With the arctic blast behind us, at least for now, Wausau area lakes and rivers have again been quite productive as of late. Bluegill and crappies action has picked up steadily in the past week or so. Shallower bays or backwater areas containing wood and/or green weeds have been good choices; look for water depths of 5-8 feet and begin your search there. Small jigs in orange, gold, or glow patterns tipped with waxies have been producing fish on a regular basis. Tip-downs or slip bobber rigs using small minnows have been working consistently for crappies as well. Pack light and remain mobile to stay on schools of active fish – a good rule of thumb for the mid-winter period.
If you’re looking to catch walleyes through the ice, both Lake Wausau and Lake DuBay are offering some fine ice fishing right now. Jigging has been a very solid option for scoring on catches of winter walleyes from area water of late; being with selecting a medium action St. Croix or Frabill ice fishing rod as they are the prefect tool for working various jigging lures this time of year. Lure colors such as fire tiger, orange and chartreuse combinations, and perch patterns are working best. Try tipping the treble hook on these lures with a minnow head to increase your hook-up ratio.
The tip-up bite has been strong in the low-light periods of morning and evening. With the colder temperatures, especially at night, try using a tip-up such as the Frabill Pro-Thermal to prevent hole freeze up and subsequent successful hook-ups. For live bait choice, both golden shiners and sucker minnows continue to produce the best action. Keep a selection of bait in various sizes in your Frabill Aqua-Life and mix-it up if the action begins to slow.
An overlooked period, the mid-winter calendar timeframe can for some exciting northern pike fishing in our area. Begin your search along the deepest weed lines or stump fields available; sharp breaklines in close proximity to main lake basins will also hold trophy pike. Anglers looking to get in on the action need to be geared up properly. Tip-ups are the best option for these toothy trophies through the ice at this point, and both large golden shiners and sucker minnows are both working well. A large Mustad treble hook will suffice for medium sized bait; for the larger offerings, use a quickset rig to ensure good hook-ups as well as minimizing any damage to the fish. Enjoy the bounty of the mighty Wisconsin River system and the surrounding area!
Tight lines,
Joel
http://www.wisconsinanglingadventures.com |
