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Member
Posts: 514
Location: Darboy USA | Fellow Fisherman,
I thought I'd start a new thread to discuss the current bite, or lack thereof on the Bago system this year. Just curious what everyone thinks is going on and why the bite has been so hit or miss. I'd had a couple good days on Winneconne and Bago, but nowhere near what it was last year at this time. Even the down run on the river seems to have been spotty, some rafts only catching 3-5 fish all spring!
So let's hear the theories and ideas as to what is going on. Certainly there can't be a shortage of fish, but the amount of bait in the system is probably part of it. Thanks for your contributions.
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| RNT thinks its because of VHS
Others blame the ice caps melting
Me thinks its just the weather and any day now there will be reports that the big bite is on. |
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Member
Posts: 132
| I haven't started to fish yet. Just kidding! The lake system is full of food and the cooler water temps keep the fish lethargic.
Larry |
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Member
Posts: 921
Location: Manitowoc, WI | If you cleaned any walleye from the system recently, you would have noticed they are loaded with fat. This probably means that the forage base over the winter along with the current forage base is striving and these fish are gorging themselves with the free meals. Think of a person eating a 5 pound steak and then dangle a dorito in front of him while he is sitting there with his belt undone moaning saying he is so full. Unless his name is Rich S, I doubt he has room for even a single dorito. This is just my opinion on the forage and why the bite isn't so great. |
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Member
Posts: 141
Location: Oshkosh, WI | I'd eat the dorito. My presentations are more like day old bread - just fine if you are hungry but not something you would cross the street for or overstuff yourself on. Fat fish that are feeling neutral because of the weather aren't going out of their way to dine on my menu. |
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Posts: 2300
Location: Berlin | Horshak - 5/18/2010 7:24 PM
If you cleaned any walleye from the system recently, you would have noticed they are loaded with fat. This probably means that the forage base over the winter along with the current forage base is striving and these fish are gorging themselves with the free meals. Think of a person eating a 5 pound steak and then dangle a dorito in front of him while he is sitting there with his belt undone moaning saying he is so full. Unless his name is Rich S, I doubt he has room for even a single dorito. This is just my opinion on the forage and why the bite isn't so great.
lol, it is true. I could probably still eat the whole bag. I disgust myself.
As for the fish, cool temps, unstable weather and tons of feed are the biggest factors. Get ready though because the feed bag is turning on. Terry's tournament is Saturday and I bet it takes close to 25lbs to win with 5 fish. |
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Member
Posts: 1314
Location: Menasha, WI | The warm weather turned the sheephead on but not the eyes. Covered a LOT of water today and couldn't find the elusive walter. Smooth as glass and crystal clear. Water temp is 12 degrees warmer than Sunday at 67. |
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| No doubt tough spring maybe it could blow and turn the water up some more.......ridiculous!!!!! Everyweekend the wind is howling!!! |
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Member
Posts: 744
| Mud. Rattle-tots. 3.3 mph
You have no more excuses. |
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Member
Posts: 32
Location: Darboy, wi | The other day I cleaned a couple and their fat supply was getting pretty low and there was nothing for bait fish in their stomachs, So I am predicting the warm weather will put more stress on them and they will use up the fat reserve they have left and the feed bag will be on shortly. They will have to compete with them monster sheep head and hungry white bass out there. What's up with the giant sheep head? Are they taking growth hormones? |
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| Another day, another 50+ sheephead and not an eye to be found.
Signed,
Frustrated on the north end. |
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Posts: 2300
Location: Berlin | Viking, we will see how tomorrow goes in the tournament. We have found fish but only in a few areas. When you do find them they are feeding heavily. There are some real giants mixed in as well. Keep plugging away, you are way to good of a fisherman to continue with this bad luck! |
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| Thanks for the encouraging words Rich. A big part of my failure is my refusal to trailer -- I live a block away from a landing here on Doty Island and continue to fish within range from my home landing hoping the fish will show up. I'll try some different water next week and see what happens. |
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Member
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| Maybe now that all the wolves ate all the deer, they have changed their diets and are eating all the walleye! LOL. I too believe the tremendous baitfish population of 2009 has made it tougher. But I know they are out there and biting somewhere. It is a huge and diverse system and there are always hungry fish to be found. Sometimes a different approache or spot(s), When you connect, it makes it that much more rewarding. If you can't buy a walleye on Bago, try Petenwell, or ?????? If your doing the same thing over and over and not getting results, or fishing spots that you fished years ago, but there are no fish there, then your fishing memories and not fish. The weather has contributed to a harder bite too. Two weeks ago, the northern part of the state had 2" of snow, now they are talking close to 90 degrees. One day it is blowing 40 out of the south with rain and the next day it is 25 out of the north. Water temps haven been up and down by 5-8 degrees fairly constantly. It makes it hard and I know your not the only one stuggling to find a consistent bite. I was on Poygan Friday and Sat for 2 hours each day ...... dirty water, lots of debris, weeds, etc, in parts of Winneconne. 5 sheep and 2 whiteys along with about a BILLION gnats. UGLY! |
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Posts: 2300
Location: Berlin | Managed three fish for 9.6lbs in Terry's before we pulled out the rattle tots and hit the mud. We must be missing something because we never had a bite. We tried 3.3mph up to 4mph...nothing. Any help would be appreciated. |
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| It's because of VHS...LOL
I have been getting some in the channel between Menasha dam and the first south point of the lake. They have been biting on crappie spinners with a stinger hook baited with a small chunk of shrimp.
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Member
Posts: 744
| Rich S - 5/23/2010 7:50 PM
Managed three fish for 9.6lbs in Terry's before we pulled out the rattle tots and hit the mud. We must be missing something because we never had a bite. We tried 3.3mph up to 4mph...nothing. Any help would be appreciated.
If you don't have the stones to run the program all day, don't expect it to save your butt in the last few hours. |
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| rich,
Are you pulling sluggos on trebles behind a bobber in the mud again...I thought you gave that up?
Good Luck
Tyee |
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Bago Spring Fishing--Why has it sucked?!?