Posted 12/18/2008 6:36 PM (#350389) Subject: Wabigoon Help
Posts: 323
Location: Waukee, IA
I will be heading to Wabigoon for the muskie opener next summer and was hoping for some help on what to expect from the lake at that time of year. I am bringing along 3 other guys who have fished less than 48 hours for muskies....between them! We will also be targeting northerns, bass, and walleyes during the week but I am MOST interested in catching a personal best lunge while there. It ONLY needs to be over 45" so I "think" it is pretty do-able.
Any suggestions on types of baits to be throwing for June would be great!! Looking to buy some for spring fever this winter! Any suggestions for structure and so forth would be even MORE appreciated!
Thanks in advance....you guys are great on this site and I have learned a lot just be nosing around the site!
Posted 12/18/2008 7:37 PM (#350399 - in reply to #350389) Subject: Re: Wabigoon Help
Posts: 32886
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin
Send me a map, and I'll mark it for you. I'll also send you lure recommendations, etc. and get you on the walleyes, bass, and big pike. You can go to the 'contact us' section of this website, and send the map with a self addressed stamped return envelope to me. I'll mark it and get it back to you asap.
Johnny Lawerence
Posted 12/19/2008 7:38 AM (#350453 - in reply to #350389) Subject: RE: Wabigoon Help
Wkeegobbler,
Man, you can't get much better help than that! Steve is a Goonie, so you definitely came to the right site to get some advice.
Posted 12/19/2008 10:48 PM (#350597 - in reply to #350389) Subject: RE: Wabigoon Help
Posts: 323
Location: Waukee, IA
WOW...thanks a bunch Steve! That is very generous of you!!! I will get that sent off in the next few days. This will be my first trip to Canada with Muskies in mind. I have been for the "other" fish a few times before but have REALLY been wanting to go for lunge! My buddies and I are hoping to make this an annual trip and we are all getting very excited to get up there.
Posted 12/19/2008 11:26 PM (#350604 - in reply to #350389) Subject: Re: Wabigoon Help
Posts: 2323
Location: Stevens Point, WI
The biggest key I've learned from one of the best on that water is if you think your going slow with your trolling motor, your not going slow enough. Don't be afraid to take multiple casts in the same spot, but also very short distance between casts. Really concentrate on breaking down the water in front of your boat, and to both sides of the boat before moving the boat forward, that is huge from my limited time spent their so far.
My suggestion to you is, hit the spots that Sworrall provides you on the map and hit them hard. Hit them over and over and over and over, and then don't be afraid to hit them over again if you get my point. That water can be a bit intimidating at first but after awhile, the thought of a 50lber at any moment keeps you totally focused! Good luck.
guest
Posted 12/20/2008 11:37 AM (#350654 - in reply to #350604) Subject: Re: Wabigoon Help
Bring BRIGHT lures and don't plan on being able to see any rocks in the water because you will be fishing in chocolate milk all week
Posted 12/21/2008 1:18 AM (#350709 - in reply to #350389) Subject: Re: Wabigoon Help
Posts: 32886
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin
That's a severe exaggeration these days. The clarity of the Goon gets better every year as the impoundment ages. Clarity last summer allowed us to see ALLOT of the rocks.
Posted 12/21/2008 10:52 AM (#350725 - in reply to #350389) Subject: Re: Wabigoon Help
Posts: 32886
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin
Anderson Island, east side in 2' of water first day of a week fishing the Goon last summer. We moved a bunch of fish, and caught a few muskies despite the fact we were tied up with the PWT Can/AM quite a bit during the 'best' times of the day:
Posted 12/21/2008 11:53 AM (#350731 - in reply to #350389) Subject: RE: Wabigoon Help
Posts: 323
Location: Waukee, IA
Nice Video Steve! Very cool and right by camp too!
I was wondering about the usefulness of a canada chip for my GPS. Would it be worthwhile to get a chip for Wabigoon? Is the accuracy there? I am taking my boat so I would love to be able to mark where fish were seen, rocks, etc. but I don't want to buy it if it really isn't that good.
Posted 12/21/2008 12:31 PM (#350732 - in reply to #350731) Subject: Re: Wabigoon Help
Posts: 2323
Location: Stevens Point, WI
I have the Navionics chip and from what I can remember, the chip was pretty good. I don't think I'd buy it just for Wabigoon. We bought the chip for other lakes and different trips. I think with the map Sworrall will mark for you, you should be ok. So much of your fishing will be done within site of camp so a chip just won't be necessary imho. Otherwise majority of your time will be spent fishing the north shore, basically right in town or within sight of the government docks and down to the micro wave tower.
