Brule River Bronzebacks

Today started out with early rainstorms that delayed our fishing trip on the Brule River near Florence Wisconsin. Technically this is the Upper Menominee River but from its headwaters near Nelma the locals call this the Brule, not to be confused with the Bois Brule that empties into Lake Superior near Ashland.
The skies cleared somewhat and my fishing partner and I headed for the confluence of the Brule and the Paint River commonly called Paint Pond. Although this is well known for its Muskies, it cointains a thriving population of Bass as well as good walleyes.
We started working heavily wooded bays and rock/rubble shorelines with jigs and crankbaits. It wasn’t long before we started to click on the same pattern we hit a couple days ago, slow sinking plastics twitched eratically near structure. As we worked up the Paint there seemed to be a smallmouth or two on every rocky point. My partner today was Rich Clarke from Palatine, Illinois. As evening shadows came across the water the action got darn serious. We connected with severals doubles on Bronzebacks. Rich nailed the Bass of the day, a broad shouldered 18 incher that engulfed his plastic jerkbait near a patch of cattails. After a polaroid snapshot she was released to fight again. We motored back to the landing as darkness fell, boating close to 30 bass and losing several others. We stopped to make a few final casts over a mid lake bar and were instantly into some nice walleyes, 16,18,and 21″. I was a little suprised they nailed the jerkbaits,(normally a bass lure) slowly twitched across the rock bar.Those went home for dinner.
We learned today that even threatening weather sometimes can produce good fishing. Get out and fish, its really getting close to prime up here in Northeast Wisconsin.

Great Report!

And I thought trout were the only fish in the Brule. Do you fish here very often…or was this a vaction trip?

Nicely done.

Gwamba: Great report! I love to fish “God’s Country”. I grewup in WI. Now I have to put up with shallow green color lakes in southern MN. Maybe someday I’ll make it back. Good Fishing;

Mark

Thanks Hougie! There are two “Brules”. The Bois Brule that empties into Lake Superior near Ashland and one that starts out of Brule Lake on the Wisc/Mich border Northeast of Eagle River and joins the Menominee near Florence, Wisc. I fish here frequently, its only 20 minutes from my home in Iron Mountain, Mich. in da U.P. There is a real boom in Muskie numbers in this body of water and it still is relatively unknown. The Paint River comes down from the North and is a cold clear river, perfect for Smallmouth habitat. Come on up!, I’d love to see some EFN guys come to visit us.

sounds like some great water. how far from Park falls WI?
canoe or jon boat?

About a 2 hr drive across Highway 70 to Florence. I fish it with an 18′ Crestliner. If you want to go way upstream you need a canoe and strong arms. Lots of rapids upstream. You can fish most of the water in a ProWalleye or Bass boat. As with any new water be cautious. There are rock bars and flooded timber out there lurking. I’ll be fishing the LBDN(Little Bay de Noc) friday, the post spawn bite is turning on. I also got a digital camera to start attaching pics. Thanks for the comments guys

Thank you for all the great info about the brule…Im dying to see some photos posted here about the brule when you get that camera rolling. Also…maybe you could post some Bay De Noc Photos over on FTL when you get back!

As long as you are in the UP, you should head over to the Sylvania Wilderness area, borrow a canoe. Smallies should still be on beds and lots of 18″ plus. Catch and relese on every lake there. Near Watersmeet.

I just retired from 26 years of teaching in Iron River, about 40 miles East of the Sylvania. It is a great area because of limited access(no motors), canoeing and portaging into several lakes. Whitetail Lake was my favorite, we caught many big Smallies out of there in my younger days. I haven’t been back for a long time,I guess I am getting too lazy fishing out of my Crestliner. Thanks for the reminder Woolybugger. It is a beautiful spot for someone who wants to do a wilderness camping trip where a trophy Smallmouth fishery is at arms length.

they still have the “mystery” lights that show up in Watersmeet?
I’m trailering my boat over to the Park Falls area next month. don’t think I’ll make it over to Brule on this trip. sure sounds like a nice fishery. I’ll post some results of our 3 day float down the Flambeau (if I remember anything)