Not steelhead on the Great Lakes tributaries, that has been going on for awhile now. There is another spring run that I really enjoy fishing. That is the seasonal panfish runs in Southern Wisconsin. Right after ice out crappies will move into shallow inlets and back bays and stay around for awhile. Bluegills that were suspended in deep water in the main lakes come into the same areas right around the 15th of April every year. The smaller fish are currently in these areas already and within the next couple of days we should start to see the monster panfish come in. (8.5-10.5 inch Bluegills and 12-14 inch Crappies) Some guys are picking up a couple nice fish here and there already, but the big numbers still haven't moved in.
The tactics I use is a 5'6 St. Croix ultra-light spinning rod paired with a ultra-light Pflueger President fishing reel with #4 pound P-line.
I will use the same type of jigs and floats you would use ice fishing (tear drops, ratso's, flu-flu, etc..) throw on a wax worm or spike and you are set. For crappies same set up, but I will throw on a small crappie minnow.
Any day not the fishing should pick up. I checked out a couple of spots today for about an hour and caught a ton of little crappies.
I left a comment last night, but, blogger must not have picked it up or something. The lab sure knows when the fishing is good. Hope you get some slabs!
ReplyDeleteYou're lucky you've got the panfish action picking up. Our fish are still holding in deep the same deep winter patterns that they were a few weeks ago. We need those water temps to rise a little bit. Hopefully next week!
ReplyDeleteGood looking dog by the way!
Thanks Ted,
ReplyDeleteThe big ones have moved in one lake Kegonsa south of Madison. So today or Tomorrow I would guess we would be able to start picking up big ones on Mendota. All depends on how low the temps get at night.