Fishing with the Guides - Vilas County News-Review

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Warmer days means spring around corner

Anyone who has spent much time outside lately will notice the increasing warming power of the sun as the calendar moves closer to March. It feels absolutely wonderful on those days like last weekend. Spring is coming.
The ice conditions have

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Anglers reporting better ice conditions

Other than the early winter snow (and way too much of it), the North Woods actually has had a pretty mild winter.
There has been a little cold weather in the last two weeks, making the lake ice safer and more useable. There is much less slush out there now.
Ice anglers don’t

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Ice conditions starting to improve

The North Woods has been blessed with almost normal winter weather and this has resulted in some improvement in the ice conditions out there.
Many anglers have reported that much, if not all, of the slush has finally hardened up enough to get around on the ice. Better late than never. There is still some time for fishing for game fish this season and it

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Slush and thin ice still hampering lakes

Here we are in February already, with very thin ice conditions on many lakes. You will see ice anglers out there, but most of them are walking, with the exception of a few lakes.
This has been a difficult year for ice fishermen, with

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More snow hampers ice conditions on lakes

Once again, relentless snow has made ice conditions harder for anglers to get around on the lakes. The North Woods got hit with another 11 inches since last Wednesday. What a winter so far!
Depth on the ice varies from a few inches in current areas on the Chain of Lakes to a good solid

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Lake access slowly improving for anglers

For ice anglers the word snow has become a bad four-letter word. We have gotten some colder weather, which has thickened the ice and reduced the slush somewhat.
Then that darned snow reappeared and

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Additional lake ice would help anglers

As the lake ice ever-so-slowly thickens, it is still problematic for both safety and just getting around on some lakes.
The North Woods has had some cold weather and it has helped — but not enough. There is still slush and pretty thin ice in spots on some lakes. You will not see any vehicles out there yet. This has

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Anglers enjoying the mild weather

We’re heading toward mid-January and we haven’t been exposed to that very cold weather that seems to always occur at this time of year. We’d like some of the cold, however, to improve the ice conditions for anglers.
It has been a winter and fall season with unusual weather, so we’ll

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Warmer weather improving conditions

The warmer weather we experienced in the last week or so has actually improved the ice conditions on the lakes somewhat, as the overall snow level on the ice has dropped. This has made it easier to get around walking on the ice.
A lot more ice anglers got out there over the Christmas holiday, which

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Activity on the lakes will depend on slush

Ice fishermen are still being bothered by the same conditions that they were complaining about last week — a considerable amount of slush everywhere out there.
The warmer weather this week will drop the snow level some and

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Ice fishing access tough due to slush

We are still somewhat in misery as far as ice fishing conditions go. There are reports of slush pretty much everywhere and it is difficult to get around.
To add to that, anglers need to check ice thickness as they go out or move around because we didn’t have enough time to build some nice ice before the heavy snows

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Ice conditions better with colder weather

The ice conditions on North Woods lakes should get better with the cold weather this week, but we can do without any more snow for a while.
While it is miserable to even go outside in this cold weather, it is really helping to expand the ice and firm it up for the ice anglers and snowmobilers who will be coming when

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Heavy snow hindering ice conditions, fishing

Multiple heavy snowstorms that dumped about 20 inches of snow on the area last week have put a big damper on the current ice fishing scenario across the North Woods.
The heavy snow cover has

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Warmer weather means caution on ice

The North Woods has experienced a significant change in the ice conditions over the last week, as what looked like a great start to the ice fishing season has been interrupted by warm weather and rain.

That is the last thing ice anglers wanted to see and

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Anglers can combine fishing and hunting

With the open water fishing season behind us, we turn our thoughts to ice fishing. This is a very early start to the ice fishing season and a delight to many — including some deer hunters.
First of all, be safe out there. It

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Cold temps bring end to open water

Wow, is this open-water fishing season ending quickly. On a few larger and deeper lakes, you will find some diehard anglers pursuing muskies or even walleyes, but the small and medium lakes are now frozen for the winter and anglers are frothing at the mouth to get out there ice fishing.

