FISHING REPORTS
Vilas County Lakes
Vilas County, Wisconsin
THE 2024 COLORADO
Today's Best Fishing Times
Get the best fishing times for Vilas County Lakes, Vilas County with Lake-Link's Fishing Forecast. SEE MORE
moon phase
Sun times displayed in .
Displaying 1 to 10 of 18,097 posts
Tour The St Croix Rod Factory
MORE
58°
Water: 47°
Lillypads
Been out fishing multiple times this week looking for crappies. All fish in staging areas that I found getting ready to move in when temps get up. They are very very spooky trolling motors any noise in the boat spokes them. Small bobbers with a plan wire hook most importantly no split shot or sinker and tail hook a small minnow. Some fish on shoreline but more staging. Middle of day better. Some on plastic but not many. They are in 3 to 4 foot of water. Look for old weeds or Lily pads. Water temps running 44 to 51 degrees.
Good luck. Still some open days in May and June.
God Bless
Steve
Hook Setter Guide
Good luck. Still some open days in May and June.
God Bless
Steve
Hook Setter Guide
We’re back…
Per usual, April showed us what April can be. Cold and wind this past week disrupted the nice warm up that seemed to be occurring. With limited options to the fishing here in the Northwoods (panfish and catch & release Bass) what was a slowly improving bite came to a crashing halt.
No worries, not a lot of anglers take advantage of the super early open water opportunities for panfish at times like these. But it can be productive under the right conditions.
On warming day, with air temps in the 50’s and 60’s, Crappies and Gills will congregate in the shallows to warm themselves and feed on invertebrates (Perch have or will be spawning further out away from these areas). These Gills and Crappies are not spawning, as some think, just collecting heat to help with the development of their eggs. These fish can be in as little as one foot of water and very spooky. Stay as far back as a long cast will allow to offer up waxies, leaf worms, small minnows or tiny tube jigs. Heavy, weighted floats, such as Rocket Bobbers, will help with these casts.
Forecast of highs in the 50’s, maybe low 60’s with bright sun will be best.
We are extending our line sale through April 28th, so take advantage and get freshly spooled.
As a reminder, the Lake Tomahawk/Lake Minocqua Chain will NOT be open to hook and line angling for Walleye at the time of the opener. In fact, if the LDF tribe does not spear Walleyes (they have not as of this writing) then the chain will remain closed until the 2025 opener.
As Walleyes For Tomorrow has asked in the past, please refrain from targeting Walleyes on the chain as we continue to work to rehabilitate the population.
Per usual, April showed us what April can be. Cold and wind this past week disrupted the nice warm up that seemed to be occurring. With limited options to the fishing here in the Northwoods (panfish and catch & release Bass) what was a slowly improving bite came to a crashing halt.
No worries, not a lot of anglers take advantage of the super early open water opportunities for panfish at times like these. But it can be productive under the right conditions.
On warming day, with air temps in the 50’s and 60’s, Crappies and Gills will congregate in the shallows to warm themselves and feed on invertebrates (Perch have or will be spawning further out away from these areas). These Gills and Crappies are not spawning, as some think, just collecting heat to help with the development of their eggs. These fish can be in as little as one foot of water and very spooky. Stay as far back as a long cast will allow to offer up waxies, leaf worms, small minnows or tiny tube jigs. Heavy, weighted floats, such as Rocket Bobbers, will help with these casts.
Forecast of highs in the 50’s, maybe low 60’s with bright sun will be best.
We are extending our line sale through April 28th, so take advantage and get freshly spooled.
As a reminder, the Lake Tomahawk/Lake Minocqua Chain will NOT be open to hook and line angling for Walleye at the time of the opener. In fact, if the LDF tribe does not spear Walleyes (they have not as of this writing) then the chain will remain closed until the 2025 opener.
As Walleyes For Tomorrow has asked in the past, please refrain from targeting Walleyes on the chain as we continue to work to rehabilitate the population.
