Willow Flowage

Thursday 6/4/26

Flats of nightcrawlers are now $59.  That's about $1.50 per dozen.  Our part to make fishing more affordable.

Wow is this favorite time of the year.  Weeds are greening, water temps are warming, outside temps are warming and just about all the species are in some stage of their spawn while most are done.  There is action everywhere now.  Just about all types of presentations are working when used correctly.  This time of year is why our shop is so big and carries so many different types of baits, live and artificial.  Everybody has their own way of doing it.  And the only guy that is wrong is the one who says only his way works.

Crappie are done spawning pretty much everywhere.  Look for them to really turn on again to feed hard after the spawn.  Just about anything will catch them.  Last night I was catching them on a 5" plastic Zoom worm.  And they were slamming it.

Bluegills and Rock Bass are really hot right now.  Fished a flowage a couple of days ago and hammered, I mean hammered the gills and sunfish in less than 3' of water.  And you know those gills on the flowages are big and are tough to grab with just one hand.  Only 4 gills fed my wife and I for dinner.  Along with those gills came a limit of Walleye in the same water along with a pike or two.  Half a crawler on a 1/32 oz jig was used.

Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass are really heating up as well.  Plastics like worm tails, paddle tails, twister tails, rib worms and the such are working well.  Of course crawlers and leeches work great too but why mess with them when a plastic on a 1/16 oz jig will work as well.  The small tungsten ones from Northland with the big hooks and the Neon Moon ones from VMC are my favorites.

Walleyes have been active as well.  Half a crawler or a leech on a 1/32 oz jig has been putting many in the boat with some in the live well.  Most seem to be cruising the areas outside the weed lines looking for minnows and small perch.  If you are catching small perch do move on until your sure there aren't any Walleyes in with them.

It's important to use the smallest jig you can that you can still feel on the end of your pole.  Over and over again we have found that that works.  It's just as important as finding green weeds and wood at this time of year.

Remember, a week before the fish bed down and especially a couple of weeks after will be the most fierce they are in pursuing a meal.  Try to catch those times and you be in for some real action.  And I promise it won't kill you if you throw some back for next time.

Colors can matter this time of year so bring as many with you as you can so as not the be afraid to switch if the bite is slow.  Size can also be a determining factor and it has nothing to do with the size of the fish you are after.  I've seen schools of crappie pound 1/2 oz spinnerbaits while not touching a 2" plastic.  Again, be flexible and try different methods.

Find those greening weeds in the warmest water in the lake and you will find fish. North shorelines are not always the warmest.  Windblown shorelines will usually have the warmest water as the wind, if blowing in the same direction for a few days, will push that surface water around.
Lots of changes to regulations this year.  Check the books and double check the landing to make sure you don't do something that could really cost you.  Highlights are reduced panfish limits on the flowages and the ongoing saga of not being able to fish for Musky or Walleye on the LDF reservation for non-tribal members.  The courts are due to decide on this issue in the next week or so.

Both the Rainbow and Willow flowages are down between 1' and 2' below capacity and are in the middle 70's.  That dark water is a good ticket to success especially when the sun shines.  Most lake water temps are in the lower 70's now.  That will greatly increase if we get those 80 degree temps next week.

ON A SCALE OF 1 to 10, HOW THEY HITTING?  
Walleye 8, Northern 7, SM Bass 8, LM Bass 8, Musky 7, Perch 8, Crappie 8, Bluegill 10, Rock Bass 10

OUR BAIT REVIEWS:
None this week

Enjoy your time in the northwoods and please slow down and be kind and be safe so you and others can do it again next year.  
I'm still taking in a bunch of guide reservations right now.  I have some availability all summer.  Call me on my cell at 715-892-2751 and we'll get out and definitely have some fun.
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IN-STORE & WEBSITE SPECIALS
Flats of nightcrawlers are now $59.  That's about $1.50 per dozen.  Our part to make fishing more affordable.

FREE Line (braid or mono) with any Reel or Reel and Rod Combo purchase

Early season specials, up to 50% off

Right now for live bait we have Wax worms, Red/White/Multi Colored Spikes, Crappie Minnows, Regular Fatheads, XL Fatheads (Tuffys), Blacktails, Redtails, Muds, Walleye Suckers, and a bunch of leeches and jumbo night crawlers.  Leeches will be by the dozen, 1/4, 1/2 and 1 pound.  Crawlers will be by the dozen, 2 dozen, 100 count and 480 count flats ($59).

BAIT SHOP HOURS
Monday thru Thursday 5am to 7pm
Friday 5am to 8pm
Saturday and Sunday 5am to 6pm

Business has been fabulous but Linda and I are ready to jump into retirement.  WE ARE NOT GOING OUT OF BUSINESS!  If you have an interest in owning and operating the largest non-franchised bait shop in Wisconsin and making a living while doing it, call Jeff at 715-892-2751 or Derek Larson at 715-360-2364.  We'll give you all the help you need to succeed in the beautiful northwoods of Wisconsin.

