Wisconsin Smallmouth

[tylerreid1234]

Going up to WI for a week, going on a guided smallmouth trip one day but then on my own rest of the week.. any of you fished up there? Staying on Lake Minocqua Sep 22-29th, pulling my boat up there. Any advice would be appreciated, seems like there's a thousand lakes in the area.

[Buccaneer]

Yes, there are a thousand lakes in the area. I travel to Rhinelander and Tomahawk for work quire a bit and the guys at our manufacturing facility all hunt, fish and trap around there and always talk about the great fishing.

[Buzzy15]

Going up to WI for a week, going on a guided smallmouth trip one day but then on my own rest of the week.. any of you fished up there? Staying on Lake Minocqua Sep 22-29th, pulling my boat up there. Any advice would be appreciated, seems like there's a thousand lakes in the area.



I’m from up there. What would you like to know?


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[tylerreid1234]

I’m from up there. What would you like to know?


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What are people fishing for late September? Are the smallmouth still biting? I'm primarily a smallmouth fisherman, it's about the only thing I fish for but I'd like to catch a nice musky while I'm up there. I'm staying on Lake Minocqua the whole week, I plan on fishing there mostly but would like to branch out to some other lakes in the area.

[tylerreid1234]

Yes, there are a thousand lakes in the area. I travel to Rhinelander and Tomahawk for work quire a bit and the guys at our manufacturing facility all hunt, fish and trap around there and always talk about the great fishing.

Thanks! Neither of those cities are far from Minocqua so I might have to check them out.

[Buzzy15]

What are people fishing for late September? Are the smallmouth still biting? I'm primarily a smallmouth fisherman, it's about the only thing I fish for but I'd like to catch a nice musky while I'm up there. I'm staying on Lake Minocqua the whole week, I plan on fishing there mostly but would like to branch out to some other lakes in the area.



They always bite. It will be cold. Leech patterns work very well. Black jig and black mister twister casted and let it hit the bottom. Reel and jig it bouncing off the bottom. That’s my go to. J9 Rapalas work very well. Use a steel leader because puke and musky are always hungry.

Get a topraider and a double cowgirl for musky.


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[Buzzy15]

Also I dont really see a need to branch off unless you want to fish some really nice native brook trout. That would be near Presque Isle.

[tylerreid1234]

They always bite. It will be cold. Leech patterns work very well. Black jig and black mister twister casted and let it hit the bottom. Reel and jig it bouncing off the bottom. That’s my go to. J9 Rapalas work very well. Use a steel leader because puke and musky are always hungry.

Get a topraider and a double cowgirl for musky.


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Thanks for the advice, I'm a jig fisherman so it'll be right up my alley. Hopefully I can catch some nice fish.

[Buzzy15]

Thanks for the advice, I'm a jig fisherman so it'll be right up my alley. Hopefully I can catch some nice fish.



Don’t fish it like a pig and jig. You probably weren’t but I want to let you know. The jig should come 2-3 off the bottom with every jig. I highly highly recommend using braid or fire line. 4lb diameter. If you have a baitcaster use a scum frog near all Lily’s and reeds.

Five of diamonds, silver and blue and rainbow trout spoons will crush pike.

If you go for musky use the most stout rod you have and ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS figure 8 three or four times boatside. That is non negotiable


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[SalmonDaze]

Been fishing those lakes for many years.

Don't forget to update this thread when you get back.

How many northerns/muskies? Walleye.

[tylerreid1234]

Just got back yesterday, fished a total of 4 days... weather was kind've weird, it rained half the time we were up there. Took the advice of the bait shops when I was up there for musky, only really fished for musky one day never had any luck, did catch one northern off of our dock that was real small. Fished Minocqua, Katherine, Fence, White Sand, and Crawling Stone... caught all smallmouth in about 5-10' FOW, few on ned rigs, few on tubes, but all the big ones came on paddle tail swimbaits... most fish were on flats, some were hanging around rocky points. The wind had a huge effect on the fishing, seemed like the more wind the more fish. I went with a guide named Andrew Ragas, who owns Northwoods Bass Fishing Adventures... he is primarily a smallmouth guide which is what I went up there to catch, I have followed him on social media for over a year and he put us on some nice fish. I had 4 fish over 20", my girlfriend had 2 over 20"... my biggest was probably in the 5-6lb range, which came extremely close or might've surpassed my PB smallmouth from last year. Here's some pics!

[tylerreid1234]

More pics

[Buzzy15]

So awesome


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[tylerreid1234]

So awesome


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It was a great trip, besides the rain it was beautiful weather. Stayed in the 60's-70's all week, water temp was anywhere from 63-68 at all the lakes I fished... and then we get back to 100 degrees here lol makes you want to go right back!

[Texas_Rig]

Looks like you guys had some good fishing. I don't remember you talking about fishing Dale Hollow on the forum. I know everyone talks a lot about it being the Mecca of Smallmouth fishing around here and that's because it really is. I spend a lot of time up there especially in the fall, winter, and spring. This past spring it was the best fishing I've ever personally had. I can just feel the passion you have through your posts on this site for catching smallmouth. If your not familiar with the lake and want to take a few trips with me then you are certainly welcome. I was up there a couple weeks ago and the water temps were still high but the fish had already started moving up. I caught a few and never fished more than 5 feet deep. With the weather breaking, the fishing should get really really good soon if it hasn't already

[Buzzy15]

Texas rig dale hallow is cool and all but if you want to catch the same size smallies with much easier and safer access you go up north. Period. I’ll dm a place for you that is the most incredible smallmouth fishery on the planet and it is an absolute bucket list spot for smallmouth fisherman. The problem with that spot is getting. There safely. I’ve been there but only when we can fly the float plane to it.