Water: 45°
Thursday 4/18/24
Getting out a fair amount now with the tolerable temps. Winds have been challenging but for the most part they haven't hindered us too much. Crappie, as always this time of year, are the forage of choice. And they have been very agreeable to diving into our live well. Not a whole lot of rhyme or reason for where they are but for the most part it's the warmer water and weed related. Yesterday we found them all over the place in a big weed flat. They were anywhere from 2 to 7 foot deep. Not really schooled up yet as we were getting one here and one there. But there were a lot of 'theres' so we are gonna have our first big fish fry of the year tonight. Yeah!
Minnows on bare hooks with sinker under a certain colored bobber worked the best. I really didn't start catching them until I moved my sinker right up against the jig. But that was me. The others had their sinker about a foot up from the hook. I would have liked to try some other presentations but we were in my buddy's boat so I didn't have my arsenal with me.
We kept most of our tungsten ice fishing jigs out this year as more and more folks are seeing the advantage of using them in open water. Fast dropping, smaller profiles and easier for the fish to suck it make them an ideal bait. I like to use the ones with hair or add hair to the jig. That small flutter the hair makes is irresistible to the fish. Naked or tipped with your favorite meat will do the trick. I've also had some guys tell me you can see them easier on your FFS (forward facing sonar like Livescope, MegaLive, etc).
I got my boat ready to go. Do you? Get 'em ready. I always take a maiden voyage out by myself to see what I forgot. There always seems to be something. And I'd rather have it happen to me than to me and a client or two.
I've started taking a few reservations for guiding this summer. That always warms my bones. Give a call and we'll get out and have some fun. All the info is on the website at https://deweycatchemandhow.com/pages/northwoods-fishing-guide-service
------------
The shop is pretty much set up for open water tactics now. A few new items and a whole bunch of your favorite tried and true items are hanging on the hooks waiting for you to pick up.
Right now for live bait we have Jumbo Panfish worms, Crawlers, Wax worms, White, Red, Blue, Green, Orange, Yellow, Pink & Multi-colored Spikes, Crappie Minnows, Regular Fatheads, XL Fatheads, Mousees AND LEECHES!
Our hours are:
Monday thru Thursday - 6am to 6pm
Friday - 6am to 6pm
Saturday & Sunday - 6am to 5pm
We have to continue to squelch a few rumors. The shop is still for sale. Business is great but Linda and I are ready to ease 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, call Jim Cheshire, Realtor, at 715-892-4223.
Jeff BolanderDewey, Catchem and How Bait Shop and Guide Post715-892-2751 cellwww.DeweyCatchemAndHow.com
Getting out a fair amount now with the tolerable temps. Winds have been challenging but for the most part they haven't hindered us too much. Crappie, as always this time of year, are the forage of choice. And they have been very agreeable to diving into our live well. Not a whole lot of rhyme or reason for where they are but for the most part it's the warmer water and weed related. Yesterday we found them all over the place in a big weed flat. They were anywhere from 2 to 7 foot deep. Not really schooled up yet as we were getting one here and one there. But there were a lot of 'theres' so we are gonna have our first big fish fry of the year tonight. Yeah!
Minnows on bare hooks with sinker under a certain colored bobber worked the best. I really didn't start catching them until I moved my sinker right up against the jig. But that was me. The others had their sinker about a foot up from the hook. I would have liked to try some other presentations but we were in my buddy's boat so I didn't have my arsenal with me.
We kept most of our tungsten ice fishing jigs out this year as more and more folks are seeing the advantage of using them in open water. Fast dropping, smaller profiles and easier for the fish to suck it make them an ideal bait. I like to use the ones with hair or add hair to the jig. That small flutter the hair makes is irresistible to the fish. Naked or tipped with your favorite meat will do the trick. I've also had some guys tell me you can see them easier on your FFS (forward facing sonar like Livescope, MegaLive, etc).
I got my boat ready to go. Do you? Get 'em ready. I always take a maiden voyage out by myself to see what I forgot. There always seems to be something. And I'd rather have it happen to me than to me and a client or two.
