Wisconsin Opener Reports?

[Deitz Dittrich]

Hey all, thought it would be fun to post your fishing reports for the WI opener..

Saturday I had a late start, my brother and his family spent the night at my house.. Was fun spending time with the family, so my late start was worth it.

Anyway, I decided to start in the Grantsburg/Siren area. I usually start in this area as I have had success there in the past. I got to the lake just as a couple friends were coming off. Scott Peterson(huminbird rep) and then our own Mr. Ray Esboldt.. Both gave me similar reports that bass were in the newish weed growth in the 4-8 foot depths. I managed 18 fish in 4 hours of fishing. The wind was a bit of a bother. Water temps were 53-55 depending on where I was. Most fish came in typical prespawn areas. Weed growth on the edges of known spawning areas. I caught a few fish on an spinnerbait using it to locate good areas. I would then comb the area with an OutKast swim jig(sunfish color), the majority of fish came on that presentation. I threw a rapala Xrap till my arm was sore, this is usually the best presentation this time of the year, but for the life of me I could not buy a bite on it. I did manage a 31" pike, and my largest Bass was 16"...

Sunday I headed headed across the river in the St.Croix Falls/Amery area.. I lake hopped to 5 different lake, in search of warmer water. The first lake I hit was a very small lake just south of St. Croix falls, water temps were closer to 53 and the bass were not to be found. Only fished the lake an hour at the most.. I then hit a larger chain of 3 lakes to the east, this was the first time on this body of water. Very interested in fishing it again.. however I only managed one 15" fish. Fished it for about 2 hours.. headed further east. I then dropped the boat in the Apple River Flowage.. Fished it hard for about 2 hours, had one bite, water temps were exactly what I was looking for 57-58 in some areas.. But the bass were no where to be found. I talked to 3 other bass boats out there and none of them had caught a fish yet either.. I finally ended up back near St. Croix falls, but fished the last lake for only an hour.. with no fish to be caught.

All in all, a fun opener, but I have a feeling things could be very good next weekend.. HOWEVER, I will be working not fishing. I will be at the Onamia Reeds store for the fishing opener.

[sicheneder]

i was in the amery area on sat and caught 20 - 30 bass all small 14" or less. i was surprised how low the water was. i could not launch at horseshoe lake by turtle lake the water was to low for my boat. the fish came shallow. the weeds seemed to be off a bit, but there was some pads up. most fish caught later in the day after sun had been shining.

[Nick Kuhn]

Saturday was only out for a little while at our cabin, I managed about a 14" fish (but I did get the first fish of the year), my brother followed with a 15" fish and that was it.

Sunday went north to a clearer and shallowed lake and the water was a few ticks warmer. Male fish were all in shallow (<4ft some right on shore) chasing small white or silver inline spinners. Females were out a bit deeper on rocks and wood (and away from the weeds). I wasn't bass fishing though, was chasing pike. The pike were much more frustrating, we put maybe 15 in the boat (biggest was 29.5", but most were small). The bigger fish would just follow all the way to the boat, and they would follow all the time (but only 1 struck boatside and they wouldn't chase an 8). I even had one cast with a baby girl that had 2 fish follow it to the boat. Slower presentations really didn't have more hits, and the live bait guys weren't catching anything so who knows what the deal was.

A few problems though, the trolling motor battery didn't take it's charge so we had no trolling motor which is a pain. Then on the way home a stick or something came up and snapped the transducer.

[Craigums]

I also fished in the Grantsburg area. Caught fish most fish on spinnerbaits in the shallows and working a jig in the weeds in 8-10fow near spawning areas. This method seemed to produce the most fish but only had 2 fish over 14''

[Aaron Carrell]

I hit a small lake just across the border from the metro on Saturday midday. Put 5 fish in the boat and missed a few others do too equipment malfunction (or just lack of me checking drag, etc...). Had a 18" and a 17" LM both hit in similar style areas near calm water and a very large laydown. 4 of the 5 fish boated were on a chatterbait (white) or a rattlebait. Had a little bit of dock action, finding 3 fish under larger docks but only got 1 all the way to the boat. All the fish were definitely relating to shallow structure for the most part.

Water temps were sitting right near 56º.

Wasn't crazy numbers like I had hoped, but I'll take a few decent sized fish anyday, especially on an opener too! There were quite a few other boats on the lake, and I didn't see anyone else catch a fish, so who knows if I was the only one having much luck. Most were really fishing slow, and I did just the opposite most of the time.