Fishing highly pressured waters such as the Madison Chain can prove difficult at times. This is especially true when chasing trophy muskies. Generally speaking, using a lure or presentation that is different than anything the fish have seen before can be the key to success when other presentations aren't producing as well. In this product review we will be looking at the Lee Lures Flap Tail. This bait has been producing LOTS of fish on the Madison Chain and given its design a

With current water temps in the low 80's the bite across Madison has been, generally speaking, "deep" in most cases. That said, with the water still over the 80 degree mark it is important to remember to lay off the Muskies, at least until the temps drop below 80. Even though the big toothy guys are "off limits" there are still plenty of opportunities to put a lot of fish in the boat all over Madison. Panfish, especially Bluegills, have been caught consistently in deep water

I’ll never forget growing up fishing on Grandpa’s dock, sitting anxiously holding a fishing pole rigged with a hook and worm, waiting for a hand sized blue gill to bend the tip of my rod. Grandpa always used to say that the bluegills would bite the best in the evening and early morning. This translates to around 5-9 am and pm depending on the region and time of year. Periods of light transition are well known feeding times for just about all fish species. Many fishermen r

Do you fish in the Madison, WI area? Want a free guided fishing trip?? Well we have a simple free contest that you can enter to win a guided fishing trip in Madison, WI for you and up to 4 other people! We want to see your Madison Angling success! Send us a picture or video of any fish you catch fishing any of the Madison lakes. Every picture or video you share with us qualifies as an entry into a drawing for a free full day guided fishing trip. There is no limit to the amou

The weed cutters have already started their routes along the weed beds of the Madison lakes. With water temps already in the 70’s, weeds will continue to grow. More important to note however is that with the unusually long period of clear water we have had, deep weed growth should be very good this year. Look for fish to start utilizing weed beds in greater than 10 to 15 feet of water. Right now Bluegills are providing a ton of fun action in the shallows as they are beddin

Well, the inevitable is upon us. Parts of the Madison Chain are already loaded with slimy, disgusting slop surface weeds. Before you pack all your gear and head elsewhere, there is a silver lining: the weeds under the water are also booming and loaded with fish. For those of you chasing panfish, crappies are still holding to shallow water structure in 3-5 feet. Channels and bays with wood, boat lifts, or docks will produce fish. Crappies can also be seen in 5-10 feet of wat

Here we find ourselves a week into the 2016 Wisconsin game fish season. Currently the weather is making patterning fish somewhat difficult, however fish are certainly biting. Panfish, particularly bluegills and crappies are moving in large numbers to shallow bays and channels. Crappie minnows, small fathead minnows, and Berkley Gulp 1" minnows have been hot rigged under a slip bobber. With water temps beginning to get into the mid to high 50's bass are beginning to bed up on

In honor of the few 45 degree, rainy, cloudy, and somber days we have left before spring is in full swing, I wanted this month’s beer review to be of a stout I’ve now sought out multiple times- Strumpet by Dead Bird Brewing Company. What’s that? You’ve never heard of Strumpet? Dead Bird?! Well, I guess that’s why you’re here. Spring has really thrown my beer fridge into a swirling vortex of confusion this year. So much so, that I’ve had to start keeping extra beer in my regul

This past Saturday, April 23, was the 20th Annual Spring Fling tournament hosted at Lakeside Bar and Grill on Lake Wisconsin. There were a total of 56 boats. 1-7th place was paid, and 8th place won a big pack of baits. The weather was warm, sunny, and relatively calm for this time of year on Lake Wisconsin. With such a great turn out the weigh in was one of the biggest in recent history. I was able to bounce around with my GoPro documenting the event at all stages. I was e

The bite continues to be holding in warm, shallow water around Madison. Live bait, particularly crappie minnows have been producing larger fish, however wax worms and Gulp have also been working well on small jigs. Crappies have been holding tight to structure such as boat lifts, docks, stumps and rocks. The game fish have also been more active in the last week, so should you accidentally catch one, be sure to release it immediately. Good luck and tight lines! Below you will