Walleye fishing report for Presque Isle Vilas County WisconsinUpdated: 06/02/02

(Head):  Some nice catches of walleye on the Presque Isle Chain in Presque
Isle, Wisconsin, with good crappie action, area wide.

In the Presque Isle, Wisconsin, area of Vilas County, Alpine Resort
co-owner (715- 686-2800), Tim Bowler reports:

Some nice catches of walleye in 4 to 8 feet of water, around emergent weeds
are being reported, particularly on the Presque Isle Chain.  Van Vliet Lake
is producing walleye going from 16 to 19 inches.  Use a jig and a minnow,
and fish either earlier morning or evening hours, when the bite is best.

Very good crappie action area wide in Presque Isle, particularly in the
shallows where the crappie are very active.  Fish are being caught
throughout the day.  If you can locate a shallow, weedy bay, that's where
you'll get the best bite.  Use a small jig either with a minnow.  Sizes
vary from mainly small to medium fish, all the way up to an occasional 15
inch slab.  Regardless, the crappie are firm, healthy and absolutely
delicious.

Musky are sluggish right now, as far as action is concerned.  With the
spawn going on, you'll have to fish real, REAL shallow.  You'll see the
musky, but that doesn't mean they're going to bite; and what you will get
it are the smaller males, going in the early 30s on size.  Best bait is
going to be a pike chub, which you should twitch coming back to the boat.
If anything will work, that bait and action will be the one.

Northern are good, not great, in the Presque Isle area, and you'll find
them in with the walleyes.  A mixed bag on sizes, with mainly smaller ones
hitting.  Use live bait, like you would for walleye, making sure you fish
in and around emergent weeds in 4 to 8 feet of water.

For you bass lovers, both smallies and largemouth are just now starting to
spawn.  You'll find the smallies on rock bars in 4 to 10 feet of water.
Use a jig and a minnow.  For largemouth fish the shallow, emergent weeds,
also using a jig and a minnow.  Both species of bass will bite very
aggressively during the spawn, but don't forget that the season is still
closed on bass, and you are required to IMMEDIATELY RELEASE any bass that
you catch.  Both species are going as high as the early 20s in size.

Presque Isle fishing will turn on immediately as the weather and
water warms.

In the Presque Isle, Wisconsin, area of Vilas County, area guide Howie
Meyer, reports:

Walleye are in their post-spawn feeding mode.  With warmer water temps
(moving from the 40s into the mid 50s), the walleye are going shallow and
feeding heavily on bait fish.  Fish 4 to 12 feet of water, using a jig and
a rainbow, fathead, or dace (dace are what you want, IF you can find any!).
As the water warms further, the walleye will start moving deeper again.
With the real cold weather we've had this spring, the water was actually
warmer, deep, than shallow.  The normal pattern of water being warmer at
the surface is finally starting.  The walleye are average eaters, with an
occasional big female being taken.

Northern are doing real well in the Presque Isle area.  They're right in
with the walleye.  The northerns are average size.  Use a BIG minnow if
you're going after northern.

Best action lakes for BOTH walleye and northern are North and South Turtle
Lakes off of Highway W, and Big Horsehead Lake off of Highway B in the
Presque Isle area.

Crappie are moving up the water column, especially on the shallower, dark,
smaller lakes.  Best lake for crappie right now is Tamarack Lake, located
off of Highway W.  Fish in the new weeds, and go shallow.  The crappie have
finally started moving in for the spawn, and even one day of warmer water
turns them on completely.  Most of the crappie are going 8 to 12 inches,
but you can expect bigger slabs to hit, as well, in the near term.  Use a
minnow, light tackle, and BE VERY QUIET.  The crappie are spooking
big-time, and you will turn them off totally, with any noise.

You can fish musky on the border lakes with Michigan (remember, Presque
Isle 'right there' on the Wisconsin/Michigan border).  Best lake is State
Line Lake, which is producing musky.

Presque Isle lakes producing good walleye action and consistent
northern action, despite the early spring cold snap.

In the Presque Isle, Wisconsin, area of Vilas County, area guide Howie
Meyer reports:

Walleye are surprisingly good, particularly on Presque Isle and Crab Lakes.
Fish 4 to 12 feet of water, at rocky, drop off areas.  Use the lightest jig
you can drop, and tip it with a minnow.  Fish down the drop offs, starting
shallow and working your way to the bottom along the side.  Presentation
must be slow.  Average eaters, but decent action, and if you fish the
shallow bays on the south end of the lakes, you may pick up a real big
female.

You can get some northern (3 to 6 pounds), using a slip-bobber and a
minnow.  Just hang the bait in front of the fish, and sit still.  The
northern will ultimately bite, but forget fast or fancy jigging or
retrieves.  They won't work in the cold water.  Fish 4 to 8 feet of water,
and try to find some emergent weeds.  And if you want 'guaranteed action,'
use dace.  Dace is a type of colorful, thick bodied, high protein minnow
that northern like, and walleye go nuts over.
Real tough to find in a bait shop, but savvy Presque Isle locals and guides
net the dace.  Great bait -- along with other arcane baits such as chena
bait (seal skin) and hellgrammites (the brownish aquatic larva of the
dobson-fly, also known as the 'dobson' or 'snake doctor'), which all work
fantastically -- and all real tough to find.

