MANITOWOC COUNTY
- This past weekend saw many anglers targeting steelhead at the first dam of the West Twin River. Harsh winds and freezing air temperatures did little to keep the most die-hard anglers at bay; some reported leaving their hometown as early as 4:30 am to make their trek over. Spawn sacs in orange, pink, and yellow were the bait of choice among all anglers surveyed, fly anglers, and spinning rod users. Of the steelhead caught many were reported to be holdover fish from winter because of their dark coloration. High water conditions from last week’s rain led to a considerably high flow rate and the presence of debris (ice and wood) in the East and West Twin, Manitowoc, Branch Rivers, and Silver Creek. Anglers’ reports were collective saying that the water temperature in the rivers was “very cold.”
KEWAUNEE COUNTY
- Kewaunee: The Kewaunee River had the highest fishing pressure, with a handful of anglers catching rainbow trout later in the week after water levels declined. Rainbow trout ranged from 3.5 to 9.3 pounds. Successful Kewaunee River anglers were using beads and spawn. Anglers using spawn had success with the colors pink and berry, while other anglers had success using chartreuse beads and red beads with the orange skein. Anglers reported seeing several fish in the water making their way upstream. Additionally, one angling group reported seeing a northern pike sitting near the river bank. Several groups stated that the Kewaunee River current is good for fishing; however, windy conditions made it somewhat difficult to fish. The water in the Kewaunee River remains relatively dirty with about a 1 feet clarity due to rain earlier in the week. Water temperatures in the Kewaunee River ranged from 31.5 degrees Fahrenheit to 37.5 degrees Fahrenheit. Near the Kewaunee ramps and parts of the harbor, there were still areas of ice buildup that prevented angling groups from fishing.
- Algoma: Fishing pressure was low in the Algoma Area. At Olson Park, one shore angler reported catching a 23.5-inch northern pike using a gold/red Cleo near the bottom of the water column. At County Road X, one angler reported catching three white suckers via a dipnet. This angler reported difficult fishing conditions due to rapid current and stained water. Boat anglers targeting brown trout reported no success but reported water temperatures ranging from 34 to 35 degrees Fahrenheit. At the Algoma South Pier, ice/snow buildup prevented anglers from fishing.
DOOR COUNTY
- Cold spring weather kept many anglers from venturing into the waters and streams of northern Door County. Unsafe ice on the Bay of Green Bay kept many anglers off the water, though breaks in the ice can be seen in some areas along the shorelines. Shore fishing has been ultimately unsuccessful for those brave enough to attempt it on the open water. Northern pike was being caught out of Rowleys Bay by trolling with Rapala original floaters, and the pike caught were in the size range of upper 20 inch to mid-30 inch. The upcoming cold temperatures could throw a wrench in fishing plans for the near future as many boat ramps along the bayside still are frozen in as.
GREEN BAY:
- East Shoreline of Green Bay: No report is available this week. Please check back again for more up-to-date information. Thank you.
- West Shoreline of Green Bay:
- Fox River shore anglers: The shore anglers reported catching walleyes, black crappies, whitefish and carp along the fox river. The walleyes were caught on various blade baits, crankbaits and jigging baits. The black crappies were caught near the mouth of the bay using light-colored swimbaits. The carp were caught on yellow blade baits, and the whitefish were caught using crankbaits and jigging lures. The fish seemed to prefer yellows, greens and purples.
- Fox River boat anglers: Boat anglers on the Fox River reported catching mainly walleyes, catfish and sheepshead. The walleyes were being caught on minnows, blade baits and jigging lures. The catfish and sheepshead were caught on jigging lures. There were a wide variety of colors that were successful but the most commonly used colors this week were blue and yellow. The water temperatures got lower as the week went on. Earlier in the week, the water temperatures were around 42 degrees Fahrenheit, but they had dropped to around 37 degrees Fahrenheit by the end of the weekend.
MARINETTE COUNTY
- NOTE: With ice starting to break up, shore and boat anglers should be extra cautious.
- The Menominee River had open water from the Hwy. 41 bridge upstream. Everything downstream was still pretty locked in with ice. Anglers onshore and off Hattie St. were having luck on brown trout. Rapalas and little cleos were working best. Stephenson Island boat launch was mostly clear of ice while all other launches on the river and the bay were iced in. A few boats were launching out of Stephenson Island. Peshtigo River started to open up this week. The boat launch in town was open and usable while the launches on County BB and at the mouth were not.
OCONTO COUNTY
- NOTE: With ice starting to break up shore and boat anglers should be extra cautious!
- The Oconto River saw some flooding and ice jams this week. Everything seemed to settle down by the weekend. Most of the river was ice-free from about Hi Seas Marina and upstream. Ice on the bay was moving almost daily, with good portions being open over the weekend.