2008 Woodie Awards
Warm weather? Why not go fishing
Alex Hover
Issue date: 4/16/08 Section: Lifestyle
Spring is here and anglers are excited about the chance to hit the open water.
All the ice has melted off the Mississippi River and fishing is improving as the water temperatures continue to rise.
Walleye fishing has been good for anglers that have braved the cold conditions. The Dresbach and Genoa dams have produced a lot fish this spring and backwaters have been holding walleyes too. Current breaks with easy access to food are always good areas for spawning 'eyes. Most walleyes are done spawning now, but there will still be good fishing in the next couple weeks.
"Fishing was good for me until the water started coming up," said a UW-L junior who wanted to remain anonymous. "I have done my best dragging plastics on a quarter or half ounce jig up stream."
He said he has caught some nice walleyes and even a couple big northern pike.
Smallmouth bass and pike fishing on the Mississippi should pick up as the water temperatures rise.
The Mississippi River is open to fishing year round, but most other Wisconsin lakes and rivers open on May 3rd.
Catch and release trout fishing season opened on March 1st and runs until April 27th. The Coulee Region is known for its great trout streams and there are a lot of opportunities to catch nice fish.
"(The early season) has been fishing very well," said Mat Wagner, owner of the Driftless Angler fly shop in Viroqua, Wisconsin. "We have had good run off… and good bug hatches."
Although this area received a great deal of snow this winter, the slow melt off has kept most streams in good condition. Recent rains have muddied the bigger streams, but they have remained fishable.
Wagner says the most successful fly patterns have been midges, blue winged olives, and big bodied nymphs. Black caddis flies will begin to hatch in the next few weeks and there will be more fish feeding on the surface.
Small spinners have produced fish for anglers with spinning tackle. As the water temperatures warm up, fish will become more active and spinner fishing will pick up. Small Rapalas can also be effective in deeper pools on bigger streams.
Wagner predicts a great trout fishing season this year.
"It should be great, we have plenty of water for our streams and bug populations are up."
If you are trout fishing during the catch and release season be sure to pinch down the barbs on your hooks and release fish quickly with limited handling.
So if you are looking for something to do outdoors while the weather is getting nice, try your luck on the Mississippi or fish for trout on one of the area streams.
All the ice has melted off the Mississippi River and fishing is improving as the water temperatures continue to rise.
Walleye fishing has been good for anglers that have braved the cold conditions. The Dresbach and Genoa dams have produced a lot fish this spring and backwaters have been holding walleyes too. Current breaks with easy access to food are always good areas for spawning 'eyes. Most walleyes are done spawning now, but there will still be good fishing in the next couple weeks.
"Fishing was good for me until the water started coming up," said a UW-L junior who wanted to remain anonymous. "I have done my best dragging plastics on a quarter or half ounce jig up stream."
He said he has caught some nice walleyes and even a couple big northern pike.
Smallmouth bass and pike fishing on the Mississippi should pick up as the water temperatures rise.
The Mississippi River is open to fishing year round, but most other Wisconsin lakes and rivers open on May 3rd.
Catch and release trout fishing season opened on March 1st and runs until April 27th. The Coulee Region is known for its great trout streams and there are a lot of opportunities to catch nice fish.
"(The early season) has been fishing very well," said Mat Wagner, owner of the Driftless Angler fly shop in Viroqua, Wisconsin. "We have had good run off… and good bug hatches."
Although this area received a great deal of snow this winter, the slow melt off has kept most streams in good condition. Recent rains have muddied the bigger streams, but they have remained fishable.
Wagner says the most successful fly patterns have been midges, blue winged olives, and big bodied nymphs. Black caddis flies will begin to hatch in the next few weeks and there will be more fish feeding on the surface.
Small spinners have produced fish for anglers with spinning tackle. As the water temperatures warm up, fish will become more active and spinner fishing will pick up. Small Rapalas can also be effective in deeper pools on bigger streams.
Wagner predicts a great trout fishing season this year.
"It should be great, we have plenty of water for our streams and bug populations are up."
If you are trout fishing during the catch and release season be sure to pinch down the barbs on your hooks and release fish quickly with limited handling.
So if you are looking for something to do outdoors while the weather is getting nice, try your luck on the Mississippi or fish for trout on one of the area streams.
Be the first to comment on this story