Spent Tuesday morning fishing with outdoor writer and photographer Ted Peck. Even with high water at flood stages and very fast current Ted and I manged to CPR over 25 walleyes. Check out the rest of my report to see how we caught walleyes in these tough conditions.
Ted and I hooked up 5:30AM at the boat launch. First thing we had to do is get a game plan to fish the high water condition. We both decided that we would start pitching jigs and live bait. Our first spot we tried wasn’t hold active fish so after about 30 minuted I told Ted lets move. With the current very fast and high water we had to use 3/8oz jigs but in some place I did get away with 1/4oz. My jig of choice at first this morning was a Nuckle Ball jig in the nickle color. Our second spot we fished we found active fish and here’s one that I caught on my second cast that I’m holding on the left.
After spending some time catching nice 16 to 18 inch fish I ask Ted if he would like to try another spot for some bigger fish, well I didn’t have to ask him twice. It didn’t take long and Ted and I were hauling in some nice four pound fish like the one Ted’s holding on the right. Ted caught this walleye on a Day-Brite Blue metallic nuckle ball jig by <a href="link" target="_blank">Fin-Tech Tackle Company</a> click on Fin-Tech or Jigfish and they will both get you to the web-site to check out these awesome jigs that Ted and I were using. <a href="link" target="_blank">Jigfish</a>. I knew then it was time for me to retire the nickle color and and I tie on a blue metallic jig and it wasn’t long and I had a nice 24 inch walleye also.
The key to catching these walleyes this morning was keep moving to new spots. It seem you could catch three or four walleyes and then they would shut down. I think because we were CPR the walleyes they would go back down in the holes and spook the fish. So the next spot we tried it didn’t take to long and we were catching more nice walleyes like this one I caught on the left. Lots of techniques would work, we caught fish vertical jigging the river with jigs and fatheads, we caught fish pulling lindy rigs with crawlers but I think the best techinque was pitching jigs with leeches or night crawlers. We caught fish in the river and by the mouth of the lake. With the high water at flood stages the whole river is NO WAKE and ALL PUBLIC BOAT LAUNCHS are CLOSEDon the Rock River and Lake Koshkonong. With the high water and it’s still going up and fast current walleyes are moving back up the river system so find a private boat launch and enjoy this great fishery. And don’t forget about the Lake there’s a great trolling bite also. Please all have a safe and wonderful Memorial Day weekend. And for you Ted Peck it was a awesome time spending Tuesday morning with you which next time I hope we can spend the whole day together and tip a few, I loved listening to some of those great stories you told me and I know you have many more. Plan on July hooking up again. Thanks Ted for the picture tips also.
Click on pictures for a larger view
Nice report Jeff.
nice report, where did u end up putting in at?
Anchor Inn, you also can launch at Harbor Rec it’s cheaper.
Jeff is absolutely right! According to DNR fish biologist Don Bush, Koshkonong is in a state of balance for the first time since 1987. There are at least seven year classes of walleyes swimming in this 10,400 acre lake, with an impressive 6+ adult walleyes per surface acre ! During periods of changing water fish tend to be more active in the riverine section of the lake. As a general rule, walleyes tend to move upstream on a rising river and slide back down when the river is dropping. Jeff and I figure the 25 walleyes we caught on the lake’s west end the other day are primarily riverine most of the time, seldom moving into the lake. There will be a story on Jeff in the Janesville Gazette this Sunday…also, there is a feature in the June Wisconsin Sportsman magazine which talks in part about Kosh and how to cash in on the really nice walleyes here. Both Jeff and I are licensed Wisconsin guides who are intimately familiar with the Rock and Kosh. If you’ve never checked out this great fishery (or haven’t fished these waters since 1987) check it out !!!!
Great report and pics Jeff! The high water isn’t hindering the Nuckleballer.
wheres harbor rec?
The marine up river from the 59 bridge on the right.
oh yeah. u fishing tomorrow? probably be out early. brother likes to get an early start..