Oneida County

Hitting the midway of May already.  While the season is only ten days old, it’s been a good start for Walleye anglers and picking up for those interested in other species.
 
Water temperatures are moving up gradually following opening week’s warm up.  Most lakes in the low to mid 50’s on average with some larger lakes in upper 40’s and a couple smaller, dark lakes and flowages touching upper 50’s to low 60’s. 
 
Largemouth Bass:  Very Good – Find shallows with wood and Bass actively hitting Wacky Worms and Flukes!  Lots of numbers, not as much size.  Great Action!
 
Crappie:  Good-Very Good – Reports of fish warming in shallows (3-5’) but spooky.  Long cast with Rocket Bobbers and tiny minnows on #10 Aberdeen hooks with no weight to entice bites.
 
Walleye:  Good-Very Good – On larger lakes, tail end of spawn over gravel beds at dark on minnow baits (Husky Jerks, Rattlin Rouges) or along gravel breaks with jigs and black chubs.   The drop in activity on what was a great opening weekend most likely due to post spawn hangover.  That bite is coming as shallows warm, leeches and insects emerge, minnows and fry return and move into shallows and Walleye follow!  Good weed action to come, look for fresh greens.
 
Northern Pike:  Good – Cruising shallow of 3-6’.  Key on any green vegetation.  1/16 oz weedless jigs with guards and baited with red sided Dace.  Three-inch twisters or 4” Flukes worked slowly through existing cabbage.
 
Yellow Perch:  Good – Not targeted, but nice, post spawn Perch to 12” over weekend cruising shallows.  Big Perch with slack bellies taking jig and minnow combos meant for Walleyes in 3-6’ weeds/wood.
 
Smallmouth Bass:  Good – Not a lot targeted, but large fish to 21” (Catch & Release only).   Mostly in shallows by anglers targeting Walleyes or LMB!
 
Bluegill:  Fair – Few reports, but starting to gather in shallows for warmth!
 
Brown Trout:  Excellent – Brown Trout??  Excellent??   Yes, excellent, I caught one without trying, first ever, 21 ½”.  Fought like the devil.  Gotta have a trout stamp.  Doubt I’ll ever see another!  Excellent!
 
Weather looks fairly stable for the week.  Maybe some rain Thur/Fri.  Drop during this time, but nice gradual warm up to follow.   New Moon this weekend, good time.

As we were cruising across the lake last night to a top secret crappie spot we couldn't help but enjoy the fact that we weren't wearing any coats and we didn't have any augers with us.  Yeah!!  It looks like we finally outlasted winter.  The forecast down the line is looking fabulous.  On Sunday water temps were 48-53 and last night they were 55-66.  But that is surface temp.  It will take a little while for those temps to dig to the bottom.  With those temps and the forecast I'm hoping for a nice normal spawning period this year for all species.

The walleye we found so far have been in the shallow rocks and gravel.  We haven't found too many leakers as the females are still hard and the males aren't messing up our floors.  But they've been coming over the side of the boat in droves.  It's been a great bite.  One of my guide buddies put 105 in the boat last Saturday while another did 75 on the same day but different bodies of water.  Each body of water you hit will probably hold walleyes in a different place.  Look for them and once you find them it hasn't been to hard to make them bite.

Crappies have been on fire, too.  Most seem to be very tight to cover.  And I mean if you're not casting within 1 foot of the cover you ain't getting them.  Most places we found them they were extremely shallow or very close to the first break.  Pretty much any crappie bait will lure them into biting but when accuracy is a must, you need to go to the hook, minnow and bobber.Largemouth are shallower, too.  They are banging pretty much whatever you throw at them but paddletails seem to be the best.  Those tickletails are great baits to throw at them as well as the 360 search baits.

Northerns are a blast this time of year.  There are so many places you can go right now and catch dozens of them.  Guys who pickle them are filling their buckets.  Spinners, live chubs, plastic grubs all work well.

We haven't gone after smallies, bluegills or perch yet so the regular advice goes here.  Green weed edges and slow presentations.

Ok, a little secret that not many know about or take advantage of.  Get your firetiger rapalas out and hit the rocky shoreline flats early evening into darkness for a chance at a big mama walleye getting ready for the spawn.  Do it.

We have the following for live bait right now: Minnows: Crappie, Regular fats, XL Fats (Tuffys), Dace, Muds, Blacktail chubs, Walleye suckers, Northern bait, Leeches (small to jumbo) , Wax worms, panfish worms, Jumbo and regular nightcrawlers, spikes

Hey, the shop is set up for summer right now.  A few finishing touches being executed but I would say we have 90 percent of the stuff up.  Folks come in frequently and tell us our selection is second to none!  And they are correct.  If you can't make it in you can always order from our website, at www.deweycatchemandhow.com and we'll ship your order to you or hold for you until you get here.  Blackfish gear is 20% off right now.

Let's squelch a few rumors.  The shop is for sale.  Business is great but Linda and I are ready to retire.  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.

