Chippewa Flowage Report from lg3

ah, nice to be back...BUT...two hours, three of us in the boat.  one 13" walleye and one bluegill.  tried both cranking and jiggin in a few different spots. 

UPDATE: Didn't get up early enuf to go out this morning before work. Dad and Jim are out tho. We'll see what they come back with. I'll be out in the eve.

NUTHER UPDATE: This front is just SITTING on top of us....whats this, the third day?  I HATE HURRICANES.

lar

Hose, August 19, 2008 - 11:26 PM:
Dan and Jeff fished this last weekend. Plenty of bass and that was about it.

lg3, August 19, 2008 - 11:44 PM:
hmmm

Blueberry, August 20, 2008 - 6:08 AM:
Just want to thank you for this awesome website. Your site has really helped us find some eyes. Last thursday and friday we did really well on the eyes using JSR's. My son had a blast and that is what it is all about to me. We've had a mobile home at Blueberry for the last six years and I just started fishing her 2 years ago and finally we have stories to tell. Thanks again!!!!!!

lg3, August 20, 2008 - 9:32 AM:
glad to hear it, Blueberry. make sure some of those stories make their way here! keep in touch.

Jeff, August 20, 2008 - 10:20 AM:
On Saturday we did catch 2 14" walleye, multiple large mouth and small mouth bass. On Sunday I caught a fun 19" smallie while wading off the west end of Little Banana with the black lab "assisting" while she, the fish and I were ALL in the water. What fun!!

Dan H, August 20, 2008 - 10:50 AM:
"WE" try more like Jeff who caught the walters, he says its because there are way more left handed fish then right handed fish...lol

lg3, August 20, 2008 - 10:52 AM:
my hmm above was my puzzlement over why fishing wasnt good over the weekend. Hose, you've solved it!

Hose, August 20, 2008 - 3:16 PM:
If the fishing keeps up its torrid pace it may very well be beer time most of the weekend. Or maybe flower shopping. lol.

lg3, August 20, 2008 - 3:56 PM:
gonna have to buy some fish sticks for the fish fry on the 31st! Hose, you gonna be there?

Hose, August 20, 2008 - 4:17 PM:
Won't be able to make it. Dan will be there. I may be coming up on 9-02 for a few days with Bill my neighbor.

lg3, August 20, 2008 - 4:20 PM:
passin on $1 mutts. i assume there's a good reason!

Dan H, August 20, 2008 - 5:16 PM:
O dont you worry larry, I am not passing up on the dollar mutts, but i will have to start on PBR so I wont be able to taste the mutts as much. but i will make sure i drink the old mans share...lol

Dan H, August 20, 2008 - 5:18 PM:
you still have "beer time" scheluded in this weekend? MC gonna be here this weekend as well?

Hose, August 20, 2008 - 5:38 PM:
Short at work and I picked a overtime shift. I also have a direct pipeline from the brewery to my house. Either Huber or Lazy Mutt

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Chippewa Flowage Report from lg3

Just to put this topic in perspective (well, MY perspective at least)...

Again, the Flowage's particularly complex stewardship interests (habitat, tribal, electrical power, tourism, and biological concerns off the top of my head) cannot be easy to balance. And at the end of the day, the DNR has played a large role in managing an environment where even our complaints have a theme of "It's perfect. Don't mess with it, dammit!" This struck me as I was reading the comments....and I think there's something to be said for that. So, I'd like to thank the DNR for that current "perfection".

I've also asked them to take a look at the below post regarding trolling. For now, we've surely done our best to be heard, anyway! haha. With this site being what at least I would consider a good cross section of Chippewa Flowage fisherpeople, I think the below sentiment is quite representative.

We will see!  The State holds public hearings and surveys in each county early every spring. It's my impression that changes such as these would have to go through that process prior to enactment. (I do have one question about how those work tho, after watching them this past year....another topic, another day.)

Now....got some apparently good news over the last couple days.. The trolling proposal, while still alive, seems to have taken a back seat!

After reading the same things that I posted here, I was just pleasantly surprised during a conversation with Dave Neuswanger.  He says that "it will 'be awhile' before (trolling) gets onto my front burner."

The most urgent issue right now is 1) something also mentioned in the FMP, and 2) something we all are more likely to appreciate: controlling the largemouth bass population. They are currently putting together a package proposal which, from what I understand, differentiates between smallmouth and largemouth regs, opens the largemouth season with the general opener, and removes the size limit for largemouth.

"It will be the most important thing my biologists and I work on during the next several months."

Looking down the page,  this apparent change in priority will be music to many ears. The LM bass are getting "out of control" on the Flowage. Of course, this has been fun (especially for Luke), but its also dangerous for other species.

I have no way of knowing this, but I'm hoping this all means that trolling won't be considered for the Spring of 2009 and that maybe we can "work on it" for one more year!

Lar

p.s. Personal change o plans:  Leaving for the Flowage at 8:30am Tues with my dad and family friend, Jim.  I'll be on the water by evening, with a report to follow. Should be there straight thru the end of our season now.  Well, maybe one lil trip back here in late Sept.

ps again.  muskie fishing seems to be heating up.  first CN's (see in our album) and now another big one out of Tiger Musky Resort.

[Read report from this day in 2007: 03:00 PM]

Ellie, August 18, 2008 - 8:06 PM:
HAPPY FISHING!!!

chops, August 18, 2008 - 10:42 PM:
I'm a traditional "half-week" per season sap who finally said "nuts to the job"...time for a lonnggg week on the Flowage. I pushed it up a day to arrive this Friday rather than Saturday, due to weather/front coming through early this weekend. Think this makes sense? I've got my friends semi-covinced that I know what I'm doing !! chops

lg3, August 18, 2008 - 11:17 PM:
chops, imho, whenever u say "nuts to the job" to go fishing, yes, you make sense. :) i really dont trust weather forecasts up here at all - right now especially, since "Fay" is down south messing with the entire system. I'd say we're on a good track for later in the week, but the only thing I'm confident in right this minute is... tomorrow morning will be rough. Things could pick up already by tomorrow PM (but im def not confident in that). Regardless, if you happen to be here during a rougher phase, just keep it slow and deep!

