3-31-2012 Sat

3-31-2012 Sat
2:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Weather: SE 8, overcast, 39 ˚, 29.90 falling
Water: 923.4’ steady, 47 ˚, clear
Location: Wisconsin River below the Nekoosa Dam
Caught: Two fourteen inch channel cats
Partners: Myself, Jay and Jay’s friend Brian

Comments

It was miserably cold! Jay and I had made the trip over to Nekoosa not to fish the famous walleye run, but to fish the amazing cat fish bite that takes place over here about the same time as the white bass are running. Jay’s friend Brian was the guide on the water today. Brian has dialed in the cats over here, but on account of the cold streak we have been having the last couple of days he was not very confident. The water temperature had plummeted ten degrees in just a couple of days and the whites were not running.
The first thing I noticed when we saw the river below the dam was the number of fishermen in boats and on the shoreline. It was incredible! Surely something must be biting I hopefully thought to myself.
Well not much was biting, we saw a couple of walleyes and catfish caught and we caught two ourselves and that was it. It was crazily cold and slow. We fished an amazingly long, cold four hours with not much to show for our efforts. When we did leave we pretty much had the river to ourselves with the other fishermen more than likely heading home or to the tavern.
One thing I was very impressed with was the landing. It had six ramps, two docks, portable toilets a hose to wash your rig off with and ample parking. It came with a five dollar fee, but with such a nice set up it is worth the price.

Observations:

The season does not look quite so advanced over here; I think it is on account of the nights generally being a little cooler in this sand country.