Fishing with the Guides - Vilas County News-Review
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  • Fish patterns changing as water temps drop

    As we move toward fall, the water temperatures are dropping on all area lakes and fishing in general is very erratic, with great fishing and poor periods mixed together. 
    Water levels remain high as they have been all summer. Weeds, especially
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  • Walleyes are located in deeper weeds, holes

    It hardly seems possible, but we have reached August and are heading to the end of summer. While we are bound to have some warmer weather, these cooler nights are certainly welcome. 
    The water temperatures have begun to
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  • Water temps are on summer roller coaster

    The water temperatures on area lakes had spiked into the low 80s and then recently dropped into the mid-70s. The fish don’t know if it’s summer or fall, and on some days can be very inactive. 
    Lake levels are
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  • Daytime fishing tough with the heat

    This has been a summer to remember with the hot weather. Water temperatures did drop some with the colder nights last week, but are hovering in the 75-degree range and threatening to go higher. 
    This makes for tough daytime fishing, so 
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  • Summer fishing patterns have arrived

    The summer fishing patterns have certainly arrived, expecially with the high water temperatures. This drives fish deeper in general, although you will still get some in the weeds, especially the deeper weeds. 
    You’ll see a lot of boating activity also, so the best times to go fishing are 
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  • Water temps skyrocket over Fourth of July

    It always seems to get unreasonably hot and humid around the Fourth of July and this year has been the poster child for that weather. 
    People seemed to be more in the water than on it, and lakes were absolutely jammed with boaters of all sorts. If you wished to go fishing, the best times were in the evenings or
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  • Warmer weather in fishing forecast

    With the Fourth of July this week, we are going to get the hot and humid weather we always seem to experience in the North Woods at this time.
    Water temperatures are rising quickly now, with the hot sun and the long days. Weeds have grown nicely with the warming water and overall the fishing conditions are
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  • Anglers still waiting for consistent weather

    The very inconsistent weather patterns continue, making it either very hot and humid or cold and rainy. We hope for some consistent weather for more than a 3- to 4-day period, but it just won’t happen. We did appreciate that rain last weekend, both for plants and grass and to wash the pollen away. 
    The annual mayfly hatch is
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  • Mayflies hatching on most lakes now

    Once again we have had a week of cold, then warm temperatures, with the resultant rise and drop in water temperatures. Add to that a pretty good rainstorm and those temps really dropped for a few days. 
    We’re done with the spawning efforts for the most part, except for
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  • Spawn wrapping up for most fish species

    The inconsistent hot and cold weather has had an effect on the fishing, both from a comfort level for the angler and in the fish spawning behavior. 
    Fortunately, most of the spawning is over for all species but bluegills and a few bass. We’re glad to be getting into summer soon and hopefully a slightly more consistent weather pattern both for
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  • New weed growth should help fishing

    Wow, that was quite a cold front we experienced last week. It did have some effect on the fishing, as some of the bass on the shorelines left for deeper water. The muskie fishing slowed down also.
    The fishing will improve as 
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  • Best fishing of year could be this week

    Best fishing of year could be this week

    With the recent much warmer weather, the water temperatures have warmed considerably. This is good for everything, especially the weed growth and the crappie spawning run. 
    The bad news is with the warmer weather came
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  • Warmer weather should help the bite

    Anglers will enjoy this warmer weather promised for the upcoming time period. It has been a cool spring, with unrelenting winds. For fishermen and      -women, that is undesirable. 
    There is
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  • Walleyes still hitting near spawning areas

    A north wind and brutally cold weather for this time of year made for some tough fishing in the last week. Lakes actually have had a reduction in the water temperatures. What a strange year in more ways than one! 
    The walleyes are
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  • Walleyes still shallow; wood, weeds hold fish

    It was a good opener, with nice weather on Saturday for a change. This allowed a lot of people to get outside, which was a nice change of pace for many families. 
    On top of that, the fishing was
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  • Fish will be shallow on opening weekend

    Finally, the general Wisconsin fishing opener is this Saturday, May 2. 

    Even if it is not the most normal opener due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we expect a good number of anglers will be out there enjoying what appears will be great weather. With what has happened this year with the Safer At Home order, we
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  • Perch action is best right after ice-out

    As we’re getting toward this most unusual fishing opener, we now have some lakes opening up around the area. The small shallow lakes and some of the lakes on the Eagle River and Three Lakes Chain are opening up because of the current. 
    We’ve actually seen some boats on the river and
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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

    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

    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
    read the full story

  • 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
    read the full story

  • 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

    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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