Our normal weekly hours are:
Monday thru Thursday from 5am to 7pm
Friday from 5am to 8pm
Saturday and Sunday 5am to 6pm

Jeff Bolander, owner of Dewey, Catchem and How Bait Shop and Guide Post at www.DeweyCatchemAndHow.com
Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/DeweyCatchemAndHow
Jeff Bolander - Thursday 5/11/23
Dewey Catchem and How Guide Service(715) 892-2751

It Happened!!!
 
We had an opener!  2023 Walleye opener and it was a good one! With ice still at a few landings, even opening morning, plenty of opportunities to launch and get out on the water. 
 
Walleye:  - Excellent to Very Good – With the late ice out, Walleyes were ready to spawn.   Anglers who headed out early in the morning (pre-dawn) reported great action shallow in 2-3’ of water.  As morning progressed, Walleyes moved out to 5-8’ depths, and deeper, on many lakes to ready for the next evening’s spawn.   Rip N Raps, Rattle Traps, Husky Jerks and Rattlin Rouges from shore for the “midnight” crowd.  Big girls to 28” reported.  For daytime, 1/16 oz Jacks Weedless jigs and Invasion jigs tipped with Tuffy minnows (redtails and dace not available) were the ticket for “second shift”.  Lots of action, lots of keepers and lots of released slot and big females!  With water temps ranging 38 degrees (Trout) to 52 degrees (Willow) lots of opportunity for similar action and some great post-spawn action to come.
 
Crappie:  Very Good – Not much attention paid to this weekend, but for the few who did, good reports.   Finding the warmest water on the lake, with standing weeds in 4-8’.  Crappies and Largemouth Bass staging in the warmest water (usually 2-3 degrees above rest of lake).   These Crappies are skittish.   Small, heavy floats for long cast so you don’t spook fish.  Try using no weight.  Let tail hooked minnows swim naturally to attract bites.
 
Northern Pike:  Good – Not targeted much, but some incidentals by anglers jigging for Walleyes.
 
Yellow Perch:  Good to Fair – Most by accident.  Those that have been are ripe with spawn as they will be next in line.
 
Largemouth Bass:  Fair – Rarely targeted, but anglers reporting some catches while working soft bottom bays for Walleyes.
 
Smallmouth Bass:  Fair – Ditto as in Largemouth, yet on rocks instead of soft bottoms.
 
Increasingly warming temps will accelerate the Walleye spawn this week.  Once spawn bite dies down, look for Eyes to move to weeks to feed up, should be good for next couple weeks.  Crappies, Gills and Bass will continue to “herd” up where the warmest water can be found.   Lots of anglers out for the opener, but pressure will lessen as the week goes on.

After further review…its going to be down to the wire on most bodies of water and several of our largest lakes probably won’t be open until well after opening weekend.
 
Yeah, I know…I know…last week I predicted, guessed, wished that ice would be gone by May 1st…I’ve sobered up a bit since then, now the reality of the ice hangover begins!
 
Too much cold weather, some snow, with only two days above 50 degrees and we are in a pinch.  Snow predictions for Sunday/Monday (4/30-5/1) put totals of 10-11” of snowfalls on our lakes.  Ice is dark on many lakes and the snow will cover up (but also weigh down, fingers crossed) the rotting ice.  
 
It’s too dangerous to walk on ice for measurements, cold temps with added snow will only cool lakes off.  Forecast for warming temps coming on Wed (5/3) through Sunday (5/7).
 
Check out our website and Facebook for updates.

I drove around to check out a bunch of lakes this morning hoping to gather a bunch of good observations that the ice will be gone by the Opener.  Well....  It's going to be close if it happens.  On any decent sized lake right now there is no black ice.  But the good news is a lot of lakes, because of the way the ice formed this past winter, won't have black ice.  But still, we are a long ways away from being guaranteed an ice-free Opener.  I remember one year the lakes mostly opened the night before the Opener.  I believe that is what we got coming. I'm pretty confident that there will be plenty of places to fish on the Opener so get that boat ready.

I'll update all the ice info next Wednesday of Thursday.  Hopefully a few of the docks will be in by then.

Hey, the shop is set up for summer right now.  A few finishing touches being executed but I would say we have 99% percent of the stuff up.  Folks come in frequently and tell us our selection is second to none!  And they are correct.  If you can't make it in you can always order from our website, at www.deweycatchemandhow.com and we'll ship your order to you or hold for you until you get here.  
Here's our plan for bait availability for the Opener:

Minnows: Crappie, Regular fats, XL Fats (Tuffys), Dace(?), Muds (?), Redtail & Blacktail chubs, Walleye suckers, Northern bait
Leeches, Wax worms, panfish worms, Jumbo and regular nightcrawlers, spikes

Opener hours are:Friday from 8am to MidnightOpener, Saturday 4am to 6pmSunday 5am to 6pm

Our normal weekly hours following the Opener will be:Monday thru Thursday from 5am to 7pmFriday from 5am to 9pmSaturday and Sunday 5am to 6pm

Let's squelch a few rumors.  The shop is for sale.  Business is great but Linda and I are ready to retire.  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.