I would like to go to dale hallow with someone who knows how to use the float and fly technique. I’ve tried with minimal success.


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[Texas_Rig]

Texas rig dale hallow is cool and all but if you want to catch the same size smallies with much easier and safer access you go up north. Period. I’ll dm a place for you that is the most incredible smallmouth fishery on the planet and it is an absolute bucket list spot for smallmouth fisherman. The problem with that spot is getting. There safely. I’ve been there but only when we can fly the float plane to it.

I would like to go to dale hallow with someone who knows how to use the float and fly technique. I’ve tried with minimal success.


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I definitely know that up north is the best smallmouth fishing on the planet. I was just letting Tyler know that we have some amazing smallmouth fishing right here in northern middle Tennessee. Dale Hollow is that place. I had several days on Dale Hollow this spring where I caught 15-20 smallmouth over 3-5lbs. 5lbers are pretty regular for someone that knows what they are doing on that lake. I have no problem catching them there and I'm no smallmouth expert. I'm not very good at finesse fishing and I need to work on that. I power fish up there and have no problem getting bit at the right times of the year

[Texas_Rig]

Also Dale Hollow is very safe and easy to access

[Texas_Rig]

Texas rig dale hallow is cool and all but if you want to catch the same size smallies with much easier and safer access you go up north. Period. I’ll dm a place for you that is the most incredible smallmouth fishery on the planet and it is an absolute bucket list spot for smallmouth fisherman. The problem with that spot is getting. There safely. I’ve been there but only when we can fly the float plane to it.

I would like to go to dale hallow with someone who knows how to use the float and fly technique. I’ve tried with minimal success.


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Also, I haven't tried the float and fly but it's very popular on DH in the winter time

[Buzzy15]

I definitely know that up north is the best smallmouth fishing on the planet. I was just letting Tyler know that we have some amazing smallmouth fishing right here in northern middle Tennessee. Dale Hollow is that place. I had several days on Dale Hollow this spring where I caught 15-20 smallmouth over 3-5lbs. 5lbers are pretty regular for someone that knows what they are doing on that lake. I have no problem catching them there and I'm no smallmouth expert. I'm not very good at finesse fishing and I need to work on that. I power fish up there and have no problem getting bit at the right times of the year



How often do you go? I’d split gas or tow my boat with ya every time. That is a very very very nice smallie. In my opinion the best bass to catch!


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[Texas_Rig]

How often do you go? I’d split gas or tow my boat with ya every time. That is a very very very nice smallie. In my opinion the best bass to catch!


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I go up there pretty often. I'll be spending quite a bit of time up there from now until next spring. I burned up my trim motor on my boat and I'm dropping it off tomorrow. You can tag along anytime after I get it back and get up there a couple times and figure them out. It won't cost you a dime as I'll be up there anyway.

[Buzzy15]

I go up there pretty often. I'll be spending quite a bit of time up there from now until next spring. I burned up my trim motor on my boat and I'm dropping it off tomorrow. You can tag along anytime after I get it back and get up there a couple times and figure them out. It won't cost you a dime as I'll be up there anyway.



Sorry about your trim man. I had an old Astro that the wiring got all fried up and we had to trim it but putting a butter knife in the terminals


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[tylerreid1234]

I go up there pretty often. I'll be spending quite a bit of time up there from now until next spring. I burned up my trim motor on my boat and I'm dropping it off tomorrow. You can tag along anytime after I get it back and get up there a couple times and figure them out. It won't cost you a dime as I'll be up there anyway.

Sorry just now seeing these messages, I'm down for Dale Hollow anytime... I have only fished Dale Hollow once and I believe it was just the wrong time of the year. I know its THE smallmouth lake, but it seems like a difficult lake to fish, I really would like to go with ya and see how you fish it. I could throw a rock and hit Old Hickory so I spend most my time there, but also fish Center Hill a good bit. Smallmouth are really the only thing I fish for lol and I found a handful this year in the 4-5lb range on Old Hickory...

[Texas_Rig]

Sorry just now seeing these messages, I'm down for Dale Hollow anytime... I have only fished Dale Hollow once and I believe it was just the wrong time of the year. I know its THE smallmouth lake, but it seems like a difficult lake to fish, I really would like to go with ya and see how you fish it. I could throw a rock and hit Old Hickory so I spend most my time there, but also fish Center Hill a good bit. Smallmouth are really the only thing I fish for lol and I found a handful this year in the 4-5lb range on Old Hickory...

Dale Hollow used to intimidate me when I first started fishing it. The clear water just got to me and I wasn't comfortable fishing it. I finally got it and I love fishing there. Spring and summer are by far my strongest seasons on the lake. Quite frankly fall and winter I have traditionally sucked but I'm dedicated to figuring it out this winter. For whatever reason I just struggle when the lake is drawn down. At summer pool it's just easy to look at a navionics map and find fish. I'll figure it out and when I do you should join me. If I don't then it will be a blast come next spring because the smallmouth absolutely chew almost every day in the prespawn