Chequamegon Bay?

[iceit]

Are We Gettin Close To Ice In The Bay Around Ashland Yet?

Thanks!

[Jim Hudson]

Not yet, the bay skimmed over some but nothing stuck. We need a good week of cold cold weather. My guess, the first part of 2005.

[Xplorer]

Jim,

I'm sure this big blow has broken up any ice on the bay, and theres probably pretty good whitecaps the last day or so. When the bay does ice over give a shout out on here. I'd like to get the F-I-L to head over from iron belt and meet me for a day on the bay for smallies or whatever shows up at the end of our lines along the channeledge or off the coal dock. Good fishin!

[Jim Hudson]

Sounds good Xplorer. The bay did skim over again, but there was a good south wind today with moderate temps, we will see if it lasts.

[Jim Hudson]

Ice should be good and ready for the bay here shortly. It has been holding well and icing over good. Some frozen pack ice close to the shore near Ashland, but the rest of the ice seems to be going well. Another day or so and I think a few people will try venturing out.

[Xplorer]

Thanks Jim, I am gonna be over at the inlaws the middle weekend Of Jan. Think I'm gonna have to try and plan a day on the Bay that weekend.

[Pete Riola]

I'd imagine a guy could get on Cheq this weekend? Any news on the ice condition?

[Jim Hudson]

Pete,

I believe you will be correct in your assumption. Around Ashland a person will be able to get out with this recent cold snap. Around the ore and coal dock areas. Just check as you go out, I will probably try to venture out on Friday morning, if I do I will report back.

Spoke to someone down in Ashland a few minutes ago who told me he seen a few people off the oar dock area and off the west side of the power plant (pig iron). But as mentioned earlier, always check as you go because of current.

[Pete Riola]

Thanks Jim!

[Jim Hudson]

Well the bay is fishable, near shore anyways. 3 to 5 inches of ice off Ashland, 2nd Landing, and around the Bono Creek area. Just be safe and bring your spud with ya.

[jdm911]

Jim Where can I go to pound some mid ice smelt? I want to get the arctic warrior wet soon

[Jim Hudson]

Well your best bet is to fish out of any shack you are in.. cause where you are at, there are always smelt.... i think they are half tiger too.. cause they will never leave a line alone... need the bobbing gear just to catch another species...

Anyways, Jason.. I am gonna go fish some 'eyes tomorrow off the ore dock... gonna be around?

[clam up]

Hey Jason,

I'm planning on coming up the weekends of the 15th, 20th and 29th (Remember the S.O.B. meeting is the last weekend in January). Keep me posted and let me know if you get out at all.

[Jim Hudson]

The fishing on the bay has been good for people searching for a different variety of species. I have mainly fished for 'eyes with sporadic success. I fished with JDM911 and my girlfriend on Tuesday, where we had some action with one decent 'eye before he left where I then iced some others and some burbot as the evening progressed.

People are fishing all around the bay now, with people off of Bono creek, off the westside of the Ashland lighthouse, off of second landing, off of west end park and the coal dock in Washburn, and few people off of the sioux river. I have heard a lot of success for people after splake, browns, salmon, and some lakers where they are fishing in depths from 13FOW to 30FOW. I hear that the smallies are hitting well also.

The ice is in good shape with over a foot to the end of the ore dock in Ashland and around 9 inches out to 21 FOW north of the oar dock. Off of Bono and Washburn, the reports are from 4 to 8 inches of ice. And off of the Sioux, all I can tell you is that this ice formed later then the rest and extreme caution should be used in this area if you venture out, just as you would if you go anywhere on the ice. I did observe one person walking out to the main lake from the Sioux river today and another walking out from the public beach access.

Most wheeler and snowmobile traffic is on the Ashland side and the Bono area.

[jdm911]

Thanks for the smelt info reason why I asked is cause you got that bike out there........ Clam Up come on up and fish will check Boyscout landing info

[Jim Hudson]

You still at work Jason? lol.. Cause I am... Happy New Year Smelter...

[scifisher]

Quote:

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The fishing on the bay has been good for people searching for a different variety of species. I have mainly fished for 'eyes with sporadic success. I fished with JDM911 and my girlfriend on Tuesday, where we had some action with one decent 'eye before he left where I then iced some others and some burbot as the evening progressed.

People are fishing all around the bay now, with people off of Bono creek, off the westside of the Ashland lighthouse, off of second landing, off of west end park and the coal dock in Washburn, and few people off of the sioux river. I have heard a lot of success for people after splake, browns, salmon, and some lakers where they are fishing in depths from 13FOW to 30FOW. I hear that the smallies are hitting well also.

The ice is in good shape with over a foot to the end of the ore dock in Ashland and around 9 inches out to 21 FOW north of the oar dock. Off of Bono and Washburn, the reports are from 4 to 8 inches of ice. And off of the Sioux, all I can tell you is that this ice formed later then the rest and extreme caution should be used in this area if you venture out, just as you would if you go anywhere on the ice. I did observe one person walking out to the main lake from the Sioux river today and another walking out from the public beach access.

Most wheeler and snowmobile traffic is on the Ashland side and the Bono area.

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What kind of hardware are you using out there? I live over in Superior and I am chomping at the bit to get out and give it a try.

scifisher

[Quickstrike]

I'm also thinking of giving it a try tommorrow morning, where would one want to venture out of without a wheeler or snowmobile?

