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Posts: 4269
Location: Ashland WI | Hi all, newbie here.
I live just south of Ashland WI (on the Chequamegon Bay). I am looking for any suggestions on trophy lakes nearby that are not to big. I have a small boat, and I am intimidated by the larger waters.
I have fished a lot in some smaller lakes West of Mellen. I have now caught a few muskies, and am interested in fishing for some larger fish.
My boat is a 14' with a 25 hp motor.
Thanks in advance. |
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Posts: 81
Location: NEW | Presque Isle lake isn't too far and you could do it if it's not too windy. |
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Posts: 4269
Location: Ashland WI | OscarTFish - 10/1/2014 3:44 PM
Presque Isle lake isn't too far and you could do it if it's not too windy.
Thanks for the quick reply. How about Pine Lake south of Mercer. I was told by an uncle that it is good for big fish. I see the state ranks it as a numbers lake though. |
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Posts: 133
Location: Wausau, WI | Pike Lake Chain south of Iron River on Highway H. It's close and has some big ones in it. The Gile has some nice fish in it too. Both are 1/2 hour or so drives from Ashland. |
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Posts: 4269
Location: Ashland WI | brandondunbar - 10/1/2014 3:58 PM
Pike Lake Chain south of Iron River on Highway H. It's close and has some big ones in it. The Gile has some nice fish in it too. Both are 1/2 hour or so drives from Ashland.
I had though about the Gile. I do remember fishing it once 10 years ago, and it was pretty windy. I was a bit nervous. It definitely is pretty close though.
We do some work around the Pike Lake area, and it seems to be fairly heavy amount of traffic. That is why it appeals less to me. |
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Posts: 4342
Location: Smith Creek | Pretty quiet this time of year. Summer it's a zoo, but so are all the "trophy" lakes up there. |
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Posts: 4269
Location: Ashland WI | Flambeauski - 10/1/2014 4:18 PM
Pretty quiet this time of year. Summer it's a zoo, but so are all the "trophy" lakes up there.
You mean Pike Lake chain?
Any specific lakes out of the chain you would recommend? |
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Posts: 22
Location: Gods Country | Check out Namakagon Lake near Cable Wi. BIG musky are present and there are plenty of bays to keep you out of the wind. I fish this lake with 14ft boat and 20hp, it handles it with no problem. |
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Posts: 362
Location: Western U.P. | Pine Lake off of Hwy 51 is pretty much a numbers lake, although I would be surprised if there weren't some big ones there. The Gile has quality fish in it. The Flambeau River below the dams (by Park Falls), and the Turtle Flambeau Flowage both have good fish in them. There are quite a few good lakes South and SE of Ashland within an hour or so to choose from (am unfamiliar with the lakes West of Ashland).
The information is available online, but there is also a booklet published by the WI DNR called Wisconsin Muskellunge Waters that is good to keep on hand for quick reference. Check with a local DNR office, Walmart Sporting Goods Dept, or even Angler's All may have it or know where to get it. Good luck. |
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Posts: 410
Location: Wakefield, MI | Add this to your favorites, I check it whenever looking for new lakes. Class A1 are trophy lakes, A2 numbers lakes.
http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/fishing/documents/musky/WisconsinMuskellung...
I've fished Presque Isle three times, a total of one hit so far. Looks like it has potential so I want to keep going. |
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Posts: 4269
Location: Ashland WI | Thanks for all the input guys. I am getting excited for next season already, and this one is not even over yet. |
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Posts: 2754
Location: Mauston, Wisconsin | Try joining the October Fishing Club outing, its in late October in Presque Isle, there are many other trophy lakes in the area, not just Presque Isle Lake. Some are small lakes and very fishable from a 14' boat..
This started out as an MF Outing and has been continued by a group of MF members - not sponsored by MF..You will learn a ton about local lakes - the guys attending are unpretentious hardcore muskie fisherman.... be prepared, it can snow. Yes, they all will be fishing...
To: October Fishing Club guys...However, I did a search and came up empty for 2014. Is there an outing this year? New motor on Esox Maniac & ready too chase some October fish!
Have fun!
Al
Edited by ESOX Maniac 10/2/2014 10:54 AM
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Posts: 4269
Location: Ashland WI | ESOX Maniac - 10/2/2014 10:53 AM
Try joining the October Fishing Club outing, its in late October in Presque Isle, there are many other trophy lakes in the area, not just Presque Isle Lake. Some are small lakes and very fishable from a 14' boat..
This started out as an MF Outing and has been continued by a group of MF members - not sponsored by MF..You will learn a ton about local lakes - the guys attending are unpretentious hardcore muskie fisherman.... be prepared, it can snow. Yes, they all will be fishing...
To: October Fishing Club guys...However, I did a search and came up empty for 2014. Is there an outing this year? New motor on Esox Maniac & ready too chase some October fish!
Have fun!