It happened so fast that we

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Open water fishing winding down in North

Well folks, it’s almost over for the open water anglers. This is a rather unexpected early winter for us.
You’ll notice that ponds and some small lakes are frozen, and the bigger lakes will not be far behind. The water temperatures dropped very quickly in the last week, as much as

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Walleyes still hitting in holes on Chain

As we near winter, the fish reports seem to be getting shorter. It’s cold out there on the water and the water temperatures are dropping.
Meanwhile, most of the leaves are gone now and the sight lines for hunters in the woods are great. Snow is on the way and hopefully will be here by the gun deer season. We sure seem to have a

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Fish still hitting as days shorten

As fall continues, the days are shortening and we can really sense the approaching winter. Evening fishing is almost a thing of the past as the days shorten.
Water temperatures are

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Dropping water temps change fishing patterns

My, oh my, we’ve had a surprise taste of winter in the last week. This has made our fall fishing very difficult. We don’t know what has been worse, the cold temperatures or the heavy wind.
It sure was a surprise to see

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Tips offered on fishing during turnover period

Colder weather is here and the water temperatures are dropping on all lakes. That means that turnover will have an affect on all lakes.
In a nutshell, here is what happens:
Remember that this is a process, not an event. It

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Walleye, muskie action expected to improve

With that extreme warm spell behind us, we’re looking at falling water temperatures again. This is making both the anglers and the hunters happy.
Sight lines for hunters have been tough, but with the leaves on many trees starting to fall, they’re improving. We’re starting to get nice color in the maples and the

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Fall fishing improves as water temps drop

With all the weather changes and all the rain we’ve had, the water temperatures are falling pretty quickly in the area (except for the warm front this week).
We’ve had water temps as low as into the

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Fishing patterns changing with fall

As we are approaching fall, we’re beginning to see some really nice color just north of Eagle River. Every time it rains or gets just a little windy, we see some leaves down on the pavement. For many of us, fall is our favorite season.
Hunting season is starting and

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Fall fishing patterns starting to develop

Boy oh boy, it looks like fall is coming early this year. As we mentioned last week, we are starting to see some color in the trees.
Water temperatures are going down quickly, so we’re seeing a lot of 60s on the lakes. As a fall angler, this writer’s biggest fear is that we’ll get a big warm front in the middle of

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Fishing improving with cooler temps

It certainly feels a lot more like fall out there, with the cold nights leading the way. With these cooler nights, the water temperatures have dropped into the 60s on many lakes.
As you drive around, you will notice

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All species hitting as temps begin to drop

These cooler nights sure are a reminder that fall is on the way. Even though we can still get some warm days, it is noticeably cooler now in the evenings.
Hopefully, this year we will get a slow and consistent slide into cold weather rather than the inconsistent fall weather we have had for the last several years. Nothing is worse for the fishing in September than

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Muskies finally hitting with warm temps, weeds

This is the time of the year the water temperatures begin that long, slow drop into the 60s. We will probably get some warm spells right through September that will raise the temps, but on the whole they’ll be going down.
Warm fronts in the fall are

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Walleyes hitting crawlers in weeds

The North Woods finally had a few rain showers the last week, but things are still very dry in the area. The lake levels have held up quite well despite the lack of rain, but they are still dropping somewhat.
It is the time of year that

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Summer patterns dominate fishing

As the summer rolls on, fishing patterns continue to be about the same from week to week through August and will not really change until it gets cooler in September.
The water temperatures are in the very high

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Early and late best for summer fishing

My, how summer is flashing by. We have mid-summer conditions in the area, with the higher water temperatures. There is a lot of traffic on the water, so anglers are sometimes better off fishing early in the morning or later in the evening to avoid this boating traffic.
Weed growth is now normal for area waters and

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Warm temperatures making fishing tougher

We are certainly into the midsummer doldrums now, with a lot of boat traffic but not a lot of good fishing, according to reports from anglers and guides.
It has been a strange year, with the cold of the spring followed by the extreme warmth we’re getting now. The water temperatures are now in the 70s and heading toward the 80s on many lakes. That’s

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Summer patterns starting to prevail

