Willow Flowage

Half day today with Chuck, Lauren and Lisa fishing for crappies this morning. A slow start but it didn’t take long for them to come around with 19 keepers and a bunch of small ones. As always 1/16 oz jigs and plastic fished over the school of crappies all caught on Curtis Hobbs lite wire jigs 478-308-9505. We fished more stumps today and a few trees in around 12 fow. They were a fun family to fish with thank you so much guys. I have days open in September and October and two weeks in November for walleyes only 715-614-1367.

The landing next to the dam is the best landing. Crappies at the willow are on fire, out with Greg and Grahm today for eight hours. Walleye’s are hit a lot of spots for a few shorts and only one keeper. But crappies are hitting plastic all over the lake on jigs and 2” plastic. Started out a few big ones quick and easy but the wind was bad for their so made a move. We were on crappies in right away, caught about 60 and kept 30 nice ones . Great job guys and a lot of fun. 

Austin and Danny fished with me on the willow today. Started with walleyes for a couple of hours and caught only a few small ones on three spots. Going to the next spot, drove up on a stump with a ton of crappies. It was one after another for more than an hour. We had half are limit and a bunch of through backs and it wasn’t 11 o’clock yet. Two more hours and we had are limit thirty small crappies on a few stumps on 1/16 jigs and plastic. Hit the walleyes again and ended up with four more shorts and two keepers, great job guys now that was fun. I have this Sunday and next Sunday open this next week.715-614-1367 text me to get out on the water.

Got a late start on the willow today with Chris, fished 6 hours. Crappies were first and good start it was with eight in the first hour on jig and plastic over stumps. It took hour and a half to get up to 13 and then nothing for an hour. We made a big move and on one stump we got are last keepers. As we started for walleyes are first school of walleye’s we caught 3 keepers and 4 shorts 1 northern and a bullhead. Took almost the rest of are time to get 1 more keeper and a few shorts all coming on humps and a 3/16 jig and crawler. Was a fun day fishing with Chris. I have a three days open this week and the weekend open. Still lots of days open in next few weeks. Text me to get out on the water 715-614-1367

Fished the Willow Flowage this morning 1/2 day with Reid, Ross and Dwayne. Started with walleyes in river channels and slopes into the channel. 3/16 oz jigs and crawlers worked slowly, a few short walleye’s and two 19” nice keepers. The wind picked up as we started fishing crappies in 12 to 15 fow on stumps with 1/16 oz jigs and plastic working them over the crappies. We must have caught around 30 crappies keeping only 15 nice ones for their fish fry tonight. Was a lot of fun and they learned a lot about the Flowage that will come in handy as they have a house right down the road. Thanks guys definitely was fun fishing with you all. I have four days open next week three between the 15th and the 20th and a bunch after the 22nd text me to get out on the water 715-614-1367. 

Thursday 8/6/26

Flats of jumbo Canadian Nightcrawlers are now $59.  Count is approximately 500 worms. That's about $1.50 per dozen.  Our part to make fishing more affordable.

Again, the warm weather in the 80's continues.  Very unusual. But with the forecast of highs in the 70's on the way it looks like it's going to get better for the fisherman's comfort.

Overall fishing is at a 7 on a scale of 1-10.  But, as usual, you have to take what the lake will give you.  I've never understood the fisherperson who catches 50 bass in a day and is upset that they didn't get any walleye.  Some days are like that and I prefer to be thankful for them.  Because I know that the next day might entail catching a whole lot more walleye than bass.  But, to each his own.  We've been putting lots of fish in the boat but hardly any walleye.  But it's been a blast and we still come up with a big bag of meat for the fish fry.

We have been on the flowages and deep clear lakes lately, and they have been pretty darn good.  When you can go out for a few hours and end up with 5#s of filets, that's a pretty good bite.  What did we catch?  Walleye, bass, crappie, bluegill, perch and bullheads.  That's one of the fun things about the flowages is you never know what you got on until you get it over the boat.  The deep clear lakes have been the same.  A wild mix of panfish and game fish in the same area making for a "can't wait to see what I got this time" casts.

I've found that crawlers still are king out there.  I've noticed that at this time of year the length of the crawler matters.  Sometimes you need to use a whole crawler while at other times you should use 1/2, 1/3 or just a short nugget.  The livescope has been marking lots of fish in the 20-30 FOW but it's been a real challenge to get them to bite.  It seems as though there has been some type of bug hatch almost everywhere lately.  When we were on the flowages we were marking tons of fish but they were all up and down in the water column.  I don't know if they were chasing bugs or it the drop in the water level had them disoriented. 

Both the Rainbow and Willow flowages are about 5' to 6' below capacity and have water temps in the 70's. That dark water is always a good ticket to success especially when the sun shines.  Most lake water temps are in and around the middle 70's now, too.

ON A SCALE OF 1 to 10, HOW THEY HITTING?  
Walleye 6 (low light), Northern 5, SM Bass 10, LM Bass 10, Musky ??, Perch 10, Crappie 6, Bluegill 35, Rock Bass 10

OUR BAIT REVIEWS:
The 1Standard plastics out fished most of the other plastics in the boat today.  The Big Bite minnow was second.  Both developed by the same people, oddly enough.

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.  And please remember those middle turning lanes are not merging lanes and don't use them as off ramps either!

I'm still taking in a few more guide reservations right now.  I have a little availability left this 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 jumbo Canadian Nightcrawlers are now $59.  Count is approximately 500 worms. That's about $1.50 per dozen.  Our part to make fishing more affordable.
Kalin Tungsten search baits are 50% off.
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

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

FYI. Water level down 6’. Suggest stay in river chanel. Working on dam for last few weeks

Headed up next weekend. We've been on the flowage once before, but didn't spend much time fishing.  Hoping to get some general tips to catch some panfish/northerns/walleyes.  Thanks in advance!

Currently 5ft down which is about 3ft lower than normal for this time of year.  Proceed with caution and stick to the channel if you aren't familiar with this body of water.