NORTHERN WISCONSIN – Ice…if it’s not here by the time this is published, it’s coming! While it’s been a fantastic fall fishing season, we’re all anxious to see some hard water build in our area.
Water temperatures are expected to drop into the mid-30s with the cold over the holiday week. In short, everyone from hunters to snowmobilers to ice anglers would like to see a bit more of some really cold weather before we get a big snowfall. It helps to avoid that slush in the woods and on the lakes and trails.
Walleye action for the very few anglers that have ventured out has been OK. Most anglers are holding off, waiting for ice. If we have it at the time of this publishing, look to set up your tip-ups at the edges of shallow weeds to try to catch the fish moving back and forth from deep to shallow water for feeding.
As for panfish, again not much to report, as everyone is waiting for ice. We are in the holding pattern and just looking forward to that great, early-ice bluegill action. We hope to have something to report next week.
Musky action has been the best of the season in recently, aside from that strange bump we had at the end of August and beginning of September. It was too early to use suckers back then, but now that is the bait of choice. Trolling and throwing a good old twitch bait to stay warm seems to be the ticket right now. Remember that musky season is open through December, but after November, if you’re targeting musky, you cannot be standing on ice. You must be either on a boat or on the shore. And if you happen to be one of those anglers out there at this time of the year, fishing from the shore or a boat, you are definitely a glutton for punishment. Best of luck to you!
Hopefully this will be the only real “in between” week we have, and we’ll see some ice build quickly. As always, as we enter ice fishing season we hope everyone is safe and careful out there. The first couple of weeks of ice are always on the dangerous side. Spud with every move on your first trip out. Hopefully by the time you are reading this, we’re seeing the beginnings of a great ice season!
Good luck and good fishin’ – and huntin’!
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