Walleye - Your good to go. A few chunks of ice that can be pushed aside in the harbor. The bay itself is ice free and a beautiful evening it was. Wed. looks like a nice day - I didn't check the wind though. I should have had my boat out there tonight - it looked nice(real, real nice!). Have you fished LSB before? I'd be willing to exchange some info if your interested. I've got to go hunt some antlers before the mice chew them up... Good luck fishing and enjoy.

Is this weekend looking as nasty as they say it is? Friday 30mph gusts, rain and snow all weekend? Has the Chequamegon bay opened up at all? I have heard north of there it is.

Red Cliff and points north are open.

Nothing south though? I am heading over on Friday. I am hoping that the waves and rollers are not so big. I don't care about rain and snow. Is it getting pretty busy there with the open water?

Things are opening up a bit on Cheq. Bay, but there is still alot of ice. I was off Bayfield on Tuesday. Everything north of Houghton Point is open. I hope to get out this weekend, despite the snow.

If you happen to see a green/white 1750 sportfish with full walk thru getting tossed around, say hi if you would. I like meeting people off this site. I don't know how many wisconsin people use it but I know in MN it is huge.. Name is Nate by the way..

I'll be in a blue 20' Lund Alaskan with Johnson motors. I hope to see you out. The ice in the bay is getting pushed around with the south wind today. There is hope.

Did you guys do any good out in that nasty stuff?

The bay ice finally has left with the last winds we had this weekend, where you can get a boat out of Washburn Marina and out of the public landing in Ashland. Unsure about Second Landing though.

For fishing, the near shore trolling is still producing fish, and will do so until we see temps in the high 40's, long ways off yet. Now, you can find browns, splake, coho, etc etc from Ashland all the way to Superior if you wish!!! Hot, bright colors are the best this year, due to dingy water conditions that are still prevelant.

Walleyes are being caught right now in and around Ashland as well, stick baits either trolled or casted in the shallows is the ticket.

Pike are going to be post spawn now, where dead bait tactics and slow moving plastics will get you bit. Look to areas in front of backwater esturaries and creek mouths for the best action.

Bass season opens next weekend. With that, comes an important rule change for the early catch and release season. No live bait can be used and all artificials must be barbless. This law comes from a legislator (Dan Meyer) that pushed this bill, that also included the early catch and release season for musky, into the last budget process. Just be aware of this for those who come and enjoy pre-spawn and spawn fishing for bass.

Nice fish. Friday the 25th was an experience I won't soon forget. Big waves and high winds. Pulled a couple coho's and a brown shallow. Sat the 26th could not get in the water at Bayfield, fished coal docks. Not much there. Sunday was the treat. Sun and light winds in the morning, shallows were the ticket. Saw quite a few boats out there by Houghton point. Hit the hot pond a little late, not much there. Great lake you have there.. See ya next time..

Nice to see a few more folks around on the lake.. Fishing has improved since ice out. From the bay all the way around to the western edge of the islands. Fish, mainly browns, splake, coho, kings, steelhead, and an occasional brookie are still up in the shallows. Water temps are reaching the 40 degree mark or just above, where now is the time I start incorporating spoons into my spread as well. Stickbaits on the outside and spoons on long leads off riggers or off 2 or 3 color rigs on a board. Hot colors are still ruling the roost.

For other species, pike and walleyes are post spawn now. Using the shallows, where trolling techniques are producing the best. Stickbaits here too. But, in concentraited areas for walleyes, work the area with livebait rigs can be key too. Also, look to dead bait techniques for pike, especially during cold front conditions.

Personally, I dont know what is going on with the bass yet. But, from experience I am sure a lot of fish are moved in and around Sand Cut and the Kakagon. Pre-Spawn, so look to the deeper cuts and use jerkbaits (hard and soft) and slow moving tubes, senkos, and or worms. Remember, no livebait and all hooks must be barbless.

Well it looks like things are looking good, fishing wise, for the first big holiday of the year. It seems almost every specie of fish out in the bay and into the islands are giving anglers some success. Water temps are great for those looking for pre-spawn bass and are still cool enough for near shore trolling from Washburn North. Post spawn walleyes and pike are just getting on the feed too, so overall this past week has been phenomenal for a multi-specie bite.

