Vilas County Lakes

With most outdoors people thinking gun deer season opener coming up, not a lot of anglers hitting the water.  Those that did were finding surface temps of 40-44.5 degrees on average.  Yet following last week’s cold snap, with ice forming on shallow ponds and bays had anglers thinking “early Ice”!  Now, with forecasts of highs in the 50’s (57 for 11/16) don’t expect it to cool off fast enough for “Deer stands and tip-ups” this year.
 
Musky:  Good – Actually fair to great depending on the day and the angler.  One angler boated three Muskies of 42, 48 and 49 ¾” on Saturday (11/11).  That’s an incredible feat, let alone single handed?  While suckers have scored the majority of the Skies caught, rubber baits have put some fish in the net also.  Unlike the angler with the 3-fish day, most anglers happy to get one opportunity as the colder water has fish slowing down. That particular day (11/11) had several reports of multi-opportunities (figures I was in the shop all day)!
 
Did see some anglers baiting up for a final shot at Walleye as it warmed Saturday.  Expect a few more as those who haven’t put their boats away will want to take advantage of the warm spell.
 
Deer opener this Saturday (11/18).  Rut starting to wind down, wish we had some snow (didn’t need it last week).  May see some Thanksgiving.

(NO FISH NO PAY (GUARANTEED!)
 
Water temps in the 40’s.
 
All fish on live bait.

Heavy snow falling at my location as this report is posted, lake effect. 
 
Multiple locations are biting depending what body of water you are fishing. 
 
The strikes are soft, for us. All lakes turned over and the shallow lakes will be freezing very soon.
 
A few days behind in posting. 
 
As always, stay positive think clearly, do not listen to negative talk and do not listen to negative people.
 
God Bless John Andrew

Thursday, 11/9/23

Hmmm, just about the time we start thinking that we're almost done selling suckers a new weather report comes out.  Highs in the 40s and 50s next week with many days not getting below freezing.  For all you ice fisherman that had one foot outside of the garage with your shack in tow, step back.  It's gonna be a while longer I fear.  Just please let us have a bunch of ice before we get snow.  We deserve a good long ice season.  It's been a while, eh?

Not many folks out there beating the water right now, just the diehards.  And that's a shame cuz the weather, for the most part, has been decent.  About the only consistent MO to report is find'em deep.  A couple of guys caught 80 walleyes in one day and they had a hard time getting one under 20".  They were fishing 20-40' humps.  Same thing with Crappie killers, Bluegill bashers, and Perch poppers.  If there is deeper water on the body of water you are fishing, go fish it.

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All 13 Fishing reels in stock are 50% off while supplies last.
We have plenty of musky suckers right now. M-$10 L-$13 and XL $15

We continue to prepare for our Black Friday / Cyber-Monday days from November 24th to December 3rd.  There will be some unbelievable specials WRJO remote broadcasts and many many giveaways and raffle prizes.  Come on in the store to check it out.  We are adding new items every day to the specials list.  We have a current list of those specials on our website.  While you're on the site make sure to sign up for our newsletters so you will be the first to know when we add more items.

Right now for live bait we have Jumbo Crawlers, Small crawlers, Panfish Worms, Wax worms, Crappie Minnows, Regular Fatheads, XL Fatheads, Blacktails, Walleye Suckers, Northern bait, Medium, Large and XL Musky Suckers.

Our normal weekly hours are:
Monday thru Thursday from 7am to 6pm
Friday from 7am to 7pm
Saturday & Sunday 7am to 5pm

Let's continue to squelch a few rumors.  The shop is 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 our Realtor, Eric Johnson, at 715-892-1234 or call Jeff at 715-892-2751.

Jeff Bolander, owner of Dewey, Catchem and How Bait Shop and Guide Post
715-892-2751 cell
www.DeweyCatchemAndHow.com

Fished for eyes  Friday through Tuesday, big lakes producing big fish,  not too many fish under 15” but many over to 26”, jigging big Redtails or black tail chubs in 35-45 fow. Snowed yesterday for a bit a d cold it fishing quantity and quality. 

(NO FISH NO PAY (GUARANTEED!)
Water temps in the 40’s.
All fish on live bait. 
Sorry for the double post.
Sun came out yesterday just long enough to get this fast photo.
The strikes are soft, for us.
All lakes turned over and the shallow lakes will be freezing very soon.
Rain day today.
As always, stay positive think clearly, do not listen to negative talk and do not listen to negative people. 
God Bless John Andrew

(NO FISH NO PAY (GUARANTEED!)

Water temps in the 40’s.
All fish on live bait.
Sun came out yesterday just long enough to get this fast photo.
The strikes are soft, for us.
All lakes turned over and the shallow lakes will be freezing very soon.
Rain day today.
As always, stay positive think clearly, do not listen to negative talk and do not listen to negative people.
 God Bless John Andrew

Between Eagle River and St. Germain there are a number of good spots to fish the Wisconsin River from shore.

There is a public fishing pier on Plum Lake.

On Trout Lake, you can fish the narrows (channel between North and South Trout), you can cast into 40' deep water from shore there. I have been told they catch walleye. If you work your way along the shore towards South trout there is some good structure when you get close to the islands.

Look at a map, any lake in the Northern Highland forest has fishable shoreline if you are willing to break through some brush to get to them.

If you do some research and some work, some of those lakes have some very good fishing. 

If you have waders it will open a lot more spots to fish, being able ​to get away from the trees on shore really helps.

Good luck

Cty road k, just down the road from Stillwater’s.there is parking along side the road for several cars 

Thanks. I've never fished that lake but I've read about it. Any place in particular I could fish and not worry about trespassing on somebodies land? 

Try star lake it can also be good early ice for walleyes