Jeff Bolander, Dewey, Catchem and How Bait Shop and Guides
715-892-2751 cell
715-358-5130 shop
www.DeweyCatchemAndHow.com

Was out with Denny and Barb yesterday throwing jigs for walleyes. We found fish in 14’ to 10’ of water getting keepers in 3 spots. The start was awesome Denny had 2 keepers in 3 casts Barb got her first keeper on her second cast. We made a move and hit a few spots with only a few shorts. Then we got on a spot with lots of walleye’s and by 9 am we had 8 keepers and around 15 short walleye’s. 5 small mouth bass came in the mix but just couldn’t find that last keeper, caught a 20 1/2” walleye with the heat we called it at 6 hours. Thanks guys was awesome to see you again. I have some open days still available in June text me if I can get you out on the water 715-614-1367. 

Do you scale dem beeg porch?

Musky Ben wrote:  "Stick-em:   Not sure why they'd change the walleye limit, although I didn't read back that far... Daily limits were changed per Gov Walker (Not My favorite move of politics in game/fish management) and have been three ever since...
Musky Ben"

Fin Bender wrote:  "M. Ben, the limit was 5, and still is. However only 3 from one body of water.
It was THE greatest decision. It eliminated the whole declaration process that was horrible. If you remember the tribes declared harvest on each water body...then state anglers had their limit reduced (usually down to between zero and 2 fish).... Then the tribal harvest was reviewed.... Then in some cases the state harvest would be increased on a lake by lake basis.  It was a terrible process."
Fin Bender:

I see the debate hasn't ended regarding daily bag vs. daily lake bag...
As I said in my post, I needed to read further back as I missed the total/whole daily bag limit vs. lake daily limit conversation that happened in posts earlier...  Fin Bender, You are correct regarding the daily limit is 5 and lake daily limit is 3.  Per further review on Page 73 of 2026-2027 the daily bag limit is 3. 

And I do remember the whole process. The tribal harvest was declared, then reviewed and the individual lake’s daily bag limit was then changed to reflect their harvest, usually between zero and three, not zero and two. Agree or disagree with the two sides' harvest timing and numerical take, it was still the best for the walleye in each lake.

Again, I would agree and disagree about it being the greatest decision. It did not end the declaration process, only a part of it, the part of certain lakes being over harvested, then only allowing the daily bag limit to be less than three.  It did nothing for the biology of safe harvest for either side. It allowed all parties to harvest as you please.  It also brought politics into an area where biology needs to be utilized, but then the WDNR becomes complicit. Enough of this and back to fishing…

Musky Ben

Was out yesterday with Mark, targeting Perch. We caught well over 40. 8 of them around 12", but the biggest at 13". 
The Perch are staying down deep in the water and coming on small jigs tipped with pieces of nightcrawler. Unfortunately, the wind picked up and cut our trip short. If you're interested in hitting the water, give me a call or text at 715-897-8308!

On the willow again yesterday fishing walleyes and crappies with Leonard and Roger. Dam we had to work for the walleyes and the wind was not bad. We caught around 30 with only 3 being keepers on jig and minnows. The crappies were tight to the bottom and not really on any kind of wood just in areas more around out in front of where there going in to spawn. Jig and plastic got us only 5 nice ones with a few small ones. We caught 5 small mouth bass 5 Northern’s we kept 3 to clean for their fish fry. Thanks guys was a good time out there. I have the 17th and the 20th through the 26th open text me to get out on the water 715-614-1367

Fished on the willow Flowage today with Ben and Zach. Wow that wind just will not let up was at least 15 mph most of the day. We started with walleyes and caught 4 keepers and about 15 shorts 3 bass and a really nice northern. The afternoon was crappie’s and that was tough for sure they had 6 nice ones and ran into a school of nice perch caught 10 kept 6 around 12”. I have all week open the week of may 20th through the 26th and then 30th 715-614-1367 text me thank you guys I really liked the time you were in the boat.

Fishlovme - Diddo! I tried to explain this exact thing about the perch fishing when Lake Michigan ( Where I fished) changed there limit to 5 fish per day. So many linkers told me I couldnt fish for them any where any more that day. It got so heated I called the DNR and had a warden call me back. He informed me that I could go to any other body of water to fill the rest of my DAILY limit as long as I did not go over any lake limits if there were any. I also have gone to 2 lakes in one day to fill my daily walleye limit as well. I made sure to keep the other walleyes on ice in the back of my truck. I was also told this was ok as long as you kept them separate and not (Quote): to do anything stupid (like put them all back in the boat for pictures at the launch). Before anyone comments on overharvesting, or isnt 3 enough? The answer is NO. I practice catch and release for all fish from panfish to game fish but I am not going to feel guilty or feel I have to explain to anyone for catching a an occasional meal for my family!
As always good luck to all this summer!
    In Good Sports - FishScale 

The easiest way is taking a picture of your fish at the landing before you leave. This gives you a time stamp and a visible location . I personally do it on  occasion when fishing different lakes with different size limits/slot sizes. Another example, go fish Lake Minoqua (when walleye limit was 0). I felt better having a picture of where I caught the walleyes, even though in a cooler in my truck.

Found a trailer motor support on Willow Dam Road yesterday. Let me know if it’s yours.