Wisconsin Tourism – Take The Steelhead Fishing Challenge
February 26th, 2009 | Fly Fishing News | No Comments »
Take the Wisconsin Attractions – Fishing Challenge: One of the Wisconsin tourism bragging points is the fact that they have Lake Michigan and it’s tributaries that flow from it bringing the sport fish from the cold depths of the lake to the warmer areas of the inlets inland. Here you can try your hand at catching the “rainbow trout” that has been developing to huge sizes in the depths of Lake Michigan. It isn’t easy; it is more similar to hunting and fishing combined than simply stream fishing in a wooded area in the midwest.
One of the more thrilling is Steelhead fishing in Northern Wisconsin tourism . The steelheads are known to be shy when they arrive into the shallow waters to breed. They are used to the depth and darkness of the big lake but it is required to journey into the tributaries to spawn. Sports fish are difficult to catch because of their being leery. You will need to be confident to move quietly and slowly and with focus to have them take the bait.
Only 2 of the strains are found in the Ganaraska and the Chambers Creek River. These two have later winter/early spring runs that typically arrive between approximately February and -April. At times the spawns are later depending on when it begins to warm up. At the earliest temperature increase the fish will soon arrive.
Many get their hook as close to the bottom of the river as possible. Some use a bobber to hold the hook just off the bottom and move it to the face of the Steelhead (if visible or by luck if you can’t). As the steelhead bites the hook be prepared to run with it for a while since it will take off. The steelhead is heavier than you might have thought it should be and if you aren’t experienced it will take your line, snap it and be gone. A 18 pound steelhead can snap a ten lb. line pretty quickly unless you are ready to run with it until you can get enough drag on the reel to wear it out.
Wisconsin has many Lake Michigan river streams that support fine steelhead runs. The most experienced rivers for sports fishing around Lake Michigan include the Kewaunee, Root, Oconto, Manitowoc, Menominee, Milwaukee, East Twin, Peshtigo, Ahnapee, and West Twin rivers. Smaller steelhead rivers include the Pigeon, Little, Pike, Menomonee, and Kinnickinnic rivers; Stony, Oak, Heins, Sauk, Whitefish Bay, Fischer, Silver, and Reibolts creeks.
So get your fly rod, hop in the car and come to Wisconsin for all of the best Wisconsin Dells experiences. The steelheads are waiting, the families are friendly and the country is beautiful.