Read an exclusive excerpt below of the DNR's 2008 Fishing Report. Now available for download at
www.fishingwisconsin.org, this report includes tips, stocking data, regional forecasts, and much more. Muskies, walleyes, bass - no matter what you're chasing, the annual report is a fantastic resource for all anglers!
by John Nelson
Few anglers would dispute that panfish provide the bulk of fishing opportunities and effort in Wisconsin. After all, panfish provide great action and are fairly easy to catch, evidenced by the 58 million panfish that anglers caught in the 2006 license year. Best of all, panfish taste great!
Here are some of my time-tested fishing tips for increasing your catch, developed over five decades of pulling in panfish and 25 years as a fisheries biologist in
Plymouth.
The number one rule is KEEP THINGS SIMPLE. Use:
- Ultralight tackle
- Light test line (two to four pounds)
- Small hooks for sunfish and perch (#10 and smaller), larger hooks for crappies
- Small bait (grubs, small leeches, small minnows, red worms, small plastics)
- The lightest weight required to get the bait down and the smallest bobbers to keep the bait positioned
The next key is to find active fish. Panfish are more actively feeding at sunrise and sunset. However, they are sometimes cooperative during the entire day, especially if the water is cloudy.
Quality-size panfish use very specific areas of a lake. Concentrate your efforts on outside weed edges, openings in weed beds, fish cribs and tree falls. Larger bluegills and crappies will often suspend over water 15- to 20-feet deep in summer, where water temperatures are cool and where their food (plankton) is abundant. Remember that they may be found in only five percent of the lake area, so you will have to move around a bit to find active fish. Slip bobber rigs are great for keeping the bait at the correct depth. Perch are often right on the bottom of the lake, feeding on snails and other organisms on rocks or in the mud.
The best technique to locate active panfish is to drift slowly across likely areas often, keeping track of where the best action is found. Use a small variety of techniques (plastics versus live bait) at different depths to find the fish. Use lake maps to mark where fish cribs are located or where fish were found to be active. Change locations often until the fish are found. Slight movement of the bait will often stimulate a strike.
Below are some waters where fisheries biologists have documented good quality panfish populations. Most of these waters are large and may withstand more fishing pressure. However, that small lake in your county may be a good bet as well.
NORTHERN REGION:
Chippewa Flowage, Sawyer County - Bluegills and crappies
Chetek Chain of Lakes, Barron County - Bluegills, crappies and perch
Turtle Flambeau Flowage, Iron County - Crappies
Lac Vieux Desert, Vilas County - Bluegills and crappies
Upper and Lower Clam lakes, Burnett County – Bluegills
NORTHEAST REGION:
Green Bay - Perch
Shawano Lake, Shawano County - Bluegills
Lake Winnebago pool lakes - Yellow perch
Cauldron Falls Flowage, Marinette County – Bluegills
Green Lake, Green Lake County - Bluegills
WEST CENTRAL REGION:
Mississippi River pools - Bluegills and crappies
Mason Lake, Adams County - Bluegills (small), crappies and perch
Lake Menomin, Dunn County - Bluegills
Tainter Lake, Dunn County - Perch
Stevens Point Flowage, Portage County - Crappies
SOUTHERN REGION:
Lake Monona, Dane County - Bluegills
Fox Lake, Dodge County - Bluegills, crappies and perch
Beaver Dam Lake, Dodge County - Crappies and perch
Lake Koshkonong, Jefferson County - White bass
Rock Lake, Jefferson County - Bluegills
SOUTHEAST REGION:
Lake Delavan, Walworth County - Bluegills
Pewaukee Lake, Waukesha County - Crappies and bluegills
Lake Michigan - Perch
Big Cedar Lake, Washington County - Bluegills and perch
Regardless of where you fish for panfish, enjoy the experience and the good eating that results. Remember also to limit your take of panfish. Quality-size panfish are a limited resource. Leave some for tomorrow.
Download the full report from www.fishingwisconsin.org.