Crappies are still deep - - they haven't even thought of moving shallow for
the spawn.  Fish 20 to 25 feet, and use an ultra-lite rig, and a minnow.
Fish varying depths, where the crappie are suspending.  Some action for
average slabs, but forget the biggies, as they won't hit strong until they
move into the shallows for the spawn -- and that won't happen until the
water warms.

You can get some real nice-sized perch (and Presque Isle has some big, big
ones!) in shallow, new weeds.  Use a minnow and fish the bottom as you
would walleye.

Forget gills.  Too cold

While the water is still somewhat cold, you will get decent
walleye, northern and perch action in the Presque Isle area.

In the Presque Isle, Wisconsin area of Vilas County, Wally Sherman and
Wayne Strykowski report:

Walleye are doing well, but not great right now.  Fish the shorelines, in
cover, particularly after the water warms a bit.  Use small jigs and
minnows.  Slow presentation.  Average eaters.

Northern in the shallow bays, where the northern are coming in to feed.
Use jig and minnow, or a crank.  Northern going 3 to 5 pounds.  These sizes
make for the best eating, and are fun to catch.  They're hitting a like a
ton right now.

Perch are just finishing up the spawn, so fish the shorelines in cover.
Depth will range from 1 to 10 feet.  Use a minnow, waxie or worm.  The
perch are larger than normal right now, going (not a misprint!) up to 15
inches.  The perch in the Presque Isle area spawned a bit later than other
areas, because of the cold water.

Crappie are tough right now, locating deep, and staging to come in shallow
for the spawn, when the water warms a bit.  Use a crappie minnow.  If you
fish deep, the crappie will be suspending about 12 feet down in 20 plus
feet of water.  Average eaters.  The bigger crappie will hit when they move
shallow to spawn.

Gills are even tougher than the crappie.  It's just too cold for them right
now.

(Head): While ice still remains on certain Presque Isle area lakes, it's
very tough getting out safely from shore; excellent crappie and bluegill
action reported.

SPECIAL NOTE TO ALL ANGLERS:  MOST EVERY REPORTING STATION IN NORTHERN
WISCONSIN IS WARNING OF THE VERY RAPID DETERIORATION OF THE ICE.  IN MANY
AREAS, WHILE ICE IN LAKE-CENTER MAY BE OK, GETTING OUT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE
DUE TO OPEN SHORELINE AREAS, EVER-INCREASING WATER MOVEMENT AND CURRENTS,
AND THINNING BAYS.  BE EXTREMELY CAUTIOUS BEFORE VENTURING OUT ANYWHERE,
AND IF YOU DO GO OUT, MAKE ABSOLUTELY SURE YOU WEAR SOME TYPE OF FLOTATION
GEAR!  NOW IS A VERY GOOD TIME TO START FISHING FROM SHORE, UNTIL ICE-OUT.

In the Presque Isle, Wisconsin, area of Vilas County, Wally Sherman and
Wayne Strykowski report:

Ice is still good on some lakes in the Presque Isle area --  if you can get
out -- but getting out can be real iffy and downright dangerous.  There's
continual and very rapid thawing and thinning of ice around shore, and in
bays, so extreme caution is recommended.  And no one is even thinking about
using ANY type of motorized vehicle.  Best suggestion?  Fish from shore,
and wear flotation gear (ask a local for the best shoreline fishing areas.
There are some real good spots you can try right from shore that will
produce action).  The ice fishing season is quickly ending, so make sure
you're around to enjoy the season opener in your boat by using extreme
caution, now.

The entire Presque Isle area is experiencing a very good crappie bite.  The
crappie can be found in 13 to 15 feet of water.  Best to use a flasher to
locate the fish, as they  are suspending at various depths.  Use a crappie
minnow.  Try deep first, and work your way up.  Crappie are being caught
right off the bottom, AND right under the ice!  The crappie are just
starting to school, so there's quite decent action, with the crappie going
between 10 and 13 inches.  There will be some bigger female slabs being
caught as the weather continues to warm the water, oxygenating the surface
areas, as the ice melts from the sun's warmth.  The crappie love these
oxygenated areas, so you're going to start getting more and more crappie
just under the ice.

Lots and lots and lots of entertainment-sized bluegills on Presque Isle
area lakes (forget the bulls right now, and let the kids have some fun).
Use a waxie.  The gills are suspending (like the crappie) at various depths
in 10 to 12 feet of water.  Find weeds if you can (last year's will work).
The gills will be found from right on the bottom, up to right under the
ice.  You'll do a lot of sorting, but you will be able to get enough for
dinner.

For fishing information about Presque Isle, Wisconsin:
* Wally Sherman and/or Wayne Strykowski at Sherman's Red Owl, (715) 686-2535.
For general information about Presque Isle, Wisconsin:
* Presque Isle Chamber of Commerce, Main St., Box 135, Presque Isle, WI
54557-9732; 888-835-6508; 715-686-2910; e-mail: PresqueIsle@centurytel.net;
web: www.presqueislewi.org

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