Heading to Green Bay for first time, questions.

I am heading to Oconto in a couple of weeks for the first time. I pretty much only fish Minnesota and occasionally Canadian waters. I am looking for some advice if you so wish to share with me.
I have Lowrance Elite Ti2 graphs that have CMAP preloaded. I looked and there is some chart lines for Green Bay but they are not very exact. I will record my own when out there but wondering if you guys know if there are many hazards in the area just out from the break water or will my rough CMAP charts be good enough to get me by? If you think there are a bunch of hazards and I should buy a new chart, what would you recommend?

Also, being my first time on the great lakes with my own boat I tried to navigate the laws and regulations. I went to Cabelas and bought a 4 pack of flares that are good for day and night. I already have everything to be legal in MN (throw cushion, horn, life jackets, fire ext.) Am I missing anything? I heard someone at one time mention an AIS sticker. Is this something required? What is it?

Thanks in advance for a little help. I am pretty excited to try something new, I primarily like to lindy rig and vertical jig. I will sometimes troll for pike with mono and sometimes will drag some leadcore for walleyes. Sounds like most people like to cast and slow jerk retrieve with rip n raps and troll around to locate warmer water and fish on side imaging. I have a whole box of rip n raps and honestly have never caught anything on them. (Always tried vertical jigging ice fishing or over the side of the boat) Hoping to catch a pig or two, if not just super stoked to get back on the water.

Does anyone have an opinion on the best mapping chip for this area? Are there any high caution areas that I should be concerned about with my less than perfect CMAP charts? As any new to me area I will not be flying around like a mad man, and will be making my own chart, but would be nice to know your opinions.

Thanks!

I would load up Navionics on a phone or tablet and just poke around the area you are going to be. You can see if hazards line up with what you see on CMAP.

There are a lot of shallow water sand bar areas. Big areas that are not marked. Just make sure you get a better map loaded and make sure to highlight the shallow water so you don’t end up on a sandbar and you should be fine. I for the first time came into the lake via the Fox River a couple weeks ago and was surprised at how much shallow water there was coming out of the river. The channel is marked very well but they were just starting to put out buoys that morning.

I’m not 100 percent sure but i thought you need a marine radio.

New also is having that engine cutoff cord attached to yourself on federal waters

Navionics app will be your cheapest and easiest solution.

Rippn Raps are the ticket there this time of year. Do NOT fish them slow. Rip them 10″ off the bottom with aggression and let them fall. You will not get bit moving them slow.
Jig and minnow work well, too.
Once you pass the breakwall there are no hazards other than a big shelf to your right. If you have a map you’ll be fine.
Also. Go to the Menomonie and try Mississippi Killer Jigs in deep water. We did really well drifting the tip rap near the mouth. NOBODY else uses those there…dude from Eau Claire who fishes Mississippi told us how well they work there. We had boxes of them. Good luck.

This is not true depending where you are. If you make it to the Oconto area there are big areas on the west shore line out a mile that can be 1.5′ or less depending on the water level. Just watch your map.

Tim Chrouser wrote:

Once you pass the breakwall there are no hazards other than a big shelf to your right.