Fishing Report For Petenwell Lake, WI

Current Report: Good

Walleye migrate along the winding river channel that criss crosses the lake, from one end to the other. Off the edges of the channel are flats, some with humps, that walleye slow cruise in search of food. They may vary the depth of flats from day to day, but they primarily feed close to the bottom.

FALL. Fall brought cooler temperatures to shallow water, drawing walleye and baitfish back toward deeper haunts. Walleye continue to be a major draw for anglers. Archer Park, Big Bay, Barnum Bay and the mouth of Chester Creek hold good schools of baitfish, which draw in walleye. Locals report catching nice walleye on long points, flats along the river and creek channels, and structure off shore. Jigs, swimbaits, spoons, crankbaits, jerkbaits, and spinnerbaits are all historically good for catching walleye this time of year. Early and late in the day finds them in 12 to 15 feet of water, mid day they hold 20 to 30 feet deep. Later in Fall, they move out slightly deeper. Dragging jigs, bottom bouncers, or worm harnesses with nightcrawlers or leeches, around ledge drop-offs is catching walleye fairly consistently. Watch for the bigger walleye to be slightly deeper than the majority of the school.

WINTER. In winter, ice fishing is good along ledges next to major river bends. This Winter, fishing for walleye has been pretty good through the ice, as it has been for the last few years. Before, during and after the ice, anglers report catching them in the main basin area, in 15 to 30 feet of water, along deep creek channel edges, rocky humps and ledges. Steep drops in the area toward the dam are also producing during these cold months. They primarily feed on small fish, staying close to the bottom. After ice-out blade baits, jigs, swimbaits, spoons, deep-diving crankbaits, and worm harness spinners, all work while deep trolling or drifting.

SPRING. Early Spring brings warming water in the shallows, and draws walleye here to feed, especially rocky areas and inlet channels. In Spring work points, drop offs, submerged structure, rock ledges, flats and flats adjacent to deeper water. Here, in 4 to 12 feet deep, they will spawn once the water warms to the mid to high 40's. When they move shallow, bright colored jigs, tipped with minnows or nightcrawlers typically catch them. Spinnerbaits, jerkbaits and crankbaits are also working when walleye are up shallow. Afterwards, they move to 10 to 18 feet deep around points, flats, shoals and ledges, nearby shore, often staying in close proximity to their spawning locations. Main lake drop offs are producing nice fish.

SUMMER. Water temperatures rise in Summer, and walleye fishing is good if you can get your bait deep enough. Early in Summer, walleye tend to concentrate in 15 to 20 feet of water. Throughout Summer, early in the morning, and from dusk to long after dark are good times to catch them. At those times they move slightly shallower to feed in low-light conditions. Night fishing is often good in Summer, as well. The rest of the time they are cruising flats and creek channel edges, 15 to 30 feet deep , preferring the cooler temperatures. When the bite is slow, grubs and nightcrawlers, fished just off the bottom typically catch walleye.

Current Report: Good

Virtually all the docks on Petenwell Lake provide ideal conditions for holding crappie, especially the ones with brush piles placed around them. Crappie fishing has been good for some time now, with plenty of crappie over 12 to 15 inches being caught pretty consistently.

FALL. Baitfish, which are moving out from shallow flats, coves and bays, are drawing crappie into deeper water. Offshore brush piles, feeder-creek mouths and flats in Big Bay, and channel edges in the southern basin, hold sizeable schools of crappie. They are feeding heavily in preparation for the cold Winter, in 8 to 20 feet of water. Minnows, hair jigs, and crappie jigs, are good options during this feeding marathon. Late fall starts the migration deeper, toward winter holding areas, for both crappie and baitfish. Small flutter spoons, fished in 15 to 22 feet of water, are a good option during this transition. Good results are coming around points, creek channels, and brush piles.

WINTER. Once the shallows start cooling rapidly, crappie will migrate to deeper holding areas, mostly off shore. At this time they are typically caught using a very slow presentation, in 12 to 25 feet of water. Most are caught around deep brush piles, deep timber, creek channel bends, submerged timber, and main-lake structure. If they are suspending in open water, they often relate to some cover, or structure change, directly below them. During warming trends, especially warm afternoons, they are drawn into 8 to 15 feet of water to feed.

SPRING. In early Spring, crappie begin staging in 6 to 12 feet of water, just outside spawning bays and shallow flats. Spring is prime time to be on the water, as both black crappie and white crappie have moved shallow to spawn. At that time, they are typically caught in 2 to 8 feet of water. Vegetation, docks, brush and wood are where most anglers catch crappie using small crappie jigs or live minnows. After the spawn, crappie typically move outside the spawning area and hold on cover close by, in 10 to 12 feet of water. Once they move deep, anglers report success using fish finders and forward facing sonar to locate schools of crappie, which tend to stack vertically around cover. Light tackle, with 4 lb to 8 lb line, is a popular choice.

SUMMER. Water temperatures get quite warm, and crappie fishing is usually pretty good. They feed in 8 to 15 feet of water early and late in the day, until the hot Summer sun causes them to retreat to depths of 10 to 22 feet. Also, a few have embedded in the shade of slightly shallower vegetation. This is a good time to focus around brush piles, standing timber, deep lay downs, bridge pilings and deeper docks. Anglers are also locating schools of crappie hanging over deep structure and around creek channel edges, using fish-finder electronics.

Current Report: Fair

White bass hang out on flats, ledges and humps just off the winding river channel that criss crosses the lake.

FALL. Now late Fall finds white bass following baitfish that moving back out of shallow coves and bays, into 15 to 25 feet of water. Small spinnerbaits, crankbaits, spoons and underspins are catching good numbers of whites. Later, once the shallows cool considerably from chilly Fall temperatures, schools of white bass, along with baitfish, move deeper. They are relating to most any structure, which includes drops, humps, and creek channels.

WINTER. Winter for white bass is a continuation of Fall patterns, except slightly deeper, around 12 to 30 feet. They are being caught on the same lures, but most are caught using a slower retrieve. They often concentrate in the main lake basin, around drop offs, points and humps. Good reports come from anglers fishing around deeper humps and drop-offs along the river channel edges.

SPRING. The Spring run, when white bass move into the river sections of the lake, inflowing creeks, or along windy points where they stay for several weeks. to spawn. This makes it easier to locate schools in 2 to 6 feet of water. Live minnows on a bobber, small swimbaits and small crankbaits all are working for white bass. White bass start their spawn run once the water temperature reaches the mid 50's. Early Spring is a prime time to fill the livewells with some fat white bass. Spinnerbaits, curly-tail jigs, underspins, small crankbaits, small jerkbaits, and most any lure that resembles baitfish, will catch these feeding whites. Good holding areas this time of year include rip rap, rocky points, tributary mouths, creek channels and river channel intersections. As the water temperatures continues warming, they move out of spawning areas, into slightly deeper water. Look for them following schools baitfish in 8 to 12 feet deep. Also, watch for feeding frenzies when they chase schools of bait to the surface, and the fishing can be spectacular.

SUMMER. Summer finds white bass congregating in the main lake area, following and feeding on baitfish. They tend to stay in 10 to 30 feet of water, moving up and down the water column with the baitfish. They are being caught on slow-rolled spinnerbaits, curly-tail jigs, underspins, spoons, blade baits and small crankbaits, depending on the depth of the baitfish. Middle of the lake channel edges, points and deeper flats hold both bait and white bass in the warmest months.