We have had some beautiful days in the last week or so, and hope that this nice weather keeps up. This is the time of a lot of boat traffic on the water, especially on the Chain, so you might want to plan some fishing trips in the evening or early morning on area lakes.
Water levels are down to normal and

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Water temps rising; weed growth higher

Ah, summer. What would the July Fourth week be if we didn’t have hot, humid weather and thunderstorms? This warm weather has significantly raised the water temperatures and brought about midsummer conditions on the lakes.
Water temperatures are in the 70s now and

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Warmer temperatures improving the fishing

Water temperatures are finally climbing closer to summer levels, and with that some better weed growth in lakes across the area.
With the weed growth, anglers are getting some good fishing in the weed-related areas with a variety of fish. We even have some bluegills still spawning.
Water levels are still basically

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Mayfly hatch affecting walleye pattern now

Despite some cool weather, we’ve had some warming in the water and things are looking a little more like summer.
Weeds are now growing much better despite high water levels. The biggest change in the lakes now is that the mayfly hatch is on, and that will have an effect on the fishing for

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Bass, panfish providing good action in shallows

With the weather finally getting warmer, we have both the bass and the bluegills on the spawning beds and activity on the lakes is picking up.
The water temperature is mostly in the 60s locally, so people can go swimming though it’s still a little chilly. A few brave souls were waterskiing and tubing over the weekend, and we’ll be seeing a

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Bass, crappies, ’gills all in spawning mode

What an interesting mix of activity we will have for the next several weeks, as the bass, crappies and bluegills are all in spawning on the shorelines. To many, this is the most fun time of the year.
We had our usual shot of cold weather last week, but have

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Cold fronts slow the spring fishing

We certainly had a nice couple of days last weekend, preceded and followed by the staple of this spring weather — rain and cold. It has been a miserable spring for fishing weather.
The water levels are as high as we can remember, and the Wisconsin River has

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Drop in water temps slows the fishing here

Well, I guess the fire danger in the North Woods is over after last weekend. Multiple days of rain can do that for us.
Once again, the lakes are high — very high. The water temperature has dropped significantly, and it will take a while to get back to where it was a week ago. These last few springs seem to have that

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Cold water temps affecting early fishing

As we move into the early fishing season, we realize that things are late by past standards and the spawning activity of all fish is a little slower than past years.
We are still seeing walleye engaged in

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Walleye take mixed on opening weekend

We had an almost perfect opening day, except for a little wind. It is a delight to see the sun after a mostly cloudy and uncomfortable spring. Surprisingly, almost all lakes were open for the weekend.
And as usual, the take was mixed. No weeds are up yet, but with more warm weather we expect they will

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Try fishing shallow on opening weekend

Here we are, on the cusp of another fishing season and we can’t wait for opening day this Saturday.
The weather has been cold, just like last year, but this year more ice is gone from the lakes. Unlike last year, most small and mid-sized lakes (such as those on the Chain) are open this year. We would need some extended sun and strong wind this week to open the

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Ice-out underway on North’s lakes

What a period of change we are in now, as the ice is deteriorating on a daily basis on almost all lakes. The smaller lakes will open up earlier, along with any lakes with current. The lake ice is getting blacker each day, and some wind along with rain would complete this process.
Really, the timing of this is pretty much normal, and

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Ice conditions changing with warmer days, nights

Just when anglers were getting around on the ice well and preparing for a good finale to the ice fishing season, the North Woods got more snow last week. Things out there will now be a slushy mess at least for a few days.
Despite the colder weather last week, the ice is

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Lake ice starting to get unpredictable

Who knows what the ice conditions are going to be this week, with the warmer weather having reduced the ice somewhat, but colder weather in the forecast.
To us, it still doesn’t seem like we will have a normal opener with the ice completely gone. The fishing opener is

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Panfishing action expected to improve

Well, we’re getting ever closer to an actual spring, as the general weather trend is for warmer weather starting later this week. It sure didn’t seem like it last Saturday, but that was just a reminder of winter.
The ice is really funny now, with a layer of ice, then water and then 22 or so inches of

