ICE FISHING REPORT - WEEK ENDING FEBRUARY 8TH

WHITEFISH - THE WHITEFISH FISH REPORTS HAVE BEEN EXCELLENT THE PAST WEEK OR SO. VERY GOOD ACTION FOR THE MOST PART AND LOTS OF NICE WHITEFISH BEING CAUGHT UP TO THIS POINT. THERE ARE MANY AREAS TO CATCH A WHITEFISH, BUT A FEW OF THE MOST POPULAR INCLUDE HENDERSON’S POINT, RILEY'S POINT, THE SHERWOOD POINT AREA; INCLUDING LARSON’S REEF, ALONG WITH THE VAST SHORELINE AND STRUCTURE TO THE NORTH OF STURGEON BAY UP TO EGG HARBOR. SOME FORM OF LEAD HEAD JIGS TIPPED WITH A WIDE VARIETY OF SOFT PLASTICS WORK EXTREMELY WELL FOR THE WHITEFISH. SOME FOLKS WILL RUN A TYPE OF SLIDER HOOK ABOVE THEIR MAIN JIG LIKE A FLY OR PLAIN HOOK TIPPED WITH A WAXY, SPIKE, OR A PLASTIC BAIT LIKE A HOWIE TINY TUBE.

PERCH - THE PERCH FISHING REPORTS CAN BE CLASSED AS FAIR TO GOOD OVERALL DEPENDING ON THE DAY AND THE DAY OF THE WEEK YOU ARE FISHING OF COURSE. THE WEEKENDS CAN BE A BIT CHALLENGING WITH ALL OF THE TRAFFIC, BUT IF YOU CAN FIND A QUIET SECTION OF ICE IT CAN BE GOOD. SOME VERY NICE EATER SIZED FISH GETTING CAUGHT RIGHT NOW ALONG WITH SOME SUPER JUMBOS MIXED IN. A LOT OF FOLKS ARE STARTING TO CATCH AND RELEASE THOSE BIGGER PERCH WHEN THEY CAN AS THEY ARE FINDING OUT THEY DON’T MAKE THE BEST TABLE FAIR, COMPARED TO AN 8 TO 10 INCHER. OBVIOUSLY, OUT IN THAT DEEPER WATER YOU CAN’T DO THAT, BUT WHEN YOU ARE IN SHALLOW ENOUGH THOSE FISH WILL GO BACK JUST FINE IF THAT’S WHAT YOU CHOOSE TO DO. NO MATTER WHERE YOU DECIDE TO GO, WHETHER IT’S ON ONE OF THE SHALLOWER BAYS LIKE LITTLE STURGEON, RILEY'S BAY OR SAWYER HARBOR, YOU REALLY NEED TO STAY RELATIVELY QUIET OR THOSE FISH WILL SPOOK, ESPECIALLY WITH NOT MUCH SNOW ON THE ICE AT THIS TIME. ONE OF THE KEYS IS TO TRY TO STAY AWAY FROM OTHER FISHERMEN THE BEST YOU CAN AND FROM MAJOR TRAVEL ROUTES FOR THE OBVIOUS REASON. FATHEADS, LAKE SHINERS, AND ROSIES UNDER TIP-UPS OR ON JIGS WILL WORK ALONG WITH AN ASSORTMENT OF JIGS TIPPED WITH WAX WORMS, SPIKES OR MINNOW HEADS.

PIKE - WE WOULD SAY THAT THE PIKE FISHING HAS BEEN VERY GOOD OVERALL. SOME VERY NICE NUMBERS OF QUALITY SIZED FISH, ALONG WITH A FEW TROPHY SIZED MIXED IN. SOME AREAS TO TARGET PIKE INCLUDE DOWNTOWN STURGEON BAY AROUND THE MARINAS, POTAWATOMI PARK SHORELINE, THE FLATS, ALONG WITH THE BAYS OF SAWYER, RILEY'S, AND LITTLE STURGEON. MEDIUM AND LARGE GOLDEN SHINERS, SUCKER MINNOWS, ALONG WITH FROZEN SMELT UNDER TIP-UPS AND AUTO FISHERMEN THE TICKET THERE.

WALLEYE - THE WALLEYE FISHING IS STILL GOING OK AS OF LATE, IT’S NORMAL DOOR COUNTY WALLEYE FISHING RIGHT NOW. WE WERE DEFINITELY SPOILED WITH SOME UNBELIEVABLE EARLY ICE ACTION UP TO THIS POINT AND NOW IT HAS TAPERED OFF AND IS BACK TO NORMAL. A FEW AREAS TO TARGET WALLEYES INCLUDE HENDERSON’S POINT AND SOUTH TOWARDS CHAUDOIR’S DOCK, ALONG WITH SOME AREAS IN AND AROUND LITTLE STURGEON, RILEY'S BAY, SAND BAY INCLUDING LARSON'S REEF. RAPALA JIGS, MOONSHINES, ODD BALLS, SHIVER SPOONS, AND BINKS SPOONS TIPPED WITH MINNOWS AND MINNOW HEADS CAN ALL BE EFFECTIVE FOR THE WALLEYES AT TIMES. SUSPENDING MINNOWS ON TIP-UPS ALONG WITH FINIKY FOOLERS HAS ALSO BEEN TAKING SOME FISH UP UNTIL THIS POINT, WHICH IS PRETTY COOL TO SEE.

ONCE AGAIN FOLKS, BEFORE YOU HEAD OUT ON THE ICE STOP IN AT HOWIE'S TACKLE & ARCHERY OR CALL US FOR UP-TO-DATE FISHING INFORMATION ALONG WITH ICE CONDITIONS. WE ALSO WANT EVERYONE TO GET ALONG OUT THERE, SO BE KIND AND CURTIOUS AND GIVE ONE ANOTHER ENOUGH SPACE. THERE IS A LOT OF ICE FOR EVERYONE TO ENJOY AND IT MAKES FISHING THAT MUCH BETTER.