fishing report Lake Area Weekly News
AREA LAKES
Northern Pike have provided anglers with the most consistent action. Numerous 30-inch-plus fish have been caught. Remember northern are in spawning stages, and the bigger females should be released. Weed beds in 5 to 12 feet produced the most fish. Use tip-ups rigged with a heavy fluorocarbon leader and a No. 6 or No. 4 treble hook. Large or jumbo golden shiners or medium suckers worked best for bait. Try adding DK's Magic to the tail of the minnow for added scent and color. "Brined" jumbo smelt on a quick-strike rig also works great.
Bluegill action was "hit and miss." Anglers willing to hole hop to find active fish have done well. Weeds in 6 to 15 feet will hold fish along with deeper structure. Wax worms, red and white spikes have worked well for bait.
Crappies were most active during early morning and evening. Look for them with your flasher suspended over deeper water or over the tops of weeds. A Ratfinkee, Skandia tungsten or Moon Glitter ice jig or No. 14 treble hook baited with a small minnow, wiggler or wax worm worked well.
Many perch have been caught, however many of them were small. An ice jig baited with a spike, wax worm or small minnow produced. Bigger perch have been caught using tip-ups. Rig your tip-ups with a fluorocarbon leader and a No. 14 or No. 12 treble hook. Small golden shiners, medium lake shiners or large fatheads work best.
Walleye anglers have done well, with legal-size fish being caught. Fish around structure in 8 to 18 feet during dark hours. Set up tip-ups rigged with a fluorocarbon leader and No. 10 or No. 12 red treble hook. Add a small red or glow bead above your treble hook. Small or medium golden shiners, large lake shiners or small suckers work best.
LAKE MICHIGAN, MILWAUKEE
The Milwaukee area continues to be challenging. The majority of the main harbor is free of ice again and anglers can fish most areas. Unfortunately, the action has been spotty. The areas to watch would be the shore access behind the amphitheater and the stretch of river under the Hoan Bridge. Spawn or minnows fished on a wolf river rig are a winter standard. A 3/8th-ounce jig tipped with a white or chartreuse Gulp minnow or a jigging spoon is another more active approach.
Boats that can get out of Riverfront launch will be treated to some action at the clean water discharge. Spawn, Gulp and jigging spoons are consistent producers. Trolling the river under the Hoan Bridge is another possibility.
The inner harbor has been giving up smaller trout on crank baits or rattle baits fished near the shad schools. Rather than fishing in the middle of the shad, look for the edges and fish lures erratically.
The tributaries are iced in right now, but the predicted warm temperatures and precipitation could change that quickly. This rain could draw in a good run of winter steelhead.
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