Fish you might catch while in the Park Falls area.
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Black Crappie ~
Crappies are excellent game fish when taken on light tackle. Extreme care must be taken when landing this fish because their mouth is very tender. Because of their tender mouths they are often referred to as "paper mouths". They are called a panfish like the bluegill; but can grow to lengths up to 18 inches.
Anglers find to be most successful catching crappies whent they keep their bait in constant motion. The best baits are small minnows, small stream flies, small plastic or maribou covered jigs.
Crappies live in weed beds usually in deep water during the day and night. The best time to fish them is in early morning or early evening. The best bait to use in the winter months are small minnows or wax worms.
Walleye ~
The walleye is one of the most sought after, highly prized, game fish in Wisconsin. It is found in many of the clearer watered lakes in the area and in the river systems. They are primarily minnow feeders, but leeches, nightcrawlers and various small plugs are also excellent bait.
Walleye usually stay in deeper water during the day, moving into the shallows towards evening on lakes. During the evening and night hours are the best time to fish them; although in more turbulent waters , such as the river systems, they can be caught during the day.
They grow up to lengths of 37 inches and weighing up to 25 pounds. The most common catches are in the 14 - 17 inch range with a weight around two to three pounds.
Muskie or Muskellunge ~
The musky is a premier fish in Wisconsin. It is well known for it's ferocious demeanor. When you have a musky on the end of your line you're in for a battle! It can reach a length up to five feet long and weigh up to almost 70 pounds. Wisconsin has produced more record-sized muskellunge than any other region.
The musky is a solitary fish that lurks in weed beds and other protective cover. Anglers usually have best results fishing them in the day light. The best tackle for them is large plugs, spoons and bucktails. The best live bait is the white sucker 10 to 15 inches long.
The rock bass is a very distinguishable fish by it's red eye and black dots across it's body. It eats almost anything, feeding on crayfish, minnows and insects. They grow to lengths up to 12 inches and weigh up to 2 pounds.
They may be caught in a variety of locations by anyone using any kind of bait. Worms, nightcrawlers , minnows and poppers seem to work well. They have even been known to bite on a big musky plug.
Largemouth Bass ~
This bass can weigh up to 11 pounds and a length up to 24 inches; but the most common catches are in the 12 - 14 inch range. The largemouth inhabits weedy areas; usually where you can find blue gills. It likes warmer water and warm weather. Few largemouth bass are caught in the winter months.
The largemouth bass is one of Wisconsin's more common game fish. It, like it's cousin the rock bass, will eat almost anything. They can be caught on minnows, worms, nightcrawlers, or any other live bait. Poppers, soft body plastics, spinner baits, plugs and trout flies when presented also are good for catching largemouth bass.
Smallmouth Bass ~
Pound for pound the smallmouth bass is the scrappiest fish of all in Wisconsin waters. It resembles the largemouth bass, but the corner of it's mouth does not extend past the eye. The red eye, like it's cousin the rock bass, is also another characteristic of the smallmouth.
The average smallie weighs between one and two pounds and will measure around 12 inches. It can be found in rocky streams, river systems and in lake environments.
Natural bait like crayfish, nightcrawlers and waxies are very effective during the day time hours. Light tackle is ideal and probably the best artificial baits are those used on the surface. Fish quietly, casting towards rocks and logs and the edges of weed beds. Keep your rod tip up and your line tight.
Bluegill ~
This little fish is a great fighter on light tackle. It is highly respected as a food fish. It's length sometimes reaches up to 10 to 12 inches and weighing in up to 2 pounds. The bluegills habitat is weedy areas of the river systems and lakes.
The bluegill has a small mouth that sucks insects in from the water surface with a resounding "smack". Plain garden worms are a favorite bait for bluegills. They can also be caught on a number of different types of lures. Fly fishing for them with poppers is especially fun in spring and early summer when they are nesting in the shallow waters.
Most large bluegills are taken in deeper waters during the summer months by drifting with the wind using worms or half a nightcrawler. Winter time jigging in the weed beds with waxies or grubs or small artificial lures also produce excellent results.
Catfish ~
The catfish is a resident of the river systems in Wisconsin and lakes associated with the rivers.
The catfish anglers like to use bait for them that smells pungent; as the catfish has a strong sense of smell that they associate with eating. Favorite bait for the catfish are dead or alive minnows, chicken livers, cheese or blood dough baits mixtures presented on a treble or sponge type hook. They can be found in deep pools during the day and on muddy shoals at night. Always fish the bottom for them; as they are bottom feeders.
Northern Pike ~
The northern pike is the second largest of Wisconsin's predator fish. One of the most consistent marks for identification of this species is the pattern of it's markings: a dark background marked by light-colored horizontal bars. With it's tooth-lined mouth, this predator spends it's life lurking the weed beds hunting for unsuspecting prey.
It is most common in lakes with marshy shorelines or incoming marshy streams. Northern Pike attain lengths up to 50 inches; the Wisconsin record is 38 pounds.
