Advice, Photos from Wisconsin’s Best Hunting, Fishing Guides
On Wisconsin Outdoors is fortunate to have some of the best hunting and fishing guides in the state working with us to bring you the latest information. You can review the tactics used throughout Wisconsin by the experts with photos of their catches on our website each week in places like “Inland Fishing” or “Outdoor News”.
Kings and Rainbows are among the multiple fish species keeping Bay Lake Charters’ clients busy off of Algoma.
We’re also deep into production with our July-August issue. It’s literally the most jammed-pack paper we’ve ever published, with fishing stories from bluegills to musky, a compelling piece on deer hunting by Lee Gatzke, and the monster bear photos and pre-season baiting stories you’ve come to expect from the guides at Northern Wisconsin Outfitters in Washburn.
Travel the website for every detail at your convenience. Right now, though, let’s take a look at Wisconsin’s version of surf & turf reports that came in over the OWO wire the last two days. Captain Adam Cochart of Bay Lake Charters, who also successfully targets walleyes routinely, is finding success right now on Lake Michigan off Algoma chasing salmon and trout. He doesn’t mind sharing his keys to the catches, and appreciates your consideration of Bay Lake Charters when considering a chartered trip. Cochart also targets walleyes on Green Bay.
This is one of several bears from 400 to an estimated 700 pounds being invited back to the bait stations by Northern Wisconsin Outfitters guides.
Also, OWO Bear expert Mike Foss of Northern Wisconsin Outfitters in Bayfield County is up to what he does best with fellow guide Robert Haas; and that is put September bear hunters on some of the biggest bears in Badgerland. Up to 25 hunters in each NOW September camps have come to expect 100 percent shot opportunity due to the guides’ knowledge and hard work. While we’re at it, for you bear tag holders and guides, remember the bait specials offered by Bob’s Bear Bait near Appleton each week. Below, we place the spotlight on some of that too.
Salmon, Trout Cannot Hide From Bay Lake Charters
“Bay Lake Charters out of Algoma, Wisconsin is happy to report some good early action for salmon and trout,” Cochart said. “In the past few days we have been able to work depths of 80 to 200 feet of water with success, landing some large kings pushing that 20 pound mark, along with rainbow trout and lake trout.”
Expect quantity and quality like these two kings taken this week with Bay Lake Charters.
Being successful early in the season requires covering water to find active fish, according to the Captain. Cochart noted that water temperature right now has played the largest factor in finding success. When they find water a degree or two warmer, they also find fish.
“Work these areas covering the whole water column to see what depths produce fish, keep track of how deep these bites are coming, and match your baits to that water column while working the area,” Cochart said. “Our most productive lines have been 5 colors of lead core high in the water column but away from the boat with spoons. These lines have produced kings, rainbow trout, and lake trout for us all in the same trip. Flashers and Flies fishing in the top 40 feet have been the best tactic for our big kings early in the morning with the best setups being chrome flashers trolled in front of various green flies.”
Book a charter with Captain Adam Cochart at 920-594-0910 or visit Bay Lake Charter at www.baylakecharters.com.
Northern Wisconsin Outfitters Bringing Big Bears Back
This photo of a sow working one of scores of bait piles maintained each summer prior to the fall bear season by Northern Wisconsin Outfitters was sent June 12 by Mike Foss. Note the very large boar over 400 pounds biding his time in the background and as Foss puts it, “Politely waiting for the sow to finish her meal”.
A big boar waits politely for a sow to finish her meal.
Usually, the many bait stations spread over 30 square miles of Bayfield County backcountry are being baited from the time snowmelt allows the guides access with their ATVs. This station was first baited June 3rd because the landowner was turkey hunting and of course did not want the birds disturbed. This station was also a major feeding hole last year for the 700 pound-plus monster boar nicknamed “Bus-15” by Foss and Haas, a mammoth that the guides, of course, are hoping returns again in 2015.
“We first set a stand for a hunter and set the camera and I walked out of the area at 1:27 in the afternoon June third,” Foss said. “Those bears were at the bait at 2:45 pm. I had 700 photos of these bears. The big boar paced around the perimeter but wouldn’t come in while the sow was there. Finally, he just lay down and waited. It was raining hard that day and the photos came out black and white. If they had been in color it would have been a lot harder to see him in the background.”
This is the same bear in 2015 that was caught at the same bait on trail camera in the first the first bear photo above.
As for “Bus 15”, Foss fully expects his return to the bait. But, he also knows this monster is good at surviving, and expects fastening a tag to him to be another challenge. Stay tuned as we follow the hunt from Northern Wisconsin Outfitters’ Washburn camp.
Bob’s Bear Bait a Great Place to Prepare for the Hunt
Bob’s Bear Bait of Appleton, the largest bear bait supplier in east-central Wisconsin and conveniently located close to Highway 41, carries over 50 different, competitively-priced baits for your baiting needs. Connect with www.BobsBearBait.com every Tuesday to see new bait merchandise on sale, and don’t forget to check out their in-store bait specials.
“Not only do we sell bait, we also sell bear scent lures which can be purchased online,” said Bob’s Bear Bait owner Bob Spierings. “On June 16th we will be putting strawberry topping on sale as one example of how we are serving the hunters right up and through the September season. It is a very effective bait when the wild strawberries are growing naturally in the woods.”
You will enjoy working with Bob Spierings. On Wisconsin Outdoors has worked directly with Bob’s Bear Bait for several years online and in print promoting his bait business. We work on a hand-shake. There’s something to be said about combining great product with integrity of the owner. Happy baiting!
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Dick Ellis