Well the Chequamegon Bay is making good ice now, Being a few weeks behind from where we are normally at on most other years. Caution is still needed check the ice as you go. Fishing has been fair to good these past few days. With the crew gathered up and fish on our minds and one last look at the bone chilling thermometer steady at 5 and a quick look at the weather seeing a frontal system moving our way from the west and about 8 hrs out. We decide its game on! Heading out with me for this adventure was a good local friend Loren, & friend and fellow guide Capt. Craig and Capt Tom.
We headed out off the east side of the Washburn Coal Dock. We decided to spread out a bit shallow to deep to the channel drop. Working jigging raps, pimples, buckshot minnows, and a few tip-ups in shallow 10 to 14 ftow 4ft off bottom with small single hooks and live bait. The morning started off a bit slow until around mid morning just up off the channel edge in 30 ftow Capt. Craig lands into a pork chop Brown Trout the got off at the hole. Soon after he found himself a couple handfuls s to even the score for missing the giant Brown.
Fishing just to the inside of him was Loren and my self in 25 ftow working smaller buckshot minnows tipped with minnow heads jigging fairly aggressive and watching the Marcum, from bottom up 5 ft we landed into a string of nice 5+ lb Browns that were invited up for a quick picture. Colors we used were gold, silver, green, white & copper ½ oz and less to let them flutter more in the current.
Soon after one of our tip-ups that was set near shore in 11 ftow just off a sandstone gravel bar was flying the flag high, there we tangled with yet another great Brown. What a blast! Was nice I got to turn my heater on for the first time this season In the new Otter XT 900 it was very toasty on low. Stay tune for our next report here after the weekend. If you have any questions about the bite or need some info on the area for the do it your self or guided trips we can help you out to get you out or started in the right direction for a successful trip. Feel free to PM me anytime. Reminder we also have 4 and 2 person rentals that will be out after this weekend our weekends are booked solid however we have great week day rates. Get 10% off your rental when you mention you read our report here on IDO!
Those browns are so much fun! Itching to get back out down here. Great report!
Very nice fish! congrats! Were you able to sight fish them in that shallow water at all? Did you run into any smaller splake?
Very nice fish! congrats! Were you able to sight fish them in that shallow water at all? Did you run into any smaller splake?
Great looking fish John, in a shape and color you don’t usually see through the ice everyday. Congrats on the bite, looks like fun!
Joel
Thanks Randy, Grant, Joel, They are a blast to fish for picked up a few more this morning with my daughter she had today off from school so I took her out to the frozen school.
Grant no splake for me yet I’ll be heading up north Bayfield way this week for some near shore action splake and browns. However we have had a few coho’s on the ice so far mixed in the browns. And for sight fishing I do when I can see the bottom well, Brings in a quick story about sight fishing I watched a brown come in and just take my lure in all the way as I was looking down the hole I never felt it on my rod other than seeing it, and as fast as I could set the hook it spit it out lol!
John,
Great looking Trout, and very nice report.
thanks,
Jack
very nice report and pics guys! I haven’t logged into the site for awhile, so can you point me in the direction of a website that maybe lists your charges for rentals, guides etc? A do it yourself trip sounds good but usually the first time out a little education from a local guide/angler is a great investment. i would be making a weekday run up that way from SE MN. i have some clients in Ashland, so I’m thinking travel expenses will be covered after the fact