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[AlumniClub]

For anyone looking for advice on whether to fish Lake Geneva, the best available is: “Don’t miss it.” Simply stated, Geneva is one of the premier waters in Wisconsin. It’s deep, clear, well-endowed with amenities and home to a remarkable, diverse fishery. The fishery is made even more desirable by the presence of Ciscoes. These fish are well worth trying for in their own right; anyone who’s had smoked Ciscoes knows they can be truly good eating. But perhaps the greatest benefit of a good Cisco population is not the gourmet possibilities they offer, but rather their ability to nourish a superb population of gamefish. If you’re looking for Ciscoes for the pot, Brian Gates, of Geneva Lake Sports, Lake Geneva, (414) 473-5029, says you’ll find them at The Narrows during the summer, when they can be taken on a spoon with downrigger, or jig them violently with a Hopkins Spoon. In winter, take them off Cedar Point or in Williams Bay on a Rat Finkie and shiner in 40 to 80 feet of water. The Ciscoes you don’t catch, meanwhile, will help to support a fine population of Lake Trout, Northern Pike, and Walleyes. In May, says Gates, lakers can best be taken on Bangtails with a silver blade and pearl body fishing right off the pier at the Fontana access site on the lake’s west end. In June, you’ll get the “greaseballs” by accident in 20 to 30 feet of water on fatheads when you’re fishing for Bass around Rainbow Point in the southeast. In July and August, though, you have to be a bit more deliberate about catching them, says Gates. He suggests trolling silver spoons or Fin Doctor spoons – large ones in order to avoid taking Ciscoes – under downriggers in deep water, off Conference, Block Point, and in The Narrows. There’s also a 95-foot hole on the northwest, off the park, where Lakers suspend. In September, troll the same areas more slowly with downriggers, and in winter, fish the Lakers in the same areas and also around Cedar Point. Northern Pike fishing also can be a real kick here. Gates says you’ll find good-size alligators here, which is just fine, because there’s a 32-inch size limit. But there also are many sublegal fish, as well. In fact, there are so many, Gates says, that you can go out and catch/release 25 22- to 25-inch Northerns in four hours...easily. They’re that easy to catch. In fact, locals have nicknamed the whole east shore of Williams Bay “Northern Alley” for good reason. Gates says you can do really well here by slowly back trolling Lindy rigs in 30 to 60 feet of water. And, in the fall, when the water temperature hits 63 degrees for two or three days, the Northerns congregate like mad off Fontana Beach, Gates says. Use live bait and fish them in about 16 feet of water.

The historically excellent Walleye population hit the skids for a number of years and is just starting to come back after several years when they weren’t stocked. Two humps and a deep breakline just west of The Narrows off the north shore are good places to take them in the spring and fall, and don’t neglect the steep sides of Conference Point, where the Walleyes gather in the fall to intercept spawning Ciscoes. You’ll take the goggle eyes then in 5 to 15 feet of water on large minnows or Rapalas. When you’re fishing for Walleyes, though, don’t neglect the steep rocky shoreline of Cedar Point. This spot will hold Walleyes from barely post-spawn into early summer and they can be taken on spinners and jigs.

In June, the rocks off Cedar Point become a hotspot for Smallmouth Bass. Fish the warming water with Golden Roaches or Fatheads early, says Gates, or “rip” Perch-pattern jigs until the water temperature hits 62 degrees. Of course, the majority of Geneva’s shoreline is good Smallie habitat; find gravel, says Gates, and you’ll find Bass with crayfish-pattern lures.

Largemouth Bass too inhabit this fine water, and Gates says you’ll find “a substantial number of fish 14 inches and better.” The flats on the northeast, off Lake Geneva and on the southeast, east of Lake Geneva Country Club, are good Bass producers, as is Abbey Lagoon on the lake’s western end. Fish the bigmouths at night on “noisy stuff,” Gates advises, or with rubber worms. Hula Poppers are a perennial favorite.

Panfish species here include White Bass, Rock Bass, Black Crappies, Bluegills and Pumpkinseeds. Yellow Perch also inhabit the lake, and you can catch them up to 13 inches, though most of them are much smaller – in the 4- to 6-inch range. Gates says Crappies enjoyed an “excellent year” in 1998, and good numbers are expected for some years to come. Lots of them are in the 10-inch range and can be taken on the breaks and drops on small minnows. The ‘gills aren’t large, but they’re numerous, and they can be caught by drifting The Narrows with crawlers. Pumpkinseeds up to 9+ inches, too, can be taken on crawlers in Geneva Bay.

Rainbow, Brown and Brook Trout, meanwhile, compose a “bonus” fishery on Geneva. And it’s quite a plus. In fact, a state record 18-pound, 5 3/4-ounce Brownie was caught “by accident” on a jig by someone fishing for Bass. Fish the Trout off Black Point in, say, 40 feet of water in July. And enjoy some good action.

Public access to Lake Geneva is fairly good, with launch sites on the west, north, northeast and southeast. In addition, there are several private sites able to accommodate virtually any size boat. A bit of a “heads-up” is in order, though.

Lake Geneva is prime water located only a tankful of gas away from three major cities: Madison, Milwaukee, and Chicago. As you might expect, therefore, recreational use of the lake is pretty heavy. In fact, if you decide to fish here, you need to be aware that you’ll be competing for access to virtually everything. Want accommodations? Make reservations. Want to launch your boat? Arrive at the launch sites early – repeat, early, as in 4:30 a.m. – in order to be sure of getting a parking spot. Otherwise, you may find yourself watching others have fun, while you drive around endlessly in your car, waiting for a parking spot to clear. In addition, you’ll want to make sure you have plenty of cash to finance your fishing trip -- or make certain you haven’t left home without plenty of elastic plastic. Why? Well, hotels around here charge around $175 a night. Of course, you can really luck out and find a cabin for only $500 a week or so. But those are rare and only available by reservation. Meals and services aren’t cheap, either.

If this sounds as though you can’t just throw a tackle box and a case of beer in the boat and expect to have a great week at Lake Geneva, you’ve formed the correct impression. It’s better to plan an outing here than to trust your luck. This, however, doesn’t mean you can’t have a great time. Far from it. True, there’s heavy fishing and recreational pressure, but, as Gates notes, because of stocking and catch and release, the fishery “ is as good now as it ever has been in most cases.” True, the Walleye population is down from its high point in the 70s and 80s, but it’s on the way back because of stocking. And there’s a bonus Trout fishery now that wasn’t here in years past.

All of this, says Gates, means a good opportunity for the angler. Simply stated, he says, “These ARE the good, old days for the Lake Geneva fishery.”

GB2