Mine is the Flambeau River in the Park Falls/ Fifield area. One of the best smallmouth fisheries I’ve ever been on. Muskie, walleye, pike, sturgeon. Just about every species you would want to chase in Northern WI.
load up on some 4″ pumpkin tubes and 1/8″ oz. jigs and you are in smallie heaven. CPR’d two fish approaching 6# in August last year. canoes only. really relaxing
take a few black bucktails and a couple of Suicks and you’re in business for the Flambeau muskie! Contact the Midway Bar outside of Butternut for a guided trip in a wooden jon boat. the guide actually rows you down the river ala’ the olden days. they even cook you a wonderful shore lunch. haven’t done it in a couple of years, but it was really reasonably priced.
Hey SteveO, I’ll row you down in an aluminum boat as long as you have a vehicle at the dowstream side or how about I’ll row down and you row back.LOL Sounds like a good float trip to me. What a bout you StillaKid you in for some floating? Oh yea I row for free. But its a sloooooow trip. Steve
Sure…………….we still gotta make up for not getting out last season! You row and I’ll bring some Leinie’s…………………errr, would that be “fuel”?!?!?!?! LOL!
I forgot to mention which is my favorite river! Well, it’s certainly less popular than other river systems because Yellow and Little Yellow Lakes take up the bulk of the attention but the Yellow River flowing out of Little Yellow is one of the most enjoyable waters I’ve had the pleasure of cruising through! Weeds and trolling motors can keep interfering in certain areas but that’s when it’s nice to just let “the other guy” go to work. Most spots are narrow enough that you can cast to either shore and/or work the channel’s weedbeds, all at the same time! You never know what you’re going to pull out of there! There’s mostly bass (Lm and Sm) and Pike but you can find panfish, perch, walleye, and muskies in there too. I once had a brown bullhead take a Mepps Weed Master (black) too but I figure no one’s going to make a special trip for bullheads! LOL!
Between the slower moving current, variety of bottoms and shorelines, and ability to work all of it in a “float trip” fashion while facing the possibility of a bite on every cast (SO much cover and structure available!), I must say it’s got my current vote for favorite WI river and I would encourage all you “adventurers” to give it a crack just once, if you’ve got a smaller rig anyway. Bigger boats are navigable all the way to the dam but some sections would require too much attention to keep a focus on the fish.
Oh yea favorite river would have to be the Chippewa. It’s close to home,close to work for a quick trip for smallies,walleye’s after I get off work (different section different scenery). It has some huge sturgeon,catfish,muskies and crappies. There is not much for boat traffic a few canoes,airboats or other smaller rigs that are doing the float downstream to awaiting vehical, great sand bars for camping. The only drawback or bummer is the mosquitoes come hot weather on the lower Chippewa. I even catch nice walleye’s right from shore each and every spring and fall with the bobber on the end of pole trick. That’s a whole nuther story though. Right now the river is very high but I’m headed out in a couple hours to some of my favorite backwater with my favorite fishing partner (my wife) she loves catching those crappies. Steve
You know leinieman, your wife has access to the greatest mosquito repellent I’ve ever seen (witnessed in it’s effectiveness)……………Skin so Soft from Avon. Not the SSS from OFF…………..that’s crud…………but the real mccoy is amazing stuff. If I wasn’t so stuck on being “manly” I’d use it myself! Good luck on those crappies…………….I’ll need to get some pointers from you out that way………….my dad’s been meaning to hit that area for years and hasn’t gotten around to it………………I’d like to take him.
Skin so Soft Huh mosquitoes around these parts use it for mouth wash. Serious skitters I’m telling you. Red Cross once done a blood drive on the mosqitoes and hit a new record. Vampire bats suck the blood from these mosquitoes and it doesn’t even effect them unless the mosquito is still flying and then it tends to fly in a circle. Canoers usually need a transfusion just to float from Downsville to Durand. I’d be happy to point you in the right direction for a float trip though. BYOB (Bring Your Own Blood) Heck I’ll even see you off and pick you up downstream and bring you back to your vehicle. Lets let this water go down then I’ll be glad to give you a tour of the area and do some fishing. Steve
LOL! Sounds great! Well, except the blood loss, that is!
how was the crappie fishing Steve? Did your wife outfish you? If she is anything like my wife, she probably did. That is usually my penalty for talking smart to her about fishing, she usually beats me. We always have a best out of 3 pt. contest. 1 point for the most fish. 1 pt. for the biggest game fish. 1 point for the most keepers, if we are eating that night. Always a heated competition on the water and she will never let me live it down if she does “happen to win”. Well, am heading to Lake Pepin this weekend and will probably try out the Pepin Piers, at least on Saturday night. Maybe bring the boat up to this area and try a lake around here for some panfish. Do you think Altoona would be ready yet or a little too early??? Just want to catch something!!!!!!!! Have a good weekend and wish me luck.
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