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St. Germain Area Fishing Specials & Packages

Hunting, fishing, trapping and other 2009-2010 license and harvest permits for fish and wildlife activities in Wisconsin went on sale March 9, 2009. Visit the DNR website for more information. Licenses and permits for 2008-2009 expired March 31, 2009.

2010 Wisconsin Fishing Season Dates

Recreational Safety Education Classes are now being offered by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Check out the ATV, boating, hunting and snowmobile safety classes being offered in the area.

2009 Greater Wisconsin Muskie Tournament Highlights

Click here to review questions, new guidelines, and links about Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS) Information.

Shortly after the ice melts on area lakes, fishermen head to St. Germain for panfishing. Crappies, bluegill and perch are all common in St. Germain’s lakes. In spring, look for shallow, warm water, particularly in protected bays, and fish with small jigs and baits. As spring moves on, catch & release bass fishing becomes popular. For the earliest bass action, target shallow, structure-rich lakes with stained waters and dark bottoms.

Summer is the quintessential Northwoods fishing seasons for many anglers. Panfishing gets increasingly better as the year progresses. Muskies become active shortly after their spawn in late spring. Early in the season, target areas just off prominent points and mid-lake humps adjacent to deeper water and fish smaller baits. As the summer progresses, increase the speed of your retrieves and the size of your baits.

St. Germain’s lakes are full of walleyes. Your chances of locating walleyes are greatly increased when you keep an eye on weather conditions, water temperatures and light conditions. Walleye tend to be shallower in low-light periods—such as sunrise, sunset and under cloudy skies—and move deeper during the day. Target mid-lake humps and deep weedlines.

Smallmouth and largemouth bass action is excellent on St. Germain’s lakes. Largemouth bass tend to hold tight to thick weed cover and structure for most of the summer and provide excellent action. Smallmouth are found deeper, generally around deep rocks and deep weedlines. Often when the walleye aren't cooperating, there’s great bass fishing to be had, so be prepared for both species and you'll improve your chances of getting into some great fishing action.

As the days grow shorter towards fall, many of St. Germain's fish species increase their feeding—which makes for great angling. Fall is the best time of year for catching behemoth trophy musky in St. Germain, with really tremendous-sized fish being caught right up until the lakes freeze over. Walleye action often increases as well, as does smallmouth fishing in the early part of fall.

For many fishermen, the real fishing starts when the lakes freeze over. St. Germain is a favorite destination for ice fishermen. Some of the best walleye and northern pike fishing can be had through the ice. The most popular technique for winter walleyes is jigging or using tip-ups with small to medium sized minnows. By far the most popular technique in St. Germain for winter pike is using a tip-up baited with large shiners or other live minnows. Crappies, bluegill and perch are also ice fishing favorites. If you're looking for a great ice fishing getaway, check out the St. Germain resorts that specially cater to ice fishermen, with shanties and amenities ready when you arrive.

St. Germain Area Ice Fishing Report

Updated 02/16/2009

Fishing in the St. Germain area has been fair to good in the past week. It appears we may be starting to see the start of the late winter patterns. Ice conditions remain unusually thin as they have been all season and caution is advised. The good news is that travel on the ice has been quite good. Snowmobiles and 4 wheelers along with foot travel are the best bet however some trucks have been seen out on the ice. In most area lakes we are only measuring about 10-12 inches of good solid ice with another 2-5 inches of frozen snow/slush on top of that. Please check the ice before committing to heavy vehicle traffic.

 

Ice fishing can be fun for all ages.
 

Here's how the fishing is stacking up. Walleyes have been out over deep flats but appear to be starting to move in a bit shallower at dusk. Medium shiners are the best live bait but some anglers are doing well jigging spoons for walleye. Pike have been surprisingly making use of deeper water areas than we usually see but will also be found in and around the weed edges. Bluegills have been just off the weed edges with bigger fish seeming to hang on the deeper edge. Perch have been in weeds or sometimes located on flats and over deep sandgrass. Crappies are still suspending over deep water and as of now still a bit tougher to target.

It appears that we now have about as much ice as we're likely to get for this year. With that top layer of frozen snow I expect that when the temperatures start to warm in a few weeks we will see ice conditions deteriorate rapidly. Looks like we could have open water much earlier this year than what we are accustomed to. In the next week or two I expect the bite for all panfish to pickup pretty well. On the more pleasant days it's probably a good idea to drill a bunch of holes and go "hole hopping" to locate active fish.

Good luck on the ice and please keep an eye on those ice conditions. This year has been quite unusual so extra care is in order.

Pete Stoltman

Last Cast Guide Service

715-542-4142

www.lastcastguideservice.com

Regular Fishin’ for Regular Guys Outdoor Radio

 

Wisconsin Outdoor Report - Weekly report is updated every Thursday at noon.

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St. Germain Area Fishing Guides

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Ask questions of local DNR Warden - Mike Sealander

Help control VHS in Wisconsin waters

The Department of Natural Resources has detected a virus affecting fish in the Lake Winnebago system called viral hemorrhagic septicemia, or VHS for short.

The DNR reported that this virus is not harmful to humans and that it is completely safe to handle and eat fish caught in Wisconsin waters. It is important to note that VHS is a deadly virus to fish and spreads easily among a variety of fish populations. The DNR is actively responding to contain this threat and has issued the following recommendations that should be practiced on all Wisconsin waterways:

  • Put your catch on ice and do not move live fish and unused bait minnows away from the landing or shore.
  • Drain all water from bilges, bait buckets, live wells and other containers when leaving the landing or shore.
  • Use live minnows purchased only from registered bait dealers in Wisconsin or catch it yourself in the same water you fish.
  • Clean plants and debris from your boat before leaving the landing.

To learn more about VHS, visit the DNR VHS homepage at http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/fish/vhs/

Below are some PDF files & links pertaining to VHS:

Out-of-State Firewood Regulations