Fishing report Feb. 17 2022

FISHING REPORT by Steve Suman

Ice thickness reports indicate up to 24 inches on many, but not all, lakes, and thickness can vary due to a number of factors. Anglers and others choosing to drive out vehicles should also be aware of snowdrifts hampering travel in some areas.

Walleye:
Walleye action is slow, with anglers having best success in early morning and evening hours. Fish are on weed edges and humps in 8-28 feet, and in 20-40 feet in deep basins. Walleye suckers and shiners under tips-ups and on dead sticks are working well, and Jigging Raps, spoons, and jigs with minnow heads are also producing good catches.

Northern Pike:
Northern pike action is good to very good, especially from late morning to mid-afternoon hours. Fish northern and walleye suckers, shiners, and fatheads on tip-ups and dead sticks set along weedlines and over weed tops out to 25 feet. Pike will be around food sources, so vary bait depths.

Crappie:
Crappie fishing is good to very good, with most anglers having best success in early mornings and late afternoon into the evening hours. Look for fish in deep basins and holes in 15-30 feet, moving to the edges of weedlines in 6-14 feet for the evening bite. Check the entire water column! Crappie minnows, fatheads, waxies, and plastics will all catch fish.

Bluegill:
Bluegill fishing is fair to good around deeper weeds and on soft bottoms in depths to 25 feet. Traditional bluegill baits such as waxies, spikes, plastics, and Gulp! baits on jigs and jigging spoons are producing success.

Perch:
Perch fishing is slow, with fish spread from 8-25 feet, and just off bottom near weeds and on flats. Baits of choice include fatheads, crappie minnows, rosy reds, waxies, plastics, and various color spoons.