I've started taking a few reservations for guiding this summer. That always warms my bones. Give a call and we'll get out and have some fun. All the info is on the website at https://deweycatchemandhow.com/pages/northwoods-fishing-guide-service
------------
The shop is pretty much set up for open water tactics now. A few new items and a whole bunch of your favorite tried and true items are hanging on the hooks waiting for you to pick up.
Right now for live bait we have Jumbo Panfish worms, Crawlers, Wax worms, White, Red, Blue, Green, Orange, Yellow, Pink & Multi-colored Spikes, Crappie Minnows, Regular Fatheads, XL Fatheads, Mousees AND LEECHES!
Our hours are:
Monday thru Thursday - 6am to 6pm
Friday - 6am to 6pm
Saturday & Sunday - 6am to 5pm
We have to continue to squelch a few rumors. The shop is still for sale. Business is great but Linda and I are ready to ease 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, call Jim Cheshire, Realtor, at 715-892-4223.
Jeff BolanderDewey, Catchem and How Bait Shop and Guide Post715-892-2751 cellwww.DeweyCatchemAndHow.com
THE ANGLERS CHOICE GUIDE SERVICE.COM
1-715-892-3020 [email protected]
NO FISH NO PAY (GUARANTEED!)
Most all Vilas county WI. lakes are (ice out) and boat traffic has already begun.
Early ice out this year, a week ago.
Some big lakes still have some slush ice.
A beautiful this weekend is in order, sunny and mild temps.
Remember, support your local business’s.
Some openings in May and June of 2024.
As always, stay positive think clearly, do not listen to negative talk and do not listen to negative people.
God Bless
John Andrew
1-715-892-3020 [email protected]
NO FISH NO PAY (GUARANTEED!)
Most all Vilas county WI. lakes are (ice out) and boat traffic has already begun.
Early ice out this year, a week ago.
Some big lakes still have some slush ice.
A beautiful this weekend is in order, sunny and mild temps.
Remember, support your local business’s.
Some openings in May and June of 2024.
As always, stay positive think clearly, do not listen to negative talk and do not listen to negative people.
God Bless
John Andrew
Does anyone have info on Gile Flowage water levels? I know this is a Vilas County thread, but it’s more active than Iron County kind and Gile has some overlap in anglers.
I have a trip 3rd week in May. Was at Willow Flowage Labor Day and it was down severely. Labrings dicey. Just wondering if I can expect something similar this year at Gile.
I have a trip 3rd week in May. Was at Willow Flowage Labor Day and it was down severely. Labrings dicey. Just wondering if I can expect something similar this year at Gile.
PCRESS:
Haven't been on the water lately, but had a friend up on L. Superior last weekend and they had 34* water temp. We were on GBay two weeks ago and had the same thing and 40* in the Oconto River. All of our lakes have refrozen and had ice on them, just looked at Town Bay in Lake Tomahawk and the lake ice was soft enough for boats to put in and ice broke up easily if it wasn't broken up by any wind. I would suspect that the warmest would the low to mid 40's and most if not all bodies of water are still in the 30's other than the shallowest of bays/lakes.
Musky Ben
Haven't been on the water lately, but had a friend up on L. Superior last weekend and they had 34* water temp. We were on GBay two weeks ago and had the same thing and 40* in the Oconto River. All of our lakes have refrozen and had ice on them, just looked at Town Bay in Lake Tomahawk and the lake ice was soft enough for boats to put in and ice broke up easily if it wasn't broken up by any wind. I would suspect that the warmest would the low to mid 40's and most if not all bodies of water are still in the 30's other than the shallowest of bays/lakes.
Musky Ben
Thursday 4/5/24
I think we are finally gonna get out of this winter. You know how it is in the northwoods. Winter always seems to go kicking and screaming into spring (or as we call it the mud and sand season). If the forecasts hold we are looing at sun and 50's for as far out as they dare forecast.
