Anyone Fishing Wisconsin in Spring or early Summer?

I've got the fever to try a trip to Wisconin or Minn. this next year in early Summer. I read over the bag of hand outs from the Sport and travel show and now I need something to sell the wife on. She doesn't fish; plus the cool weather and remote lakes make it a tough sell. I have no expeience fishing up north, but I have tried some Walleye, sauger, and perch fishing this year in Indiana with a few good days. That's some good eating!
I wonder if I should try to keep the driving distance down, and yet the Lake of the Woods in Minisota sounds good.
Any place to recommend? Thanks.

I went trout fishing in Wisconsin in May right after graduating from Purdue. Right after my last final I and two of my friends who also just graduated when up to Eclair Wisconsin. Mark, one of my classmates, and Mike both were wildlife Biology majors and had just earned their BS degrees so we were ready to have some fun. We left the books back at the apartments and headed up north.

I was given some chest waders and a fly rod and everything I needed to fish with by Mark's Grandfather. We fished some small streams and well all caught some trout. They were small fish but man even in that cold water they put on an aerial show for me. Tail walking and jumping multiple times. We fished with live worms and a spit shot and small hook. Just cast out across the 20ft wide stream and let the worm bounce along the bottom. The trout went for those worms in early May. Now later on the insects will be hatching and you may want to try more artificial flies like mayfly nymphs or caddisfly nymphs. Dry flies may work in July or August but I am just guessing on that. Match the hatch is what they say.

In early May of 1976 the worms did the trick. I am not sure when they had ICE or when the ICE melted up there that year. But right after ice out there should be a lot of water draining off the land and the creeks should be filling up. And all that melt water washed a lot of worms into the creek. So worms were what the trout wanted that day. I caught about 4 of them little brown trout. I must admit that was one of my best fishing trips. I wish I could do that again someday.

Good luck when you go. Wisconsin was good to us that week.

We also went out on one of the lakes near Eclair but we could not find the walleyes that day. We fished near the lake where the river emptied into the lake. But the walleye's didn't cooperate that day for us. But we still have a nice day out on the lake in the boat with the four of us. They like LUND boats up North.

When I fished for Walleye up on Eagle lake in Ontario Canada we would back troll. We used minnows and steel leaders. They told us to use these rigs that had a single silver type blade on the wire leader and a few red colored plastic bead. Not sure where you can get them. I was only 18 when I fished up there last time and didn't pay much attention to the brand names of the gear we used. But the trick was to drag the hook with a live minnow on it right along the rocky bottom near areas where there was a drop off. By going backwards and using a LUND boat with high transom to prevent water from coming over the back of the boat we were able to troll super slowly. Today I would be using an 24 Volt Electric Trolling motor system to get that slow in my bass boat. BTW we trolled with a 20 HP mercury motor on that LUND rental Boat. Try to get a boat that doesn't have leaky rivets or take your own up there with you. LOL Cold wet feet make for a very uncomfortable day. We didn't have many bugs to contend with in Wisconsin in early May. But in Canada in August watch out for the Mosquitoes and the NO SEE EMS. Those NO SEE EMS are tiny but man do they bite hard. We didn't see any of the no see em or we didn't get bit by them. We were up in Canada right after I got out of HS in 1969 and that was in Early June that year. And we went back up for another trip a few summers later. Stayed three weeks and I think it was in early June again. If you fish up north later in the summer the bugs get worse. I guess all the wild moose, deer and other fury animals keep the mosquito populations high in later summer.

I have fished most of the surrounding states including minn/wi. We also take an annual trip to LOTW in Ontario each June. My wife to some degree is like yours although she loves to bluegill fish when the weather gets nice.

I live in northcentral Indiana and it takes us 14hrs to I/Falls,long haul. One place my wife/I considered is lake Vermillion in Minnesota and it has good fishing and a casino on the water? I also fished a tournament on Lake Minnetonka near Minneapolis/St Paul.If I remember there were a total of 14 lakes chained together. There is a lot of developement on the lakes but it had excellent fishing and she could go to the Mall of America?

I would involve your wife in the decision and try and find a compromise. Do not take her to some remote resort that is in the middle of nowhere. I should mention when I go to LOTW in June it is my father/I and she goes somewhere with her sister or daughter and the remainder of our travel we go together. It is about compromise.

The other place you might consider is Kentucky Lake? It has excellent fishing and some things for your wife to do but the downside(IMO) is that you do not have that "feel" of the lakes in Mn/Wi.

good luck.

Be careful about trolling in Wisconsin . Many of the lakes I have been on in Wisconsin, trolling is prohibited . I think the lakes must be of a "flowage " type to legally troll . Laws change through time so you may want to go online to double check that . As far as going there to fish, I and the wife have been going up there for a few years and we do have a good time. She does like to fish though . The first year we hired a guide on the first day of the week , and the rest of the week we did ok . We stayed in Minocqua where there are many lakes close to town . The town has plenty of "touristy" shops and depending on where you stay are within walking distance of the hotels. Don't worry, you don't have to drive far at all to get into the "Boonies" up there !!

Northern WI is not “remote,” if that is your wife’s concern. There are lots of very nice lakes, w/very low pressure when compared to our impoundments here in the lower Midwest, but “civilization” is always a short ride away should you require bait, groceries, a doctor, a mechanic or even dinner out & a movie.

Take a look @ Vilas County: a couple hundred natural lakes of all sizes, description & level of shoreline development within a 30-40 minute ride. Many have rental cabins available or you can get lodging off water & just trailer around & try different lakes. Musky, pike, walleyes, bass, panfish? Deep or shallow lake? Clear or stained water? Weeds or rocks? Take your pick!

I consider it good fishing, depending on species & time of year, but it is NOT like flying-in to Canada. The fish see quite a few lures over a season & depending on your lake choice, you’ll see quite a few recreational boaters/jet skis. However, you’ll never wait for more than a few minutes for your turn @ the ramp & the insects are not nearly as fierce as I’ve encountered in Canada.

A couple of things to consider, if you decide to look @ the area: First, there is no motor trolling allowed. Second, the fishing season has a staggered opening: pike & walleye open in mid-May. Musky opens on Memorial Day weekend. Bass are catch & release ONLY until the 3rd weekend in June.

Finally, my wife, who prefers to sunbathe but does fish occasionally, would warn your wife that though the weather CAN be very nice around Memorial Day, your chances of “vacation @ the lake weather” are better as you get later in to June.

This year will be our 21st season on a small lake near Eagle River. Always glad to offer opinions to prospective fishermen....