Fishing Report - Archives

June - November, 2010

Final Fishing Report 2010

Alas, the season for us has come to a close for 2010. We (Wendy, Larry, Chris, Cory and Eric) put in below the Winter Dam through the snow and ice and fished til mid afternoon. We moved 2 muskies but neither to the boat. Wendy landed a 25" carp on an eight inch long musky fly--hooked in the mouth! We took that as a sign that the season was, indeed, over. We had a great season that was full of challenges, mostly due to high and unstable water conditions for most of the season. We had to "figure it out" every day as there didn't seem to be consistent conditions from day to day, week to week. All in all, lots of good clients and good memories. Finding a good off-season pace will be the next challenge. We're already in "can't wait for next season" mode...

Fishing report 10/28/10

Well, our wet Summer has turned into a wet Fall. After six weeks of sunshine and reasonable water levels, the last two days of massive storms have changed everything. River levels are at flood stage and basically unfishable for the short term. Musky fishing has been very, very good from mid September til this past Tuesday. The prospects for November look great. Water levels should be good and, if we can get the weather to hold, November, as always, should produce the biggest fish of the season.

Fishing report 9/12/10

Well, it was bound to happen. We have had six boats out over the past 3 days and the bass fishing appears to be over for 2010. We found a few, but they were smaller fish and we found them in the very quietest water. Musky fishing has definitely picked up, however. I just got a call from Damian Wilmot, who guides on the Brule, and he said the steelhead are moving into the river. So, one season closes and another opens. Fall musky and steelhead are upon us. Good Fishing!!

Fishing report 9/9/10

With the onset of cool temperatures after September 1, the fishing news is pretty good. Water temps on the upper Namekagon are safe for trout fishing and should remain so for the last 3 weeks of the season. Not much for hatches, but swinging a big, meaty streamer should do the trick. Bass fishing has been very good, but probably won't last much longer. The bass will start their fall migration within a week or so and now's the time to take advantage of the smallie fishing until next May. Musky fishing has picked up and will just get better as fall progresses. After the hot summer we had, it feels pretty good to layer up and enjoy the cooler fall fishing...Larry

Supplement to 8/17 fishing report

I neglected to mention the graph that is on the report page. The graph demonstrates the flow/unstable challenges of the Flambeau for the summer. What a wild ride!!!

Fishing report 8/17/10

It may be too soon to tell, but the weather is looking a bit more stable for the next 10 days. The rivers are still high, but they are starting to drop and become more fishable. The Flambeau is going to be high for a while, as they are dropping the lake level in the Turtle-Flambeau flowage. The Chippewa is coming down, but it may take a few days to normalize. The Namekagon is still a little high, but the bass fishing has been very good. The Namekagon north of Hayward has been cooling the past couple of days and the trout fishing could pick up again. Not much for hatches, but streamers and attractors could be the ticket. Strange summer, but we're delighted to have water...

Fishing report 8/5/10

Our rivers are holding their water very well, and the fishing has been good. The fish have been VERY tight to the cover, so casting accuracy is essential to success. We are finding that the fish are spread out a bit, but if one is willing to experiment a bit, the fish are active. The Flambeau weeds are alive and well, so be prepared to pick weeds off your flies. The fish are using the weeds as additional structure, so, fish accordingly. The Chippewa flows are higher than the historic averages, but it is fishing really well. Water temps in the Namekagon approach 80 degrees every day, so chub fishing has been very good--trout fishing not so much...

Fishing report 7/20/10

Well, last week was a beauty. Hayward got slammed last Wednesday with 98 mph straight-line winds and 5 inches of rain. The rivers went up, but they are still fishable. River flows are above historic averages and we seemingly need to re-learn how to fish them. The fish don't react well to unstable conditions and that has been the norm for this season. We're finding fish in rather curious locations compared to previous years, but we are finding them. Poppers and hair bugs are ruling the day, with streamers a close second. Musky fishing has been spotty, but we're still finding them as well. Call or email if you're going to be in the area and we'll give you the up-to-the-minute scoop on conditions...Larry

Fishing report 7/1/10

Good news--The high water of last week is coming back down toward normal. More good news--we have several more options for fishing as a result of the higher water. Fishing has been pretty good but will just get better as water conditions and weather conditions stabilize. Water temps are approaching 80 degrees, so trout fishing is risky.

Fishing report 6/26/10

After six years plus of dealing with low water, we are finally dealing with the other end of the spectrum. Our rivers are at dangerously high flows right now. The Flambeau, Chippewa and West Fork of the Chippewa are unfishable. They are all up several feet over normal and floating them isn't safe. The Namekagon is high but fishable. It's going to take some time for the fish to re-locate and for the water to stabilize. North of Hayward, the Namekagon is fishable, but water temps are mid-upper 70's, so the trout are stressed. As the weather warms, the fishing will be even tougher. The Brule is high but fishing good with the Hex hatch beginning. The White is blown out and unfishable...