Time to load up on bait and head out for crappie, gills, perch and largemouth and rock bass. Just find the warmest water on the lake you can find and that's where they will be. It's gonna be a while before the crappie and gills are spawning but they will still be looking around for choice spots to do so right now. Look for staging areas outside of those spawning areas.
We kept most of our tungsten ice fishing jigs out this year as more and more folks are seeing the advantage of using them in open water. Fast dropping, smaller profiles and easier for the fish to suck it make them an ideal bait. I like to use the ones with hair or add hair to the jig. That small flutter the hair makes is irresistible to the fish. Naked or tipped with your favorite meat will do the trick.
Get the boats ready. I always take a maiden voyage out by myself to see what I forgot. There always seems to be something. And I'd rather have it happen to me than to me and a client or two.
I've started taking a few reservations for guiding this summer. That always warms my bones. Give a call and we'll get out and have some fun. All the info is on the website at https://deweycatchemandhow.com/pages/northwoods-fishing-guide-service
------------
The shop is pretty much set up for open water tactics now. A few new items and a whole bunch of your favorite tried and true items are hanging on the hooks waiting for you to pick up.
Right now for live bait we have Crawlers, Wax worms, White, Red, Blue, Green, Orange, Yellow, Pink & Multi-colored Spikes, Crappie Minnows, Regular Fatheads, XL Fatheads, Mousees AND LEECHES!
Our hours are:
Monday thru Thursday - 6am to 6pm
Friday - 6am to 7pm
Saturday & Sunday - 6am to 5pm
We have to continue to squelch a few rumors. The shop is still for sale. Business is great but Linda and I are ready to ease 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, call Jim Cheshire, Realtor, at 715-892-4223.
Jeff Bolander, owner of Dewey, Catchem and How Bait Shop and Guide Post
715-892-2751
www.DeweyCatchemAndHow.com
I think we are finally gonna get out of this winter. You know how it is in the northwoods. Winter always seems to go kicking and screaming into spring (or as we call it the mud and sand season). If the forecasts hold we are looing at sun and 50's for as far out as they dare forecast.
Time to load up on bait and head out for crappie, gills, perch and largemouth and rock bass. Just find the warmest water on the lake you can find and that's where they will be. It's gonna be a while before the crappie and gills are spawning but they will still be looking around for choice spots to do so right now. Look for staging areas outside of those spawning areas.
We kept most of our tungsten ice fishing jigs out this year as more and more folks are seeing the advantage of using them in open water. Fast dropping, smaller profiles and easier for the fish to suck it make them an ideal bait. I like to use the ones with hair or add hair to the jig. That small flutter the hair makes is irresistible to the fish. Naked or tipped with your favorite meat will do the trick.
Get the boats ready. I always take a maiden voyage out by myself to see what I forgot. There always seems to be something. And I'd rather have it happen to me than to me and a client or two.
I've started taking a few reservations for guiding this summer. That always warms my bones. Give a call and we'll get out and have some fun. All the info is on the website at https://deweycatchemandhow.com/pages/northwoods-fishing-guide-service
------------
The shop is pretty much set up for open water tactics now. A few new items and a whole bunch of your favorite tried and true items are hanging on the hooks waiting for you to pick up.
Right now for live bait we have Crawlers, Wax worms, White, Red, Blue, Green, Orange, Yellow, Pink & Multi-colored Spikes, Crappie Minnows, Regular Fatheads, XL Fatheads, Mousees AND LEECHES!
Our hours are:
Monday thru Thursday - 6am to 6pm
Friday - 6am to 7pm
Saturday & Sunday - 6am to 5pm
We have to continue to squelch a few rumors. The shop is still for sale. Business is great but Linda and I are ready to ease 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, call Jim Cheshire, Realtor, at 715-892-4223.
Jeff Bolander, owner of Dewey, Catchem and How Bait Shop and Guide Post
715-892-2751
www.DeweyCatchemAndHow.com
Displaying 1 to 10 of 18,097 posts
