fishing reports Yellow Lake Fishing Reports near Webster, WI

[jay88]

We did very well again kept 5 and boated 17 Saturday morning and 2 more Saturday evening. 

 

Saturday evening I had something on that ran and ran took out almost 100 yards of line before it stopped I tried to get it to the boat but it broke my line but that's what happens with something that big and 8lb test 

[DonBo]

Happy to hear the bite is still on. Hope to be able to spend a little more time on the water this weekend.

Wasn't it fun to be on the water with so few other boats around? Not many people up the weekend after the big 4th. 

[jay88]

Yeah its always nice when it's not crowded on the water.

I will not be able to make it back up until Sept though due to my 2nd child being due the beginning of August 

[mitch]

Hi everyone.  I will be heading up to Yellow Lake for a bachelor party this weekend.  Any general tips or suggestions?  Not looking for secret spots, just general guidance.  A couple of the guys that are coming don't really fish so it would be nice to see them catch something.  We will probably be set up for northern/muskie but would be willing to try for anything.

[Jarrid Houston]

I like the drop offs that can be found in all areas of the lake.  Basically in my experience, shorelines with steep drop offs and vegetation.  10-20 fow always is go to for my boat.  However, some summer time crappies can be found in the thick cabbage in shallower water.  I am a live bait guy, crawlers are my favorite.  Some lindy rig, I like to jig a 1/3 crawler.  Usually makes for a great multi-species bite.  Also, a great lake for skis if you have the equipment.  Remember, don't let the amount of fish in your live well judge your success..

Catch n release, good luck

JH 

[mitch]

Thanks for the advice.  Unfortunately we didn't make it out on the water.  Saturday was our only chance to fish and the high winds would have made things pretty tough, so we didn't go out.  Will keep this in mind for next time.

[DonBo]

Yep, the hurricane winds Saturday kept most off the water. We got out for a couple hours Friday evening, Saturday morning and Sunday morning. Had quite a multi-species weekend, but only two legal walleyes found their way into my boat.  Crawlers caught more fish for us than leeches. Walleyes were found mostly from 16-19 FOW.

The big sunfish have been hard to come by in recent weeks, but we boated several by accident this weekend. A neighbor took home two really big largemouth on Saturday, 4 - 4 1/2 lbs.  First big bass I've seen this year.

I'll be back Friday  

 

[DonBo]

Getting late in the season for walleye, but still had a great weekend. Only fished about an hour and a half Friday night, after a shower went through, but two 16 inchers came home with me.

Hit the lake early Saturday morning and had my limit of 3 in the boat before 7:30, including one nice 19 1/2 inch fish.

These fish were all caught from 16-19 FOW. Leeches are getting hard to come by now, luckily crawlers are working just fine.

A huge bonus was the awesome sunset Saturday night.

Sunday morning was not as good, but a buddy managed to put two more in the boat. Several bonus big sunfish are being taken now in this deeper water, including this 9 1/2 incher. The biggest I've seen this year.

 

Oh yeah, Sunday's sunrise was no slouch either. Getting up early definitely has it's perks.

 

Edited July 27, 2015 by DonBo

[DonBo]

Was a beautiful weekend and I didn't make it up. How'd everyone do?

[DonBo]

Got back up this weekend, fished Friday evening, Saturday morning. 

Things have certainly slowed down with 80 degree surface temps. Did manage a 16 incher Friday and a 15 and 18 incher Saturday, but boy did we work hard for these three fish. Still finding them in 17-22 FOW. Leeches are getting harder to find, but you need both leeches and crawlers as they show a definite difference at different times of the day. 

A friend was up two weeks ago and did well pulling cranks on leadline, but we found it difficult with all the weeds in the lake.

I'll be back at it next weekend. Good luck!

 

[Ogaa_Persuit]

What happened to Muskiemanzan13 ? His last post was about 4 months ago.

[DonBo]

What happened to Muskiemanzan13 ? His last post was about 4 months ago.

Couldn't tell ya. Think we lost several posters when the page was split.

