Chippewa Flowage Fishing Reports

[castmaster]

Any current Chip reports? Heading up Sunday for 5 days. Will be fishing ski's primarily but also will try some crappie and bass fishing.

[snoozebutton]

Can't help you much, I was hoping Vman would stop by since he fishes it quite a bit. I did hear that the crappies were being caught along the floating bogs in the evenings and the evening bite on walleyes is picking up. Haven't heard anything about muskies or bass though.

[vman59]

just got home , cold front slammed he door on fishing pretty good.

[vman59]

well one eye all weekend for me, crappies were a little easier but you had to find active schools of them. Marked ar ton of crappies but only found two spots with active crappies.Minnows was the bait of choice.

[DanM]

Does anybody know how the water level is on the Flowage? Have they started the annual draw down? If the water level is down, is the Hay Creek landing still usable? I have a 20'deep v boat. Thanks for the info.

[snoozebutton]

It's down about 3 feet from earlier this summer but the Hay Creek landing was still in good shape about 10 days ago when I was there. The shallowest I saw was 4 feet right out for the dock which shouldn't be a problem for that boat. Most of it was 7 to 13 feet. The big draw down doesn't happen until after Dec. 1st.

[gtaggart]

I used the Hay Creek landing about 2 weeks ago. The problem I have is taking out when the water is low. The concrete ramp ends and there is a a drop to the rocks. I do get out, but I put it into four wheel drive to get the trailer wheels up onto the concrete. I have a 18' Alumacraft.

[vman59]

well going to make my last foray for the year up to the camper this weekend. Hope the fish cooperate.

[snoozebutton]

Good luck this weekend and let us know how you do.

I haven't been out for about 10 days and I'm needing a "fix." Between work, projects around the house, and some bad weather.....

[vman59]

well smallie fishing is fantastic right now, caught 3 over 20 inch's on cralwers and slip bobbers. Crappies are in big schools .

[MuntzAngling]

I might hit the Hay Creek area on the Chippewa Flowage on Friday. I've seen guys come out of there with nice size fish before. Try slip bobbers out from the bogs near the launch 14-18' down. That's what the slabmaster told me to do. I fished jig and minnow and came up empty. Keep an eye out for the pack of otters. They are a nice sight to see.

[snoozebutton]

Any part of the Chippewa Flowage is closed for all fishing until Saturday.

[MuntzAngling]

Snoozebutton,

Is that a water specific regulation or are panfish not continuous season in Wisconsin? Buying a license tomorrow and dont have regs yet...

[Uncle Bill]

Snoozebutton,

Is that a water specific regulation or are panfish not continuous season in Wisconsin? Buying a license tomorrow and dont have regs yet...

If I can speak for Snoozebutton.

Water specific.

My Father lives in the area and has been hammering the crappies on other local lakes.

He caught one crappie in the 15 inch range.

8 ft. suspended that's all I can say.

Good luck.

CHIPPEWA FLOWAGE

2009-2010 Fishing Regulations

All Seasons Closed:

March 8 - May 1, 2009

General Fishing Season:

May 2 - November 30, 2009

Walleye: Daily Bag 3 - No Minimum Size

Panfish: Daily Bag 25 - Only 15 may be Crappie

Bass: Catch-and-Release Only from

May 2 through June 19

NOTE: Anglers fishing for bass must use barbless

hooks only (legislative mandate)

Northern Pike: Daily Bag 5 - No Minimum Size

NOTE: Anglers are encouraged to voluntarily harvest

northern pike less than 28 inches long.

Musky Fishing Season:

May 23 - November 30, 2009

Muskellunge: Daily Bag 1 - Minimum Size 50”

Bass Harvest Season:

June 20 - November 30, 2009

Smallmouth Bass and Largemouth Bass Combined:

Daily Bag 5 - Minimum Size 14”

NOTE: Anglers are encouraged to voluntarily harvest

legal-size largemouth bass and to voluntarily

release legal-size smallmouth bass.

Winter Panfish Season:

December 1, 2009 - March 7, 2010

No Fishing for Gamefish

Panfish: Daily Bag 15 - None may be Crappie

All Seasons Closed:

March 8 – April 30, 2010

Motor trolling is NOT permitted at any time.

