Ashland Area Fishing Report 5-3-2013
Fishing Guide Roger LaPenter from Anglers All, (715)-682-5754, http://www.anglersallwisconsin. The Ice is moving in and out by the Sioux and Onion Rivers on the Big Lake. There are a couple of places that are showing open water in the Bay but no Smelt yet! There is still ice on the shoreline that needs to move out and believe it or not…we have snow to melt. It could be one week or more or less than one week but we believe it could be a great Smelt Season. Stream Fishing has been reasonably good for Steelheads but always check on water conditions before making a trip. There have been a few boats going in at Bodins over by Washburn and fishing the Sioux and Onion. Only smaller boats can use this boat landing. The bottom line is: be patient…it won’t be too long before the spring bite begins on the “Big Lake”.
Fishing Guide Scott Bretting from River Rock Inn and Bait Shop, (715)-682-3232, http://www.riverrockinn.net reports: The strong winds we had a week ago did manage to push the ice around and help break it up. So the ice has been bouncing around the Bay, but we still have some ice on the shoreline. Anglers aren’t fishing on the ice anymore but they are fishing around the ice and catching some nice Browns and Coho’s. There are some small boats that are managing to fish on some of the open water. We are very hopeful for Smelt Season to start soon and it should be good.
The Ashland Area Chamber of Commerce reports: The Ashland Chamber has a "Smelt Hotline" on 800-284-9484 or check out our website at www.visitashland.com. Check out our website for a complete listing of lodging and dining in Ashland. Fish...Shop...Dine...Stay in Ashland, Lake Superior's Hometown, The Historic Mural Capital of Wisconsin!
What is “Smelt Season” All About?
The "Smelt Run" in the Chequamegon Bay usually starts around the 3rd week in April shortly after the ice goes out of the Bay. Visitors and locals love “smelt season”. The smelt usually run late at night and are brought in with a seine net or dip net. The seine net is used on the shores of the big lake and some smelters use a dip net in the creeks and drop nets off the docks. Smelting is always a fun time with the smell of the clean air of Chequamegon Bay and the awesome site of the many campfires along the shoreline. Smelters light campfires and enjoy the outdoors as they wait for the run to come in heavy. At times the smelt may start running at 9:00 p.m. or they may be running at Midnight or later. They are unpredictable little fish (with the average size approximately 4 to 5 inches in length and even longer) that only answer to Mother Nature. Smelt were planted in the lake many decades ago and are not a native fish in Lake Superior. Smelt season usually lasts 12 to 14 days. There is an old tradition that you bite the head off the first smelt brought in….of course you don’t actually eat the head but you would be the brave smelter for sticking with tradition. For more information on smelt season in the Ashland Area, including the regulations and licensing for smelting call us at the Ashland Area Chamber of Commerce at 800-284-9484. We will have a smelt hot line set up during the month of April. *note* The Bait shops will let us know when they are starting to peak, which is usually half way into the smelt season. We will pass that information on to the callers as soon as we hear!