Petenwell Smorgasbord - Wisconsin River - Wisconsin River

Made it out to the Pete last Saturday pm for couple days of camping/fishing. Set up camp by 5 pm, and being only two sites from the launch, ran out into the lake to test the waters. Started in my favorite area at the south end of the lake, working the break, and witin minutes, pulled in the first of a dozen or so undersize eyes, with a couple of crappies and white bass in the mix, all coming in the 8 to 15 ft. range on the break. Hit two other areas briefly before dark, but only a couple dinks to show for it.
Next morning, ran back to the south break, and pulled in a couple dozen eyes, with two legals in the mix, plus a few crappie, white bass, goats, and a gill. One of the crappie measure just over 14 inches, biggest I’ve ever caught. Platic, and jig/minnow both produced. Wind picked up by mid-morning and after a while, decided to take a reprieve and played around the rip-rap dike adjacent to the dam at the Take Out counter. Pitched ringworms into the rocks, and first cast into 2 fow, yielded a whiskered eye; probably thought the ringie was an old tire . Within a few more casts, got a feisty 15 inch smallie, and a 16 inch eye, in 6 fow or less. Kept working the area hard, thinking I found the honey-hole, but that was it for this spot. After trying other rip-rap areas, plus some mid-lake humps, and picking up a few dinks, called it a day.
Due to forecast for stronger winds, hit the river the next morning, launching out of Chesters. First drift along an island in 6 to 8 fow, produced 9 eyes and several missed fish, but all undersize. Was good action rest of day in other area, but again, all dinks. While drifting an area near 10-mile Creek in 10 fow, my bow mount Optima lit up with a school of suspended fish; immediately caught a nice crappie on jig/minnow. anchored, and took another 10 out of there for a fish fry plus one eye and couple white bass, all on slip boober/minnow…wouldn’t touch small plastic.
Saw a buddy in the river, who just ran off the lake due to high winds, and managed a couple legals off the south break before pulling out. Seems that the bigger fish haven’t made their way to the river yet, but that should be happening very soon. I’d be favoring the lake for now if conditions/boat control are manageable, but within couple weeks, tough to beat the river.