Fishing Report

July 17, 2018

Anglers All, Located at 2803 E. Lake Shore Drive (U.S. Highway 2) in Ashland, is a full-service tackle and fly shop offering a huge selection of baits and tackle for year round fishing. For the most complete and up-to-date fishing report, just give them a call at 715/682-5754, and they will gladly keep you informed! Carolyn from Anglers All reports: The water in the Bay is clearing up greatly and the sediment is settling! Even in the dirty water the bite has been good inside the Bay. The water is really starting to clear up nicely and water temps are warming up. Trolling in the South Channel has been really, really good right now with reports of Cohos and Trout being caught. Walleye anglers are trolling over the shallow weed-beds using crawler harnesses or stick-baits. Fishing could be very productive working the mud lines that you find! Small Mouth fishing continues to be very good. Small Mouth have scattered throughout the Bay and could relate to any type of structure in the Bay. Anglers have been successful using sucker minnows and also larger plastics. Trolling has been excellent with reports coming in from Long Island to Outer Island and all points in-between. Most Trollers are using spoons and spin-n-glos run off of down riggers, dipsy divers or lead core! Fishing is good right now!!!

River Rock Inn & Bait Shop, Located at 1200 W. Lake Shore Drive (U.S. Highway 2), in Ashland where you can stop in and see their wide variety of live bait, fishing tackle, gear, accessories, fresh and smoked fish from Lake Superior, local meat sticks, and microbrews, and much more. Call them at 715/682-3232 for the most current fishing report. Scott Bretting from River Rock reports…..There is a huge improvement in the water clarity and Bass fishing is really good with anglers having good success using sucker minnows and top water baits for catching fish on the top. Bass have been very active in broad water spectrum from 2 ft to 14 ft of water. Walleye trolling is good right now. The Lake Trout bite is fantastic in the flats and among the Islands. The water temp is starting to warm up and that’s why the fish are spreading out. Beware of the many commercial nets out there by the tip of Long Island. There are reports of anglers having success catching Walleye in the Bay using stick-baits.  There have been a lot of boats out trolling and doing really good in the Flats and the South Channel catching their limit. Use Caution! Some landings on the Inlands are closed after the storm damage.

• Northern State Bank Live Cam – Marina Area
• River Rock Inn & Bait Shop Live Cam – Hot pond area.

Smelt information 2018

The Ashland Area Chamber of Commerce, 1-800-284-9484, reports: Fishing is always a thrilling adventure in the Ashland area! Chequamegon Bay is famous for its world-class smallmouth bass fishing. The 12-mile-long bay’s rock piles and breakwater structures make for perfect bass habitat.

• Wisconsin residents and non-residents 16 years of age and up will need a fishing license to fish any waters in the state. An annual license costs $20.  Go online at http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/fishing/regulations/hookline.html for more details.
• Residents born before Jan. 1, 1927, don’t need a fishing license. They do need to carry proof of their age when fishing, however.
• State residents who are members of the U.S. Armed Forces on active duty are entitled to obtain a free license when they go on furlough or leave.

New this year

• Motor trolling is now legal on all inland waters with one hook, bait, or lure and – depending on location – with up to three hooks, baits, or lures, according to the DNR website.
• Most inland lakes and rivers within the Ceded Territory (which includes Ashland County) have a daily bag limit of 3 walleye.

ALSO – To see a real-time image of Chequamegon Bay, go to Northern State Bank‘s Bay Cam.
And be sure to check out River Rock Inn & Bait Shop‘s new, awesome Live Cam overlooking the area near the Xcel Energy “hot pond”!

More on fishing in the Chequamegon Bay region

Entertaining viewing:

Check out this great episode of “John Gillespie’s Waters & Woods” from Feb. 6 focusing on ice fishing near Ashland.  Josh Teigen of Josh Teigen’s Guide Service in Iron River took the amiable TV host out on Chequamegon Bay where Gillespie said he had one of his “most enjoyable ice fishing trips of the year.”

Don’t miss this episode of “Larry Smith Outdoors” as the Berlin, Wis., guide and outdoorsman teams up with Tommy Hicks of Ashland and Beyond the Catch Guide Service to tackle Chequamegon Bay. Trout are on the menu along with whitefish when Larry and Tommy head out on the ice in “one of the prettiest parts of the state.”

Highly recommended reading:

Check out this wonderful article by Andrew Ragas of NorthwoodsBass.com about the excellent smallmouth bass fishery right here in Chequamegon Bay!  Ragas spent a day out on the water with Ashland native Nate Baron of Up North Guide Service.

A very well-written story by Tom Hazelton about a day spent fly-fishing out on Chequamegon Bay with Luke Kavajecz of Anglers All.  Hazelton calls it “Unsalted.”

Another great article on bass fishing Chequamegon Bay saltwater-style, this one by Duluth News Tribune outdoors writer Sam Cook. Read all about “Barefootin’ the bay.”

Read about Roger LaPenter’s 2014 induction into the Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame.

Learn more about the great fishing in Chequamegon Bay!

Chicagoans Meredith and Claire had some good fun on Chequamegon Bay last July catching smallmouth and enjoying some beach time out at Long Island. “Hard to ignore swimming when the water is 75 degrees,” said their guide, Luke Kavajecz of Ashland’s Anglers All. “It was a fun day for sure!” (Photo courtesy of Luke Kavajecz)