Petenwell Lake
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Petenwell Lake Fishing Reports
Stay up to date with the latest fishing reports from Petenwell Lake. Reports are submitted by local anglers, fishing guides, and our team of fishing experts.
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- Species
WalleyeTechniqueSoft Body Swimbaits (Small/Medium)SeasonSpring (Spawn)StructureRip RapHigh water levels and cooling water temps led to slow fishing conditions. Slowly working smaller swimbaits in about 5 ft of water around rocky shorelines proved to be most productive. Peak bite occurred just before dark.
- SpeciesWalleyeTechniqueSoft Body Swimbaits (Small/Medium)SeasonSpring (Post-Spawn)StructureLedges
The water was around 55 degrees and the walleye's were staged just off the deep parts of ledges that are next to shallow flats where they spawn. Dragging a small 3" soft tail swimbait on a 1/4oz head did the trick. I made long casts and waited for the bait to hit the bottom. Then I would reel slowly to keep the bait low with added pauses to make sure I was keeping contact with the bottom.
- SpeciesWalleyeTechniqueVertical Jigging Mid Depth (10-19')SeasonSummerStructureRiver Channels
I like to focus my time on the steepest drop offs along the sides of the main river channel. Anywhere there is a bend tends to be a great places to start. Bright colored jigs with a leech tend to work best for me. I let the jig fall all the way to the floor then reel up so my bait is hovering anywhere from 6 to 10 inches off the bottom.
- Species
Northern PikeTechniqueSoft Body Swimbaits (Small/Medium)SeasonSpring (Pre-Spawn)StructureDamSlow rolling the smaller swimmer along current seams was key for nice pike. Weighting the swimmer with 1/4 oz of more was also important to keep the bait down in the water column. Less current the better or even retrieve the bait with the current rather than against it. Take a kid fishing!
SpeciesNorthern PikeTechniqueLive Bait RigsSeasonSpring (Spawn)StructureHumpsOrange whistler jigs with minnows
- SpeciesWalleyeTechniqueLive Bait RigsSeasonSpring (Pre-Spawn)StructureRiver Channels
Caught a few walleye on jigs with live minnows. Walleye still pretty passive. Fishing the Wisconsin River above Petenwell. Launche the boat from Nekoosa.
SpeciesWalleyeTechniqueSoft Body Swimbaits (Small/Medium)SeasonSpring (Post-Spawn)StructureRiver ChannelsFound a really good post-spawn evening walleye bite casting small swimbaits in about 5ft of water near rocky drop-offs and river current edges. Water temps warmed significantly to mid-50's following the recent summer-like temps. Fish were aggressive for a short period of time just before dark. Best action was near areas with noticeable rough fish surfacing activity. Long casts, slow and steady retrieves were key. A couple feisty smallies mixed in as well.
- SpeciesWalleyeTechniqueSoft Body Swimbaits (Small/Medium)SeasonSpring (Post-Spawn)StructureRip Rap
Rapidly warming water temps had the walleyes in more of a summer pattern, biting primarily at dusk or later. The versatile swimbait caught various sizes of walleyes plus sturgeon and white bass. Great time of the season to take a kid fishing and watch their surprise not knowing what is attached to the end of their line. Shallow rock structure near drop-off edges was key as fish of all species cruised through the area. A little more aggressive retrieve with some pull-pauses worked in seemed to trigger strikes.
