While spring got quite an early start her e in North-Central Wisconsin this year, recent cold temperatures including a couple of inches of snow over the weekend have dropped water temperatures quite a bit and slowed the fishing a tad. That being said, there are still good numbers of fish shallow, with activity increasing throughout the day as the sun brings the water temps back in line, fish have just been more scattered the past few days.
Both bluegills and crappies are available up shallow, and taking both livebait such as worms and minnows, and artificial offerings such as Cubby Jigs or small jigs tipped with Berkley Gulp or Powerbait. Look for emerging weeds, brush piles, stumps, and cover such as docks to all hold fish.
Smallmouth Bass have slid a bit deeper off some of the shallow rocky areas, but are catchable with a variety of plastic offerings such as 3" and 4" tubes and Carolina rigs. Deeper running crankbaits, including lipless crankbaits fished slow, are also producing fish during the day.
There are plenty of northern pike up and active in the shallow weeds and stump flats. The best action has been during mid-day, with fish greedily consuming swim baits, spoons, in-line spinners, and crankbaits. Brighter colors have been best in the sun while metallic colors have been producing on cloudy or overcast days.
The walleyes have been scattered throughout the river channel expect in areas where current breaks exist. Jigs and livebait have worked well, as has live bait rigging options such as slip bobber rigs. Anglers looking to troll should pull crankbaits or spinner rigs along irregular stretches of the river channel as it cuts through the various shallow flats on both the River itself and Lakes Wausau and DuBay.
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