Re: Road Trip
You will be in Madison the 13th and 14th ?? <br />What brings you to our fair state?<br /><br />Well, the lakes are closed to game fishing in WI from April 1 till May 6th . There is a year round open season for crappies and bluegills, but they won't be biting till the water warms up, a lot.<br />Exceptions are the major rivers, which have a year round open season for some game fish.<br /><br />The WI River is north and west of Madison, and the Rock River is south of Madison. But I don't have any experience with these 2 rivers.<br /><br />The walleyes are in their spring spawning runs up the rivers, great if you can get to them where they pile up against the next upstream dam.<br /><br />*************BEST BET: If you can get 90 miles NE, to Oshkosh or Winneconnie, or Fremont on the Wolf River, you will be there at the peak of the walleye run. <br /><br />6-12 pound test line. Jigs with minnows or twister tails, or a "river rig" - just a hook with minnow attached to a 3 way swivel with a short mono leader, attach a 1/2 oz sinker to the otherside of the 3 way swivel with another mono leader. Some guys will use a little stinger hook at the back of the minnow or twister tail.<br />Position bait anywhere from bottom up to within 5' of the surface. Watch your fishfinder to see what depth to fish at.<br /><br />The waters are crowded here for a couple weeks. You will need 1 or 2 big river anchors, current is quite swift around Fremont. Boats may only be 30-50' apart at times. But if they are biting, it is well worth it.<br /><br />JB has fished the Wolf in spring, and says it is something all fishermen should experience.<br /><br />########****This is where I will be the 15th and 16th.<br />I could probably make it the 14th, a little after noon.<br /><br /><br />You might even hook a sturgeon, play it out and get it up to the boat before you cut the line, but don't net it or pull it in the boat unless you want to go to jail.<br /><br />We are just starting spring in the central part of the state. It may be cold and rainy, temps anywhere from 30-65*. Bring warm clothes and rain gear.<br /><br />From an article online: <br />When the water temperature hits 36 or 37 degrees the fish start moving up, he said. When the water temperature moves into the 40s, the fish really start moving up to shallow rocky areas, marshy areas or brush piles on the shoreline when the river is high. They actually spawn in 46- or 47-degree water temperature. If you're fishing then the actual bite will be in decline. They don't eat when they spawn. Forty-four- or 45-degree water temperature will often mean great fishing.<br /><br /><br />Article on WI walleye rivers:
click<br /><br />WOLF RIVER<br />Walleyes staged in Lake Winnebago - our state's premier walleye factory - get the urge to move many miles upstream to Fremont and beyond just about the same time walleyes are going great guns on the Fox, which is sometime between April 10 and April 20.<br /><br />Like other rivers, the major upstream push on the Wolf happens at night. <br />But the Wolf here is surprising deep. A good plan is to set up in an ambush point where the slack water meets the fast water - like an entry point to a marsh - and employ a Wolf River rig or similar presentation that allows the fish to come to you rather than actively casting to them.<br /><br />The upstream run only lasts a couple days at best. But when fish are done, they take a more leisurely slide back downstream a little higher up in the water column. Those marks halfway to the bottom on your electronics are walleyes until proven otherwise.<br /><br />+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<br />Let me know if you are interested in fishing the Wolf River.<br />I can recommend a cheap motel about 10 miles from the river, and an eatery or two.<br />Would love to meet you and let you show me how its done.
<br />++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
