ChequamegonBay-ApostleIslands/Open Water!!!

[Jim Hudson]

Just so everyone knows, we do have open water around these parts now. For the bay itself, our big winds busted up the ice now, so there is ice floating around where you can pretty much only launch a boat near the power plant in Ashland right now. A few more days and it should be ice free. There has been walleyes stacking up in there, but not many being caught as of yet. Water is still cold. And please remember if you do fish this area, pay attention to the fish refuge near the hot pipe exit.

But on the main lake, people can launch boats in Red Cliff or Sand Bay to go troll for browns, splake, lakers, and salmon now. The Bayfield launch has a little bit of ice left in it and will be free and clear soon. Also, I have heard fishing off of Saxon Harbor has been good.

I was hoping to get out today, but it was a bit rough out there with our North winds. Maybe tomorrow to get some pictures of some nice browns!!!

[outdoor ran]

Thanks for the info. I'm going to do some trolling there this spring.

[Yooperhawgs]

Fished the "hotpond" Sunday 4/10 and saw three nice walleyes landed. I missed two and saw one really mad angler miss one in the 8-10 pound range. Will be trying again tomorrow 4/13. Will post results of trip.

[Jim Hudson]

Good luck Yooper!! Hopefully the wind will die down for you, a north wind really turns them fish off over there this time of year. We need those high temp days back to get them 'eyes active. Alot of nice fish are caught out of there each spring, just wish more people would start being a bit selective in the fish they do keep. I see quite a few big 'eyes being kept day after day by the same people.

[JAR JAR]

Hey Jim,

Can you tell me if Bodin's landing is open, I like to launch there for the browns and fish out in front of the ugly orange house with the backwards flag.

Jar Jar

[Yooperhawgs]

Went to the hotpond Wednesday after work and like you said Jim the North wind we had for the past three days had me a little concerned. Started fishing at 4p.m. and had just a couple misses. Then the ice let loose in the bay and started heading to shore. Luckily it took its time coming in because around 6p.m. me and my buddy starting nailing the 'eyes. We were in a small rowboat sitting in the discharge current and in an hour we picked up 5 walleyes: 21",22.5",23.5",25" and a beautifull 29" that had to be about 9-10 pounds(female full of eggs)like you said need to be more selective, the future walleyes went back in. Oh yeah, I had top honors on the trip with the last fish caught before the ice pushed us off- a beauty that went close to 10 pounds- one hard fighting CARP that hit a rebel fastrack. Didn't think it was possible but it happened.LOL. Had a blast, hopefully the ice will move out so I can try my float tube in the next couple of days.

[Jim Hudson]

Jar Jar, free and clear of ice, so good luck on the browns!!

And Yooper, great day of fishing!!! And as you can see, you never know what you will catch out of the bay!! Wind is suppose to switch around to the south, so the ice should all blow out, then it will make it tough for people fishing over this way...

I got out yesterday morning by myself and trolled up three browns,nothing big but good fish non the less!! Up on the rocks where all three fish hit a shallow reef runner...

[Jim Hudson]

Just thought I would bring this back to the top... Seeing as a lot of people are coming in for the smallies and there are a lot of people trolling for trout and salmon.

Fishing has been decent for most folks when and if they can make it out from a weather standpoint. Been that type of spring up in these parts and you have to sneak out when you can.

Smallmouth action started, with people catching a few fish here and there, on Tuesday, the start to our big cold front, the water temps in the Sand Cut and Slough area were in the lower 50's, with most people targeting the bronzebacks in 6 to 8 FOW. Along with the smallies, there have been good reports of pike action and a few walleyes here and there. The water needs to warm up just a bit more and the fishing will be popping.

For in and around Ashland and Washburn, people are catching walleyes, pike, and trout/salmon. I heard of some huge pike being caught off Washburn. For walleyes, they are in post-spawn mode, and can be found in all different water depths. But I found the best fishing in around 17 FOW pulling harnesses. Trout/Salmon are being caught near shore, off Houghton Point, the Green Can bouy, etc, etc on sticks and some on spoons, trolled shallow in shallow water and over deeper water depending on the water temps. Again, water temps need to come up a bit.

For the Apostles, a lot of good reports of browns lately. Well before the big cold snap and wave action. A lot of activity off Stockton, Oak, Madeline, and Basswood. Some salmon and lakers mixed in. Near shore trolled shallow and over deeper water, depending on the water temps and cloud condition. Most action coming on shallow stick baits run on boards. Again, the water temps need to come up. If you can find temps in the 40 degree mark, fish it. Most water was holding steady at 37 degrees before this NE. So we will see what this did in a few days.

On a good note, the state recently dumped quite a few browns into the lake. And a local fishing group is rearing a big number of chinooks, where they will be let go here shortly.

So hopefully the good weather will be here shortly and we can get back out fishing.

[Jim Hudson]

Well the winds died down, but it was still a bit cold today. Managed to get out fishing for a little bit after a friend backed out on our planned trip. All in all it wasnt too bad of a day for catching fish. Landed three coho, one brown, and this beauty of a rainbow.

Turned all fish back today to swim another day. Water temps in shore were a suprise to me today, Most of the water I was in had fairly steady temps of 43 degrees. So there should be some good fishing here shortly.

[Jim Hudson]

I had the opportunity to make it out yesterday with Yooperhawg and his buddy Joe, both from the Ironwood MI area. It was a great day to be on the water, besides the small chilling action of a NE wind that found it's way back to the area again. Along with the waves that it brought.

We headed out around noonish to first seek out some smallmouth action in the Cut and Kakagon area and then went to find some walleyes. Pretty slow for us all around, we did manage a few smallies along with an occasional pike. The walleyes sure did not want to cooperate last night, we stuck it out till around midnight, without a fish. Marked plenty of fish in the areas we fished but nothing wanted our offerings.