CN, August 19, 2008 - 6:58 AM:
Now that's the tiger I've been look'n for. I'll let her fatten up (pretty fat already) for Oct. when I get up there again. Pretty fish lg, thanks for posting info from the DNR and such. If there is anything more we can possibley do, out ears are open.

GJ, August 19, 2008 - 11:25 AM:
I think Mr. Neuswanger had better tighten his seat belt when it comes to trying to get trolling approved for the flowage. I really don't think he has any idea how much opposition there is to it. As for the bass they have been here for the fifty plus years that I have been around here and they aren't going any where soon I don't care how many you harvest. The two things that weren't here fifty years ago were the large amounts of weeds and bluegills. It doesn't take to much to figure out that large amounts of weed cover are perfect habitat for bluegills and bluegills are the main forage fish for lots of bass. This is based solely on my observation over fifty years plus of being on this great lake.

JAX, August 19, 2008 - 3:25 PM:
Don't know if it is true GJ or not but I was told why the weeds are so thick to the point of unfishable in alot of spots on the flowage is because they don't drop the water as much in the winter as they did 20 plus years ago.....???? Not sure if that is true or not. Supposedly, dropping the water helped kill off the old weed growth. I did notice though this year when I came up in July that alot of spots that i haven't been able to fish the past several years were fishable ie. Sand Island. Not sure if it was from the late ice off or if it had something to do with the extremely low water levels last fall. Don't know.

g8ts, August 19, 2008 - 3:51 PM:
Jax, I really think it was the late ice off. I also noticed less weeds. Some areas still did not have any weeds breaking the surface at all. I don't know if it was here? where I read about some of the fish not putting down there eggs at all Because of the colder tempetures. Nature tells them that there is not enough time to mature before the next winter. So they don't lay them at all. I think I'll name my next boat "NUTS TO THE JOB" I like that!

walleyemaxx, August 19, 2008 - 4:39 PM:
Hey, maybe we should troll for lm bass. haha Hey luke, have you ever lived over here in vilas county? You look familar. Maybe we talked out on a lake fishing or somthing. I swear i've seen you before. of course i swear alot. Well anyway tight lines to all walleyemaxx

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Chippewa Flowage Report from lg3

(Note: since my post was getting so long, and I was only half way done....i figured I'd open it up now with just the first half...and then come back to write part two.)

Trolling the Chippewa Flowage

Trolling, along with a new "one rod per angler" rule, was first introduced by the DNR's Hayward office in last year's FMP.  Since the State would not consider this until after this season (at the earliest), I've tried to stomp this conversation out a couple times here at the site, waiting for one hopefully "complete" discussion. 

Now I'll get my bias disclaimer out of the way:  I don't think there is a positive way of looking at this for walleye anglers. It seems obvious that, if nothing else, fishing pressure will increase and the lake will lose some of its (tourism-driving) tranquility. In other words, "spots" will become traffic lanes.

Regardless of any ambiguity in the below quotes, I've confirmed that both the trolling portion and the one-rod rule WOULD be a change for all species. But.... as I mentioned in my original FMP write-up, the effect of trolling on the walleye fishery was not mentioned in that report.  Nor have I seen it mentioned since - only musky. I assume walleye are being considered? After all, according to the same FMP, walleye are the #1 priority currently on the Flowage.

Anyway, here we go.  These excerpts, directly from the FMP:

 "...we will recommend a statewide regulation requiring that anglers fishing for muskellunge use only one rod at a time, as in Minnesota. This will force musky anglers to fish with artificial lures or to fish attentively with harnassed suckers, theoretically reducing the time fish would have to swallow a deadly hook. Concurrently, the proper use of “quick-strike” rigs and methods will be strongly promoted in signs, brochures, and newsletters. In order to compensate Flowage musky anglers for what some will perceive as loss of opportunity, we will propose to legalize motor trolling (one rod per angler) on the Chippewa Flowage, thus providing another effective method to catch fish (particularly in the fall) that is much more consistent with the goals of a catch-and-release trophy fishery than the use of live bait. Legalizing motor trolling also would allow more anglers in our aging population an opportunity to continue participating in what has always been a physically demanding sport when restricted to casting."

"Restricting trolling on the Chippewa Flowage may have been questionable from the outset, but there is virtually no justification for this restriction currently. To us, it is wrong to allow financially comfortable, physically fit anglers who prefer casting to equip their boats with modern sonar, GPS devices, underwater cameras and other high-technology equipment that provides fishfinding and fish-catching advantages, while concurrently prohibiting anglers of modest financial means and/or reduced physical capacity (due to age or disability) from engaging in the simple but less physically demanding act of trolling to locate active fish. It is, in fact, discriminatory. And it is not necessary to prohibit trolling in order to achieve the objectives of this Plan. A progressive combination of length limits, bag limits, other method restrictions, stockings, habitat conservation, and public awareness will get us where we want to go."

Ummmm... for the life of me, I don't understand the "financially comfortable" part.  Now there's another expensive piece of equipment that will be used...and this is better for the less fortunate?  Speaking of which, when I first moved to the Flowage, I was as financially UNcomfortable as one can get and I don't remember ever thinking "if only I could troll".

In October of 2007, Dave Neuswanger, Fisheries Team Leader from the Hayward DNR office, continued explaining his office's point of view surrounding handicapped anglers. (posted here with his permission):

"... What I will now ask is that everyone take a step back and look at the big picture with respect to motor trolling. While true that it is part of a multi-pronged strategy to increase the number of large muskies in the Flowage, our recommendation to permit motor trolling on the Chippewa Flowage goes WAY beyond simply improving the musky fishery. For me, it's more about making a commonly accepted method of fishing legal for ALL species. For 23 years I helped manage some very fine fisheries in Missouri without prohibiting motor trolling. Minnesota manages some very fine fisheries without prohibiting motor trolling. In those and other states, an elderly or disabled person has more opportunity to stay active in the sport of fishing BECAUSE they are permitted to motor troll.

Let me personalize this for everyone. Last week, two gentlemen came into my office at the Hayward DNR Service Center. One was elderly and had owned a cabin on the Chippewa Flowage for 40 years. He came into my office to ask WHEN we might propose to open the Flowage to motor trolling. Without knowing if he was for or against motor trolling, I told him probably at the 2009 or 2010 spring hearings of the Wisconsin Conservation Congress. As it turns out, he had reached the point in his life where he could no longer cast a big lure hour after hour without hurting his shoulder too much. (We'll all be there ourselves one day, I presume.) After hearing of our plans, he smiled and shook my hand and wished me the best of luck; because if our proposal is approved, he believes he will be able to fish with artificial lures for muskies and other species on his home water again.

