DNR's weekly fishing report for the upper chippewa river basin

Hi everyone,

The DNR's upper chippewa river basin report includes the Chippewa Flowage.


Park Falls DNR Service Center area
Upper Chippewa Basin fisheries report (Price, Rusk, Sawyer Taylor and inland Ashland and Iron counties)

- The cold, windy and rainy/snowy weather of the past week has kept both fishing pressure and fish activity at a
minimum on most waters across the Northwoods. The diehard anglers that have been out trying their luck have
really had to work at catching their fish.

Walleye are the most sought after fish in the Northwoods in May and
reports have indicated poor to mediocre success. There really hasn't been any consistent pattern yet to the early
season bite and walleye anglers have been having some success on both minnows and leeches. The best action
has come in 8 to 14 feet of water and the active bite has been concentrated in the early morning hours and in the
hour before dark. Most of the walleye that are being caught have been in the 11 to 15-inch size, but a few fish in
the 18 to 23-inch size have also been landed.

Many of the anglers have also reported catching smallmouth bass
and medium-size musky while jigging or casting for walleye. Panfish action could only be termed fair as the
colder water temperatures have driven many of the fish back to deeper water. Both crappie and bluegill have
been creeping back up into shallow water on sunny, warmer days, and this has provided some decent action
when conditions were right. Look for this to greatly improve with any kind of warming trend. Northern pike action
has been fair with anglers catching small to medium-size fish along the newly developing weed beds.

Bass
activity is just starting to pick up and there have been the first few observations of largemouth being seen paired
up and starting on their nesting period. Anglers are reminded that the "Catch and Release" season is still in effect
in the Northern Zone and all bass should be quickly returned to the water.

Good luck fishing everyone

Walleyemaxx