Smallmouth bass action
continues to be excellent
in the greater Wausau
area as large numbers
of fish are transitioning
into spawning mode.
Numerous fish into
the low 20”
range have already
been caught and released
on the Wisconsin River
this year. Key on
shallower hard-bottomed
areas and explore
them with lipless
crankbaits or in-line
spinners until fish
holding sections of
shoreline are located.
Fan casting rockier
hard-bottomed shorelines
with small spinner
baits such as Mini
Slopmasters in the
1/4oz. size or inline
spinners such as a
#2 or #3 Mepps Aglia
will locate areas
of active fish. Once
concentrations of
fish are found, soft
plastics have been
the ‘go-to’
presentation; 3-3
½” tubes
from Mr. Twister,
Berkley, and Roberts
Outdoors have been
the most productive.
Depending on water
depth and current
conditions, rig the
tubes with an offset
VMC hook and 1/16
– ¼ oz
weight and fish on
a lighter, more limber
line such as 6# or
8# Trilene XL.
The best walleye
action has occurred
from jigging or working
live bait rigs either
under a slip bobber
or walking sinker
rig. The size structure
is excellent, with
numbers of fish being
caught on a regular
basis. Deeper water
areas, especially
those containing structure,
have been holding
more fish as walleyes
continue working into
their summer haunts.
Look for deeper wood
or hard bottomed humps
and spines to hold
numbers of fish as
well as stretches
of river channel containing
sharp irregular break
lines, especially
those containing submerged
wood. Jigs in the
1/8 and ¼ size
tipped with a large
fathead will elicit
strikes from these
sought after predators.
Fan casting crankbaits
such as Flicker Shads
and Wally Divers along
deeper current breaks
is producing walleyes
as well as bonus smallies
and pike. Slip-bobbers
have also been accounting
for many walleyes.
Don’t be surprised
if you boat several
bonus slab crappies
as they have been
frequenting many of
the same areas.
Anglers looking to
target the channel
catfish have also
been beginning to
score as well. While
fresh cut bait works
well, many anglers
are beginning to appreciate
the convenience and
effectiveness of commercially
prepared products
such as the Doc Chumley
line from Frabill.
Whether fresh or prepared,
rig the bait using
an egg sinker slip-rig
and Mustad Demon circle
hook. It’s best
to use a sturdy rod
holder, as aggressive
channel cats will
pull a rod into the
water if given the
opportunity.
Northern pike are
greedily attacking
lures fished over
and through the newly
emerging weeds found
in many of the backwaters
and bays of the Wausau
area. Water temperatures
are such that many
of trophy female specimens
are still shallow
and active before
making their hiatus
for deeper water as
surface temperatures
rise to summer conditions.
Look for sunny days
to produce the best
action right now,
with the bite best
often during mid-day
hours. Spoons, spinner
baits, in-line spinners,
and swim baits are
all taking their fair
share of fish, when
worked over and through
the newly emerging
weed beds.
The bulk of the crappies
have made their way
towards spawning ground
with good numbers
of fish already being
caught shallow. With
the continued warmer
weather, the crappies
will continue to slide
shallow, frequenting
downed trees, stumps,
and log jams as they
look to spawn. A finesse
slip-bobber and tiny
jig rigged with Crappie
Nibbles or 1”
Power Tube will produce
fish in the shallows.
A slip bobber and
minnow presentation
has been most effective
for fish receiving
heavy fishing pressure.
Don’t be afraid
to use walleye fatheads
for bait; with the
darker water, Wisconsin
River crappies will
often prefer the larger
presentation to conventional
crappie minnows. Some
absolute slabs are
there for the catching!
Anglers looking to
tangle with Rainbow,
Brook, or Brown trout
in one of the many
area streams should
have a selection of
inline spinners available.
Casting spinners is
an excellent way to
locate and catch the
most active trout
in a section; the
Aglia Long is an excellent
choice as its willow
leaf blade allows
an angler to effectively
fish it in current.
To catch more pressured
or less active fish,
a Berkley 3”
Power Trout Worm or
Power Eggs either
below a tiny float
or on a simple split
shot rig will tempt
even the moodiest
of fish into biting.
Only one week away,
musky anglers should
begin preparing and
planning for the 2009
opener, Saturday May
23th. The North-Central
Wisconsin area is
one of the finest
in the state for producing
musky action from
opening weekend throughout
the season. Each year
we see some very impressive
muskies caught and
released in our area
during the first few
weeks of the season.
Unlike many deeper,
clearer lakes to the
North, the Wisconsin
River system in and
around the Wausau
area will have temperatures
that should find the
king of freshwater
actively chasing down
a variety of presentations.
Good starting points
are the newly emergent
weed beds and shallow
to midrange depth
wood cover on the
lakes with the aforementioned
structure types adjacent
to current breaks
good on the Wisconsin
River itself. The
Wisconsin River system
has produced more
40-pound class fish
in the past decade
than any other system
in Wisconsin; several
of those trophies
have come from the
Wausau area. Reviewing
our log books from
last year, and judging
from the size and
numbers of fish we
caught and released
- it looks to be a
great season again
in 2009!
Wisconsin Angling
Adventures
http://www.wisconsinanglingadventures.com
715-297-7573
“Fishing’s
our business…
and business is good!”
