Fishing action on Chequamegon Bay has been picking up, but continues to be a little spotty.  Most people are fishing the mud flats near the lighthouse or shipping channels just off the Ashland waterfront in 25 to 30 feet of water and are catching a mixed bag of splake, browns, walleye, northern, bass, coho, smelt, and perch.  Tip-ups baited with lake shiners seem to be the most effective presentation lately for game fish species. When fish are active, jigging Swedish Pimples tipped with a Lake Shiner head will also work well. Smelt and perch are being caught on Hali jigs tipped with waxies. The areas from first landing through second landing are also producing a mixed bag of perch, walleye, and northern.  Tip-ups baited with golden shiners will work well in this area for walleye and northern.  Ice depths off the Ashland side of the bay range from 10-14 inches. The channel edges north of Washburn towards Houghton Point are producing a mixed bag of trout and salmon, along with whitefish and herring.  In the deeper waters of the channel a few lake trout have been turning up.  Ice conditions in this area are variable from 3-6 inches so caution is advised. The cold snap coming in this weekend should start making some ice north of Washburn, through Bayfield and Redcliff and allow us to get to some good Lake trout water.

 

Inland waters have slowed from the early-ice bite, but fish can still be had.  Look for walleye and northern to be working deeper weed edges. Panfish action has been decent with some nice catches of perch and crappie lately.  Look for the perch on any deeper mud flats.  Crappie will be suspended over deeper water off the weed edges. Small panfish jigs tipped with waxies or crappie minnows will produce for these species.

 

Stop by River Rock Inn and Bait for the latest fishing information.  We have a full line of live bait along with a expanding selection of ice gear including tip-ups, jig rods, Strikemaster augers, Vexilars, Aquaviews, Salmo Chubby Darters, Swedish Pimples,Hali's, and tons of panfish jigs.

 

Good Fishing!