What's happening....

My son Shannon had a half day of school today, so we did what a father and son should do on a snowy day, we went to State Fair Park to the 20th Annual Milwaukee Muskie Expo.

Met and talked with lots of people. Saw a really innovative piece of boat hardware in the MACCCCS Inc Net Holder. It's not available yet, but the display and demo were impressive.

Lots of interesting tackle. Rollie and Hellen's have a huge booth again this year. Also got a chance to chat with Beaver from Jerry's Sport Service about a new boat. I'm considering upgrading to a Lund Impact, to expand my guiding options.

One of my favorite musky lure outfits, Thuja Lures wasn't at the show, but Charlie did send over some  a picture of his new topwaters today. He's been working closely with the folks over at Smokey's to refine his process and colors. Check these out.....

I've had good success with Thuja topwaters on our local lakes, especially on Okauchee, Garvin and Oconomowoc Lakes. They are handcrafted wood designs, so they have some mass, but I like the size profile and the action on the ones I have, especially my Bog-Hog globe.

Stay warm and safe....open water is just around the corner.

Cheers,
CT

Ice Fishing this weekend (Fishing Report 2-3-12)

Everyone,

Lots of jamborees this weekend, and ice conditions are getting pretty sketchy. Just be careful if you're heading out.

Panfish are biting a couple times a day in green weeds in 4-8 feet of water. Smaller seems to be the operative word for presentations this season.

Pike are still biting aggresively, especially the smaller fish. This is classic pre-spawn behavior. Look for them on the edges of weeds or adjacent to drop offs. Medium shiners or suckers will do the job for the aggressive fish, but dead bait is catching the larger fish. I recommend a 2-1 Livebait-deadbait spread on your tip ups.

I have heard the best reports from people on Okauchee, Moose (be super careful), Golden, Silver, Pretty and Forest. Nag has also been pretty active, as have the Nashotah and Genessee Lakes.

Open water fishing continues to be hot in the Milwaukee Harbor. Browns and Lakers are being caught by boat and shore anglers.

The Rock River is still iced in, but if you want to give the Wisconsin River a try, people heading out below the dam have been catching some quality fish. Last reports indicated the river was open from the dam to the cables, and that some nice pre-spawn fish were being caught out of slack water.



If you're heading out this weekend, feel free to call or email me for up to date info.

Good Luck. Be Safe and Cheers.
CT

Public Service Message---The Update

Update (2-1-12): The folks at Lake-Link.Com are now rethinking the event on Delevan a bit. 

New Details are available here.

I'd be real careful if heading out to any of the Jamborees scheduled for this weekend.

Public Service Message

Lake Link.com's Jamboree is this weekend. With the weather being as unseasonal as it has been, lots of anglers are asking about ice conditions on Delevan.

Here's a post they put up this morning.

Cheers,
CT


PS. Dave Duwe knows his stuff, but after a couple of days in the 50 degree range, there's no way I'd be heading out there. Be safe.

Shaky Ice Conditions

It's always better to be safe than sorry, especially when ice fishing. Lots of people are pressing their luck right now and men and gear are going through.

Madison area lakes are being declared unsafe by the DNR, and UW-Madison has warned students about fishing in the area in front of the student union.

Closer to home, atv riders went through on Okauchee last night. Temperatures this week are projected to be in the mid 40's at times, so there's going to be movement in the ice that's there.

Stay safe if you're heading out.

Cheers,
CT

Fishing Report 1-20-12

Here's some info from Greg at Musky Mikes. Looks like most people are hitting the smaller lakes. Becky Smith's report at her shop's page from earlier this week (dated 1-18-12) says pretty much the same thing.

My info isn't much different. Because of ice conditions before the freeze this week, most people have been out in the protected areas/shallow bays/small lakes. Now that we've had a solid deep freeze, expect to see some movement to bigger water.

Stay safe. The snow is covering up some sketchy ice. Standard rules apply: PFD, Buddy System and spud bar use.

Here's what I got in over the last two-three days. Getting a little more specific info this week.

Okauchee: Icehouse has between 3-8 inches. Pike have been very good along the south shore cut, just past the drop off. A few larger pike have come off the deeper water around the sandbar-roadbed area at the mouth. A few crappies are in the deeper hole just inside the bay. Bluegill action has been spotty.

Okauchee: Bay Five Ice goes from solid to sketchy, especially in areas where the current is directly flowing in and off of the main channel. Pike have been very active, but smaller. Bluegills are biting a couple times a day, and stacked up over the larger brushpiles/wood laydowns. No word on crappies.

Golden: Pike are active on the south end. Ice on North end was shifting some, and a little thin in spots. Panfish would bit if you could find them, but the larger schools of keepers are suspending off the deep weed edge areas in 15 FOW.

Silver: Lots of people have been out, but reports have been a little thin in terms of action. Smaller gills and a few undersize pike. One guy I talked with, who is a pretty reliable source said he couldn't keep the bass off his tip-up minnows the other day, but he never caught one over 12 inches.

Kessus: Other than reports of a monster pike (it gets a little bigger each time I hear a different person talk about it now-it went from a 36" to a 41" in a matter of minutes) that have been making the rounds, bluegills seem to be the hot action on Kessus. Shallow ends of the bays and the marshy area have been productive.

Nagawicka: Kettle...I know its been busy, but none of the people I have talked with have been out there. Becky's people at Dick Smiths or Greg at Musky Mikes will have better information.

Ashippun: Always a winter sleeper, Ashippun has been providing some decent action for pike. Ice reports are that it goes from solid to thin in a matter of feet, so be careful, but look for pike in the reedy area near the launch. Gills and crappies have been out deep and on the bottom.

Good Luck...and be safe...
CT

PS...scroll down for a special offer for this year's open water season.

2012 Bookings -Special Pre-Season Pricing

I like to use this blog to share information with local fisherman, but part of that process is the guiding that I do.

I'm currently looking ahead to this open water season, and while I have several trips booked with my year to year regulars, I'd like to take this opportunity to extend a special deal to anyone interested in a fishing trip with me during the open water season.

If you book a date with me for this season before March 15th, I'll take you on a half day trip in April-September (5-6 hours) for just $200. The trip will be a multispecies outing on a body of water we agree on, and you have to send me a check or paypal me a deposit to hold your day.

I'll entertain specific requests for individually, but I'd like to think of these trips as a "fishing lesson" as much as a guided outing. Don't mistake my intentions, we'll catch fish when we go, just like anytime you fish with me.

Other guides in our area specialize in taking you out to catch fish their way, (typically slow trolling with live bait) but I recognize that the real service I can provide you with is to teach you how to catch fish on our local lakes. That's a little different than what most guides do when you are out with them. But the best service I have provided to clients in the past, whether on the water or in the baitshop has been to share my knowledge with people in order to help them improve their own skill sets.


If you're interested in booking one of these trips at the special price (about 20% off last years rate), email me or give me a call.


Cheers,
CT