Fishing Reports

Fishing season opens in Eagle River, Wisconsin on Sat, May 1, 2010!

Good perch and crappie action, with anglers looking forward to excellent opportunities for both walleye and northern in the Eagle River, Wisconsin area. With the fishing season opening here on Saturday, May 1st, anglers are chomping at the bit to get going. And from what local guides are saying, it could be a really good opener.

First off- - perch and crappies are hitting real well in the Eagle Rvier area, and that action should continue for at least a week or so. The perch are spawning, and are in shallow water. Fish 2-4 feet of water, over mud, cover, brush, bulrushes, stumps and downed timber. The Eagle River Chain of 28 lakes (largest freshwater chain of lakes in the world) is particularly good right now. Use a crappie minnow on a slip bobber.

Follow up:

Crappie are coming in to the shallows and locating right with the perch. So panfish anglers are getting a "two-fer." Use a crappie minnow under slip bobber. The crappie bite should improve daily, and remain real "hot" for a week, plus or minus. So get up here and get some of these tasty morsels – perch and crappies.

As for the "big guys" in the Eagle River area, when the season opens: Best suggestion for the walleyes is fish where the walleyes are staging - - off the drop offs, in 12 feet of water or so (using the Eagle River Chain as an example - -bigger lakes, will mean fishing a bit deeper) during the day, and then when the walleyes are shallow- - early morning and towards evening - -fish around weeds and cover. Use a big fathead on a jig. Guides relate that on some of the lakes in the Eagle River area, the walleye have not yet spawned out.

For northern in the Eagle River area, it could be a real bonanza. Local guides say that the northern action could possibly be better than the walleyes on the opening weekend. The northern are all spawned out and are hungry. Fish new green weeds, in 10-15 feet of water for the bigger northerns, and shallower for the smaller ones. Use a spinner bait in chartreuse and white, or a big fathead or shiner on a slip bobber. If you fish shallow, you'll get more action from the smaller northerns, but if you're patient and want something big, fish deep and you'll tie into bigger fish, albeit with less action.

"Tight lines" - -and enjoy our beautiful Eagle River area.

(Report for the Eagle River Chamber of Commerce based on Creative Brilliance interviews with Eagle River guides "Muskie Matt" of Wild Eagle Lodge, "Ranger Rick" Krueger of Guide's Choice Pro Shop, and Mat Hegy)