The pike is very accommodating to fishermen, biting during the daylight hours. Being a predator, the northern pike prefers live fish baits and wobbling spoon lures. They are a prized fish for the winter tip-up fishing through the ice.
Pumpkinseed ~
The common sunfish, or pumpkinseed, inhabits most of Wisconsin lakes and warmer water rivers and streams. It is a small fish seldom exceeding six to eight inches. This little fish is very beautifully colored, perhaps no other species of freshwater fish presents a more variety of color and marking than the pumpkinseed.
It is distinguished by the bright orange spot on the gill cover and sometimes, bright blue stripes on the cheek. Like the bluegill the common sunfish may provide considerable sport for the angler with a fly rod and a variety of flies and small poppers. It also is a very fun fish to catch on ultra-light rod and tackle.
In the early part of ice fishing, like the bluegill, the pumpkinseed are taken using a variety of small lures and grubs. After about the first month of ice cover, sunfish seem to hibernate and are seldom taken until open water returns.
Perch ~
Perch are found everywhere in the state and are very popular. The perch eats almost anything, but prefers minnows, insect larvae, plankton and worms. They are tops for eating! Larger members of the species reach a length of over 14 inches.
The perch is primarily a bottom feeder and has a slow, deliberate bite. Tackle may range from an ultralight to medium rod and reel to a whippy jigging rod in the winter. Perch prefer cooler temperatures so the best fishing is in deeper waters.
Perch move about in schools, often numbering in the hundreds. If one spot is unproductive after a few tries, it's best to move to other spots until a school is located.
Rainbow Trout ~
The rainbow trouts' origin is the western coast of the United States. It was introduced to Wisconsin from the Rocky Mountain regions. Naturally reproducing populations have become established in a few of our spring-fed streams. Migratory runs exist in Lake Superior and Lake Michigan; these fish are referred to as "steelhead". Elsewhere in the state they are stocked in both streams and lakes.
Rainbow's feed primarily on plankton and insects; but they can be caught on a variety of baits. Stream anglers catch them on worms, flies and minnows and small spinner type baits. In lakes, nightcrawlers, worms and minnows work well; even whole kernel corn has been known to entice the rainbow to bite.
In streams they seem to prefer more turbulent waters, hiding out between the rocks. When caught on light tackle they put up a good fight.
Brook Trout ~
This brightly colored fish is Wisconsin's only native stream trout. Brook trout, or speckled trout or brookie; as they are commonly referred to, feed on primarily on stream insect larvae and emerging adults. Many anglers advocate fly fishing, but the trout will readily take baits such as worms, minnows or spinners.
This trout usually lies poised at the head of a pool or logs waiting for insects or bait to drift overhead. When approaching a stream you should do so cautiously as brookies are easily spooked.
Trout anglers do best during or after a light rain when pursuing this trout. Most brook trout average around nine to ten inches in length. The flesh is usually a pink color and is very delicious.
Brown Trout ~
The brown trouts origin is from Europe. They adapt to streams with a higher water temperature than our native brook trout. They are extremely wary and are found under overhanging banks along rocky ledges and in deep pools.
Brown trout feed on a wide variety of insects, worms and other fishes. Early season, worms, spinners and wet flies prove effective in taking brown trout. As the season progresses, dry flies, grasshoppers and minnows prove effective.
A few tips:
* The small fish you release alive today can survive to be your trophy tomorrow!
* Don't play a fish to exhaustion. Bring the fish in quickly and use a landing net.
* Handle fish with wet hands, grasping it across the back and head. Usually when a fish is turned on it's back it will quit struggling making hook removal easier.
* Don't remove swallowed hooks; just cut the line. The swallowed hook will not kill the fish. Over a short period of time acids from the fishes stomach will dissolve the hook.
* Don't keep a fish out of the water for more than 10 - 15 seconds.
* When placing a fish back into the water, face it upstream so water flows in its mouth and across the gills to help revive it. In lakes, gently move the fish back and forth to move water through it's gills for revival.
DID YOU KNOW ~
Wisconsin has 15,081 inland lakes.
That's over one million acres of water inside the states borders!
There are 2,700 trout streams.
Put end to end the trout streams would stretch out to 10,870 miles. Put those together with another 5,002 warm waterstreams they would extend to 17,532 miles.
Wisconsin has 860 miles of shoreline, including islands, along Lake Superior and Lake Michigan, and 238 miles of the Mississippi River.
That's a LOT of water to go fishing in !!
Fishing in Wisconsin is good year-round with different species biting during all periods of the year, in all parts of the state.
Wisconsin has 15,081 inland lakes.
That's over one million acres of water inside the states borders!
There are 2,700 trout streams.
Put end to end the trout streams would stretch out to 10,870 miles. Put those together with another 5,002 warm waterstreams they would extend to 17,532 miles.
Wisconsin has 860 miles of shoreline, including islands, along Lake Superior and Lake Michigan, and 238 miles of the Mississippi River.
That's a LOT of water to go fishing in !!
Fishing in Wisconsin is good year-round with different species biting during all periods of the year, in all parts of the state.
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