Spring Walleye Run Report March 27, 2012
The bite on the Rock River system has been excellent in the past week producing walleye, sauger, white bass and a few northern pike.
The Black Hawk Island area has slowed a bit with fishing moving up river. Many fish that I have caught have been firm, full of eggs the closer to the lake we have fished.
Closer to town in Fort Atkinson the fish have begin to spawn out. The fishing has been better catching pre-spawn and post-spawn fish.
Many of the fish have started to do their business, resulting in a tough bite. Bigger profile baits have worked in the past week using 4” Power Grubs or 4-5” Ring-worms casting and slowly working along bottom.
Large Fathead minnows or crawlers on a Northland Gumball Jig in a 3/8 oz. size has worked for the finicky biters.
The white bass have been biting aggressively catching many while targeting eyes and saugers.
Most have come on a jig/minnow combo, but casting small white Power Grub or Kalin’s twister tail grubs on a 1/16 oz. Jig or working small spinners or Road Runner Jigs would be a blast.
We have caught our share of sheep head, carp and nice channel cats the closer we get to dead-fall and timber.
I have noticed a surplus of snags this year. I have gotten many of my jigs back; with a simple trick a friend had shown me a while ago.
I use Spider Wire Stealth braided line close to 100% of the time on the river. When you come across a snag, immediately I will open my bail, troll back up to the snag until I am upstream of the snag. After I have done this, I will crank down tight to the snag, grab my line ahead of the reel and pull the tip of the rod down letting the line go with a quick snap. You may have to repeat a couple of times.
I have had great success getting jigs out of snags most of the time with this trick. I have to note that this is not as effective using Mono, Fluorocarbon or Co-Polymers; low-stretch braid and super-lines work best “popping” the jig out of snags.
I hope to post a video demonstrating this on my Reddy Guide Service Face book Page soon.
Good luck anglers! May be I will see you on the water!
John Reddy a local fishing guide operates Reddy Guide Service in the Delavan area. He is a professional fishing guide and educator licensed by the Department of Natural Resources and a United States Coast Guard licensed Great Lakes Charter Captain. John is a community blogger and is not a part of The Gazette staff. His opinion is not necessarily that of the The Gazette staff or management.
Mar 30, 2012 at 9:55 a.m.
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fear - Delavan has been has been good for gills and crappie in the past few weeks. When we were going through the "Summer" stretch, we had 63-66 degree water in the shallow areas which drew in some slab crappies, but the gills remained in the deeper remaining weeds. Just yesterday the warmest water I could find was 54 degrees. Many of the larger fish have moved out back in the lake in 6-10 feet of water. Right now look for standing weeds on the northern side of the lake near Lake Lawn or the north side of the Island. The Inlet, Lake Lawn Marina and Brown's Channel are all good for water over 50 degrees. Covering water is key locating the "feeders". Many of the gills have been 7-8" at the most with a few 8" plus mixed in. The crappies have been 8-12" with a few over 12". Good Luck!
Mar 30, 2012 at 9:49 a.m.
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bassman - yes it has been an exceptional year for strange record-breaking weather. The river warmed too quickly for sure. The Wolf, Fox and even the Peshtigo systems are going gangbusters already, much earlier than normal. I have done well this spring, catching between 5-20 walleye and sauger an outing, but yes nothing close to what the norm is for the spring run. I have changed up tactics this year fishing the conditions, not the calendar. We have caught more fish in unorthodox locations, certainly not where you would expect. Thinking outside of the box has put more fish in the boat this spring.
Mar 28, 2012 at 10:48 a.m.
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I tried the Rock just up from the Newville bridge for a bit this morning. No luck.
Mar 28, 2012 at 6 a.m.
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Slowed a bit ? The river is so screwed up right now no one can predict or figure out a pattern. The ramp at the 26 bridge last Fri was empty !Which is not the norm trust me, After 5 hours of hard fishing from Fort to the mouth of the lake ,nothing but rubber nose salmon,later while chatting with 2 other fisherman they said the same,nothing ! We have fished this river for many years and it's joke this year, sure a few are caught here and there but not like in the years past,Indian Ford is loaded with Pike right now if you want to have some fun,we see VERY few eyes being caught.Nice fish John ,must have been your day !
Mar 27, 2012 at 10:51 p.m.
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Hello mr Reddy,
Any action out on Delavan on larger than avg panfish? Or possibly the indianford dam? I did notice an article about spring Walleye at indianford in this months Wisconsin Sportsman, excellent!! I always enjoy your blog John, one fishin nut to another. Always wanted to guide never took the dive!Thanks in advance!
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