[Jim Hudson]

SCIFISHER and Quickstrike

I really do not know what you are going to be fishing for or want to fish for. But for an all around bait for all bay species, its hard to beat a sweedish pimple tipped with a whole minnow or minnow head. But personally, I always start with a Northland Buckshot spoon. I usually start with a larger sized spoon or jig and work my way down depending on the mood of the fish. Then a good deadstick with a lake shiner or medium golden will get you onto fish too. And then bring along a tip up, or two if you do not want a deadstick rod, and fish these with a lake or golden. I usually bring both lake and goldens with me, you will be suprised at the size of minnows these fish will take. And for rods, this all depends on the species too, but generally a 26 to 30 inch medium action rod should suit your needs combined with 8 to 10lb test.

For access without a wheeler or snowmobile, in the Ashland Area: try the ore dock or coal dock area, then there is the Bono Creek boat ramp between Ashland and Washburn if you want to fish for trout species and a occasional walleye, and in Washburn you can access from the coal dock and west end park. All areas you can reach a decent spot to fish, and when you stop in to get bait you can get some other info pertaining to where and what seems to be hot for what you want to fish for.

Fishing should be good the next couple of days on the bay.

[Jim Hudson]

Well today I fished hard on the Bay where it was the usual multi-species gig. I was fishing in 30FOW just in and west from the lighthouse off of Ashland. Fishing was good until around 11AM and it shut down considerably except for smelt. I caught splake, coho salmon, whitefish, one brown trout, and a few perch. No 'eyes, but I will catch them early tomorrow morning.

People are driving out to the area I was fishing, I was on snowmobile and fished on 14 inches of clear ice where just to the north of me was some pack ice. Reports have been good, with some really good pike and perch action this year off of second landing. A 44 1/2" 26lb pike was brought to the taxidermist last week. Walleye fishing has been off an on but I do not think many people are fishing for them, just catching the occasional fish. Trout, Salmon, and Whitefish are going well, from the lighthouse, Bono creek, Washburn's coal dock, and Houghton Point.

People are starting to venture out off of Red Cliff now to get out to Basswood Island for laker fishing, the ice just formed here and there is about 4 inches of ice. Use caution here and contact someone before heading out as the ice may still shift if we get some wind.

[scifisher]

Quote:

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Well today I fished hard on the Bay where it was the usual multi-species gig. I was fishing in 30FOW just in and west from the lighthouse off of Ashland. Fishing was good until around 11AM and it shut down considerably except for smelt. I caught splake, coho salmon, whitefish, one brown trout, and a few perch. No 'eyes, but I will catch them early tomorrow morning.

People are driving out to the area I was fishing, I was on snowmobile and fished on 14 inches of clear ice where just to the north of me was some pack ice. Reports have been good, with some really good pike and perch action this year off of second landing. A 44 1/2" 26lb pike was brought to the taxidermist last week. Walleye fishing has been off an on but I do not think many people are fishing for them, just catching the occasional fish. Trout, Salmon, and Whitefish are going well, from the lighthouse, Bono creek, Washburn's coal dock, and Houghton Point.

People are starting to venture out off of Red Cliff now to get out to Basswood Island for laker fishing, the ice just formed here and there is about 4 inches of ice. Use caution here and contact someone before heading out as the ice may still shift if we get some wind.

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Thanks for the report, Jim. I want to target browns, salmon, and lakers. And I am interested in the smallies and/or walleyes in that area. Do jigging raps work at all, or is the pimple the automatic goto bait?

[Jim Hudson]

Sci,

I have tried jigging raps with limited success out here, but when the fish are really on I think they will hit just about anything. When they are finiky the raps just dont seem to have the hook up percentage I like. It could just be me though and my preference on jigging spoons like a pimple or a buckshot. But believe me, I have tried on those days when I couldnt buy a fish.

If you do use them, stay with natural colors, like perch...shad...something white to imitate a small smelt or lake shiner... and even a rap with a black back and silvery belly.. One glow rap type lure I have had success with out here for walleyes was the Nils Master Jigging Shad that has a black stripped back with a glow under belly along with a yellow throat patch.

[Jim Hudson]

Just to update you guys.. there are still fish being caught in the Bay. Predominantely smaller salmon throughout the Ashland side but people are still picking up the occasional brown and splake along with some smallmouth action. The walleye bite has slowed with a few here and there. I believe most 'eyes are pushing out between Washburn and Ashland with a few still poking around close to structure. Ice is good with almost two feet the last time I fished the Bay.

Along the Washburn side, there have been some big pike iced this year, I have heard of three well over 40"/20+lbs with more probably being caught. (Just a word on this, if you do catch these fish remember they are old and are the major source for future pike. These big pike are few and far between these days in and around the bay so please try to put these big girls back to the water) Other then that, Houghton Point is still producing fish, splake..browns..and whitefish.. And people poking around the Onion and Sioux are catching fish. Ice can be spotty around Houghton and North, just use caution as there are spots of a foot and others of 4 inches.

Up here in Bayfield, we are starting to fish lakers. I did well between the mainland and Madeline Island Tuesday morning, icing six lakers. Ice is spotty near shore with slush pockets, so my advice would be to restrict yourself to snowmobiles only as there is over a foot of snow in spots with slush underneath. And by majority the ice seems to be quite a bit thicker off shore but still use caution as it could be thin under snow drifts. People are getting out to Basswood Island but I have not heard of anyone going out further into the islands, they could be but the last report I heard was thin ice.

[Tarball]

Can anyone tell me the best spot...if any.... to get on the bay with a 4x4. I usually go out of the park or coal dock in Bayfield. Is the snow too deep?

[Jim Hudson]

Traball, are you referring to Washburn's coal dock and West End Park? If so, I havent fished off there yet this year and do not know the ice conditions for driving a truck. Off Ashland's Kreher Park (Ore dock area) and the Ashland Coal dock there is plenty of ice for a truck, the snow could be getting a bit deep but people also usually plow a bit there.