I have canoed the Chippewa every year for about 10 years. My favorite Walleye spot is at the mouth of the red cedar. The eyes stack up on the current break where the Chip meets the red cedar. Try low light conditions. Pitch a jig and minnow and a rattle trap at them. Theyre kind of spookey so you only get 1 or 2 and then it takes a few minutes for them to come back. Keep you boat way back.
The shore opposite the Red cedar entrance for the mile or so down from where the red cedar enters is my best daytime spot. The water runs deep along that bank, a jig and a crawler or a harness usually takes them. Just above the railroad bridge by the bike trail there are 4 or 5 very short wingdams. The only ones I know of on the upper chip. Go figure they hold fish almost always. I’ve got some real nice eyes here. Any good sand reef drop off that forms and shifts can hold Quality fish, but there always changing, and You just need to try them as you go. Smallmouth can be pesky but fun. Don’t forget to throw a little topwater.
Your right about the mouth of the Red Cedar. I have fished
there several times and up the Red Cedar is also good. I haven’t tried opposite side downstream though.This is home
territory area but last night I was up in Chippewa below
Wisota or between the dams.I also fish the same small wingdams.I generally only fish this area early spring or
after frost.Too many bugs and deer flies. I’m sure if you
tried bank fishing these areas now you would need a visit
from the Red Cross to Recieve some blood.There’s also a nice
pool upstream about halfway to Eau Claire thats real good at
times.Where do you put in with your canoe and do you float fish down to Durand???I have a small leaky flatbottom for the river.Have you floated it this year already??
We alternate years launching behind Hobbs ice arena in EC. And The park in Menomonie. (first leg on the red Cedar) Float down to highway 35 (pepin bridge) Havent made it this year yet. To busy fishing Bass tourneys. (I have descided that Bass fishing and fast boats are a disease). Hope to make the float yet this fall. As for the mosquitoes…. drink 2 shots of raid every morning when you get up (kidding). Sweat it out and they leave you alone. We usually go 4th of July Weekend. Take 4 Days 3 nights, and fish and float a lot more than paddle. We have our favorite spots that produce fish every year, and always seem to find a few new ones.
P.s. Get a bottle of marine tex and stop those leaks. I helped a friend fix a flatbottom that you couldn’t row across a lake. 3 years later, Still hasn’t leaked. Mixes like bondo. Little shmoo on each rivet. Problem solved.
Thats a long float.I’m only about a mile from the bridge in Dunnville,The last bridge you go under before you get to the Chippewa.Like I said usually only fish spring and fall in that area.I do really good durring high water in the spring.I’ll have to put on some spray and try a few of my favorite shore spots one night this week. Picked up my little flat bottom at an auction for 50 bucks about twenty five years ago.It’s very light and has a lot of flex..It’s just not the rivets leaking I have a small hole in the floor
behind last seat.Silicone works for a while.It doesn’t get that much water in it about a medium size pop glass from Mcdonalds every 15 to twenty minutes .One swoop and your good to go. Let me know if your going to be in the area which is also good for deer and turkeys and we can have a cold one.There are some huge cats in that area also.
Yeah night time is for catfish. We have got some good cats over the years with our awsome strategy… Throw out bait, and leave your pole un-attended, but well braced. God knows how many have bit and spit the bait out while we were laughing by the fire… I’ll holler before we start our float this year. I camp First night right below the red cedar in our best walleye spot.
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