[Guest]

I'm still around...just don't spend as much time on the internet as I used to. Between fishing and work I've been a busy bee lately. Yellow has been good to me this year. There's waaayyyy more people fishing muskies this year than there has been the past couple years. For my boat I've put two 42"s in the bag this year some dandy snakes too. A 44" northern in 2FOW on the muskie opener. She was in chasing suckers. By the way if anyones seen a big white ranger out there this year that's me. 

Good luck 

[MNVikesFan]

Hi All-

Hope your Summer has\is going well.

I have a few question regarding Sturgeon fishing on Yellow Lake, as I've never fished for Sturgeon in my life.

Season runs tomorrow, September 5th through September 30th.

Licensing.  Just confirming that I'm reading it correctly on the WI DNR page.  If you do not plan on harvesting, you can still fish for Sturgeon without a tag, correct?  if you do plan on harvesting you must purchase a tag and the fish must be at least 60 inches.

Is Sturgeon worth harvesting?  Is it a good fish to eat?  How do you prepare them or do you smoke them?

What gear would you recommend for fishing Sturgeon? rod, reel, line, etc.  Does it vary based on whether I'm fishing to harvest or fishing to catch and release?

Finally, how\where does one fish for Sturgeon.  What time of rig, bait and structure of the lake is recommended for Sturgeon fishing.

Thanks-

Jeff

[DonBo]

Jeff, I'm not a sturgeon fisherman, but I'll tell you what I know.  You are correct, if you do not plan on harvesting a fish, you do not need a license.  I believe 60" is the minimum.  "They" say the meat is quite good, cut into steaks, or is supposedly very good smoked.

Gear? Serious stuff. Heavy action rod with a minimum 30 lb Power Pro. 50 is better.  Big solid hooks, circle hooks are popular.

Most fishing is done in the basin, out near the mouth of the Yellow River is a popular spot.  Use a heavy sinker, load up your hook with crawlers and or fatheads, throw it out and wait.

From what I've seen, the day/time you're out there seems far more important that where you set up. What I mean is, some days everyone catches fish, multiple fish, then for the next week or more, only a few fish are taken on the whole lake. Funny how that works.

Good luck if you give it a shot, you may see me out there trying it myself.

[MNVikesFan]

Thanks for all the information Don.  Much appreciated.  I definitely think I'll give it a try.

I'll keep an eye out there for you.

Jeff

[perch yerker]

Thanks for all the information Don.  Much appreciated.  I definitely think I'll give it a try.

I'll keep an eye out there for you.

Jeff

Don is correct, just need a fishing license if not intending to harvest anything.  That said, I couldn't possibly urge catch and release sturgeon fishing more.  A 60 inch sturgeon is around 35 years of age.  Every inch after that is slow going.....A 65 incher would be estimated at 42 years, 70 incher 50+ years old.  I bring this up because it takes a long dam time to raise a 70 inch sturgeon, which is pretty much the gold standard on the lake.  Once you catch a 70 inch fish, or anything close to that, the insane rush of having that sort of thing on the line is like no other..  Not worth eating an animal like that in my book. 

Crappies and bluegills taste better anyway.  :-)

[DonBo]

Saw lots of sturgies jumping this weekend, one just a few feet from my boat, but didn't hear of anyone catching one.  Anyone???

BTW, for the big holiday weekend, it sure seemed there weren't many people up.

[perch yerker]

Saw lots of sturgies jumping this weekend, one just a few feet from my boat, but didn't hear of anyone catching one.  Anyone???

BTW, for the big holiday weekend, it sure seemed there weren't many people up.

I got skunked,  I marked quite a few, but they were all 7-12 feet off the bottom, apparently not feeding.  I didn't see any jump Saturday either, so the few spots I tried must've been dead.  Seems like when I see them high like that, its usually very difficult to get any on the bottom.  I didn't see anyone hooked up.

[Nick Kuhn]

I got skunked,  I marked quite a few, but they were all 7-12 feet off the bottom, apparently not feeding.  I didn't see any jump Saturday either, so the few spots I tried must've been dead.  Seems like when I see them high like that, its usually very difficult to get any on the bottom.  I didn't see anyone hooked up.

I was out Saturday and was marking the same thing. It was a little breezy out there, and I had some bait vanish without ever feeling anything, but caught nothing. Should have stuck to muskie fishing longer, raised one of those of the weedline. Definitely odd to see what was clearly sturgeon on the down imaging though passing through so high in the water column. I think it was just too hot.

