Chippewa Flowage Fishing Reports

[vman59]

no i don't think they are done it just the weather and it hasn't been the right conditions for spawning. I talked to a couple people who picked up crappies with spawn in them. If the wind dies down and the temps rise just a bit I think they will be in quick.

[snoozebutton]

Well, the weather the next few days isn't going to help. Cold and windy today and they're calling for snow Friday.

Are you going up there this weekend?

[vman59]

yea going up early friday morning.

[snoozebutton]

How did it go Vman? I've been working the last 4 nights but I've got a few days off now. Going to try and get out if the weather permits. If not, my wife's got her list for me.

[vman59]

this past weekend was not good with that cold front that moved through. Picked up some eyes in the deep river channel bouncing a jig and minnow but after it started to rain hard and the wind kick in that was it. I came home Saturday afternoon. Going back up Thursday for the weekend.

[Cecil]

Anyone finding any bass on the Flowage? Or ideas as to where one would start looking out there this weekend?

[vman59]

really don't target bass catch them more by accident.

[vman59]

just got back from the weekend on the chip. Walleye fishing was awesome and some nice ones at that. I released 3 fish over 20 inch's and 3-4 between 18-20. I don't keep anything over 18. Orange jig tipped with a minnow was the ticket.

[snoozebutton]

Was out there yesterday and saw lots of crappies in shallow but we cound't get them to bite. We did manage 6 of them on a small piece of crawler and caught a bunch of nice bluegills that were in there also. The crappies were surfacing so I'm guessing they were feeding on some sort of bug hatch. If I were a fly fisherman, that's what I'd be doing today.

[vman59]

yea hoping this weekend should be good.

[Luck e 1]

We were up there this last weekend (15th16). We didn't find any gills or crappies shallow. That doesn't mean much because this is my first year really trying for crappies and we could have been in the wrong back bays. Also that was on the front of the this 'heat wave'.

I would be shocked if the gills were really up and spawning this early. The water usually needs to be 70-73 degrees for them to get their spawn on (at least that is what we have found).

But maybe the water temps have jumped a lot.

We did manage to catch 25 walleyes (only kept two each). We tried some new spots by a bog on the east side. We couldn't find anything big, but had a blast playing with the little guys. All were on a jig and minnow. We tried slip bobbers and leach by weeds with no luck.

[snoozebutton]

That doesn't mean much because this is my first year really trying for crappies and we could have been in the wrong back bays.

I doubt it, it was like they showed up over night. One day there were none in there and the next almost every bay was packed with them, both crappies and bluegills. We were in a south facing bay yesterday with a bunch of brush on the bottom, no weeds to speak of, and it was one right after another. The day before I tried a different weedy bay and the same results only the crappies were biting a little better yesterday.

What seemed to work the best was small leaches with a plain hook or a Bro's Bloodworm with nothing on it. Also small chunks of crawlers were working both days. Didn't catch anything on minnows either day.

[snoozebutton]

If you're heading out there this weekend, don't rule out minnows, I did a little better using them yesterday. Bluegills were nailing everything I threw out there but if I wanted to catch just the crappies, I had to go to minnows.

[vman59]

fishing stunk ! Bottom line all weekend.

[vman59]

this was reply to email I sent to Skip at the DNR:

--------

I am aware of the article and yes - this mis-quote attributed to me by WPR has really gone viral. The WPR reporter (Joe Cadotte?) interviewed me for about 25 minutes on Monday and we discussed the on-going drought and low water levels across the North. I mentioned several small seepage that were inaccessible due to low water levels - and how it got quoted/implied that the Chippewa and Turtle-Flambeau were inaccessible is beyond me?? I just fished both Flowages in the last 2 weeks - so i know that they are accessible! They do have water levels that are 2 to 3 feet below normal - but how it got stated that the 2 big flowages were closed must have been some 'creative' journalism? So i am in major damage control and trying to get stories and articles retracted . . . . so please help spread the word that the article just contains some wrong information.

Thanks!

Skip Sommerfeldt

Fisheries Biologist - Senior

Chequamegon-Nicolet Natl. Forest Contract Fish Program

Bureau of Fisheries Management

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

Park Falls, WI 54552

[vman59]

gill fishing was great this past weekend. Males are moving in shallow and just starting to be making beds . Next 2 weeks should be great fishing for them.

[Luck e 1]

I had a blast this weekend on the flowage with the gills and crappies. We were flyfishing for them and had a good time.

I will be up this coming weekend.

[vman59]

did good on eyes and big gills this past weekend. Eyes were in tight to the weeds and are feeding on some small grey worms. most eyes were puking them up when I went to take the hook out of them. big gills were in the same area.

[T&KK]

Never been to the flowage, but my wife and i are staying up at sisko's pine point resort. Are there any lake maps like mn dnr have or suggestions anyone has. I would like to find some eyes but know that panfish will and probably should be the main target. Any suggestions are welcomed. Background, we will have a boat capable or going anywhere on the lake, don't mind navagating the lake, but don't have gps and see that this may be one of those easy to get lost lakes. Thanks in advance!

TK

[snoozebutton]

If you can rent a GPS, I'd highly recommend it. Not only is it easy to get lost but there's a lot of shallow rock humps out there to hit. (I took out my lower unit 3 weeks ago out there.) With a GPS you can stay in the old river channel and avoid them.

[vman59]

what he says is true and get a good map or a chip. Being cautious is the best advice one could get.

Didn't go up to the camper this weekend had the grandson ( 1 1/2 yrs old)all weekend which is even better.

[T&KK]

where would you suggest renting a gps from? Like I said, we have never been there, and for that matter, never been even close to there. I see that Hayward is 20 or so miles away. Any tips on finding fish this time of the year there?

Thanks for the input

[vman59]

as for renting a gps I have no idea where or if you can in the Hayward area. I have a lake-master paper map in my tackle box cost about $15 and its been of great help and very accurate. Depending on when your coming up try HSO-Classifieds they have fairly good deals on hand held gps's.

[vman59]

fishing was so -so this past weekend.PLEASE use caution on the flowage there are a lot of dead head logs floating around the flowage. I saw at least 4-5 this past weekend on the SE side of the flowage.

[vman59]

Snooze ; don't suppose it would look good to skip out on the sons wedding this weekend and go up to the camper fishing this weekend. Na I better not even though its going to kill me not going up.