But all in all it was fun to fish with these two guys. Both are great guys who really know a thing or two about fishing. Was a pleasure to share a spot in Joe's boat with them.

Here are some pictures of yesterday's adventure.

Yooper w/ a Cheq. Bay Bronzie

Joe with another (ie, good to note here, we are seeing different year classes of bass for our future bassin fun)

And myself, with one. Very heavy pre-spawn fish.

Reports around the area are good. A mix Trout and Salmon are being caught still up close to shore and now over and in deeper water. Good smallmouth action going on in the areas mentioned, with some pike mixed in. For walleyes, its been pretty quiet for people talking, but they are being caught in and around he bay.

[fishingchef]

Hey guys hit the Kakagon and a few other spots this morning in an attempt to troll up a few eyes, graphed some fish on distintive breaks here and there, but unable to get any takers. Threw the box at them, slow, fast, spinners, you name it. Started out in 5ft, worked my way down to the deeper stuff, 12-13ft. Managed to score a bonus chinook, that was cool, but for the Walleye situation, I think if we ever get a stable weather pattern around these parts again things could get good real quick.

Hey Jim, am I wrong in assuming that there should be still some walleye hanging out in that kakagon area, if not at least in the adjacent deeper structures. I've been giving them heck the last week or so, when the weather cooperates, I've fished Washburn to the Kakagon/Sandcut areas, been able to only scratch up a couple of fish, we'll see what this next week brings, w/nw winds next couple of days, that will help, better then the NE. One more question, have you heard if anything been going on down near ashland, hot pond, breakwall, etc.

I may try a morning bite again tomorrow, we'll see, 5:00 am comes pretty quick after a saturday night in a restaurant, if so, I'll post back when given a chance, I guess I may have to break down and join the hoards chasing smallies, sometimes it sucks being a stubborn walleye angler! Lets hope for some better weather, FC

[Jim Hudson]

FC

We were talking about this last night a lot. From past experiences, after spawn the fish move out onto these huge flats, like the one out in front of the Kakagon, but are so spread out that it is hard to target a group of walleyes, they seem to just move on their own in no formal fashion. So covering ground is about the only thing you can do until the water seems to stabalize in the upper 50's. Then I see a lot more fish move back into the Kakagon river channel itself and up on that shallow flat adjacent to the channel.

For consistancy sake, the head of the bay and out from the power plant are good places to check. But again, these fish seem to be spread out, one here and there. So ya gotta cover ground. As we get into June, there will be more fish stacked in areas where multiple catches are increased from one area. After spawn, I can tell you at most times these 'eyes throw me for a loop. I catch a few here and there, like you said, but not as many as I do as summer sets in and the baitfish start to mature.

And let me know if you ever want to get out, and we can compare some information.

[Yooperhawgs]

Jim, thanks for the kind words. Even though the fish weren't as energenic as us, had a blast anyway.Any other smallies can't compare to the ones in the bay. Those brown beauties have twice the amount of fight that an ordinary bronze has. Myself and Joe learned a few new tricks, and that is what it is all about, learning things and having fun. Catching a few fish just added to the fun. Once the water warms up a bit and the crappy weather gets better we will have to hook up again. Look out walleyes!

[outdoor ran]

you guys look so grumpy in the pics, must of been a little cold. Just given ya a hard time. I still want to try some night trolling this summer when it warms up.

[Jim Hudson]

Well fishing has definately picked up around these parts.

Trout fishing has been good, with more and more boats now veturing out into the Apostles and returning with good catches. Depths vary, from still fairly shallow to the deeper haunts these fish move too.

And of course the bass, they were smoking over this past weekend and I am sure a lot of them have some sore jaws, so if your not getting bit, slow down a bit and finesse em. But there are still fresh crops of fish moving into the shallows.

The walleye bite really picked up in and around Ashland, Washburn, and the Kakagon area, the 12 to 15 foot range during the day, then slide up into the shallows for the night bite. Dusk and into the evening seems to be the best.

[Jim Hudson]

Well I thought I would bring this thread back around for any people coming up this way in the next days/weeks and plan on fishing a little bit.

With that, I would say summer has finally arrived. We seen some hot temps here the past few days and the water temps sure show it. So now were on to our summer season here in the 'Bay and in the Apostles. So a persons strategies should match this time of year now.

For 'Bay action, most smallies are post spawn now and will need a week or two to recoup, but there are a few hanging in the shallows yet and can be caught. But I would start concentraiting my efforts in their summer haunts, checking nearby structure, and as a few weeks wear on, more fish will be caught. Pike action can be found shallow yet, for smaller fish, find the weeds and the fish will be in 'em. And for bigger pike, check deeper water adjacent to structure orientating humps, wood, etc in the 'Bay itself. Walleye fishing, there are people still catching them and this has really moved to a summer type period. Troll, Troll, Troll is the game I will employ the next time I will be out. Cranks will start to outproduce live bait rigs here shortly and this is the time of season I like to fish for ol marble 'eyes out here. Check the 12' to 20' flats, and troll, it may take awhile to find the fish but when you do mark the spot and find more takers. Just remember it's a big body of water and dont get discouraged fishing for these finicky devils out here.

For the Apostles and trout/salmon fishing. At the leading edge of this hot weather, catch reports were down, making me think these fish are transitioning to deeper water now. Especially for lakers. So fishing should pick up again here on the flats and in around the islands. Some nice browns have also been caught recently suspended and still in tight to shore. Salmon species are hit and miss this time of year and are spread out throughout the islands. If you hook up on one, troll through that area again matching your lures, speed, etc to find a pattern.

Good luck to all that come and fish this area. And if you need any info, let me know via e-mail or on here and I will be glad to help you out.