Another younger gentleman buying a license overheard our conversation. He seemed less friendly, and I was concerned that he might argue against motor trolling. But I learned quickly that his sub-surface resentment was directed at the fact that motor trolling was ever made illegal on the Flowage in the first place. This younger gentleman had been the victim of some repetitive stress injury a few years ago that made it virtually impossible for him to cast. But he can hold a rod and crank a reel handle. He strongly resented the fact that motor trolling was not legal, even though, technically, disabled people in Wisconsin can obtain an exemption that allows them to troll. But he was a proud young man who did not like the "disabled" label and did not feel that he should need to go to someone with his hat in his hand to get special permission to fish in a manner that is legal is most places in the United States. I really could not defend the current ban on motor trolling. All I could do was promise to try my best to change it. And that's exactly what I intend to do.

It's not all about muskies, and it's not all about those of us who are lucky enough to have our health and physical capabilities intact."

Just as with the financially less-fortunate, I still don't understand this part about the physically less-fortunate.  As he mentions, there already is a permit disabled individuals can acquire to troll....anywhere in the state.  Download the "Doctor's Orders" application here.  Are they really considering opening up trolling largely because disabled individuals might be too proud to get a permit?  I don't know....isn't that like allowing everyone to park in the handicapped spots at the grocery store, so as not to single out the actually handicapped people?!

To me it seems that while the physical and financial concerns are being brought up, they are pretty flimsy.  I have to wonder if the REAL concern isn't clearly spelled out in the first quote above:  "In order to compensate Flowage musky anglers...".

P.S.  As always, I ask that you please be respectful in any comments. It's a hot button issue....and this site has a good relationship with both Dave and Frank at the Hayward DNR office and I'd like to keep it that way. These guys have a lot to balance, and although we all may not agree on this topic (as you've read, I certainly do not ...and I haven't met one angler who does), remember that, at the same time, they are our scientific experts. If your comments cannot "keep that in mind", I ask that you don't post them.

More Later,

lar

Luke, August 17, 2008 - 12:27 PM:
To realize fishing pressure increasing, one only has to look at the CC North boat ramp...when I started using it about 10 years ago, it would only have 3-4 vehicles parked there...Now there is 20-30 vehicles parked there--in all kinds of odd angles so you run the risk of being parked in. I realized this trip I live 50 miles from the CC north ramp and only 30 miles from the Winter Dam ramp...I might be learning a new part of the flowage. On the trolling issue, the 45-50 inch musky limit has pretty much made musky fishing a waste of time...How many of us will ever catch one that big anyway (my biggest one is 47 inches). a 50-inch limit is pretty much making musky fishing catch-and-release. BTW, I couldn't musky fish with my heavy gear yesterday because of bad elbow tendinitis, so I really understand how older people feel on the trolling issue. Sorry if I offended anyone, but this is how I feel on the issue.

Bob, August 17, 2008 - 3:03 PM:
I think musky fishing is mostly catch and release anyways, as to me there are a bad tasting fish and are to rare to eat anyhow. As for the walleye fisherman, i think it would be a negative effect. Many of us may throw live bait, or jig with 2-3 rods. I dont know if trolling "rapes" a lake, but it might be a benifit to anglers looking for larger fish that are at depths hardly reached. Tight lines guys.

Fred, August 17, 2008 - 3:45 PM:
There are numerous spots on the Chipp, H5,H6,F7,F8,G10 as examples I would love to troll with one rod. My confidence level will double. This site is already sharing "new stuff"; helping folks catch fish. People already "scam the regs";not sure where this issue will shake out!

Trav, August 17, 2008 - 8:14 PM:
Completely agree. I'm not necessarily for or against trolling, I admit I do it in MN and on some WI lakes that allow it, but these are deeper and steeper lakes that sometimes require a little extra to get crankbaits down to the walleyes when they aren't hitting finesse presentations. But trolling on the Flowage isn't needed to reach the fish. Other than some of the deeper river channels, there are not a lot of prime locations that would be better fished with trolling. Plus imagine the snags and lost lures, its an expensive alternative to casting. Allowing trolling throughout the lake would make some of the more popular spots an even bigger mess as well. Particularly if it is aimed at muskie fishing, can one imagine Pete's Bar on a Saturday afternoon. Twelve boats crisscrossing over the top, dredging weeds and ruining the runs of fishermen that are still casting alongside the bar. Citing trolling as an alternative to the "wealthy" with GPS and sonar to finding fish is a stretch as well. The Flowage pretty much requires at least reading a somewhat accurate map (for safety and success) and rarely does a boat not have a depth finder to locate weeds and structure. I would think trolling around the lake blindly to find fish would take a little longer than some research and working quality spots. Now I do agree that someone with disabilities has every right to obtain the waiver to troll, but who does that leave that we would need to change the law to allow trolling? There are plenty of lakes nearby much better suited to trolling if it is your preferred method. One alternative I have heard from muskie fishermen is that maybe allowing trolling after Oct 1 once the pressure decreases may not have such a negative impact on other fishermen. My winded two cents. Trav

