Wisconsin guide Jeff Evans gives his latest Buzz Bite Report for Chequamegon Bay on January 23rd, 2023.
Chequamegon Bay Buzz Bite Report 1-23-2023
With sketchy ice conditions north of Washburn, Aron Kastern has been focusing his efforts on the interior of Chequamegon Bay. He says travel is ok right now for snowmobiles and tracked rigs but ATV’s are not an option. There are several bad slush pockets, and he highly recommends staying on established paths.
Most of the slushy areas tend to be around new or old cracks. There is currently 8′ – 10″ of ice between Ashland and Washburn with less around high current areas like the breakwall, docks, etc. There’s still hope that ice conditions around the Apostle Islands will improve over the next few weeks, and hopefully we’ll get some lake trout trips in later this winter.
Most of the recent bite on the bay has consisted of perch, smelt, burbot, pike and walleye in 15′ – 30′ on the Ashland side around mud flats and weed beds with a few trout and whitefish being caught in deeper water near Washburn.
Spoons like the Clam Leech Flutter spoon in a 1/8 ounce tipped with minnow head or waxies has been working great jigging. Setlines and I Fish Pros rigged with shiners is also producing a number of bites.
If targeting trout and whitefish, make sure to cover the entire water column from top to bottom always ready for a school of high flyers coming through just under the ice.
The perch bite has been best using set lines with fatheads and shiners. Stay mobile and flexible to give yourself the best odds of getting on fish.
Big Thanks to Erik and Aron for checking in! If you’re willing to get out and get after it, there’s definitely opportunities to get on some fish right now. Stay tuned, and we’ll keep you updated as the ice season progresses. Stay safe, be smart, and have fun out there!
- Jeff Evans
Northern Wisconsin Fishing Guide
Website: https://jeffevansfishing.com
Phone: 715-292-1424
Email: info@jeffevansfishing.com
