September Fishing Report

Databoy,
Thank You, and it was a pleasure chatting with you on the river. As for Lake Ripley We caught a few more bull gills but the bite has slowed down compared to Monday.
WeFish

A great Labor Day to be fishing. Slow-no wake helped. My fishing partner and I caught a variety of fish species dragging jigs and half crawlers. Red jigs seemed to be the best choice since they caught the legal fish. Next time I bring my red jigs.

Got out at 8:30 and didn’t stay out long. Barely a bite going on anywhere in the river. I did better than most I talked to including those targeting catfish and white bass. I caught one white bass and one big sheephead and called it quits.

Got out about 7:am Saturday until 1:pm and had similar results. Fished last week’s hotspot and it was over and done with–1 carp. Went to the rockpile and had to keep clearing my lines of 5″ white bass. Had two 12-13″ walleye hit a crawdad colored shad body. Went up to Blackhawk Island–not much happening there either.

Might try to get out to the Rock on Thursday pm, for my inaugural fall (almost) walleye outing. Does anyone know if the no-wake rule still in effect?

I believe it still is no-wake though it’s hard to find it posted at any of the boat landings. If you see the flooding it’s hard to want to go fast and see it splash against property. Good luck, I’m heading up north for the weekend and will probably miss a good bite again. Any body ever fish DuBay near Wausau?

Since I didn’t get to the rock, if Z-man doesn’t catch fish he can’t blame me

three shorts tonight.

OK Fair enough, Diesel. Now the pressure’s on. Plan on heading out there abut 2 pm today….we’ll see. Can always find some other reason, though, to blame a skunking on.

Well, I know you’re all anxiously awaiting the report from yesterday….just call me Diesel….what else can I say. I hope this isn’t the start of “skunkaholism”, cuz let me tell you, it ain’t no fun. Only boated two shorties, one of which got its photo taken to prove there was no skunking. (Sorry, forgot the camera at home, so can’t post pic right now of the giant 12 incher).But now for the productive part of the report.
Here’s the river status as of yesterday. Seems that no wake rule has been lifted. No posting otherwise at by-pass launch, and saw a few boats running up and down making wakes.
Called Riverfront bar on my way to the river, and they said launch was open. Got there, and no docks.Same deal with the bar launch just down from Riverfront. Since I wass going to land my boat solo, decided to launch at the by-psss. Dock was in there, and in fine shape. Water level still high, but not over banks anymore at blackhwk.
Started up-river from the by-pass, and zilcho. Kept moving down river, making my way to the mouth. Strong S/SW winds made for legit 2 ftrs. at the mouth , so after fighting those for a while, tucked into a quieter cove for a last hurrah, and called it quits at 6pm.
Water temp was 66 degrees.
That’s all the fishing for this guy till late next week. Will look for some favorable reports from the rest of you, though.

May the foul, foul scent of skunk pass from my boat to you.

OK who is next?

D

Was out from 6:30 to 9:30 pm Thursday and had the same results on the Newville side of the lake–three shorts all on #14 Rapala stickbaits. 9″, 12″, and 13″. However, on this end of the lake, the river is still no-wake. My neighbors were out Wednesday and brought home two 16″ keepers jigging and riggin’ on the clambeds.

I was out Wednesday also and saw them caught. Very lucky guys after fighting the net and it was tangled they just horsed them in . Few shorts that night for just two hours of fishing.

Ed better days ahead. Fish the rock and they will come.

They said they saw you, Jeff. But, they didn’t tell me “the rest of the story”

Not to be outdone, I got my 3 shorts today too along with a white bass and sheephead. I was out just a couple hours after the Pack had the 2 TD lead. All fish came upstream from the bypass launch on 3/8 oz. jig and half a crawler. I had one walleye from each of the last 3 year hatches so it looks like they’re still be fish for the future, especially if I keep fishing.

my friend and i were thinking of going out in the newville stretch saturday the 29th. what are your guys favorite live bait for this time of the year? thanks for any info.

