Juneau County Fishing Friends Thread

[keith]

For the big fishing stories, see our Fishing! FishOn! Wisconsin Fishing Forums. These forums cover other topics including Great Lakes Fishing, more on Tackle, etc.

This thread is the place to click "Post Reply" and tell us where the fish are biting in Juneau County!

You can also announce tournaments and such in this county here in this thread. (The main fishing forums recommended for that as well).

Please post this kind of information:

Subject Line: Lake or river name and what kind of fish are hitting

In the text: Please tell us whatever you can, including:

- where on the Lake / River
- what depth
- time of day
- bait / lure / presentation / colors
- boat access (and cost)

and anything else about the area like local bait shops, water hazards, alternative species and tackle in case the main stuff isn't happening, local places to stay, guide services, etc.

If it is an advertisement, put it in the classifieds; otherwise, hope you'll share some info for all. Just click "Post Reply".

Regards,
Keith

p.s.: If you're local and want to know when they're biting, click "Watch this topic for replies" below and an email will be sent to you whenever someone posts here. (You must be a registered Member of theBubbler.com - free.)

Please consider subscribing to topics in Fishing! FishOn! Wisconsin Fishing Forums as well.

[AlumniClub]

Though not as large as Petenwell, its neighbor to the north, Castle Rock Flowage still qualifies as big water with 13,387 surface acres to its credit. Its slightly brown-stained water offers fair visibility and good fertility. All the better to grow fish, which is fortunate, for the season here never closes. Walleye is what draws most anglers to Castle Rock. There have been complaints in the past about a strange taste to the flowage’s goggle eyes, but after some 20 years of pollution abatement and cleanup activities, much of that problem has disappeared. Try tossing jig/minnow combinations at them then, working the shallower water. As the water warms, the Walleyes will head south. And, from June on, fish them in the old river channels, beating up the water with Shad Raps or Wally Divers at 15- to 20-foot depths. The deep cuts just below the railroad bridge along the east shore are especially good, as are similar areas off the mouth of Little Roche a Cri Creek. And the deeper holes above the dam also deserve a good, hard look. For Smallies, concentrate your efforts on the lake’s western arm. Toss small spinners or Power Grubs to the shorelines, especially around the Buckhorn Bridge which carries County Road G over the channel. And for the decent Largemouth population, Camp suggests working the back bays and stump fields north of the railroad bridge. Spinnerbaits are good choices, as are plastic worms and topwater in summer. Meanwhile, White Bass tend to run large here, and some specimens up to 18 inches have been caught. In the spring, you’ll find them in the river, below the Petenwell Dam, and in the summer, they’ll be scattered around the lake, where they can be spotted on the surface feeding. Throw small jig/Twister Tail or jig/minnow combinations early and small spinners as the season progresses. Castle Rock does have a minor Muskie fishery, one which produces small numbers of legal-size (34-inch) fish currently, but which may offer better angling in the future. Current DNR regulations prohibit stocking more than 2,500 Muskies in any water in a single year, a number which is a “drop in the bucket” when dealing with a lake the size of Castle Rock. During the winter, Castle Rock offers good fishing for Northerns, Walleyes and panfish. The ice, however, can be treacherous, especially during low-water periods. Campgrounds, showers, toilets, bait & tackle, food and laundry facilities are within easy reach.


GB2

[AlumniClub]

Petenwell Flowage lies brooding along the border of Adams and Juneau counties in central Wisconsin. At 23,040 acres, it’s the second-largest lake in the state. And it has a fishery to match its giant size. Muskies are one of the big drawing cards. They’re planted annually by a private sportsman’s organization, and they grow to be fairly large. The stump-filled backwaters off the Wisconsin River, north of the lake-proper, are good spots to fish for late spring Muskies. Throw a #5 Mepps or small bucktail this time of year. As the water begins to warm a bit, focus on the channel cuts toward the northern end of the lake, paying special attention to the current breaks. You can do well in these areas with jerkbaits or in-line spinners right through summer. In fall, hunt for Muskies farther south. The riprapped shoreline around the west levee is known as good fall Muskie country, as is the old roadbed/rock bar just north of Monroe Park on the east side. Petenwell, meanwhile, is a hotbed for Walleye activity, particularly in the spring. One of the best-known spots is by the dam off Highway 21. Here in the spring, you could jump from boat to boat all the way across without getting wet. And the same is true in the area south of the Nekoosa dam on the far north. Yes: the fishing pressure is THAT heavy in the spring. But it dies down quickly, come June, to the point where there are few anglers most days, even on weekends. During windy conditions in summer, drift or backtroll the “Yellow Banks” area around 4th Street, near the northern end of the lake on the west side. And don’t miss vertical jigging the quick drop off Hall’s Point. On the east shore, good bets are the nice drop right out from Petenwell County Park. And the bay north of the park, too, can be fished with some success for Walleyes, as well as Crappies and Smallmouth Bass. Finally, in the fall, try shallow Barnum Bay toward the northeast. You’ll catch Walleye at night here in 3 feet of water, fishing crankbaits or spoons, just as you would normally for Northern Pike. Of course, you might just tie into a Northern while you’re at it, for this is also good “alligator” country. Petenwell Crappies, meanwhile, can be taken early around Skibba Slough and Fourteen Mile Creek in the north end. Later, you’ll want to fish the deeper channel cuts with jig/minnow combinations. Petenwell, too, is well-known for its White Bass. Usually they’ll be found near the Nekoosa dam in the spring, but they move out into the lake in the summer. Then, you’ll have to watch for surface feeding and toss small spinners or jig/Twister Tail combos.

GB2