DonBo all the boats also vanished up the Yellow River. I must have counted 30 boats coming out of there that I never saw go in.

Edited September 9, 2015 by Nick Kuhn

[DonBo]

DonBo all the boats also vanished up the Yellow River. I must have counted 30 boats coming out of there that I never saw go in.

When it's hot, folks go up the river to swim. The water's much nicer and cleaner up there than it is in the lake.

[Muskiemanzan13]

Nothing for me this weekend sturgeon wise. Had my crawlers chewed off a couple of times and that's all. Tried by the river in 17'-23', out in the south bay in 26' and over by the old river channel on the northwest side in 27'. But looking back, I've fished 9 consecutive sturgeon openers and last year was the only one I have ever caught a sturgeon on opener. It seems earlier in the season there's always a bug hatch and they jump like crazy but when the water temp. drops, the fish drop to bottom and feed like crazy. I've had some awesome days out there but it's always been late season. Fishing for sturgeon is easy. Just a WI fishing license is required for catch and release. You can keep one over 60" with a tag but I do not recommend it. A fish that size is easily 60+ years of age and needs to be released to sport a healthy adult population. The meat might taste good if you smoke them but you can almost smoke a turd and it will taste good. Any ways catch and release of the sturgeon on Yellow will help keep a solid population of big fish for future generations to enjoy. It takes a long time for those fish to get that big. But fishing for them is fairly easy.

Location: you'll want fish deep and usually a little ways away from drop offs to avoid getting your bait picked off by perch walleyes or suckers. 

Bait: crawlers or dead minnows will work. Just keep it on the bottom

Set up: I use my regular muskie setups. Med-Heavy action 8ft rod. I use my muskie reels that have bait clickers so Revo Toro NaCl's spooled 80lb power pro. I fish with bobbers when I fish sturgeon. It may sound weird but you can keep your line further away from the boat and if the fish takes the bait and comes towards the boat, you'll see it. I use 8" un-weighted pole floats. (Fleet Farm has them in the catfish section) Get the un-weighted ones only. Rigging: just put the bobber stop and bead and bobber on, then your big slip sinker and split shot and hook (big Gamakatsu circle hooks). To set it, drop the bait over the side of the boat basically, you want to set it so your slip sinker sits on the bottom and your bobber lays flat on the surface with about 1ft of extra line. I'll try to get pictures this weekend to show the set up. 

 

Good luck guys,

-Zander

[MNVikesFan]

Thanks for all the information guys.

I saw a few jump this weekend, but spent most of my time keeping cool up the river with family.

I do have a question for the group.  One of my friends asked about licensing for Sturgeon at one of the local stores that carry bait and licenses.  They said they had a number of people asking about the licensing for catch and release fishing of Sturgeon, so they called WI DNR for clarification and were told that there needs to be at least one tag in the boat, regardless of whether you plan on harvesting or not.  That's not the way I was reading it in the regulations and from your replies that's not your understanding either.  Anyone heard of this?

Good luck out there!

Jeff

[DonBo]

Here's the regs, straight from the WI DNR page. Doesn't say a thing about having to have a tag just to fish.

 

2015 hook and line lake sturgeon regulations

• The lake sturgeon hook and line season opens Sept. 5 and runs through Sept. 30.
• The minimum length limit for lake sturgeon harvest is 60 inches.

Exceptions

• NEW for 2015: Menominee River - Downstream from the Grand Rapids Dam to Green Bay is catch and release only.
• There is a catch and release season on the St. Croix River (Wisconsin/Minnesota boundary water) from October 1 - October 15

 

Sturgeon harvest

Anglers need to purchase a harvest tag if they intend to keep a sturgeon. The harvest tag is available throughout the season and costs $20 for residents and $50 for nonresidents.

 

All anglers must have a Wisconsin general inland fishing license unless they are under 16 years old, or were born before Jan. 1, 1927. Active military personnel who are Wisconsin residents and in active service but on furlough or leave are eligible to received a free annual fishing license.

[Nick Kuhn]

You can catch and release fish for sturgeon without the tag. The tag is only for harvest.