several other species of fish as well. I usually catch crappies, bass, catfish, pike and every once in a while I hook into a nice musky. If you find out that when you are drifting a certain area and you seem to catch fish every time you pass a certain point, don’t hesitate to set up camp on that location for a period of time. There may be a reason that the fish are holding in that specific location. Give this method a try and I think you will be pleasantly surprised at how well you do.
Have a great week,
Phil Schweik
Licensed Wisconsin Hunting and Fishing Guide
Hooksetters Guide Service
Web: www.hooksetters.biz
Phone: 7156-693-5843