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Conditions improving on North Woods lakes

Be patient, my friends. We’re getting there day by day. We’ve had some really nice weather over the last week and hopefully more to come — sooner rather than later.
Last weekend’s warmer weather allowed a bunch of people to

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Late ice crappies still ahead for anglers

There is not much ice fishing going on at this point as the ice conditions have been as bad the past month as they will ever get up here.
However, this warming weather is a delight (except this writer is dealing with some moisture in the basement) and it means much nicer things to come.
Believe it or not, there is some

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Anglers still waiting for better conditions

For those of you who don’t like to ice fish on crowded lakes, you are in luck. Pick any lake in the area and chances are you will not see anyone else out there!
The persistent deep snow and slush are keeping most anglers away from fishing the last couple of weeks. If you are

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Most ice anglers waiting for snow, slush to subside

Very few anglers got out on the ice for the last weekend of the game fish season. The snow and slush on the ice are keeping most people away.
Those few anglers who are still venturing out are going on lakes that have snowmobile trails, or they are walking out or using snowshoes. We have heard of people getting

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Latest snowstorm tough for anglers

Wow! That’s all we can say about the weather last weekend. There is a lot of snow on the ice now, and it is next to impossible to figure out when anglers are going to be able to get back on the ice.
Our best hope is the bigger lakes, where some

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Conditions are tough on North Woods lakes

The North Woods sure has had enough snow for a while, but it was great to see all the winter sports going on last weekend.
Presidents Day weekend always brings a great number of people to the North Woods and it sure did this year. Snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and snowmobiling all are

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Snowstorms bring slush to area lakes

We now have significantly different conditions on the ice, as the snowfalls have unfortunately created significant slush out there.
Be careful to stay on the plowed areas on the bigger lakes. There have been some stories of guys getting bogged down with their trucks and four-wheelers on some of the

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Nice weather brings out more ice anglers

Much better weather over last weekend brought out a large number of ice anglers and they had a fair amount of success on the ice.
That ice, by the way, is now from 18 to 24 inches in thickness, except for the current areas on the Chain. That is enough for people to drive on, and there were cars all over on most lakes. That is nice for those without shacks, because they can

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Fishing activity slows with those cold temps

There sure weren’t too many ice anglers out with this horribly cold weather last weekend. It is the time of the year when we always seem to have this cold weather, no matter what it has been before this.
The additional snow for the snowmobile fans and the skiers is welcome, but we

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Cold weather helping ice conditions on lakes

The recent colder weather has thickened the ice and made it easier to drive on many lakes. This has been a good winter to get around out there.
Anglers will find 12 to 16 inches of ice on most lakes, except for lakes with springs or current like the Eagle River and Three Lakes Chain of Lakes. This is great, as you can get

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Mild weather, access helping ice anglers

Our January weather has in actuality been pretty mild, with very good ice fishing weather and very good ice fishing conditions out there.
In general, the ice runs from 8 to 13 inches in thickness and anglers are driving on many lakes in the area. This is a good thing, because fishermen and
-women can take their kids on some trips and the kids can

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Walleyes, northerns providing the action

It has been a tough winter so far with poor snow conditions for skiing and snowmobiling, but the ice fishermen love the ability to walk easily on all lakes.
The 4-inch snowfall Sunday and Monday should help the conditions for outdoor recreation enthusiasts.
Anglers are driving on most area lakes except for the lakes with current like the

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Lake conditions improving in North

The last several weeks have produced some pretty good ice fishing, as the ice has thickened and anglers can get around to all depths on lakes. The only places to use caution now are the current areas on the Chain of Lakes.
You’ll see machines pretty much everywhere and even

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Colder weather improving the ice

Some colder weather again after the warm spell has firmed up the ice again and made conditions for ice anglers very good.
Lakes have anywhere from 5 to 9 inches of ice throughout the area, but anglers still have to avoid areas of current and springs on all lakes. We are seeing a pretty good number of four-wheelers on the ice now. We sure could use some snow, but

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Even with warm temps, lake ice improving here

