Wisconsin Forums

[AlumniClub]

Looking at big Delavan today, you’d never realize that it’s a ghost. But it is. In the late 1980s, it was certifiably dead: turbid, brown, loaded with Carp...dead. Then people went to work. The lake was drained, chemically treated and refilled, then restocked with fish. And what you see today is a fine recreational lake with an excellent fishery – a fishery nearly as good as it was in the good, old days before its “fatal illness.” Pete Brahm of Brahm’s Service, 725 East Geneva St., Delavan (414) 728-3660, says you’ll find great Walleye here, including some topping out around 28 inches. Too, there are what Brahm calls “unbelievable” Northern Pike, some of which are reaching 40 inches or larger. In addition, says Brahm, there’s a great population of Largemouth Bass and even some legal-size Muskies up to 40 inches. And that’s not to mention a fine Bluegill fishery, with large numbers of fish topping 8 inches in length and a pound in weight. All in all, the fishery is superb, Brahm says. Delavan is a fertile lake, so there’s good weed growth. In fact, during the summer, there’s a weed harvester going most times. And this leaves a nice, sharp, well-defined edge to hold fish. These can be productive for Northerns, Largemouth, ‘gills, Crappies, and the occasional Muskie. The best weed flats are to either side of the bollard-shaped point called “The Island” on the southwest. The depth doesn’t reach much more than eight feet here, and weed growth can be extensive. But these areas offer great fishing, says Brahm, especially early in the season before weeds become too heavy. You’ll find a similar area, meanwhile, on the northwest, around the Turtle Creek inlet. There’s a shore-fishing area here, and Walleyes can be taken from the dredged channel. And speaking of Walleyes, there are several good places to take them. Among them is a bar on the east shore, just south of the turn on South Shore Drive. Fish the edges with minnows or leeches in early summer. Much of the lake’s east shoreline, meanwhile, drops away steeply and holds fish. That’s especially true of the small “bump” on the shore about mid-way up the lake. This can be productive for Walleye and also for Smallmouth Bass, when fished around the 10-foot level during the summer. And a similar spot can be found about midway between the “bump” and the bar. This, too, holds good numbers of goggle eyes and Smallies during summer months. Troll live bait rigs here during the day or crankbaits at night. Right across the lake from this spot, meanwhile, is a “breast with a nipple” which juts out into the lake from the west shore. You’ll find rock and gravel humps here which hold Walleyes and Smallies, as well. Live bait is the ticket for the Walleyes, and small crankbaits will do nicely for the Smallies. Probably the best panfish action on the entire lake can be found along the northeast shore. Brahm says the area behind the dike is made for drift-fishing with a bobber from ice-out through early summer. And just outside the dike, too, is an area of scattered weed growth, which is a good producer of ‘gills and Crappies. The occasional Walleye swims by here too.

GB2