Al
Thanks for the invite. While it sounds fun, I do not know how often I would be able to make it that far from home. It is hard for me to justify the added costs, when there are closer lakes. I have a young family so I have to balance that with my muskie fishing as well.
Does anybody have thoughts about the Chippewa Flowage? I realize it is a huge lake, but it appears that with all of the islands and bays, the waves should not get to big.
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Posts: 20278
Location: oswego, il | I would doubt pine would have big fish. Rusty crayfish and an overabundant walleye population of small fish which has depleted the forage base. People have cut trees into the lake for fish habitat. Has muskies most will be around legal size.
my small boat is 14ft with a 25 and I would not have any second thoughts about putting it on the chip. I have taken it to vermillion. |
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Posts: 1767
Location: Lake Country, Wisconsin | 14ledo81 - 10/1/2014 3:56 PM
OscarTFish - 10/1/2014 3:44 PM
Presque Isle lake isn't too far and you could do it if it's not too windy.
Thanks for the quick reply. How about Pine Lake south of Mercer. I was told by an uncle that it is good for big fish. I see the state ranks it as a numbers lake though.
def not a trophy lake by any means... |
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Location: Contrarian Island | imo any lake in the state that has a musky in it "could" have a few big ones..Pine def could have a 50"er in it... now catching it on the other hand... lots of good suggestions here... turtle flowage has some biggys in it and should provide action if nothing else... |
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Posts: 40
| Agree w/ you Bnelson. Have caught some nice fish from some very small puddles in that area. I've heard from a good source that a 50"+ fish was caught and released from a lake that's under 300 acres in Mercer the last time I was up, maybe a month and a half ago.
Although massive by WI standards; the Flowage is definitely fishable outta a small boat. Actually, a small boat may be beneficial at times on the Flo. Just need to have a good map and sonar/GPS.
There's a lotta bigger water up that way (PI, Mani Waters, Winchester, Mercer area) that doesn't fish "big" IMO. And a lotta small to medium sized waters that produce big fish. Bucher claims he saw his largest fish on Big Lake. |
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Posts: 4269
Location: Ashland WI | BNelson - 10/3/2014 10:33 AM
imo any lake in the state that has a musky in it "could" have a few big ones..Pine def could have a 50"er in it... now catching it on the other hand... lots of good suggestions here... turtle flowage has some biggys in it and should provide action if nothing else...
Do you mean Turtle flowage is good for trophys, and still has a good number of fish?
I think I might be headed to the Gile tomorrow with my son. It is probably about the same distance from my house as Namekagon.
I actually have never fished for muskies before past August. In the past, I typically have started hunting and put the boat away.
Any suggestions on fishing techniques on the Gile tomorrow? I do like to cast and prefer to throw bucktails and topwaters. Would this be productive? |
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Posts: 1767
Location: Lake Country, Wisconsin | 14ledo81 - 10/3/2014 1:07 PM
BNelson - 10/3/2014 10:33 AM
imo any lake in the state that has a musky in it "could" have a few big ones..Pine def could have a 50"er in it... now catching it on the other hand... lots of good suggestions here... turtle flowage has some biggys in it and should provide action if nothing else...
Do you mean Turtle flowage is good for trophys, and still has a good number of fish?
I think I might be headed to the Gile tomorrow with my son. It is probably about the same distance from my house as Namekagon.
I actually have never fished for muskies before past August. In the past, I typically have started hunting and put the boat away.
Any suggestions on fishing techniques on the Gile tomorrow? I do like to cast and prefer to throw bucktails and topwaters. Would this be productive?
TFF is not a numbers lake...has some nice fish in it though
make sure you get a map of the gile...there are some nasty hazards out there that are not marked. |
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Posts: 4269
Location: Ashland WI | Musky Brian - 10/3/2014 1:36 PM
14ledo81 - 10/3/2014 1:07 PM
BNelson - 10/3/2014 10:33 AM
imo any lake in the state that has a musky in it "could" have a few big ones..Pine def could have a 50"er in it... now catching it on the other hand... lots of good suggestions here... turtle flowage has some biggys in it and should provide action if nothing else...
Do you mean Turtle flowage is good for trophys, and still has a good number of fish?
I think I might be headed to the Gile tomorrow with my son. It is probably about the same distance from my house as Namekagon.
I actually have never fished for muskies before past August. In the past, I typically have started hunting and put the boat away.
Any suggestions on fishing techniques on the Gile tomorrow? I do like to cast and prefer to throw bucktails and topwaters. Would this be productive?
TFF is not a numbers lake...has some nice fish in it though
make sure you get a map of the gile...there are some nasty hazards out there that are not marked.
Thanks for the warning on the Gile. I have read that they draw it down every year. Would it be back up at this point? |
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Location: Hartford Wi | Round, LCO, Grindstone,Namakogen |
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Northern WI - Trophy Lake