JAX, August 17, 2008 - 9:06 PM:
First time posting here BUT I have been visiting the website everyday the past couple years to read the reports. This topic actually frusterates me greatly. I have been coming up to the flowage since the early 80's as a young kid and instantly fell in love with The Chip. The reason I fell in love with it was because of the beauty and vast wilderness as well as the feeling of having the entire lake to your self. If you can't guess, I am STRONGLY against trolling on the flowage. There is so much structure, snags, sunken bogs, logs, fish cribs, brushpiles, gravel bars, etc.... that I feel trolling the flowage would cause great harm to the lake. It is not like we are trolling the great lakes or some of the deeper clear water lakes that we have but we are talking about trolling a lake that is pretty much a "Flooded Forest" that averages between 8-12ft of water. Yes there are deeper parts of the lake but I have a feeling that most of the trollers wouldn't be trolling these deeper river channels but instead trolling over the more famous shallow water bars (Pete's, Cranberry, Church, Sand Island, Fleming's) snagging structure, loosing lures, ruining brush piles, tearing up weed beds, and pretty much changing the dynamics of these shallow bars and the flowage as a whole. Not to mention the added boat traffic plus you would have boats zig zagging accross the these bars and lake cutting off fisherman trying to fish these spots. I mean having the flowage a NO trolling lake is one reason that makes The Chip so unique. There is a bit of nostalgia when you fish the lake that even a first timer can feel and I beleive trolling would ruin that. In all due respect I really don't think the DNR knows the true harm of the lake they would be causing by allowing trolling on the flowage. I am a huge musky fisherman as well as fish for walleye, crappie, and all the other species, so I am not biased towards one species. The Chip has been No Trolling for over 80 years and has been an outstanding body of water as well as an outstanding fishery so why go and change something that doesn't need to be changed? There are several other lakes that allow trolling in the area so if someone wants to troll they can just go to those lakes. If someone is disabled and needs to troll then there are regulation that allow for those individuals to troll on a no trolling lake. So to sum it all up people have to realize (including the DNR) that this decision is bigger than a single individual or group of people, it is about changing a body of water that we all grew to love and possibly changing the dynamics of the lake in a negative manner. We all fell in love with the The Chip for a reason lets keep it that way.

lg3, August 17, 2008 - 11:22 PM:
Fred, its always good to hear the "other side", and obviously, you are always up for supplying that! You know, like when I say fishing sucks and you come in with a limit of 19"s. Trav and JAX, you sum up my thoughts exactly, i couldnt/didnt say it better myself, and i know I'm not alone in saying that. but...i do have to ask...two years? never said hello? WTH? :) other than that, the only thing I have to mention is ...from what i understand, there was a period when they allowed backtrolling...maybe in the early 90's. i, for one, would be interested in hearing anything about that "experience". Hose?

DannyMac, August 18, 2008 - 4:11 AM:
WOW!! Lar, movin up town are we? I remember going to a golf outing around that area. Very nice area! I can tell this is a very heated dicussion you guys are in but I wanted to tell you all of something amazing that happened to me over the weekend..I got my 16 yr old son to go fishing with me!! Believe it or not it was only his second time since he was born. He caught his first fish (by himself)and he even baited his own hook and tied his own jig. I know you guys are thinking I am making a big deal out of this, but here in the big city that is unheard of. He went shopping with his Mom at wal-mart and brought himself a few packs of white mister twisters. Brought a tear to my eye. Be safe..Lar 7 weeks and counting

Hose, August 18, 2008 - 7:42 AM:
I can remember something about the backtrolling. We never did back troll nor do I recall anyone else backtrolling. I didn't think it was allowed on the Flowage even at that time but I might be wrong. I also have strong feelings about the trolling issue after 40+ years. There has never been trolling allowed on the Flowage and people still seem to catch fish. If its not broke don't fix it.

lg3, August 18, 2008 - 8:41 AM:
Danny, again...never feel "bound" by the current topic. makes my day to hear your story. what kinda fish? where did you go? is he joining you on your trip up? and of course...any pics? if so, throw em in the album! congrats on a good day

Eric, August 18, 2008 - 9:16 AM:
Lar, I have emailed you a few times in the past. I fish the PWT. Now with this being mostly a walleye site, which is what I did professionally, one thing the trolling issue would do is open the flowage up to tournaments. You would never see a professional walleye tournament here, just because the body of water is too small for 200 boats to be out there, but the smaller state tournaments would start to look at this body of water. Everybody is looking at the trolling issue trolling cranks, what you are also not realizing is trolling also includes rigging. I am up here right now, and I think how I could kill the fish if only I could pull a bottom bouncer. I think I could assure you that none of the shallow bars would be trolled ( petes,church ) it would be too hard to troll those efficiently. One area that would look like a highway would be between the bananas. During the summer a lot of your bigger eyes are suspending over deeper water and I would love to target those areas. Can you drift through those areas right now? Sure, but it's not the same as trolling with a bottom bouncer. Trolling a bb or rigging which it is called, you can follow the break lines, that you pretty much cant do by drifting. You don't want to see trolling introduced to the flowage, in my opinion.

JAX, August 18, 2008 - 9:29 AM:
Sorry Lar!! I am not much for writing on message boards. :) BUT you do have a great site and it is very helpful, especially for us that only make it up a few times a year. I was actually up at Tiger Musky the second week of July (have been coming to Tiger Musky since early 80's) and was was gonna come say hi when i saw you on Karaoke nite but after a couple drinks and by the time i made it over to where you were you had vanished. :) But I will be coming back up for Labor Day week and will be staying on the east side but i might have to make it over to Tiger Musky and buy you a few drinks!

g8ts, August 18, 2008 - 9:46 AM:
Well, I don't understand the disabled bit. You all have mentioned there is already an obtainable permit you can get. So I think that debate is nil. I really think a true fisherman that wants to fish and can't, would get a permit ASAP. I can be a pretty big manly man. But by god I would not sit and look out over the Lake and think BOY I wish I wasn't so proud so I could go fishing! Come on...The financial status of a fisherman who can afford or not afford a fish finder is also a little weak. I would think if someone could not a afford a fish finder. How could they afford the gas to troll up and down the waters half the day? Maybe making the flowage a trolling lake would be a bad economical strain on the less fortunate. Because they would squander there finances on gas trying to troll. They say the most Lotto tickets are always sold in the less fortunate neighborhoods? I could over wind this comment. But I think trav/Jax have really summed it up nicely. My only question is if it is ok to troll the chip now. Why has it not been that way for 80 Years? What really has changed. I think a mixed balance of lakes in the area is good. If you want to troll go to a trolling lake. Whether or not it rapes or squanders the fish population. I don't really know I am not a expert on that. I do have opinions... If it does go to trolling. I do advise all of you to buy stock in trolling equipment. Because they will go through a lot in them there Flowage waters... As always we depend on the people we have put in charge of these natural resources to make the right decisions for all of us. Me I am a little bias, what ever increases the traffic on the Flowage I am against !!! But it is for all the share, lets just hope the Majority win's and at least one voter has spent some time on the flowage. Well half winded, not a full wind :-)

g8ts, August 18, 2008 - 9:52 AM:
P.S. lar nice post :-)

Hose, August 18, 2008 - 11:54 AM:
Drift fishing to me is just as effective as trolling. Thats what we have done for 40 years. You can cover just as much water and have more control of the boat. Like the post before why waste gas.

