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FIRST OFF, WE WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR GREAT SPONSORS ON WDOR THAT MAKE THIS FISHING REPORT POSSIBLE. WE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK ALL OF THE LOYAL LISTENERS AND CUSTOMERS OF OUR SHOP. WE GET A LOT OF GREAT FEEDBACK FROM ALL OF YOU AND DO APPRECIATE THAT. IF WE ACTUALLY GET SOME GOOD, SAFE ICE THIS YEAR LANCE WILL GET BACK ON THE RADIO AND ONLINE TO GIVE UPDATES ON A WEEKLY BASIS SO EVERYONE CAN STAY IN THE LOOP. AS FOR THE LAST OPEN WATER REPORT OF THE SEASON, HERE IT IS.
STARTING OFF WITH WHAT’S BITING THE BEST, THE PERCH FISHING. IT HAS BEEN NOTHING LESS THAN STELLAR PRETTY MUCH THIS ENTIRE YEAR AND AS MOST PERCH FISHERMEN KNOW, THE BEST IS YET TO COME. AS OUR WATER COOLS, THESE PERCH WILL PILE INTO THE SHALLOW BAYS AND REALLY PUT ON A FEED BAG. THAT FISHING WILL STAY GOOD RIGHT THROUGH ICE UP. AREAS TO TRY INCLUDE DOWNTOWN STURGEON BAY; IN AND AROUND THE CHANNEL, SAWYER HARBOR, LITTLE STURGEON AND RILEY'S BAY ARE ALSO GO TO SPOTS FOR THE PERCH LATE IN THE FALL. FATHEAD MINNOWS WILL BE THE PRIMARY BAIT WHEN THE WATER COOLS, BUT WORMS AND CRAWLER PIECES ARE STILL WORKING UP UNTIL THIS POINT. ANOTHER FUN WAY TO TARGET THOSE PERCH IS TO CAST FOR THEM WITH AN ASSORTMENT OF PLASTICS. IF YOU HAVEN’T DONE IT YET YOU SHOULD TRY IT, IT’S SUPER FUN.
THE NORTHERN PIKE FISHING IN OUR AREA HAS ALSO BEEN VERY GOOD AND THAT TOO WILL CONTINUE TO GET BETTER AS THE WATER TEMPS DROP. THE STURGEON BAY SHIP CANAL, POTAWATOMI PARK SHORELINE, INCLUDING SAWYER HARBOR, THE STURGEON BAY FLATS, RILEY'S BAY, LITTLE STURGEON AND HENDERSON'S POINT ARE ALL GO-TO SPOTS FOR THOSE PIKE. CASTING AND TROLLING LARGE CRANK BAITS, SPOONS, LARGE PLASTICS AND SPINNER BAITS, AND OF COURSE LIVE BAIT FISHING WITH SUCKER MINNOWS WILL ALWAYS WORK WELL. THE WALLEYE FISHING REPORTS HAVE BEEN QUITE LIMITED DUE TO THE UNPLEASANT WEATHER WE HAVE BEEN HAVING. WHEN FISHERMEN HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET OUT THEY SEE TONS OF THEM, THEY JUST HAVE NOT BEEN SUPER ACTIVE AS OF LATE. WE THINK WITH THE PROJECTED COLD FRONT THAT IS GOING TO MOVE IN, THAT MAY CHANGE THE FISHING A BIT AND IT SHOULD BE FOR THE BETTER.
THE SMALLMOUTH BASS FISHING HAS BEEN A LITTLE HIT OR MISS LATELY. AGAIN, WE THINK ONCE THIS COLD FRONT SETS IN AND THE WATER TEMPS DROP, THOSE FISH WILL BECOME MORE GROUPED UP AND MUCH MORE ACTIVE AS THEY FEED UP FOR WINTER. THERE ARE STILL SOME SALMON SWIMMING AROUND IN THE STURGEON BAY SHIP CANAL ALONG WITH MOST OF THE HARBORS THROUGHOUT THE DOOR COUNTY PENINSULA ALONG WITH THE LAKE MICHIGAN TRIBUTARIES THAT NOW HAVE SOME DECENT FLOW WITH ALL OF THE RAIN THAT WE’VE HAD. SO THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SHORE AND SMALL BOAT FISHERMEN TO GET IN ON THAT ACTION. SOAKING SPAWN SACS, CASTING SPOONS, PLUGS AND PLASTICS WILL ALL WORK FOR THOSE SALMON THAT ON ARE ON THEIR FINAL SWIM.
THANKS AGAIN TO ALL THE LOCAL GUIDES, LOCAL FISHERMEN AND VISITING FISHERMEN THAT SHARE INFORMATION WITH US SO WE CAN PROVIDE THE MOST ACCURATE AND IMFORMATIVE REPORT POSSIBLE.
REMEMBER, BE SAFE, HAVE FUN, KEEP YOUR CUPS HALF FULL AND GOOD LUCK FISHING EVERYBODY!