Conditions appear favorable as fishing season begins

This weekend marks the opening of another fishing season across the State of Wisconsin. For many anglers, Saturday morning will bring that highly anticipated first trip out on the water since boats were winterized and put away last fall.

The outlook

With ice-off happening early this year, many anglers have had the itch to get out and do some fishing. This year’s opening weekend looks to be setting up well for many area waterbodies. Kurt Justice, owner of Kurt’s Island Sports in Minocqua, said he predicts it will be a good opening weekend as far as fishing.

With temps in the 50s and a little rain predicted for Saturday, Justice said some anglers may stay off the lakes until after the wet weather passes, but the rain and cloud cover do bode well for those targeting early season walleye. 

Except for the bigger lakes such as Trout and Fence, the walleye spawn is basically over. Anglers should pay close attention to the water temperatures they are finding, Justice said. 

In the early spring, temperature is more important than at any other time of the year. Even one or two degrees difference from one part of the lake to the next could mean a much more successful day.

“I keep an eye on my temperature as I’m motoring around the lake,” he said. “That one to two degrees could make all the difference.” Post-spawn walleyes will be hungry and often the best place to find them is in the warmest water in the lake, close to shallow weeds that are starting to green up. With many lakes open early this year, that weed growth could be ahead of schedule in some places. Walleyes will be looking for bugs and minnows and will often be found on the side of the lake with wind pushing in the warmer surface water.

Anglers should look to target fish shallow with light jigs in the 1/32-1/16 range, tipped with fatheads, chubs or dace. A slip bobber rig tipped with the same choices is another good option at this time of the year, Justice said. Shallow running stick baits with a running depth of 1-3 feet work well over the top of weeds as well.

Pike should be post spawn and actively feeding this weekend also. Stick baits are a good option as well as three- to four-inch swim baits with a light jig. A chub on a wire leader under a slip float may also be a great option for pike during the opener.

Yellow perch will mostly be post spawn by opening day as well. They will be scattered throughout weeds that are greening up. They will eat minnows, leaches, or even part of a night crawler. As water temps start to reach 50 degrees, leaches will start to come out of the mud, so anglers should try that option, as well, in areas where the water temperature warrants.

Anglers are finding crappies in 6-8 feet of water, Justice said, but they will come up in the shallows during sunny conditions. These fish are not spawning, as some believe, but are in the shallow water to make use of the sunshine to warm up. This helps with their egg production. Tiny tubes and small minnows are good choices here.

Wood in shallow water will hold heat, as well rocks. These two types of structure are likely to hold fish, especially in the spring of the year. In all, he said, it seems to be shaping up to be a pretty successful opening weekend of fishing for many.

Safety

Anglers heading out onto the water should remember to check safety gear prior to getting to the lake. Having a checklist to run down before heading out the first time is helpful and ensures nothing is forgotten in the excitement of a new season.

Life jackets should be checked to make sure they are in good condition. Many anglers who wear inflatable life jackets like to start the year by replacing the CO2 cartridge and, if applicable the “pill” that allows an automatic inflatable to inflate. But all life jackets should be in good repair and of appropriate size for anyone heading out in the boat.

A throwable cushion and a length of rope is also required and should be easily accessible in the boat at all times. Flares are required on Coast Guard waters, but they are a good idea to have for any boater, in case of emergency. These do have an expiration date, however, and they should be replaced if that date has passed.

Fishing electronics have come a long way, especially in recent years. However, boaters should remember they still should not be used as the sole navigation source. 

Especially near dark or in inclement weather such as fog or rain, it is still important to slow down and watch the water carefully for other boaters, animals in the water, or floating logs or other debris. Relying solely on electronics for navigation can ruin a good day fishing or worse.

Fire extinguishers are required for many types of boats, and are a good idea for anyone out on the water. 

There are regulations regarding the size and quantity of fire extinguishers required, which can be found on the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) website or in the Wisconsin Boating Regulations handbook.

Know the regulations

It is also important to know the regulations on the body of water an angler is fishing. There are several different panfish regulations and length limits for game fish may be different from one body of water to another, and even bag limits may vary. It is important to know the regulations for each body of water an angler will be fishing.

There are also limitations as to who can drive a boat in Wisconsin. 

Anyone born after 1989 must have a boating safety certification card. Additionally, those under the age of 10 may not operate a motorized boat. Persons who are ages 10 or 11 may operate a motorized boat if accompanied by a parent, guardian or a person over the age of 18 who had been designated by a parent or guardian and who holds a boating safety certificate or who was born before January 1, 1989.

Do not forget the fishing license!

For non-anglers, it might seem strange to put a reminder out for people to not forget to buy their fishing license, but many an angler has gotten ready to launch the boat on opening morning only to realize they haven’t purchased a fishing license in all the excitement of getting prepared for the opener.

Years ago, that meant loading the boat back up and heading into town to the tackle shop. Now, however, with the Go Wild system, anglers can get their license online anywhere they have cellphone reception or internet access. 

Licenses and registrations can all be purchased online now with those authorizations instantly loaded onto a customer’s Go Wild conservation card, should an angler have one.

 In most cases the angler’s state-issued driver’s license will also be connected to the Go Wild system and can show proof of license to a warden. Alternatively, electronic copies of a license can be downloaded to a smart phone and provided to a warden, should an angler be asked. 

Anglers can simply go to the Go Wild website and ger their license: gowild.wi.gov.

Beckie Gaskill may be reached via email at [email protected].