Greg T., August 18, 2008 - 1:33 PM:
Count me as against motor trolling. I haven't been to all the lakes in Northern Wisconsin but I think there are few left with the wilderness feel and open spaces of the Chip. Since the purpose of the proposal is more fishing opportunities, that seems to mean more crowded launches, more pollution from motors and trash, more noise (even with new 4 strokes), and each boat taking up far more space. I think guides will go out of business because I don't believe people will hire guides to troll. People will begin to use planer boards making their "boat" wider. Night fishing will increase because you'll only have to follow your gps track. I could go on and on but I think we should try to preserve at least one wilderness lake.

Greg T, August 18, 2008 - 1:37 PM:
BTW...yesterday morning was only a 4 for me in spite of the 7 forecast. I'm now in repair mode with a trailer bearing issue... hoping i don't need a new spindle....grrrr

JRN, August 18, 2008 - 3:34 PM:
I don't fish the Flowage as often as I would like to. But the one thing I do know is that the whole "feel" of the Chippewa Flowage could change dramatically once you have a large number of fishermen trolling. But for me, I still think the biggest problem has to be the negative effects on the environment trolling can have in the long run.

CN, August 18, 2008 - 3:41 PM:
lg, This subject is one I hope they just forget about. I agree with all the post not in favor of trolling. We so enjoy the peace and quiet, sights and sounds of being out on the flowage. Without getting into it, I really hope that some of the folks at the DNR take to heart some of the comments and use some rational on the subject. Please keep us posted as to any new happenings you hear of regarding this subject. Is there anything we can do so our voices can get heard, without getting out of hand?

DancesWithWalleyes, August 18, 2008 - 5:07 PM:
One of my major concerns with this whole trolling issue is the use of planer boards. If a boat puts out 3 on each side your talking about a 30-40' path behind that boat. I've been on Winnebago and have seen the whole trolling thing with planer boards in person, nothing but a big zoo with boats trolling all over the place and motoring real close to the fisherman who prefer to anchor on the reefs. I'd have to reiterate the comments about if you prefer to troll, there are plenty of lakes around the flowage that already allow trolling. I think it should be kept of the Chip.

walleyemaxx, August 18, 2008 - 5:14 PM:
Hi lg. I just have to respond to the trolling issue. Living here in eagle river, i fish a lot in mich. There you can troll every lake.I learned how to troll, and as the pro can tell you , to troll properly, takes time and effort. Some throw a crank out the back and drag it all over the lake and call it trolling. They are the ones that are annoying. But i found some lakes are good to troll, and some aren't. The chip would not be a good lake to troll for many reasons. One of the biggest is the conflicts that it would cause. You were gripping about the people fishing within a cast length of where you were anchored. Well let me tell you, It really PO's you when they troll that close and tangle your lines and or anchor. Yes i said anchor. If you say something, you are reminded that it is public water and yadayadayada. But the biggest reason to deny trolling, is to keep the big money tournaments away. The chippewa flowage deserves more respect than that! After all the trolling i did in da U.P., i would much rather jig and bobber up all my walleyes. It just feels right!

lg3, August 18, 2008 - 5:55 PM:
is there anyone else who LIKES the idea at all?

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Chippewa Flowage Report from Luke

Got this 26 inch walleye on the north side of Tyner Lake between rainstorms at about 5:30pm Saturday. First time I ever got a walleye in this spot that usually produces just lm bass. Got it in the weeds about 8 feet of water on a deep diving perch Reble Deep Wee R. I finally found a "boggy" bottom (with a lot of concentrated ups and downs) like what I used to fish with deep cranks last year...this one is a lot shallower than I fished last year. Just before I caught this one I had one of those classic battles with another fish where the fish doesn't hit hard but rather you can feel the lure just get sucked in and the line goes slack. Set the hook, and the fish didn't budge. It didn't come up. It didn't dive. It just slowly started swimming around the boat staying at the same depth. In a few minutes the lure shook loose and I never got to see it. Who knows what it was, but I believe it would be bigger rather than smaller, IMHO. Got some other lm bass ranging from 6-13 inches (none of keeper size) and some small pike. Got some small fish up in the pads with a black Hula Popper. Fished about 4-8:30pm. Nice to F-I-N-A-L-L-Y have a little bit of calmness (between storms) when I made it onto the water.

My tendinitis from moving acted up...set the hook on a fish and it felt like my elbow was on fire. Could hardly hold the pole the rest of the night. Had to use my forearm as a fulcrum to set the hook. Still hurts like heck. Might have to eat some Aleve.

Fished D8 and B8 (how's that for "battleship game" coordinates this board has never seen before...HAHAHA. Oh well...just doing my best to fill in for Larry while he is soouth of the border.If I remember anything else I'll post more tomorrow.

I have to stay home and unpack more tomorrow. The new house is really nice. The new job in Ladysmith is keeping me busy.

[Chippewa Flowage Map Coords: D8, B8]

Luke, August 16, 2008 - 11:22 PM:
Oy yeah...I give today a "6"...looks like the fishing forecast works.

lg3, August 17, 2008 - 10:44 AM:
sorry to hear about your lost 50" walleye, Luke :) ....but you still got a doosie into the boat. congrats! for me, too, fishing around storms has been one of the most reliable things this year.

Luke, August 17, 2008 - 12:19 PM:
Whatever you might read out of this, a boat with three guys in it stopped at this shoreline and threw musky plugs at the shore for about a half hour, and stayed mostly to this one small section of shore (almost as if they were trying to raise something they had spotted earlier in the day. Eventually I got down the shoreline a little more to this area where the musky anglers had been working the shoreline...this is where I hooked into whatever it was...If it was a walleye, it felt bigger than the one I caught. If it was a northern it was gonna be plus-30 inches easily. Maybe it was an elusive musky. Who knows. I hate losing fish that "feel" nice without at least getting to see them. Kinda takes the fun out of it. Man my elbow is sore today....Now I know what it feels like to feel old.

lg3, August 17, 2008 - 11:54 PM:
Luke, just so you know. It's midnite goin into monday morning, and I'm looking...longingly....at your walleye. Again, nice fish.

