Warming trend in forecast; archery hunters taking bucks
Outdoors Report
IRON MOUNTAIN — Musky anglers are enjoying some success and archery deer action has picked up as a cold snap has yet to loosen its grip on the region.
There’s a chance of rain or snow through Sunday, but high temperatures should climb into the 50s starting Tuesday.
At Whisler Outdoors in Florence, Wis., Fay Whisler has received reports of a couple of eight-pointers taken by archery hunters.
“Musky fishermen are catching a few,” she added. “Forty inches was the biggest.”
As of Tuesday, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources reported 112 bucks harvested by archery and crossbow hunters in Florence County since the Sept. 15 opener. The total for the northern zone of Marinette County was 221 bucks. Only a few dozen antlerless deer have been taken.
Michigan outdoors enthusiasts are reminded that the Department of Natural Resources has temporarily closed Cassidy Creek Road, about 5 miles northeast of Norway.
Beavers plugged a culvert along the road, resulting in the road damage, which is expected to be repaired by the middle of next week. There are no reroutes available around the area.
The Wisconsin DNR said Lake Michigan whitefish have moved in near Hattie Street in Marinette, Wis., with anglers reporting two to four fish per outing. Jigs with nightcrawlers were producing best with the occasional walleye being caught on this presentation also. Anglers reported having fast action for a short period of time and then going hours without a bite.
The Michigan DNR reported this Upper Peninsula activity:
Keweenaw Bay: Mixed weather brought in mixed bags of fish, as those who got out were rewarded. No limits, but they did catch lake trout, steelhead, splake, coho and the occasional Chinook. A couple boats jigging for lake trout found fish on the bottom.
Marquette: Has seen a major cold front bringing snow to the area over the last few days, including some areas receiving over a foot of snow. Access points were ice- and snow-covered, but a few boats were still out and caught a couple lake trout at the end of the Lower Harbor breakwall and trolling to the green can. Those out for Menominee reported spotty catch rates. Pier anglers are targeting lake trout that are closer to shore for spawning. While some are getting no fish and others managed to get their limit, they are putting in a lot of time to do so. This is the time of year that many anglers continue to fish the breakwalls as well as the Carp and Chocolay rivers as they target lake trout through deer season. Some also fish late into November, targeting Menominee.
Little Bay de Noc: Angler participation has been low for several weeks. Most walleye anglers were targeting the reefs near Kipling when trolling a crawler harness or stick baits. Fish were found in and around 20 feet or deeper up to 35 feet. The “Black Bottom” was also producing fish when jigging crawlers or minnows along the weed beds by the east bank.
Manistique River: The Chinook run should be just about done. Any remaining fish were quite dark and in rough shape. The steelhead are there, and anglers have reported an increase in catches. Most are casting beads or flies near the rapids. The area closest to the dam is closed and posted “no trespassing” so most anglers have only gone as far up as the ORV bridge. Walleye catches tapered off a little, but fish were still being caught when casting crawlers and drifting the current.
Munising: The weather turned the past few days and was much colder, with highs in the 30s and snowfall. A few anglers fishing off the Anna River dock had no luck.