Fishing Report 4-10-15

Well gang, it looks like I can finally pick up the torch and start giving out the info you have been craving...open water fishing is fuly upon us.

The local lakes are starting to turn on. The rain helped with the water levels, but did dirty up the water a fair amount.

Panfish, especially crappies, are starting to stage in shallow water. Look for these fish in dark bottom areas: small bays, boat channels or flooded marshy areas with standing reeds.

The fish will be spooky, but if you stay back and cast into them, you should have some success, especially with the warm afternoons ahead. The best fishing can be anywhere from 18 inches to 12 feet deep, but protected areas with dark bottoms are going to have the most active fish.

Kessus, Golden, Lower Nehmabin, Pine, Ashippun, Middle Genessee, Fowler, Garvin and Okauchee will all have active crappies. Tail hooked fatheads, waxworms or spikes on an icefishing jig, crappie sized tubes or marabou jigs will all produce. Remember to keep you bait just above them if possible, crappies feed up. Reeds, wood laydowns and submerged wood will all hold fish during the day.

Bluegills are starting to move shallow, but the on again, off again spring has slowed the transition somewhat. I'd look for them at the mouths of coves, or at the end of points adjacent to the shallow warm water areas holding crappies right now.

River fishing is still going strong on the Fox (Depere), Wisconsin (Dells) and Wolf Rivers. Closer to home, the Rock River is still giving up some quality bags of walleyes. White Bass are not yet running in strength, but another batch of rain will likely bring them in.

Good Luck out there...and be safe.

Kids Fishing Clinics: Saturday April 11

From the DNR

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Young anglers can receive free instruction at 31st Annual Kids' Fishing Clinics

By Southeast Region April 6, 2015

Contact(s): Matt Coffaro, statewide urban fisheries biologist, 414-263-8614

MILWAUKEE - Kids 15 years and younger can mark the arrival of spring by attending free fishing clinics on Saturday, April 11, at several lagoons and ponds in Milwaukee, Racine, Washington and Waukesha counties. Clinics will be held every hour beginning at 9 a.m. with the last clinic starting at 2 p.m. 

Members of local fishing clubs organize the clinics, and instruction includes fishing techniques, equipment use, knot tying, safety rules and fish identification. The clinics represent a cooperative effort by the Wisconsin Council of Sport Fishing Organizations, Milwaukee, Racine, Washington and Waukesha County Parks System, Hunger Task Force Fish Hatchery and the Department of Natural Resources.

"Sport fishing groups are the heart and muscle of this program," stated DNR Secretary Cathy Stepp. "They do an outstanding job of teaching kids the basics of fishing and that fishing is fun. None of this works without the dedication of the volunteers."

The Department of Natural Resources and the Hunger Task Force Fish Hatchery will stock fish in the urban waters before the kids' clinics are held. Fishing equipment is provided, but anglers are encouraged to bring their own rod and reel if possible.

Adult anglers are reminded that from March 7 through April 24, urban fishing waters are restricted to fishing by juveniles 15- years-old and younger and certain disabled anglers. The rule is designed to give young anglers and persons with disabilities an opportunity to fish close to home before competition from adults limits their chances to catch fish.

Urban fishing waters are small lakes and ponds under 25 acres that are intensively and cooperatively managed with a municipality. The 2015 - 2016 fishing regulations list urban waters with these special regulations. Locations for the kids' fishing clinics are as follows:

Milwaukee County

• Brown Deer Park, 7835 N. Green Bay Rd. (Hosted by Okauchee Fishing Club)
• Greenfield Park, 2028 S. 124th St. (Hosted by Great Lakes Sport Fishermen; Milwaukee Casting Club)
• Humboldt Park, 3000 S. Howell Ave. (Hosted by Lunkers Unlimited)
• McCarty Park, 8214 W. Cleveland Ave. (Wheelchair accessible) (Hosted by Southside Sportsmen's Club)
• McGovern Park, 5400 N. 51st Blvd. (Wheelchair accessible) (Hosted by Badger Fisherman's League)
• Mitchell Park, 2200 W. Pierce St. (Hosted by Bay View Rod & Gun Club)
• Oak Creek Parkway, Oak Creek Pkwy and Mill Road, South Milwaukee (Hosted by Friends of the Oak Creek Millpond)
• Scout Lake Park, 5902 W. Loomis Rd. (Wheelchair accessible) (Hosted by Walleyes Unlimited, USA)
• Sheridan Park, 4800 S. Lake Dr. (Hosted by South Milwaukee 1400 Fishing & Hunting Club)
• Washington Park, 1859 N. 40th St. (Wheelchair accessible) (Hosted by E.B. Garner's Fishing Club)
• Wilson Park, 1601 W. Howard Ave. (Hosted by Wisconsin Fishing Club)

Racine County

• Quarry Lake Park, 3800 Northwestern Ave. (Hosted by Salmon Unlimited)

Washington County

• Sandy Knoll Park, 2064 Wallace Lake Rd., West Bend (Hosted by Trout Unlimited Southeast Chapter; West Bend Kiwanis Early Risers)

Waukesha County

• Menomonee Park/Lannon Quarry, W220 N7844 Town Line Rd., Menomonee Falls, one-half mile north of Good Hope Rd.(Hosted by Wisconsin House Outdoorsmen)
• Fox Brook Park, 2925 N. Barker Rd. (Hosted by Wern Valley Sportsmen's Club)
• Muskego Park, S83 W20370 Janesville Rd., Muskego (Hosted by Women's Hunting and Sporting Association)

Okauchee Public Launch-Update

I spoke with the DNR today.

The Okauchee Public Launch will be closed at some point, but at this time, there is no firm date for the closure. Current estimate is that the launch will close May 1st, but all work has to be completed by July 1st, so the launch will be open for the mid-summer holiday.

For now, the launch remains open and the crappie are biting on the lake.

More as I get it.

Cheers,
CT