Luke, August 18, 2008 - 11:17 PM:
I just got home from a 15-hour day at work (big trial going on to cover at work now), and I too am looking longingly at my fish. She's a beauty.

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Chippewa Flowage Report from lg3

Please don't forget to RSVP for the Labor Day Fish Fry.

[Read report from this day in 2007: 09:45 PM]

Fred , August 16, 2008 - 7:29 PM:
See Aug photos...storm 15 min ago..there was a pontoon boat tied up to this dock!

lg3, August 16, 2008 - 7:32 PM:
pontoon gone?

Fred, August 16, 2008 - 7:38 PM:
We watched, in amazement., As it bounced to the end of the channel and "lodged" at the boat ramp...also a paddle boat on the point flew up at broke two windows in the "gate keepers" trailer!!

lg3, August 16, 2008 - 7:54 PM:
hold on...a paddleboat just flew UP AND AROUND...whacking into trailers?

Fred, August 16, 2008 - 8:09 PM:
The paddle boat "was" laying flat on the grass..jumped up and bit the window! See photo!

Hose, August 16, 2008 - 8:13 PM:
Fred, I just sent you a e mail.

lg3, August 16, 2008 - 8:27 PM:
this year we're up to lightning, a bear, a paddle boat, and a golf cart...all striking trailers.

Fred, August 16, 2008 - 8:49 PM:
My apologies to the readers, I know this is a fishing web site, but this may be...Breaking News!!!! & Moose is %#$@*&^%$

lg3, August 16, 2008 - 8:59 PM:
its a fishing report "WITH ADD". Talk bout whatever the heck you want. What about Moose?

Fred, August 16, 2008 - 9:28 PM:
Conjucture on my part, Moose is never happy when boats are "loose-in-the-park"

Luke, August 16, 2008 - 10:54 PM:
WOW! I was in Tyner for both waves of storms that came through. I got rained on some in the first wave, but it looked like this wave was more to the east. The second wave about an hour later (6:30 pm I think) forced me to the shoreline for a little while. Motoring back to the ramp at about 8:30pm, I noticed a lot of "peat-like stuff" floating around in the Cedar Tops area, so I would have to guess the flowage east of Tyner got more wind/storm than I experienced in Tyner. Storms do strange things.

lg3, August 16, 2008 - 11:02 PM:
Luke...you always get the interesting weather for sure! how was the fishin today?

Greg T., August 17, 2008 - 10:42 AM:
I was at home on the Tiger Cat when the storm hit here a little after 5pm. Not all that much wind or lightning but i have never seen it rain harder. I have some very large white pines with over 4' dia. trunks about 15 feet from my front window. For a while it was raining so hard that i couldn't see the tree trunks. I've seen worse storms but for about 5 minutes it rained as hard as i believe it possible to rain!

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Chippewa Flowage Report from lg3

Welcome To Wisteria Lane

[Read report from this day in 2007: 09:31 PM]

lg3, August 15, 2008 - 9:05 PM:
CN....NICE FISH in the album....nice location!

DancesWithWalleyes, August 16, 2008 - 7:20 AM:
Wisteria Lane? Lots of desperate, lonely women in Monroe? lol.... So how does it feel to be Cheesemakers , I believe Monroe is the Swiss Cheese Capital of the US and the local high school teams are named the cheesemakers. Growing up I always remember the Lady Cheesemakers from Monroe having good basketball teams.

Fred, August 16, 2008 - 7:26 AM:
Trivia...at it's peak there were 128 cheese factories in Green Cty. Today there are less than 10.

Greg T., August 16, 2008 - 11:35 AM:
Saturday morning report...The forecast of 4 was optimistic! Couple on crankbaits early but when the sun hit the top of the trees it was over.

lg3, August 16, 2008 - 11:37 AM:
DWW, ended up not making the move to Monroe. Found a place a couple hours south yet in Lake in the Hills, IL....my hometown. It isn't quite the same as it was when I was a kid - but so far so good! Have yet to meet Ms. McClusky.

lg3, August 16, 2008 - 11:38 AM:
Greg, sorry, but it may be down to a 3 by the end of the day!

DancesWithWalleyes, August 16, 2008 - 11:54 AM:
And to think all this time I thought you were going to be a fellow Wisconsinite, but not to be. You and MC are still a couple of PHIBS, ha-ha. GO BADGERS, lol !!!! In case anyone is offended by the word "PHIB", is is all meant in good fun.......

lg3, August 16, 2008 - 11:56 AM:
I had all intentions of trading my PHIB card in. As you say, it just wasn't meant to be....yet. Oh well, at least I'm out of Chicago.

DancesWithWalleyes, August 16, 2008 - 12:06 PM:
Never been to Lake in the Hills, but it sounds like it has lakes which means fishing. I've been to Lake Zurich, IL. The wife took we on a wild goose chase to the Trader Joe's down there a few years back. My sister-in-law is in the process of buying a house in West Chicago on a river.

lg3, August 16, 2008 - 12:10 PM:
Lake in the Hills does have a lake. We're not on it, but my parents are. Maybe we'll find some time to fish it when we go over nightly for dinner. haha. Have also had family in West Chicago. Nice area...a lil closer to the city than us.

DannyMac, August 16, 2008 - 1:51 PM:
Hey Lar, how far is Lake of the Hills from the Quad Cities? If your in my hood maybe we can hook up check out the local lakes.

Luke, August 16, 2008 - 2:33 PM:
And I was about to finish lunch here and head to the flowage, until I read the report of "4" being optimistic, and going down from there. Still going...will let you know how they're biting later...i'd say 10-ish or so.

Luke, August 16, 2008 - 2:34 PM:
Nice house, Larry. A lot different looking than northern Wisconsin.

lg3, August 16, 2008 - 2:50 PM:
Luke, my guess is you'll catch more fish if you go fishing....AND have a better time. How'd your move go? All settled in? Danny, Lake in the Hills is about an hour NW of Chicago... Not sure how close that is to you, but speaking of a visit...what's the countdown at for your trip?

Fred, August 16, 2008 - 7:27 PM:
Fifteen minutes ago we had a bit of a "blow".See Aug photos...ther was a pontoon boat tied up to this dock!

