Thank you for visiting our fishing report page. During the fishing season, we will regularly post fishing reports and provide you updates on the general condition on the Historic Chippewa Flowage.
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Below you will see the current fishing report posted on: 11/30/2009
General Conditions
Unusually warm temps have brought water temps up to the 70 degree range currently. Weather has been very stable, without rain or fronts for 3 1/2 weeks, and with a steady high barometer for 2 weeks. Water level is 2 1/2' to 3' down from full and has been dropping about 1/4" to 1/2" every day for a couple of weeks now. This has slowed down the musky fishing considerably for the past 10 days. However, we did experience a little baromter activity and slightly cooler water temps the last few days and the musky fishing did pick up nicely. We expect a good 2 more weeks of improved and, eventually, excellent musky fishing thru mid October. Summer tactics will still work thru that period because of warmer temps. For a point of reference about water levels: 1313' is considered full and anywhere between 1311 1/2' and 1312 1/2' can be considered in the normal or average range. The water has been higher than 1314' a few times in history, but that is considered "flooded" or well above normal. The Weeds are fantastic on most of the bars this season, especially with great cabbage weeds scattered over many of the bars and not much milfoil this year. There seems to be new growth weeds on mnay spots also. The bog at the Landing bridge has stayed put and has not moved near the bridge in more than a year.
Walleye Report
The walleye fishing has actually picked up and they are now being taken on the shallow bars, casting into the weed edges from deeper water. Use twister tails. A 26" walleye was caught a few days ago shallow during mid morning. If the fish aren't shallow, try fishing deep areas during the day, on the drop offs working 15' to 23' of water, where there are sunken bogs and brush and deep wood. Use jigs and crawlers/ leeches/ or gulp.
Crappie Report
The crappie have been hitting great all year. This is really a banner year for crappie, although their size has been in the average range (with lots in the 8 to 10 inch class). They are hitting well in the morning (5 am to 9 am) and evening (7pm to 9:30 pm)working the edges of the bogs that hang over deeper water in the 15 to 20 foot range. Try any type of rubber tube/crappie jigs like a mini mite and drop it down to the bottom and real up a few cranks and gently vertically jig or hover the lure. Also, the fish cribs, located in 16 to 20 feet of water, have been producing great catches of crappie using the same type of crappie jigs as well. Also, work mini mites in the brush that extends out from down trees in 6 to 10 feet of water during the mid day.
Muskie Report
Today is a sad day... the last day of the musky season. But what a season it was. In 55 years of record keeping it was Indian Trail's finest musky year, by far, for trophy musky catches. Here's the stats: Out of 201 muskies caught (all of which were released) 103 were over 40", 68 of which were over 20#, 29 of which were over 25#, and 11 of which were over 30#!! The 2 heaviest muskies probably went in the 36# to 38# class... a 52"er by Pete Rich and a 51"er by Al Denninger. Another outstanding catch in 2009 was made by Jim Rafac when he caught probably the largest hybrid ever caught in history out of the Chippewa Flowage. His great catch was in the 53" class (give or take an inch). Because he didn't have a tape measure, Jim laid a good piece of rope alongside the fish, while the fish was laying on the floor, and tied a knot where the fish ended. I measured the rope to the knot and it was 53". The total length of all muskies caught was 7964 1/4" which makes the average length a record 39.62". The fishing was very consistent all season (as well as all throughout the day) from mid June into October. So the best time to come fish muskys on the Flowage is... whenever you have the chance!! See you next season!!!
Northern/Smallmouth Bass report
Good sized northern in the 28 to 38" range have been caught fairly consistently the past month, mostly being caught on bucktails, spinner baits, and twitch baits while fishing the weedy shore lines and shallow bars in the weeds. The small mouth bass have been very consitent this entire season with many great catches being made in the 16" to 21" range. Fishing tight to any shoreline wood (stumps, fallen trees, logs), or on rocky/gravelly shorelines and bars with weeds. Many of the muskie bars are great for smallmouth if they have hard bottom. All day is good, but evening seems to provide a great window of action packed fun!! Use spinner baits, shallow crank baits, rubber sinko worm jigs. Smallmouth hit our muskies lures all the time as well.