Chippewa Flowage Fishing Reports

[Tom_Christianson]

Hi everyone,

Guided Jeremy and his father in law Dick for a full day today. With an overcast sky on a cool morning with a light NW wind, the fishing started out slow. It wasn't untill the 6th spot that we caught our first walleye. Dick broke the ice with a nice 17"er then followed up with another 17"er. We wound up with 1 more walleye in that particular spot when the action slowed. Knowing another spot of similar structure and cover and depth, I moved us to that spot and it was the honey hole for today. We caught 8 walleyes there for a total of 11 for the day keeping a three man limit of 9. Most of the walleyes were caught by jigging with a leech, and a few on the bobber rig with a leech.

With a three man limit of walleyes in the live well, we fished for panfish for the rest of the day and wound up with a few to add fillets to the pile. The water temps cooled down to 66 from 69 the day before and with the overcast sky for most of the day, it did not warm up. Good luck fishing everyone.

Walleyemaxx

[Tom_Christianson]

Hi everyone,

Just a quick report. Guided this morning and last night for the LCO partners event held at the landing resort the last two days. There were 32 guides hired to take out all the participants enjoying the event with fishing and good food provided for everyone there. In two- half days of fishing, in my boat we caught a total of about 2-1/2 dozen blugills and about a dozen crappies and 4 nice walleyes, and a medium northern. Most were caught today when I took an 11 year old young man named Ian. this young man was an excellent fisherman. His dad told me Ian had been fishing since an early age, and it showed. Ian is already an accomplished jig fisherman.

The weather was different from each day with sunny on Wednesday and mostly cloudy today. No wind yesterday and a good walleye chop from the SW. today. Both days the air temps were warm. the water temps were steady at 67 degrees both days. Good luck fishing everyone.

Walleyemaxx

[vman59]

been doing very good on eyes deep, using a slip float and a leech on a sppon from northland. My personal best of 29 inch's this past weekend.

[Tom_Christianson]

Hi everyone,

Guided an afternoon half day out of Treelands resort. Took a father/daughter, Kevin and Mackenzie out for some walleye fishing. Kevin had read my book "The Walleyemaxx System" and was impressed at how I work my system. The afternoon started out with a bang with Mackenzie catching the first few fish. then Kevin got on the board with a nice walleye and the fishing for the first few hours was very good. We boated several bluegills, crappies and a few walleyes. But the last hour, every thing just shut down. We couldn't buy a bite. On the last spot we did see a musky cruising around on the surface in 16 feet of water. That was very cool to watch.

The weather was beautifull the whole afternoon. Partly sunny with a decent SW wind making a good walleye chop. Air temps were in the high 70's and the water temps had warmed up to 74 degrees. A big warm up from yesterday. In the evening the wind died to nothing and the sky's cleared somewhat and that is when the fishing seemed to shut down. Actually kind of typical, but we did catch several fish for the afternoon including walleyes and I was impressed at 11 year old Mackenzies fishing skills. She is a very good fisher person.

All the fish were caught on jigging a leech, nothing on the bobber rig.Again all in the deep wood. Did not fish any weeds. Kevin expresed an interest to not keep any fish tonight so all fish were released. He was happy to learn new productive spots and will keep some fish for a fish fry later as he and Mackenzie go fishing those same spots. Good luck fishing everyone.

Walleyemaxx

[Tom_Christianson]

Hi everyone,

Guided Greg and Rob for a half day out of Chippewa Shores resort yesterday. It was a heavy overcast sky that looked like there could be a thunderstorm. So we started our trek with an eye on the sky. With a strong SW wind, with very warm air temps in the high 70's without the sun.

