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Posts: 682
Location: Sycamore, IL | I'll be heading up to Vilas co. on Monday and I am thinking about fishing the Manitowish chain. I have never been on this water before and have a few questions:
Are the rivers connecting the lakes navigable in an 18ft boat, or should I plan on trailering and launching on each lake? Any launches that are better than others? any to avoid?
Thanks in advance for any info! |
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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | you can get to all of the lakes. all the launches are pretty good ... the channel to and from Rest is pretty long so consider that. i usually use clear in the summer and greer's in the fall based on volume. my favorite chain. you will like it. |
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Posts: 682
Location: Sycamore, IL | Thankyou...looking forward to trying out some new water! |
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Posts: 1283
| Love that Chain even though its broken my heart a few times. All the channels are passable and quite scenic and some hold monster fish. Lost the biggest Ive ever seen in one. We have caught skis in every lake except Clear and Im sure thats just because we havent put in the time there. |
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Posts: 300
Location: Minocqua, WI | MD75 - 7/25/2015 8:10 AM
I'll be heading up to Vilas co. on Monday and I am thinking about fishing the Manitowish chain. I have never been on this water before and have a few questions:
Are the rivers connecting the lakes navigable in an 18ft boat, or should I plan on trailering and launching on each lake? Any launches that are better than others? any to avoid?
Thanks in advance for any info!
Like everyone else has mentioned the river from Spider to Rest lake is navigable. The channel from Wild Rice to Alder is good too but takes a long while. Alder to Manitowish good also. Probably the worst is Fawn into Clear so for that use launch on Clear Lk. if you plan fishing there. I also suggest the launch at Greers for $10 fee. It's well centrally located. You should be fine for launching at Island Lk. too but I recommend having boots or waders for that one to push-off as it's shallow and if you keep backing in the plank gives out and will wreck your trailer.
If you are adventurous and want to catch some river muskies also, I want to add that a big boat will not be able navigate the Mani River upstream of Island Lake, and the river again downstream from Rest.
Edited by AndrewR 7/25/2015 2:04 PM
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Posts: 13
| Be prepared to fish sun rise until about 10 am. and then from 6 pm until after dark unless you enjoy insane amounts of boat traffic. Make sure your boat lights are on in the evening, even then people come within an easy cast length.
Edited by Pelagic Prober 7/25/2015 3:14 PM
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Posts: 397
Location: Wisconsin | All awesome advice. The first few hours after sunrise are probably the best fishing of the day. I agree you should drop in at greers pier too. I would suggest fishing alder and wild rice, they have much less traffic than the lakes near the center of the chain. Mani chain is awesome, good luck! |
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Posts: 66
| I second fishing Wild Rice -- great lake to fish and less traffic. That channel can be sticky getting through from Alder as it's real shallow and it will take you a good 1/2 hour at least as you have to go so slow ... so if you are planning on fishing Wild Rice I would just launch there -- it's a pretty decent launch and typically not busy. |
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Posts: 265
Location: Manitowish Waters WI | I live on island and guide/fish regularly out here on the chain. Little Star, Manitowish, and Spider have been a zoo during the mid day to 6:00 or 7, when the Lower Unit stops serving. Seems everyone craves a few channel runners for $12. Clear and Alder are your best bets during the day, they are weedy lakes that keep some of the pleasure boaters away. The chain does quiet down after dark on most nights but there has been a lot of trollers out running the weeds at dark. pM me if you want some more specifics. |
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Posts: 1283
| Little Star is always the craziest for pleasure boaters since it is typically crystal clear and deep but we have put some nice ones in the net including a 49.5 after the pleasure boats go in. Weeds with deep drops near by has been the ticket for us. During the day we normally head to Alder and Wild rice. Rest is fishable during the day on the east side and north of the island since not many pleasure boaters go to that side
Edited by achotrod 7/27/2015 10:41 AM
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Posts: 682
Location: Sycamore, IL | Thanks again to everyone that replied...packing the truck/boat now:) Looks like I'll hit some smaller lakes in the area that get less pressure during the day and try my hand on this chain early and late. If you see a guy and his dog in a blue Ranger tiller say hi! |
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Posts: 265
Location: Manitowish Waters WI | You must be talking about a Island, Alder or WR don't have islands on them. |
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Posts: 1283
| Oh sorry meant to type Rest lake not Alder. To the east of the island is good and less traffic. Alder has some nice mid lake humps though! |
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Posts: 13
| MD 75,
How did you enjoy your time on the Chain? |
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Posts: 682
Location: Sycamore, IL | P.P. thanks for asking:
I got on a hawt bite over in Land o' lakes that I could not tear myself away from:) Only fished Clear lake on the chain for half a day (2 low 30's follow's and one small fish in the bag.) Seemed like a nice lake and not as much boat traffic as I expected...weather was nice if a bit windy at times. Was surprised at the temps on some of the small dark water lakes in the area: 80-82. I did so much trolling that I gave myself hemorrhoids...gotta stock up on Preparation H. Love Vilas co.! Can't wait to get back up there... |
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Posts: 1283
| We fished the Chain for about 5 hours last thursday. No muskies but got a ton of pike in the short time we were there. |
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Posts: 409
Location: Almond, WI | I'm planning on fishing the chain Thurs-Sun. Most likely Rest, Clear and Wild Rice. I've only been there once, fished Clear, Fawn and Stone, didn't catch any but should have caught 2 (my fault) and had 2 more blow up.
Anyone have a recent water temp reading? |
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Posts: 392
| I was on the chain last week. Water temps ranged from 71 to 73. |
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Posts: 409
Location: Almond, WI | Thanks. |
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Posts: 1283
| Yep 71-73. I also fished Big St and that had the same temp and a small deep lake that was still in the high 60s |
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