NORTHERN WISCONSIN – With ice now mostly off nearly all the lakes in the area, open water fishing is officially underway in the Northwoods. We’re seeing a promising early bite for perch and some signs of crappie movement, as anglers gear up for the upcoming walleye opener.
The perch are thick along the shorelines and active in very shallow water – two to four feet is all you need. They’re stacking up near downed timber, brush piles and stumps, particularly in the bays where the water is warming up. Anglers are reporting excellent numbers using both worms and minnows, with fatheads producing noticeably bigger fish than crappie minnows. This bite is hot right now, and likely to slow down as spawning wraps up over the few weeks or so, depending on temperatures – get after it while it’s good!
Crappies were starting to stage for the spawn before this recent cold front dropped water temps again. This has pushed them back into slightly deeper holding areas. If temps rebound in the next few days (as forecasted mid-week), we should see them move back up. Keep an eye on warm afternoons for shallow movement, especially near the north-facing bays and channels.
Despite the chilly weather to start the week, we’re still tracking ok for melt and water temperature. The recent rainfall was helpful and not overly intense, which is keeping the system balanced. Overall, conditions are setting up for what we hope will be a stable and “normal” fishing season. It’s getting close!
Get your gear in order and make sure you’ve got your 2025 fishing license – and maybe finish up that yard work – because the game fishing opener is just around the corner. It’s shaping up to be a good one!
Good luck and good fishin’!
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