Oneida County

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.

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

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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

We can put a fork in the ice season (or a chisel, spike, cleat, whatever your favorite euphemism would be).
 
While spots out on certain lakes still had fishable ice by Friday (3/8), even the weekend’s cold weather couldn’t hold up against the wind.  Shorelines are pulling away.  Ice (even when 6-8” was found) is not strong, crumbling under just a couple chisel strokes.   The next 40+ hours will be above freezing with some temps in the 50’s even possible 60’s with cooler weather the following week, things look to be just enough for neither ice nor boat anglers to be able to get out and fish panfish.
 
Without abilities to fish locally, this fishing report will suspend until there is something to write about.
 
Keep the evening of April 8th open to attend your local Conservation Congress Spring Hearings.  This is your chance to voice your opinion on subjects that affect you, the outdoors people!   Your support (or non-support) helps direct the Natural Resource Board to direct the Department of Natural Resources as to upcoming rules and regulations that affect us.  Remember, a non-vote is like ½ a vote for the opinion you have, so share. 

Thursday 3/7/24

Pretty simple report today

STAY OFF THE ICE!!!

Get the boats ready for chasing crappie and other panfish early for a change.  I've started taking a few reservations for guiding this summer.  That always warms my bones.  Give a call and we'll have some fun.  All the info is on the website at https://deweycatchemandhow.com/pages/northwoods-fishing-guide-service

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We are in the End of Season Sale NOW.  Come on in the store to check it out.  We are adding new items every day to the specials list.  They are also on the 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. Our most popular discount is buy 2 of the same thing and get one 50% off!  This does not apply to items that are already specially priced.  But just about everything in the store is discounted
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, Rosie Reds, Wigglers and Mousees.  This weekend might be the last for wigglers though.  Time will tell.

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 cell
www.DeweyCatchemAndHow.com

Worth the risk taking machine out this late in the year? I always check ice & drive slow, planned on hitting the sand/dam chain of lakes this weekend.

Anybody have any info on lake Oneida? Was hoping to get out this weekend. TIA

First lake I went to this morning had 4.5 inches of ice. It looked good, but my auger zipped through it real fast. It was partially honeycombed. Didn't stay there to fish.
Second lake had 8 inches when I started fishing. Packed up at 130pm, measured 7 inches when I left. Someone must have broke through by the landing on the second lake.

I have been out on several lakes in the oneida county area and there is plenty of good ice out there. Later in the week when the temperatures are in the mid 50s and sunny it might warm the ground causing the shore lines to soften, however with the predicted high temperature tomorrow being 17 and the low of 4 and also the low of 7 tonight this should help the ice stay a bit longer. If you still want to fish I would take advantage of the up coming last ice season. Last ice is always been the best for me. So those of you that have lost ice in the southern part of the state. Travel north to Oneida county and take advantage of the good ice fishing in the north woods. Make sure you do your own checking of the ice, don't go by what you here. Take a spud when the season is drawing to a close. I fished a few days ago and the bite was very much on for me. Caught some nice gills and crappies. Stay safe

ICE IS BECOMING UNSAFE

Don't risk it. Honeycombed ice is very dangerous and not enough people understand how easy it is to break through. Tried to fish a 280 acre lake today and the shoreline was rotted out about 10 yards and the ice past that looked sketchy. This was a moderately clear lake as well. With the upcoming weather,I'm hanging it up for the year. Just not worth dying. 

Just one week left to the inland gamefish season here in the Northwoods.  Lines out of the water at 11:59 PM on Sunday, March 3rd! 
 
Thanks to a couple more single digit mornings last week, we may have some of the best ice we’ve had all season, reports and personal measurements are ranging from 10-15” with 11-13” the most common.  Even had a report of 11” on South Trout!  Last week at bat for gamefish so we will start there…
 
Walleye:  Fair-Good – Tough with high pressure, but evenings picked up by Sunday night (2/25).   Jigging Raps, Tikka Minnows and Slab Raps produced fish in the upper teen to mid-20” range.  Tip-ups with suckers seemed best after dark.  Most reports from off shore humps and sand bars, though weed edges in 9-14’ also picking up evening traffic.
 
Northern Pike:  Fair-Good – Following a slow down of action, Pike activity also improved as of 2/25.   Big baits to deter smaller Bass and Pike preferred.  Pike suckers and large shiners.  Mornings still slower (could be single digit temps) but improve as things warm.
 
Largemouth Bass:  Fair – Action best on warmer days.  Medium shiners on tip-ups, but a #3 pimple loaded with waxies will also work.   Anglers using tip-downs with small minnows also reporting catching Bass – try small golden shiners if Bass are your target on tip-downs.
 
Bluegill:  Fair-Good – Like everything else, action came late in the weekend.  Anglers reported hardest part keeping lines in the water.   Nice Gills (7 ½+”) in weeds of 5-9’.   Others finding Gills over basins of smaller lakes (less than 500 acres) using tungsten to get (and keep) waxies, spikes or mousses down to the fish.
 
Yellow Perch:  Fair – Most reports from anglers fishing weeds of 5-12’ for other panfish scoring on nice “eaters” of
 8– 9 ½” on jigs with waxies or deadsticks and minnows.  Get just outside of the weeds into mud and lots of little ones.  Deeper mud flats (20-30’) providing some nice fish on spoons with wigglers.
 
Crappie:  Fair – Best over basins of 22-34’.  Be patient as schools seem to be on the move.  Small, flashy lures to attract – Tikka Flash, Jointed Pin Heads and small Kastmasters, then a more subtle approach at times to trigger shy fish.
 
A few Burbot being caught by night time Walleye anglers.   Not much on Whitefish.  Nothing on Bullheads.
 
Forecast:  I had down 58 hours of temps above freezing and 72 hours below through Saturday.   Aboves in 50’s at times, lows in single digits (one 17-hour stretch) bracketed by temps in teens mid-week to firm things up.  Dare I say ice should hold through the weekend, but if we don’t get more cold snaps in March, it may not last long.
 
Upcoming Events
Mar 2nd – KISS Annual High School Ice Fishing Tournament – Lake Minocqua