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Chippewa Flowage Report from dnr

Upper Chippewa Basin fisheries report (Price, Rusk, Sawyer Taylor and inland Ashland and Iron counties) - The continuously changing weather conditions have made for some erratic fishing success across the Northwoods. With the late spring and the lack of 'normal' continuous summer weather, most species have not really settled into any sort of regular summer pattern. Bass fishing did show some consistency in the last week, with both largemouth and smallmouth providing some good action. Largemouth have been found in a variety of spots - including weeds edges, gaps/holes in the lily pads, bog edges and around the woody structure. Soft plastics and jigs have been the most productive lures. Smallmouth fishing also picked up a notch, with the best action occurring on the local flowages and larger rivers. The most productive methods were finesse plastics fished near the deeper wood and topwater baits worked in the weeds and around the weed edges. Walleye have been especially tough to find in the last few weeks, with very few success stories being reported. Leeches and night crawlers fished along the deep weed edges near dark have produced some fair catches for a few anglers. Musky fishing has been somewhat erratic, though most anglers were having follows and seeing fish. The deeper weed edges and the less-dense weed beds seemed to hold most of the fish, with bucktails and jerk baits getting the most action. A weekend musky tournament on Butternut Lake, just outside of Park Falls, produced some very good action. A total of 18 legal fish were tallied during the tourney, with the largest being near 42 inches long. Most anglers however, reported quite a bit of activity - with many sub-legals caught, a lot of follows and short hits, and some 'big ones' lost.

[Read report from this day in 2007: 10:39 PM]

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Chippewa Flowage Report from lg3

[Read report from this day in 2007: 10:39 PM]

Ellie, August 14, 2008 - 7:55 AM:
This is very nice. How did you find it?

g8ts, August 14, 2008 - 8:32 AM:
Very Nice, I particularly like the comment. This is the center of the earth,at least to me!

Hose, August 14, 2008 - 9:59 AM:
Very interesting. I can remember the incident at the Winter Dam in 1971. The rumor at the time was that the group threatened to blow up the dam.

Hose, August 14, 2008 - 10:04 AM:
Hopefully people see this video as a reminder that it is a fragile environment. I was at Hermans Landing during the 75th aniversary celebration and when the historical marker was put up.

lg3, August 14, 2008 - 10:15 AM:
I think the coolest "historical marker" would be if they did put some rice back into the Flowage. Not sure if that idea is still in the works or not..?

Hose, August 14, 2008 - 10:20 AM:
I know there was talk of it and it indeed may happen. I think it is a very good idea.

Hose, August 14, 2008 - 10:24 AM:
I know over the 40 some years I have been going up, there have been a lot of changes some good some not so good. The boat traffic definetly is.

JRN, August 14, 2008 - 11:34 AM:
Seeing these types of videos and listening to how so many were affected by the land being changed, should make everyone want to do anything and everything to protect this and any other wilderness treasure.

Hose, August 14, 2008 - 12:33 PM:
DITTO

g8ts, August 14, 2008 - 1:12 PM:
Yes, I agree, I am still amazed when I see peoples garbage in the water or on the shore. I quess there is just Idiot's everywhere even up on the flowage. They go up there, they have to say to themselves. Wow this is beautiful, while they throw there garbage overboard IDIOTS.

lg3, August 14, 2008 - 1:28 PM:
took the boat past a floating garbage bag the other day. was "in a hurry", so i shook my head and kept goin...afterwards, it hit me that leaving it there does just as much damage as putting it there.

Hose, August 14, 2008 - 1:50 PM:
I think some people think if they dump their garbage it just vanishes on its own or someone else will pick it up.

JRN, August 14, 2008 - 1:55 PM:
I agree Lar, it makes me think of the old saying "it's not my job." I really try to ingrain that into my kids, that sometimes we have to go behind others and clean up their messes for the good of everyone. Like when we camp on Wagon Wheel, before we leave we walk around the whole island and pick up whatever we can find and leave the area better than we found it.

Hose, August 14, 2008 - 1:58 PM:
Another comment and I will shut up. The Native Americans use tobacco to bless the water, that doesn't include throwing the cig butt in the water.

lg3, August 14, 2008 - 2:02 PM:
i heard they use shots of liquor...OH NO...thats Fred!

JRN, August 14, 2008 - 2:07 PM:
I'll go with the liquor idea, it may make the fish easier to catch!

g8ts, August 14, 2008 - 2:13 PM:
Ya lar, I always make a second effort to pick it up does not take that much time. If you and other people didn't. It would not be as clean as it is. It's called pride and respect...

Hose, August 14, 2008 - 2:32 PM:
Okay Fred I am waiting for the come back. lol.

lg3, August 14, 2008 - 3:01 PM:
just to clarify....i meant "Fred blesses the Flowage with shots"....not "Fred gets blessed with shots". k, tearin down office. see you all in a week or so....will keep in touch here.

JRN, August 14, 2008 - 3:20 PM:
Have a great trip Lar, see you at the fish fry!

Fallguy, August 15, 2008 - 1:18 AM:
Truly the first time I had the opportunity to see and be on the chippewa flowage, a part of my heart stayed there when I left, And each time I make the journey back to her my heart fills with purpose as for what this life is all about, being a faith based person I truly believe these wonders such as the chippewa flowage are our gifts fom God. And as one of his servants I teach my children to respect what has been given to them. Ask them the one thing I have taught them to remember all there lives and that is to always leave a place better than when they came. Before any of my kids caught there first fish, or harvested there first wildgame, they first took care of the land and water. We truly need to pass it on!!!!

Hose, August 15, 2008 - 8:27 AM:
Total agreement

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Chippewa Flowage Report from lg3

threat of a storm pushed us all off the water.  thunder, lighting, wind, etc...there was never any rain, and according to the radar, that was the worst of it.

UPDATE:   ...  well, here comes the rain.  hopefully make it out afterwards.

lar

[Read report from this day in 2007: 09:23 PM]
[Read report from this day in 2007: 10:43 PM]

Ellie, August 13, 2008 - 9:42 PM:
Even a storm is pretty on the flowage. Nice picture. Hope everyone is safe.

lg3, August 13, 2008 - 9:52 PM:
thanks, Ellie. all is peaceful now. a lil lightning in the distance. as far as i know, nothin ever got rough. Have a good trip up here this weekend.

