Fishing_Content Page_Lake Michigan Outdoor Fishing Report

Lake Michigan Outdoor Fishing Report - Jan. 27, 2025

Fishing Wisconsin

Generally, fishing reports will be updated weekly on Tuesdays. This may change based on the availability of reports and the field staff's work schedules.

Unless otherwise indicated, this fishing report information comes from our creel survey clerks, who work in the lakeshore areas from March through October and in the tributary rivers seasonally in spring and fall. Creel clerk schedules are random and vary in the days and times they are scheduled to be in a specific location. This allows us to generate statistically valid fishing efforts and harvest information.

The information in these reports is based on the days and times of the week that creel clerks are present. You can obtain additional fishing information by contacting local bait shops, charter captains, guides and marinas.

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REMINDER – Anglers must carry a paper copy of their license/stamps while fishing on Lake Michigan, Lake Superior and the Wisconsin/Michigan, Wisconsin/Minnesota and Wisconsin/Iowa boundary waters.

 

The DNR does not verify or guarantee the reported ice conditions, and anglers should proceed at their own risk. Please use extreme caution as conditions can change rapidly.

Ice Safety

  • There is no such thing as safe ice. You cannot judge the strength of ice by one factor such as its appearance, age, thickness, temperature, or whether the ice is covered with snow. Ice seldom freezes uniformly and can vary greatly in different areas of the same water body. It is important to know before you go. The DNR does not monitor local ice conditions or the thickness of the ice. Local bait shops, fishing clubs, and resorts serve winter anglers every day and often have the most up-to-date information. If you’re heading out onto a frozen lake for the first time, check the ice yourself and check it often.
  • Ice Safety Tips:
    • Carry some basic safety gear: ice claws or picks, a cellphone in a waterproof case, a life jacket, and a length of rope.
    • Dress warm in layers.
    • Don’t go alone. Head out with friends or family. Carry a cell phone with you and make sure someone knows where you are and when you are expected to return.
    • Know before you go. Don’t travel in areas you are not familiar with and don’t travel at night during reduced visibility. 
    • Avoid inlets, outlets, or narrows that may have current that can cause thin ice.

 

Jan. 27, 2025: West Shore Green Bay Ice Creel Report

Oconto Route

Oconto City Park: A couple of anglers were out with ATVs and UTVs this week. No interviews were taken.

Suamico Route

Geano Beach: Cold temperatures led to reports of increased ice thickness this past week, allowing anglers to spread out far offshore. A few permanent shacks were also seen set up on the reef. No interviews were taken.

Long Tail Point: There was lots of activity, with anglers reporting 12 to 16 inches of ice and taking vehicles, ATVs and UTVs out to fish. Fishing for perch was said to be sporadic, with two to five fish seen as an average over the weekend. Anglers who fished during the week reported better catches.

Suamico and Hook Road: Both areas had high activity over the weekend. Most anglers were fishing from Sunset Beach Lane north to just inside Little Tail Point. The ice was reported as being 12 to 16 inches thick. Good perch fishing was reported from the week once the temperature got closer to normal. Minnows were working best. Perch ranged in size from 5 to 15 inches. Few fish were reported over the weekend as anglers reported difficult conditions with lots of traffic on the ice.

Fox River Route

Fox Point: A few anglers were out over the weekend. Most anglers were staying out of the main river channel. No interviews were taken.

Metro Launch: Over the weekend there was decent fishing activity seen here in the area just outside South Bay Marina. The main river channel was still open from recent shipping activity.

Perkofski Launch and Voyageur Park: Anglers used both sites to access the main river channel. The best catches were reported by anglers fishing the edge of the channel. Walleyes and a few whitefish were caught on small jigging raps. Walleyes averaged 15 to 17 inches. Ice conditions varied, but most anglers reported 10 to 12 inches where they were fishing.

 

Jan. 27, 2025: East Shore Green Bay Ice Creel Report

Bayshore Route: Many anglers were out at most access locations on this route, targeting lake whitefish. Most interviewed anglers said they marked lots of fish, however, the bite proved difficult as many interviewed parties did not catch any fish. One party fishing off Bayshore County Park reported catching one lake whitefish, and a couple of anglers fishing out of Red River County Park also reported catching a couple of lake whitefish. Anglers fishing out of Volks Landing only reported catching small yellow perch while fishing for lake whitefish. Anglers were reporting about 14 inches of ice off Red River County Park.

Sherwood Route: Heavy fishing pressure was observed in Sawyer Harbor off Idlewild Boat Launch and Potawatomi State Park with many permanent shacks observed on the ice. All anglers that were interviewed were fishing for yellow perch, with most having some success. Interviewed parties reported catching anywhere from 5 to 50 yellow perch, with harvestable-size perch being caught all around. Most interviewed anglers said the key was to find quieter areas away from the noise to find more active yellow perch. Ice thickness was reported to be about 14 inches. A few anglers were observed fishing off Oak Avenue and High Cliff, although no interviews were taken so no information is available on catches or ice conditions. One party was fishing for northern pike with tip-ups in front of the yacht club and did not have any bites.

Little Sturgeon Bay: There were a limited number of anglers observed. High winds likely limited angling effort. There were three vehicles observed at Carmody Park. One angler was interviewed and reported they only caught one yellow perch. There was one tent observed on the ice near Lime Kiln Road, but no anglers were interviewed.

 

Nov. 1, 2024: Southern Lake Michigan Fishing Report

The 2024 open water creel season has ended for Southern Lake Michigan including Sheboygan, Ozaukee, Milwaukee, Racine and Kenosha counties. Thank you to all those who participated in the survey this year. We look forward to seeing everyone again next spring!

 

Nov. 1, 2024: Northern Lake Michigan Fishing Report

The 2024 open water creel season has ended for Northern Lake Michigan including Manitowoc, Kewaunee and open waters of Door counties. Thank you to all those who participated in the survey this year. We look forward to seeing everyone again next spring!