For bass, look to the Kakagon and Sand Cut area, fresh fish are going to be in the deeper cuts but you will see fish up real shallow too. Swim jigs, jerk-bait baits, senkos, and tubes are my mainstay this time of year.

For near shore trout and salmon, stick baits as usual. But now is the time to also throw spoons at these fish as well. Either on long leads off the riggers or on 1 to 3 leadcore rigs, snap weights, or keel sinkers. Work boards right tight to the shoreline for browns and splake, but dont forget to work out over a little bit deeper water for coho, kings, and steelhead too. Fast warming water can push some fish off the breaks (Browns and splake) so be aware of this and adjust your trolling spread if your outside boards are the ones getting crushed.

Walleyes, 55 degrees to 60 degrees gets em into a good crankbait bite out here. Shallow water out in front of Second Landing down the shoreline to Ashland is a good bet to find these fish. It may take awhile to find a pod, but usually when you find them you will get multiple fish. CPR is well needed on this fishery IMHO.

Pike are getting aggressive in the shallows too. These fish are keying in on new emergent weeds in the shallows around Sand Cut and Kakagon and down the shoreline to Ashland as well. Trolling is an effective way to find where their living, then casting those areas to pick off a few more.

If your looking to fill your bass needs, come and get it. Fishing is definately good right now for pre-spawn and spawn fish. Am sure there are some post spawners too. Today, my wife and I had a fabulous morning, with 32 fish in the boat. From the Sand Cut to the Kakagon. Kakagon a bit slower, due to muddy water from the recent rains.

Walleyes are on the move now. Some still in the real shallow stuff, but the bigger post spawn females are moving each and everyday towards summer haunts. Trolling patterns are definately the best here to contact willing fish.

Things in the islands and into the bay for trout and salmon are now turning more into a Lake Trout game, as water temps are getting warmer. Even so, still some areas with some good near shore fishing left. But, lakers are definately set-up on their typical spots in the Flats, off Outer Island, and everywhere inbetween. Some really good catches of Kings this year, and still a few floating around in the south channel and up in the shipping channel leading to Ashland.

Inland stuff is now showing most clear water lakes with a good crappie bite and bass bite, pre-spawn and spawn fish. Darker water lakes are showing the bluegills in full force and still a strong shallow water early weed growth walleye bite.

Havent had much time to type much lately.. But fishing is still good in this area, from the bay and out into the islands.

Trout, mainly lakers are the main target now. Still getting a few browns here and there and the occasional salmon. But for lake trout specifically, they are setting up in typical summer haunts as the water temps start to climb. 80 feet or deeper is the name of the game most days now. From the Flats to Outer and over to Port Wing, lakers are giving most anglers good action.

Bass are on the move now, pretty much done with post spawn recovery. Off shore weedbeds, drop offs, and rock is the name of the game now. Live bait techniques along with crankbaits, carolina rigged plastics, and swim jigs are all working. Gotta work a bit to find pods of fish though, as most fish are still in transition.

Walleyes are going well in the bay still and out over the channel edge. Harnesses along with cranks are taking fish, with some pretty decent sized ones. These fish are in transition too, so covering a lot of ground is needed. Make sure to fish through an area again if you get one to bite. Pods of fish seem to be bigger then what I have seen in years past.

Here is to a great summer bite out here on Chequamegon Bay and into the Apostle Islands!!!

Jim, nice to meet you this past weekend. First time up in the area and enjoyed the people, the fishing and the sights out into the islands. Didn't hook up with any of those lake trout that Superior is famous for but did enjoy catching a nice mixed bag of walleye, smallies, coho, pike and steelhead over the course of a couple days. Hoping to get back to Lake Michigan another time yet this year to try my luck, I think Mike is going over early August with a few guys but I'll be up around the Flambeau, fishing, and working on the hunting area for the fall. Tightlines, nice to have met you in person, hope to get up and out there again this winter to fish for those lakers.
Tunrevir~