Plans for opening day!

[andy j]

I have got open water fever, big time. I was wondering what your plans are for opening day? Any places to stay away from?(Zoo) This well be my first opener in WI. Is Winnebego a Zoo?

[Catfish John]

andy,

The walleye season doesn't close on the Winnebago chain. No need to wait for anything other than open water. In NE WI there are numerous spots to get your boat wet long before opener. The Fox River at Depere and the Wolf River upstream from the Winnebago chain offer some great spring fishing.

[Northlander]

Andy you know where I will be and a ZOO is a UNDERSTATEMENT! But the fishing is the best there is that time of year. Thus all the boats. Now if they would just ban trolling in the upper portion till june!!!

[andy j]

Northlander,

Don't you sleep in your boat that first week? I will let you know If I make it up that way.

Catfish John, Is the fishing decent after ice out on Winebago? what areas should a guy look for this early? Shallow on the main lake, or up in the river? THanks AJ

[Catfish John]

andy,

In the early spring the majority of the fish migrate up the Wolf and Fox rivers to spawn but the DNR estimates that more than 30% of the walleyes remain in Winnebago. With several miliion walleyes in the system, that still leaves a good population to target. Fish the reefs and shallow rock shorelines for early post-ice fish. By mid-late April the river spawning fish begin returning to the lake and fishing really picks up. I've had some pretty decent days in April and great days in May and June.

While the fishing can be good on both the Upper Fox and the Wolf, they can can be zoos on weekends.

[Northlander]

Andy I have done that on a few early mornings beating the crowds and waiting for enough light to fish! Its wierd waking up to the second boats out motor!

[Cooter]

Will be chasin those big, black stinky birds with the ugly heads (especially after the Super Mag gets done with em).

[fish-n-geek]

Opening Day ? I'll be on the river Friday after work :-) I'd be on tonight if the motor wasn't in the shop. Wisconsin River has been free of ice for almost two weeks now.

:-D

Once its "big water" time, I'll be hitting the Eau Pleine.

-r-