The North Woods has had some warm weather lately, which has felt good but not helped the snow conditions.
It would be nice at this point to get a 5-inch snowstorm, which would allow the whole group of cross-country skiers, snowshoe enthusiasts and

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Anglers discovering better ice conditions

The North Woods is certainly heading into a nice weather period, along with increasingly better ice conditions. Lakes probably average 7 to 8 inches of good ice now and that is pretty comfortable for everyone.
While we are seeing no vehicles on the ice yet, you’ll see some four-wheelers or snowmobiles. A few more very cold nights would be

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Walleyes, northerns hitting in the weeds

A full dose of winter has arrived, with some snow and much colder weather in the forecast for later this week.
Last year, it was much warmer than now and when it got cold, it got really cold around Christmas. Let’s hope that we can avoid that severe cold this year and be able to

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Ice fishing conditions vary from lake to lake

The beginning of any fishing season can be somewhat of a crapshoot, especially the ice fishing season with a variety of ice conditions each year.
Last week, for example, the North Woods had one day of warm weather and rain that changed ice conditions on a lot of lakes. Some small lakes, like

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Early ice fishing starts in the North

The open-water fishing season has come to an abrupt end, with much colder weather than the North Woods had last year at this time.
Anglers might be able to get on a few of the larger lakes, but even they are icing up now. This has brought an end to the muskie season (officially ends Nov. 30), and for most of us we’re quite OK with that as we look to

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Some northern lakes starting to freeze up

The last week has brought about tremendous change in this area, as we have now had a fair amount of icing on the smaller lakes and are done with the open-water season. This happened amazingly fast and is pretty early.
As far as open water, only the deep lakes are open for

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Open-water fishing winding down in North

With the end of fall right around the corner, fishing with boats is winding down — especially with frigid cold weather in the forecast this week.
There are a few walleye anglers out there and, of course, those die-hard muskie guys, but that’s it. The muskie fishing season closes Nov. 30.
The water temperatures throughout the area are about at the

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Muskie action improves with steady temperatures

The North Woods has had a warm-up from several weeks ago and it has made for much more pleasant fishing conditions.
In fact, it has been so warm that the water temperatures have actually gone up in the last week by 2 to 7 degrees on our lakes. This has made for an improvement in the muskie fishing on almost all lakes in the area. Water temps are

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Fall fishing patterns finally arriving here

North Woods lakes have very suddenly moved into the late fall patterns, as the water temperatures are solidly into the mid-40s on all lakes. The temperature drop was very fast, and has resulted in good walleye fishing in the area, especially on the Eagle River Chain.
With much wind over the last two weeks, most of the fall color has gone. Meanwhile, lake levels are

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Walleyes hitting in holes on Chain

Rapidly changing weather has sped up the fall process and left much colder water temperatures, along with a whole lot of leaves on the ground all at once.
We experienced an

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Turnover process should help fishing

With this colder weather we finally have the process of turnover occurring on many area lakes. Provided there is not a big warm spell, this will last for a little more than a week and the lakes will start to clean up.
This turnover will provide the best

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Fall fishing patterns starting to pick up

Fall is here and we’re starting to see some turnover on some lakes. It is very late in coming this year, and hopefully the weather will stay reasonably cold and let that process finish on all our lakes.
The reason we say that is that the

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Temps finally dropping in North Woods lakes

Weather changes have brought about the water temperature drops that we have been waiting for throughout the area.
The dropping of the water temperature will bring on the process of turnover on all area lakes. It is late this year, but it

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Warm temperatures slow autumn fishing

The last week of hot weather was pretty unseasonable and terrible for our fishing, as the water temperatures went up at a time they are supposed to be falling.
It is

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Weeds are dying, patterns changing

Well folks, we are now heading into the fall period in full force as some trees are turning color, especially the birch trees. Ferns along roadways have died off significantly and the soft maples are turning red.
On the lakes, weeds are

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Anglers will be aided by less boat traffic now

Is it midsummer or early fall? It’s hard to tell as the weather has been so hot and humid, yet some leaves are starting to turn. Ferns are turning brown.
Water levels remain high. The weeds are

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