Posted 12/23/2008 9:38 AM (#351036 - in reply to #350389) Subject: Re: Wabigoon Help
Posts: 32886
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin
There's at least that many, but they are easy to navigate.
Mr. Van Lieshout and I are friends, so he's not likely to pick a fight, but he will stick a stick in the cage and poke the bear now and again.
It's his nature.
Guest
Posted 12/23/2008 3:01 PM (#351184 - in reply to #351036) Subject: Re: Wabigoon Help
I guess I am not seeing the clear water thst Mr Worrall is. Two years ago while fishing well off shore we had our boat run aground several times, literally requiring me to hop out of the boat and into the lake to push it off. We were obviously in very shallow water, and coulnd't tell (deph finder provided by resort on boat was not functioning) Can't say I have ever had to do that while fishing.
When the place is on it can be enjoyable, fish sem to hit "harder" there.
When that place is "off", all of a sudden the water and the surrounding "scenery" aren't very enjoyable.
Posted 12/23/2008 3:45 PM (#351209 - in reply to #350389) Subject: Re: Wabigoon Help
Posts: 32886
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin
When it's 'off', I have discovered that it's usually that the fish have moved. Go where they went, and it's no longer 'off'.
I never said the water in the Goon is 'clear', I said it was better than it was before, and gets better every year and last year it was clear enough to see alot of the hazards. Reading carefully should have indicated that for you.
I was responding to the comment the Goon water clarity is like 'chocolate milk', which is isn't anymore. It was and was even worse 30 years ago, but is MUCH clearer now. If however, the wind kicks up and blasts a claybank area, it can stir up pretty fast in the shallows. Maybe that's what you encountered. One thing is certain, I'd not even venture out there without a working sonar.
Posted 12/23/2008 4:02 PM (#351218 - in reply to #351209) Subject: Re: Wabigoon Help
Posts: 131
we were there last year for the first time and will be going back to indian point camp in 2009. i'd highly suggest running the navionics chip as there are some nasty hazards[great walleye spots!] to avoid if you're moving around the lake much.i know i would have left some tuffy debri there without it! as far as water clarity goes i'm used to fishing the mississippi river so it was just like home to me.if you're used to fishing clear water you might be intimidated but only until you catch a walleye in 2 feet[or less] water in the middle of the afternoon! we found our muskie in the weeds so they too were in 5 feet or less along with way too many nice pike to count!i actually had a sore spot in my side from the rod butt slamming against me on yet another hook set.i hope i have the same problem this summer!
Posted 12/23/2008 9:03 PM (#351262 - in reply to #351218) Subject: Re: Wabigoon Help
Posts: 323
Location: Waukee, IA
I am used to fishing in Iowa waters which aren't all that clear anyways so that won't be a big deal to me. I AM taking MY boat however and running into rocks DOES matter to me! It's no big tuffy or ranger or anything but it is MY boat and I do want to continue to use it during the summer so I may look into buying a chip. Maybe I can get my buddies to "chip" in for it as well! Could pay great dividends in the future!
Posted 12/23/2008 9:34 PM (#351268 - in reply to #350389) Subject: Re: Wabigoon Help
Posts: 32886
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin
If you take it easy and tend to the map I mark for you, you will have no problems.I've been fishing there over 30 years, never hit a rock with my motor yet.
Posted 12/25/2008 8:04 AM (#351435 - in reply to #350389) Subject: Re: Wabigoon Help
Posts: 78
We were there in October and went out of Bonny Bay Camp. We fished the east end of the lake, caught lots of big pike and saw a couple of big muskies which we didn't boat. The walleye fishing was off, the locals told us they were catching some in Bulter ? lake on the south east side of wabigoon. We didn't have any problem with hazards, maybe just lucky. We did have sonar and a GPS Navorincs chip. When we go back we would like to go out of Indian point and fish the north shore, but from the map it looks like the deeper water is up there.
rj3
Posted 1/1/2009 8:36 PM (#352563 - in reply to #351435) Subject: Re: Wabigoon Help
Gary, if you stayed at bonny bay you were very close to buttler. I have not been there, but I know where it is and it is 5-10 minutes by snowmobile from the government docks. On your west as you head to dinorwic. They may have also been refering to the narrows into dinorwic as well.
Posted 1/2/2009 5:15 PM (#352695 - in reply to #350389) Subject: Re: Wabigoon Help
Posts: 78
We had lots of wind and cold temp. Didn't cover to much of the lake. We stuck to the north side bays east of Bonny Bay. Thunder Bay was hot for upper 30 inch northerns and we also raised two 40+ muskies which didn't hit. First time on the lake and Im sure well get back. I usually don't use guides as I like to work out the lake myself. Lots of fun. I thought Butler lake was on the south east corner. My buddy gets scared in whitecaps so we didn't try crossing.