Jeff Bolander, owner of Dewey, Catchem and How Bait Shop and Guide Post at www.DeweyCatchemAndHow.comFacebook page at https://www.facebook.com/DeweyCatchemAndHow Jeff Bolander - Friday 4/28/23

Mild temps have held ice melt back for the past week.   We are losing ice, but not as quickly as we would like.  Overnight lows in the 20’s are keeping the daytime highs from eating away much ice, but open water is coming!
 
Starting mid-week (Wed/Thur) with lows above freezing (so 24 hr melt), wind and rain, I’ll predict (then deny) most lakes will be open by May 1st!  Opener is May 6th.  Expect a prespawn/spawn bite with this late ice out for Walleyes.  Water temps “should” be in that “sweet” (38-40 degrees) spot about then on most lakes.  With late ice outs, Walleyes will be wanting to “dump” their cargo in a hurry after the extended “layover”.  Signs point to a good opener!

Went by carrol lake this afternoon and was surprised to see a guy out there fishing with a snowmobile.  I guess the south shorelines are holding up quite well yet. Most north and west shorelines are open up 10 ft or more

Aloha everyone!  70-80 temps the last few days and couple more coming has got us wearing our grass skirts!  Remnants from the 20 some inches of snowstorm we got are almost gone.  Ice conditions are dwindling fast but there is still a bunch out there.  Amounts very by lake but there are plenty of places to fish.  The biggest concern at this juncture is even if I can get out on the ice, will I be able to get back.  The ice is starting to pull away from the shorelines rapidly, especially on the north ends.  I know a couple of crazy guy that don't stop fishing until one of them falls thru, seriously!  Granted they are falling thru around 3' of water but com'on, that's still at the equator!

Reports have been kinda spotty lately because access has been almost non-existent after the snow storm.  Really, not much has changed.  Except action has picked up because the warmer oxygenated water is going down into the lakes right now giving all the species a boost.
Perch - In the mud bug hunting
Crappie - Suspended over deep basins or in shallow green weeds chasing small minnows, bugs and stuff
Bluegill - same as Crappie
Walleye - In the rivers up to the dams chasing minnows getting ready for the spawn.

Hey get out there and develop your favorite bait and the one you just gotta have.  That's the challenge to fishing.  Finding the right MO for that period of time you are on the water.  Get at it and do it with friends and family.  Now that's the only way!

Hey, the shop is pretty much set up for summer right now.  A few finishing touches being executed but I would say we have 90 percent of the stuff up.  You can still buy ice stuff which we have stored in our warehouse.  Folks come in frequently and tell us our selection is second to none!  And they are correct.  If you can't make it in you can always order from our website, at www.deweycatchemandhow.com and we'll ship your order to you or hold for you until you get here.  CLAM and Strikemaster Ice Suites are 50% off and  the selection is dwindling fast.  The sale ends when the stock is gone.

Let's squelch a few rumors.  The shop is for sale.  Business is great but Linda and I are ready to retire.  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.

Our normal weekly hours are:Monday thru Friday from 8am to 6pmSaturday and Sunday 8am to 5pm

Jeff Bolander, owner of Dewey, Catchem and How Bait Shop and Guide Post at www.DeweyCatchemAndHow.comFacebook page at https://www.facebook.com/DeweyCatchemAndHow
Jeff Bolander - Thursday 4/13/23

With some good reports after the dumping of snow coming in, fishing has been overall good.
 
Now the next question is, “How long will the shorelines be OK?”.  Temps into the 60’s and even possibly 70’s and evenings staying above freezing for the next 5 days is going to determine how easy getting on the ice will be.  Watch for slush pockets but some comfortable fishable ice is still out there.  Track machine, snowmobile and foot travel is your best bet.  Be careful of slush pockets with vehicle travel.
 
Crappie:  Good-Very Good – Still a bit scattered, but plenty of quality fish being reported.   Finding some shallow, 8-12’ weed edges best.  Still, some being found in as deep as 22’.  Minnows working, as well as, waxies or plastics on jigs.
 
Bluegill:  Fair-Good – Mostly found mixed in with the Crappie hitting more jigs with spikes or waxies.  Not as aggressive as the Crappie though.
 
Yellow Perch:  Good – The few reports that have come in are indicating a better than decent bite.  Small rosies on tip-downs or wigglers seem to be the best.
 
Walleye:  Good-Very Good – Although the season is closed and you cannot target in area lakes, people fishing the dams south of Tomahawk in the river are reporting many big # days using large fatheads or big rosies.

Snow, more snow, and some more snow.  20 plus inches (No April fooling) fell over the weekend, which pretty much shut fishing down over the past few days.  Basically, no reports over the weekend to write about.   
 
If venturing out, extensions are needed to get through all the ice and snow.  Travel is limited to snowmobile or tracked machines or foot.
 
Warmer weather is predicted which should knock down snow in days to come to make travel easier.