April 18, 2019 Fishing Report
It has been a hot minute since posting a fishing report (mostly due to technical difficulties) but we are back! This spring has been a roller coaster of weather changes making fishing somewhat interesting. That said, here is what has been going on in our area and on the Green Bay system too! With gamefish closed on the Madison Chain (and other inland waters excluding the larger rivers) we have been on the Wisconsin River getting our walleye fix. With the high water we have ha
Small Boat Fall Salmon (Part 1): The Basic Setup to Put Giant Fish in Your Boat Trolling
Typically when people talk about salmon fishing on the great lakes it involves big groups on big charter boats paying an astronomical amount of money to just crank in a fish or two per person. Sure it's fun and all, and yes you get to bring home some tasty fish but where's the fun, where's the satisfaction of catching those fish yourself? You don't need a 30 foot boat with a 16 line spread with 3 downriggers, 300 copper, 150 copper, 5 color, 7 color, 10 color leadcore, and di
Madison, WI Fishing Report 5/30/2018
Overall fishing on the Madison Chain has been outstanding the past few days! Despite the boat traffic and heat there is plenty of solid action from lots of different species. Here's the scoop on what has been working and what it has been working on! Hard to beat a day of chasing big bull gills in the shallows The panfish bite on Lake Monona and Waubesa has been excellent with a mixed bag of everything from bluegills and pumpkinseeds, to crappies and perch. They are hitting ju
Madison, WI Fishing Report 9/30/2017
As proper fall temperatures return to the region, the fall bite here in Madison is about to get underway. With the hopes of cool weather and cooling water in the coming weeks, we can expect some of the best fishing of the year right around the corner. Here are my top producers for the past couple of weeks here on the Madison Chain. Walleyes have been in what seems to be a transitional period between their typical summer behavior and their fall movements. Smaller fish have bee
Simple Slip Bobbers for Summer Walleye
Bobber fishing is probably one of the most simple ways to fish, period. That said on these dog days of summer it can also be a deadly tactic for getting lazy walleyes to eat on the Madison Chain. Slip bobbering deep structure and weeds is one of my favorite ways to keep a bite going when another dies, especially when a trolling or casting bite slows down. Your choice of live bait, a jig head, and a bobber is all it takes. This Lake Mendota walleye couldn't resist half a night
The How, What, Why, and Where of Trolling With Lead Core for Summer Walleye
Trolling with lead core line is a pretty old school tactic that few anglers seem to really know much about. The name itself, "Lead Core" is fairly self explanatory. It is just that, braided line with a lead wire core which results in the line sinking and taking with it whatever lure you put on the end of it. That said lead core is specifically used to get lures that do not dive very deep to run much deeper without adding in line or clip on weights. Makes sense, right? As far
Madison Fishing Report 5-29-2017
With summer finally upon us in the Madison area fishing is in full swing. Here's a quick breakdown of what is going on where, and how to get bit! Walleyes Walleyes have been primarily active towards dusk and after dark on both lakes Mendota and Waubesa (not much going on out on Monona). Trolling shallow running crankbaits over weeds at 2mph in 3 to 11 feet of water has been the best pattern. Stick style baits such as Rapala Husky Jerks (size 10-12) and Storm Thundersticks hav
Trolling for Pre-Spawn Crappies: a Southern Technique for Northern Fish
Here in the Midwest we tend to associate trolling with game fish like walleye and muskies; seldom do we ever consider panfish. Sure, every once in a while you may hook a White Bass or Crappie with eyes seemingly bigger than its stomach, but that's about the extent of your contact with panfish. Well, what if you downsized your tackle to specifically target those panfish? Would it work? Madison Angling Experience Guide Dustin Murphy with a spring Crappie Trolling for Crappies i
Rapala Shadow Rap Review
The Shadow Rap by Rapala has been the hot new bait in the Jerkbait genera of the lure world this year. With all this hype we had to get our hands on a few to check them out, and they did not disappoint. From the awesome color schemes to the bright flash and subtle action, the Shadow Rap deserves a spot in any angler's arsenal. Shadow Rap Shad shown in "Moss Back Shiner" The Shadow Rap is available in 4 models: Shadow Rap Shad, Shadow Rap, Shadow Rap Shad Deep, and Shadow Rap
The Quick and Dirty on Chasing Suspended Summer Walleye With Harnesses
Summer in Madison means a lot of things to different people. To me, summer means chasing suspended walleyes with my favorite technique. For those who have never trolled crawler harnesses with planer boards, the technique may seem somewhat intimidating. With a little know how and the right tools, it can be a fun and very productive way to put the hurt on summer walleyes. They key to being successful with trolling suspended fish is to understand where these fish congregate and