Welcome to IDA

The live baits most anglers are using are night crawlers as of now. When temps reach in the fifty minnows will produce. Good luck

As promised, here’s the pic of the broad-shouldered 12 incher from last week ….not quite a skunking, but as close as I’d care to get. As Jeff said, better days are certainly ahead.

Netmann: Welcome to the site. As for favorite baits this time of year, I will always use plastic on one of my jigging rods, and live bait on other. As the water cools, plastic has been the better bait for me….seems it produces larger fish, but still takes dinks and white bass. I favor the Catalpa Orange/chartreuse tail paddletails,(available via IDA ads) and seems the eyes do to. My theory after having cleaned numerous fall eyes with frogs in their bellies, is that maybe it resembles frog legs down there…whatever the case, they have produced well for me on the Rock , and on the WI River this time of year, as well of course, as on the Ole Miss. Good luck on the Rock, and I agree with Jeff….keep plugging away, and

the eyes should come.

Hey Z-man, it looks like you found my secret spot This will be my first fall walleye river fishing ever, it sounds like I better stock up on plastics. I’ll be out Saturday morning and Sunday afternoon, hope to see you all then.

Gotta love your signature at the bottom Greg.

Databoy…Was hoping to get out this afternoon, but not gonna happen. May try Saturday morning too. I still have some leeches wanting to get out for a swim, and time to rig the paddletails…..if you see a Yarcraft, say hi.

I’m with Diesel! Gotta love the signature–why didn’t I think of that? Take pride in what you have even if it is borrowed, cheap and lacking in name recognition or status.

Good luck guys who get out this weekend. Decided I will chase the salmon for a while til the walleye kick into gear.

Gotta get food on the table somehow.

D

Salmon, that’s ok. good luck

September has been good to me on the rock and I know October will be better. The river really has change and I have been putting in a ton of time learning new and productive areas. The areas have been producing with nice keepers like these. The walleyes have been putting on the feed bag so try new holes and the wood in the rock when your normal ones don’t work and down size. Dragging jigs have been working awesome. Here’s a couple keepers from the other night.

I was out from 8 to 11 this morning and picked up 5 shorts along with one nice 17″ fish. My problem has been the soft mushy Kwik Trip crawlers. The fish suck them off the jig so fast there’s barely time to set a hook. If it wasn’t so convenient being just across the street I’d never buy them again. It seems the walleyes still prefer half a crawler to anything else so far though. I plan on heading back out after the game tomorrow afternoon. Hope to see you then.

Went out from noon to dusk. Started at the river by the 26 bypass and went down to the mouth. Tried crawlers and plastics on jigs and split shot rigs. Vertical jigged and tossed into the wood. Landed 2 shorts at the mouth. Trolled in the evening from Bingham point to the rockpile and ran into a mess of large white bass. Lost a keeper ‘eye when my board dove boatside. Great afternoon to be out.

I was able to get out for a couple hours this afternoon with about the same results as yesterday, one nice 16″+ walleye and one shorty along with a couple sheep. The better walleyes both days came on a 3/8 oz. orange/yellow knuckleball jig with half a crawler fishing upriver near the creek inlets. I tried near Blackhawk Island but couldn’t get bit down there. Jeff, sorry I popped that fish right in front of you. Next time I’ll let you pass first.

Got out yesterday afternoon for a few hours, launching at the by-pass. Worked a few areas from VFW down to mouth, and caught fish in most areas, but the wrong kind. Ended up with one undersize eye, several goats, 2 white bass, and one great, big ugly carp snagged by the tail. Had to weigh about 25 lbs. Got a pic, but too ugly to post today. Also had numerous missed hits thru the afternoon. The paddletail saw most of the hits and fish today, versus jig/crawler.
Dock is in at the Riverfront bar for those who launch there. Water temps today were 68 degrees.

Anybody going out this weekend?