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Posts: 41
| I have been asked by a friend from work to go to Wisconsin and stay on the Rainbow Flowage and fish the first week or so in June. I know nothing about this area and haven't begun researching it yet.
My questions to all that know,
1. Is it worth driving from central Ohio and spending a week in this area or should I just go to Minn. Before he asked, I had thoughts of trying to go to Mille Lacs or Vermillion, thinking if I had to drive however long it is to Northern Wisconsin, the extra however many hours longer to Minn. would be worth it?
2. If I do stay on the Rainbow Flowage, where, within an hour would should I fish for good numbers and a shot at a biggie?
Any info would be great as I am just beginning my research.
Thanks, Pat  |
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Posts: 300
Location: Minocqua, WI | Within 10yrs ago, the Rainbow didn't have a good population density of Muskies at all. nI don't know what it may be like now.
....... Although someone did find a HUGE washed up skull of a Musky either in 2006 or 2007.
Never been to Minnesota before, but based on the proof in here, I would go there instead. |
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Posts: 2089
| The Minnesota season(muskie) opens the 1st Saturday in June. With water temps so dependent on weather , the big lakes you mentioned can be tough or it can be like a mid-summer pattern. Each year is different and patterns(if you can call 'em that) can and often do, change daily. Minnesota has plenty of "numbers" lakes as well . The Rainbow Flowage area(I've never fished the actual flowage) is also muskie heaven, with lots of lake options for both numbers and size. If you base out of the Rainbow , you have 20 lakes within a 1/2 hour drive that have what you seek. It's a tough call. So many lakes, so little time. Back in the day, we may have fished 5 different lakes in a day. Either way, you're going on a cross- muskie country adventure with your buds.Have a blast and post pics! Steve |
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| if I were you I'd move your week back a little if you can, regardless where you go...let the weeds and temps in MN or WI get up there a bit more...if it were me... |
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Posts: 4080
Location: Elko - Lake Vermilion |
I fish the muskie opener on Vermilion every year and it does very from year to year.
2006 was a good opener, 2007 wasn't as good.
You will see or contact a lot of nice fish but not like the middle of july.
I have done pretty good catching some big, aggresive Pike at this time of year (38-43" fish)
As a bonus, there are not as many boats (preasure) on the muskie opener on Vermilion.......
The largest muskie that we have boated on the opening weekend on V has only been 43"....... About a foot shy of the JULY fish that you will see EVERY day.!!!
Last year I had my 19,17,10 yr. old sons and 14 yr.old daughter fishing in Everetts Bay and as we were all looking toward the shore (casting) all of a sudden, a HUGE Eagle leeped out of the higest tree and flew with in 20 ft. of our boat and snached a 20-24" Pike out of the water......We all saw it and its the only thing my kids remember about the 4 day trip..........although we did catch some muskies that Eagle is all they talk about... Pretty cool.
Go for it man. ....
Jerome |
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Posts: 202
Location: Rhinelander | Jonesi is right. Don't even get your boat wet on the Rainbow if musky is what you are after, walleyes are a different story. There are tons of good lakes within 1/2 hr of there though. It is right in between Rhinelander, Lake Tomahawk, Boulder Junction, Eagle River, Land O Lakes. Definitely a good area with lakes of all varieties. |
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Posts: 300
Location: Minocqua, WI | Also, one other pointer about the Rainbow::::
It was very dry throughout the summer this year. Extremely low. The river channel was the only thing left in September/ October.
Good Walleye and Crappie fishing though! Not bad Smallies either!!
Like what everyone else is saying, there are many other good lakes in the same region, and around it. |
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Posts: 663
| Pat, you have a message in your inbox. |
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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | first week or so in june ... i'd focus on the rivers ... wisconsin or flambeau ... agree totally with advice above to wait for weeds and water temps. to develop ... |
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Posts: 41
| Thanks guys for all the info. It has really helped me get started on my researching. If I get to make this trip, I want to make the most of it as it would be my first trip to Wisconsin. I have wanted to make a trip like this for years so I want to find out everything that I can. Plus all the research gets me through the winter.
From what I have gathered so far is that it is a little early for the really good fishing to have started and that the surrounding lakes around Rainbow Flowage will offer the best possibilities with the Rainbow Flowage not one of them.
But if anyone has information on fishing any of lakes in the area that are good producers during the beginning of June I am all ears.
Thanks, Pat |
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Posts: 3242
Location: Racine, Wi | Pat, I'll be up that way the first weekend of June, so if you do go to Wisconsin, lemme know and I'll try to help you out. Like mentioned, there are a ton of lakes to fish up there. You're probably looking at a post spawn bite, but you'll see lots of fish, and put some in the boat too.
Last year was a tougher year as the fish were chasing, but not eating until our last day. We didn't lake hop too much though, and focused our efforts on what we wanted to fish.
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Posts: 41
| Thanks for the response. I am with you on making the trip later. If I were planning a trip myself, which I still might, it would be late summer/early fall to Mille Lacs or Vermillion.
But since my friend who has asked for me to come along, has been making this trip with a group of his friends for years the first part of June (they walleye, bass and panfish), but I hate to turn the offer down.
But I have also been telling myself that if I am going to use a week of vacation, that I should use it at the best time at the best place.
I really don't know right now, but I want to find all the info I can to help me decide and so if I do go, I will have all the info I can.
thanks again, Pat |
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Posts: 41
| Man, sounds like you got it down, go early in the year and late in the year. I wish I lived close enough to be able to go to places like Vermillion several times a year. But thanks for the info.
I am enquiring about early June because this is when my friend has always went up (he and the rest of the group bass/walleye fish casually). If I were planning a trip myself, which I still might, it would be to Mille Lacs or Vermillion in late summer or early fall.
But I still don't know right now, I thinking that if I am going to use a week of my precious vacation time to go fishing on a long trip, it should be at the best time and at the best place. So little time so many places. It makes it hard.
But thanks again for the info.
Pat
PS-Cool story about the eagle, memories like that are what family vacations are supposed to be about, it is not always about how many fish or how big, but just being outside to experience mother nature. |
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Posts: 41
| Sorry to all that read the redundant responses. I thought that the last two replies that I made were PM to "bn" and "Top H2O" respectively.
I accidently hit reply instead of PM to their posts.
Pat |
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Rainbow Flowage area or Minnesota?