Jigging with leeches over a deep water wood hump, the action was slow. The only fish caught there was a walleye by Rob, which is the first walleye he had ever caught. He had never had a chance to fish walleyes before so Greg and I taught him an easy way to jig and Rob did an excelent job of it. After that it was slim pickins. We fished hard for the next three hours with only a few bites that we missed but no fish. I finally figured I'd make a major move to an isolated tree ladden hump. that was the honey hole for the day. When we left at dark, we had boated three more walleyes, with Greg catching two 18"ers, for a total of four and several blugills and perch. It was a rewarding way to end an otherwise slow day. The water temps have dipped to 72 degrees and that threatening storm never materialized as the sky cleared up to a beautifull sunset.

Greg had read my book "The Walleyemaxx System" and was impressed how I do fish that system. He said it was fun to put the information learned in the book into action. Good luck fishing everyone.

Walleyemaxx

[snoozebutton]

Thanks again for all the reports Tom!!! I've only been out there twice this year both time with my grandson chasing bluegills and crappies and have done just okay.

And Vman, a 29? Wow!!! Congrats and do you have pics? I'd love to see it. Are you still moving your camper and if so, which lake have you decided on?

[vman59]

nope did not move they came down with their prices. Gills are starting to bed up but still getting females in 25ft+ fow. I will shoot one to your email address.

[Tom_Christianson]

Hi everyone,

Guided Julie and brian for a half day today out of Treelands resort. we had a great time with a couple of firsts. Julie caught her first walleye ever and also caught her first ever mudpuppy- yes mudpuppy. I knew they were there, but never saw one caught untill today. Fortunatly, Julie also caught the biggest walleye of the day as we wound up with 10 walleyes keeping a two person limit of 6 and we caught perch, sm. bass, and bluegills to round out the morning.

Everything was caught on jigs and leeches, some on the bobber rig, the rest jigging. All out in the deep wood. The air temps got to a sweltering 88 degrees and the water temps were in at 74 degrees. The wind was howling pretty good from the SW to start and swithched more to West under an increasingly cloudy sky that started out as a clear bluebird day. Good luck fishing everyone

Walleyemaxx

[vman59]

its nice coming in here and not have all the commercialization thats going on on Lake link on the chippewa flowage thread. Been talking to allot a people about it and they all agree its getting sickening. Rick does a good job keeping that garbage out of the threads.

[vman59]

Just curious if anyone has come across any decent cabbage beds on the southeast side? Don't know if its this years weird weather or the high water but all the cabbage I knew of did not come up or haven't yet.

[vman59]

good weekend on the chip, did good on eyes on the east side. Lindy rig with floating jig worked on drop offs and the deep edges of humps.

[vman59]

As sportsmen its also our duty to help protect the fisheries as best we can. Lets try to throw back the smaller fish we catch when we can. Even though there isn't a size limit on some fish they to set a size limit for what you catch it will help preserve what we have for the future. It sad to see so many "small" fish being kept and certainly isn't anything to brag about.

I have seen numerous posts with pics of walleyes under 15 inch's many 11,12,13 inch that have been kept. Its just my point of view but little walleyes like that are are fishing future.

[snoozebutton]

I though the Chip had a minimum of 15" on walleyes. (I could be wrong though.)

[vman59]

P Chippewa Flowage: The minimum length limit on muskellunge is 50". The open season on

walleye is May 5 to November 30 and there is no minimum length limit on walleye. There is

no minimum length limit on largemouth bass, but the minimum length limit on smallmouth

bass is 14".

We are selves have a self imposed 15'19' slot of any eyes we keep the rest go back. Kind a wish they would do that there {just my opinion} but nobody wants it and that's fine majority should rule.

[vman59]

Was up again this weekend chasing eyes and my grandson who's 3 1/2 caught his first walleye and an 18' to boot. He was tickled to death to have gotten it. Had to run back to the camper and tell grandma.

[vman59]

FISHING REPORT Muskies: Muskie action is inconsistent, with best fishing in early mornings and in the evenings into and after dark. Cooling temperatures should improve the daytime bite. Target along and over deep green weeds, mid-lake points, bars, and humps, breaklines, drop-offs, cribs, and anywhere you see baitfish. Most productive baits include topwaters, bucktails, glide, jerk, and stick baits.