Ellie, August 14, 2008 - 7:54 AM:
Thank you, Lar. We'll try to catch some fish for the fish fry. You and MC have safe travels. Congratualtions again on becoming new homeowners.

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Chippewa Flowage Report from lg3

On the water by 6, off by 7.

This morning was *almost* as good as last night.  Just as many fish, but not as big.  Was admittedly on a trophy hunt, but think I got up a bit too late to accomplish that in the shallows at least. Thanks a lot, Lazy Mutt!  Naaa, it actually turned out to be a good thing...I forgot my net at home!

Tried duplicating the tactics from last night, but on some different humps here in F8.  Not the "old f8" by the bog/island...but on the humps further south... between there and the TMR resort entrance.

Ended up with ten to fifteen 12" to 16"ers.  As you see in the pic, no wind at all.  Lil bit of rain.

More fun later,

lar

p.s. did i say i was leaving town Wed?  I meant Thurs...pm

[Chippewa Flowage Map Coords: f8]

[Read report from this day in 2007: 09:23 PM]
[Read report from this day in 2007: 10:43 PM]

Dave, August 13, 2008 - 3:17 PM:
Ok you catch the fish after I leave!!! That is not fair. But I am glad you are pulling them in!! Keep om fishing I will you see you next weekend, Deb will be up sooner. Dave

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Chippewa Flowage Report from lg3

what a nite out there. already gonna get kilt for bein so late for karaoke, so ill report tomorrow....

UPDATE:  Went out from 8p to 9:15p or so.  Ran into some trouble finding walleyes UNDER 20" (to eat!).  No trophies, but everything was in the 20"-21" range.  Probably got about (not kidding) 10-15 fish of this size.  Finally ended up with these two 19"s and a 17" to bring home for the fish fry.

There were two waves of "fish every cast".  One, right when I got out on the water, and one, right before I left.  I found a new set of humps near here that comes up to about 4 feet in 10 feet of water so I sat on top of one and was planning on casting around all of them.  No need.  There was plenty goin on on "mine".  Yeah, I casted over the rest of em, but every fish came RIGHT when the JSR came back to the boat, just shallow enough to "make contact".

"Stir, stir, stir, HIT".

Question is, what was I stirring against...?  I'm not 100% sure, but I really think it was the massive school of fish.  Something felt weird about it, I never got snagged in weeds, wood or bottom...and in between the two waves, I couldnt feel anything down there.

So I mentioned earlier on Tues that I hoped the fish got bigger throughout the day...and man, did they!  I know its the thousanth time I've said this, but it may've been my "best day yet" out on the water.

P.S. Remember, please release all walleye over 19" unless they're goin on the wall!

lar

[Read report from this day in 2007: 09:23 PM]
[Read report from this day in 2007: 10:43 PM]

tmrjeff, August 13, 2008 - 12:34 PM:
yea you left your bar tending post last night.....

lg3, August 13, 2008 - 12:42 PM:
sorry, was too crowded back there! i was more in the way than anything. how bout i train on a non-karaoke nite?

tmrjeff, August 13, 2008 - 12:49 PM:
n e time

lg3, August 13, 2008 - 1:12 PM:
just looked in TMR's August album, Jeff. Can I tend bar on rodeo nites?

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Chippewa Flowage Report from lg3

Howdy.  Just got back from a lil more than two hours of getting quite wet.  haha.  never REALLY started pouring, but it "showered" the whole time i was out.

Bunch of walleye, perch and crappie....all right at 11 inches (only one perch that big).  Hope they get bigger throughout the eve!  ...and that the rain stops.  i only have so many pairs of shoes.

lar

[Read report from this day in 2007: 06:13 PM]
[Read report from this day in 2007: 08:26 PM]

chops, August 12, 2008 - 7:58 PM:
Lar and all: what kind of line is best for walleye fishing on the FLOWAGE? I like Fireline for all around fishing. I'm new to this. thanks.

lg3, August 13, 2008 - 12:52 AM:
chops, last year, i used 6lb mono. this year, i use 8lb supermono (diameter of 6lb mono). im stuck in between. i like the ease of mono, but the strength of the super.

Derek, August 13, 2008 - 10:17 AM:
Or do what I do. I use 14lb superline and tie on a 4ft 6lb flurocarbon leader. You get the strength and stiffness of the superline but get the "invisibility" of the flurocarbon. Flurocarbon is also more dense than water helping get those cranks down a bit deeper. Just my .02 though.

lg3, August 13, 2008 - 10:20 AM:
some day ill trust my tying abilities enough to do this... knot yet. spose i could use a swivel tho, huh?

Derek, August 13, 2008 - 10:48 AM:
If you kept it short enough. They play hell going through rod eyes. Folks use swivels quite a bit when trolling flurocarbon leaders. Learn to tie a double uni-knot. Add a small dab of superglue for added security and strength.

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Chippewa Flowage Report from lg3

Being the anniversary of my biggest walleye yet, ill surely be out fishing in a bit...but in the meantime....

One nice thing about living in a trailer in the woods:  Even though you live within feet of your many neighbors, there is a certain kind of up-north privacy that's nice.  For instance, you don't have to worry about the Google Van catchin you outside and putting your pic online. 

I was only in Chicago for two weeks last summer, yet they caught me smoking out on the porch (no, not vertical jiggin for the crazy ppl downstairs).  Anyway, I thought *I* had it bad....

...but then I saw this story: GOOGLE Street View captures drunk!

[Read report from this day in 2007: 06:13 PM]
[Read report from this day in 2007: 08:26 PM]

Hose, August 12, 2008 - 12:31 PM:
Don't worry Lar I got caught on street view also having a smoke in my driveway. Have a good move and hopefully see you guys on the 22nd.

Ellie, August 12, 2008 - 4:21 PM:
Hey Lar, let's have a repeat of your "biggest walleye yet". Good luck!

Greg T., August 12, 2008 - 4:45 PM:
Lar: I talked to Ron Bergman last nite and it sounds like he won't be able to make it to the fish fry. He'll be returning from Appleton and probably won't get back till too late...I should be back up on Thursday. Maybe early enough for some bobbers and beers up on the weed beds.

lg3, August 12, 2008 - 4:51 PM:
Greg, you mean this thurs?

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