Skip to Content
Local Updates

Fishing Report

Month: May 2018

May 31, 2018

The hot weather definitely slowed down the fisherman so I haven’t been hearing as much as usual.  It has also affected the bluegills, with the warm water they have moved off of the shallower beds and are hanging in 2-3 feet of water.  I have not heard of any spawned out females yet, and the gills that I have gotten are not even leaking eggs yet.  Your guess is as good as mine as to when they are actually going to start spawning.  If you like to popper fish for gills they are hitting them.  Topwater has turned on for bass and northern as well, they seem to be in their summer cycle so weed beds or any sort of cover you will find them.  I talked to some guys who have been doing well on crappies off of the main channel in the sloughs.  If you don’t know your way around out there be careful, you can get into trouble real quick in those waters.  I added a power anchor and a remote on the trolling motor for my 30 HP rental, it is really nice to fish out of.  Give me a call if you would like to rent it!

May 24, 2018

The Bluegills are getting into full swing, however the cooler days have moved them off of the beds several times.  With 90 degree temps coming up this weekend they should be very active.  Guys are still bringing in crappies that are really dark which means they are still in spawning mode.  Unfortunately they are not being caught in their normal areas, most of the ones being caught are by guys who accidentally stumble on them.  Northerns continue their hot streak,  I got in on the action Sunday night and caught a bunch in 2 hours with the biggest being 34″.  I have seen multiple pictures of 40″ plus in the last week.  The perch are getting into the weed beds as they thicken up and are getting harder to catch.  The mosquito bite is also exceptional so bring along plenty of bug spray!

May 17, 2018

It looks like the weather is going to steady out for a bit which is good news for fishing on the lake.  If you have ever wanted to catch a northern, or if you are looking for a 40″ Lake Onalaska is where you want to be.  They are going absolutely crazy.  That being said whether or not you are fishing for them most likely you will be catching some.  The male bluegills are shallow and the females should be spawning in the next few days.  Guys are catching very nice gills with minimal sorting.  The crappies are beyond confusing this year, I saw some that were caught that were still in spawning mode.  I was thinking that they were all done spawning but it shows you what I know.  Besides that the bass are biting well, and guys are still catching nice perch.  Stop in the shop and see what I have to offer!

May 11, 2018

Its really hard to give a report that is accurate right now as conditions are changing so quickly.  We were warm and now we have a few days in the 50’s.  Last weekend the water was a good 30 feet up the landing, and now we are only a few inches away from normal levels on the lake.  You really need to stay flexible and be ready for the fish to be in a different area then the last time you were out.  Earlier in the week the bluegills were moving up into the shallows, but now that the temp has dropped they moved deeper again.  I expect the gill bite to be excellent over the next week with the warm temperatures returning and the start of the spawn for them.  The crappies are a mystery this spring with the bite being sporadic and slow.  As far as I can tell they have not spawned yet, they should be going anytime now.  The bass and northern bite has been really good this week, with the pike especially being very active.  Stop in for the latest report!

May 7, 2018

Fishing is really starting to pick up with the water warming quickly due to multiple days above 80 degrees.  The bass and the northern pike are very aggressive and this is the time of the year to be throwing spoons and mepps spinners.  Finally the bluegills are starting to bite, and guys are catching good sized ones in numbers.  The perch have finished spawning and the schools are starting to loosen up, if you can find where they are feeding its a lot of fun.  The crappie bite has been frustrating so far with some days being decent and other days they just shut down.  As far as I can tell they have not spawned yet, they should go anytime now.  Water clarity is excellent for being at flood stage and it should remain that way as the river continues to draw down.  Good luck, and stop in at the shop to get the latest report!

May 3, 2018

We got the warm temps that everyone was looking for, and high water with it!  Thankfully the water clarity has stayed good throughout the rise in the river, and guys are still catching fish.  Very few boats going out, but the ones that do most are getting on some crappies.  I know that the bass clubs have been doing pretty well on their outings on the lake this week as well.  If you decide to go out in the next week or two you will need rubber boots or something along that line to launch here at the landing.  It looks like we will be above flood stage until at least Tuesday, hopefully it clears out quickly.  The magic line for the lake is 10′.  If we can get below that the lake returns close to normal.  I am finishing up on a remodel of the shop, stop in and see the changes!

Back to top