Fishing Articles & Pro Fishing Tips

Over the span of his professional fishing career, Author and Outdoor Educator Joel DeBoer has authored many, many top-notch articles on the "How To's" of becoming a better angler. On this page you will find just a sampling of some of his articles and tips - we hope you enjoy!

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A Closer Look at Lake Wausau
Fishing Articles & Pro Fishing Tips >>

Anglers travel great distances every year in pursuit of trophy fish. For some, the massive lakes of Minnesota are the destination, while others look to the wild and untamed wilderness of Canada. Then there are the anglers who travel to North-Central Wisconsin to fish the world's hardest working river and it's flowages. The Wisconsin River system is truly one of the more under-rated fisheries when talking about trophy musky, walleye, and smallmouth. In addition, there is excellent northern pike, channel catfish, largemouth bass, bluegill, and crappie fishing available.
 
As the mighty Wisconsin flows through our area, it widens behind the Weyerhauser dam to form Lake Wausau. At 1,918 acres, Lake Wausau is far from the largest lake in Wisconsin. Don't let its size fool you - Lake Wausau is a terrific fishery with a diverse variety of finned quarry to pursue. Not only are there a variety of species to fish for, there is an assortment of structure in which to find them.

Bluegills and crappies are both plentiful in Lake Wausau, and can provide action all year long. As the water warms in spring, look for both species to frequent shallower bays or shorelines, especially those containing wood or weeds. Once summer arrives, look for areas of deeper wood or weeds to hold the most fish as will sharp dropping shorelines adjacent to the main river channel.  Ice fishermen do well on Lake Wausau bluegills and crappies by fishing the shallower bays as well.

Anglers looking to catch and release a big smallmouth bass should also give Lake Wausau a look. Numerous stumps and logs will hold chunky smallmouth for most of the open water season. Shorelines containing gravel or rock will hold fish as well, especially once the crayfish begin appearing. Trophy class fish are available with fish up to 23" having been caught and released from our boats in the last year.

The walleye size class has improved dramatically. While there are still numbers of smaller walleyes, fish in the 16"-19" range are now becoming more common. The size limit includes a slot length from 20"-28" and each season finds numbers of fish in this category being caught and released from our Frabill nets. Walleyes up to 31" have been caught and released in Lake Wausau, so the potential for a true trophy does exist.

Lake Wausau also boasts an impressive musky fishery as well. While recent years have seen a significant increase in fishing pressure, there are plenty of high quality fish present. While it can be a tough lake to catch a musky from due to a lower musky density coupled with fishing pressure/recreational traffic, your chances of going home with photos for the bragging board certainly exist. We catch and release multiple 25 to 30 pound plus class fish from Lake Wausau each season and there is no doubt in my mind that fish over the 40 pound mark are present. In addition to big muskies, Lake Wausau is also home to some big northern pike. Each year specimens into the 40" range are caught by ice fishermen and open water anglers alike.
 

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