Provided by

Neal Kephart

Chippewa Flowage

Property Manager

Wisconsin

Department of

Natural Resources

P.S. I've heard walley limit on the Chip. flowage for opener is only two.

[snoozebutton]

Yup, Uncle Bill's right, as far as I know, the Chippewa Flowage is the only place that's not open for panfish now. The talk is that next year it will be open year round and they're talking about a limit of 10.

[MuntzAngling]

I had no idea. Thanks guys!

[vman59]

Was on the chip this weekend and did ok on eyes finding them in weeds and the deep river channel. Weed eyes ran bigger than the river channel eyes. As with everyone else the wind was brutal. If anyone is interested and fishes up in Moonshine on the east side you can forget about it. The bog that has been on the north shore as you go into moonshine moved this past spring when the ice went out and is totally blocking it now.

[Uncle Bill]

I too fished the Chip. flowage.

Finding fish was one thing. Getting them to bite another.

My experience was that the fishing was better in low or no light.

Bright colored jigs.

Had to settle for smaller 14 - 15 inch fish.

Could not find the larger ones.

Fishing (IMO) was tough. AS mentioned, wind was brutal.

I have a feeling MN. opener will just as tough.

Good Luck.

[vman59]

if anyone is looking for a place to get a cabin on the flowage let me know the place I have my camper at all summer has a couple openings just shoot me an email.

[jeepguy]

Yes, saturday's wind was fricken brutal. Marked fish all day, but getting them to bite was tough. Fished midlake humps and dropoffs. Sunday morning went to a deep river channel. Found them there, although they were not huge. Headed back the 14th of the month. I am thinking the fish will be mroe active.

[MuntzAngling]

I didnt make it to the Chip. Maybe next weekend though. I heard the bite was good. Any reports on crappies?

By the way, nearby I fished bass and found water temps 56-58 with few fish shallow (less than 3 ft deep) and males seemingly gone from the shallows. We think it's post-spawn already! We did manage 27 bass yesterday fishing stumps and weeds in 4-8 FOW. Yellow and orange cranks did the most damage!

-Minner

[vman59]

there is one correction , the walleye bag limit is 2 not 3 no size limit.

SAWYER COUNTY

Barber 2

Chetac 3

Chippewa Flowage 2

Connors 2

Durphee 2

Grindstone 2

Lac Courte Oreilles 3

Little Round 2

Lost Land 3

Nelson 2

Round 3

Sand 3

Sissabagama 2

Spider 3

Teal 2

Tiger Cat Flowage 2

Whitefish 3

Windfall 2

Windigo 2

[vman59]

in the spring hearings a question was posed to raise the size limit to 18, to me this is just plain wrong . I would prefer to see a slot size limit such as 17 to 26. This would protect the strongest spawners instead of targeting then with the 18 inch size limit.

[vman59]

I received the following today:

My office has been in touch with the DNR Fisheries office to discuss

this issue. As you may know, Question 43 passed 1,418 to 1,091 statewide

but was very unpopular in local area counties including a 25/98 (yes/no)

vote in Sawyer County.

In light of such lack of local support, the DNR tells me that they will

not be moving forward with this proposal at this time until after a full

walleye population survey of the flowage is completed next spring.

Although the last full survey was conducted in 1999, annual "young of

the year" surveys are conducted every fall and they have shown very

troubling trends for survival rates among six month old walleye

populations.

Everyone has a stake in better information and a restoration of

sustainable walleye populations in the Flowage. I am confident that

there will be public hearings following the new survey which would

provide an excellent venue for discussions of slot limits and other

proposals you and others may suggest. I appreciate hearing from you, and

please stay in touch.

State Senate

[snoozebutton]

Was out on the Chip yesterday and only got a couple crappies and that was a little deeper (7 to 11 feet, C&R.) I went into one of the shallower bays where I normally get them and there was a bunch of small bluegills in there. I did see 2 crappies in there but that was it. Could it be that the crappies are done already? The temp in the bay was 60 and the main lake temp was 56 to 58.