Walleye: Walleye fishing is fair to good, but there is a very short bite window. Early morning, late evening into dark, and overcast days are best. Prime locations include deep weeds, gravel, sand, humps, flats, and drop-offs, with depths out to more than 30 feet. Leeches and crawlers on Lindy Rigs, harnesses, and slip bobbers, and minnows on jigs are all good choices. Trolling stick and crank baits along shallow and mid-depth weed edges in the evening is also producing fish.

Northern: Northern pike action is on the quiet side for a change. With warm water temperatures, they are probably sulking in deeper, cooler water. You can find plenty of action for small pike in shallower weeds, but for bigger pike, you will have to go with larger baits in deeper water – and northern suckers might be a good choice. Otherwise, toss spinnerbaits, spoons, twitch and jerk baits.

Largemouth Bass: Largemouth bass fishing is excellent, from very shallow to the second break, including slop, structure, lily pads, weed edges, wood, docks, bogs, and brush, with topwaters, swim jigs, soft plastics, and rigged plastic worms. Live bait works well for largemouth, but during hot weather it is neither necessary nor worth the hassle.

Smallmouth Bass: Smallmouth action is fair to good, with fish on deep rocks and rock bars, gravel, cribs, wood, and weed lines in 10-18 feet of water. Top producing artificials include plastics, jigs, jerkbaits, crankbaits, X-Raps, and tubes. For live bait fishing, go with crawlers and leeches.

Crappie: Crappie fishing is good once you find the fish. Better fishing is in late afternoon into evening. Fish are holding and/or suspending near deeper weeds, cribs, brush, and bogs in 8-20 feet of water. Check the entire water column. Baits of choice include crappie minnows, panfish leeches, crawler pieces, plastics, Gulp! minnows, and tubes under slip bobbers.

Bluegill: Small bluegills are providing nearly non-stop action for kids fishing off docks and around shallow weeds with waxies and worms. For bigger ‘gills, work deeper water (10-18 feet) with the same baits or leeches, crawlers, and minnows tipped on small jigs or plain hooks and under slip bobbers.

[foulpole18]

Heading up to the flowage on August 25 and staying on Chief lake. I've never fished the west side on the lake before and could use some insight. Will be muskie, walleye and pan fishing.

Not looking for your spots, but some generalities would be great. I'm thing structure near deep water, probably close to old river channels to start.

TIA

Brian

[vman59]

if you haven't done so already I would go back through the thread for both lakes some very good information on them and can give you an idea of what and where to go.

[foulpole18]

I shoulda said that I read all the pages on the Chip before posting. I was wondering about that part of the lake because I never hear much about it. I did read somewhere else that the muskie fishing in the Chief Lake area in pretty poor.

I havent really found anything else about other species in that area either. Is it not a very popular area of the lake?

[vman59]

Well don't really know how to help you on this. I fish the SE side of the chip, my suggestion is to get a good map and go from there. Panfish bite has been good of late and the eyes are deep and if you can find wood deep all the more better of your chances for them. Are you just after musky? If you hire a guide be very careful on who you go with. if you need a reccomendation let me know I can give you one who's pretty good.

[foulpole18]

Sounds like what I was planning on doing is what I'll have to start with. That and done long boat rides to some areas I'm familiar with.

VMAN thanks for the advice good luck fishing.

[Myrt]

Vman59...I would be interested in your guide reference if you would like to pm me

[vman59]

Good weekend on the flowage fishing crappies. Good size quality fish we didn't keep any under 12 inch. Couple eyes on Friday evening deep 35+ fow. Crappies hit on a red/white tube jig tipped with a wax worm.

All the bait shops said they are not getting in anymore leehc's so if you find them buy them.

[vman59]

Good time to hit the flowage for crappies, action is hot and heavy with some very nice size crappies being caught. Was on the flowage all weekend and did extremely well on big crappies.

[vman59]

Beautiful weekend on the Flowage ! scenery is awesome and the crappie fishing outstanding.