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Lakes you Freedive or Spear - Wisconsin

Thread Status: Hello , There was no answer in this thread for more than 60 days.
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Where on Mendota where you guys? I've got off for 8 days starting on Monday. I plan on diving/spearfishing everyday except Tuesday (daughters B-Day) - also- did you guys go off a boat - or off shore?

----Scott
 
Went for a dive at Lake Geneva today.
After working for 7 days I didn't feel like doing anything in the morning, but am I glad that I got out after all! The weather is great and water is balmy 78F. Vis. was not too bad either. Lots of fish and almost no boat traffic :)

End result - I uploaded my first edited video clip to and have enough fish for dinner and breakfast ;)

p.s. could have shot tons of bluegills and perch, but figured that 3 bullheads were more than enough :)
 

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Where on Mendota where you guys? I've got off for 8 days starting on Monday. I plan on diving/spearfishing everyday except Tuesday (daughters B-Day) - also- did you guys go off a boat - or off shore?

----Scott

Scott,

Sorry for the delay (I missed the email notification). We were on the south side, near the union. I went out today and got more perch 10-11 inches. Vis was even better than this weekend, but ominous globs of algae are starting to float around. The temps are climbing, and the daphnia are all hunkered down in cooler water. It's just a matter of time before the whole thing crashes.

Ted
 
khel,

Pleasant video :). I've always liked that version of SOtR.

Those gills are juuuuust a tad small for my stringer. But, when I was a younger man, I would have killed to get into those. Not every lake grows em to 10 inches. I'd like to see how you cooked up the bullheads. I used to eat them by the ton when I was a kid.
 
Khel- Nice video! what did you use for editing software? I'm trying to load 2 videos - but they aren't as nice as that one. I too would be interested in how you cook up your bullheads.

-------Scott
 
Nice video Nick!

What depth is the thremocline at and whats the vis like below it right now?

Ted, Thanks for calling me to go diving today- dufus :rcard

Jon
 
I used Windows Movie Maker and as it turned out, it's very easy to use.

As for bullheads, I haven't decided how to cook them yet, so all ideas are welcome! :)

Jon, since I don't have a boat (and to avoid being run over by boaters), I had to stay rather shallow (25ft max) and I haven't hit a termocline at that depth. Vis. was around 15-20ft.
 
6-14-07 Found a Little honey hole not too far from WOOD LAKE- about 8 miles East of WOOD LAKE is CRYSTAL LAKE. Best part is no public Boat Access. there is a unmarked trail and about 300 yards down this trail is one of the clearest lakes I've seen yet. a good 30' visablity and Blue!? Seeing how it was a Spring fed Lake I didn't think there would be any Carp. I was wrong, for every small carp was a GIANT CARP- The giant ones would keep their distance. I even found a Gar lingering in the shallows. There were LOTS of : HUGE BASS, HUGE GILLS, HUGE CRAPPIES and a bunch of Little Perch. I saw a few decent size Pike and some good size suckers. No boats were on the lake, just saw a couple of dogs going for a swim. I plan on going back on Monday. Check out more of the Lake and Get me one of them Giant Carp.:friday

-----Scott
 

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Great post, Scott! I've been to that lake a few times, and that trail isn't clearly marked at all. Nice work finding the NW passage. Those crappies look like PERFECT eatin size. Why didn't you grab any. Your Biller might be a bit more gun than you'd like for shooting panfish, but if you hit them in the gills, you wouldn't waste anything. The gun looks like a perfect carp chopper, though. And speaking of carp, I never saw one in that lake before. If I ever do, I won't hesitate to let er fly.

The lake is no wake. A true gem.
 
I also have a smaller JBL that I use for Panfish- I wasn't planning on eating fish that day- so I didn't want to shoot em. The wood speargun I use is a JBL sawed-off Magnum Woody. I love it! There weren't alot of carp- But Half were some monsters! Monday I probably will take a few Crappies home- they don't seem as scared as in other lakes either. Can usually get within 10' of them.

---Scott
 
I also have a smaller JBL that I use for Panfish... The wood speargun I use is a JBL sawed-off Magnum Woody. I love it!

Ahh, I've never seen a JBL woody. Nice - I'm betting your smaller gun is a Custom. That was my first gun :). The woody is probably easier on the wrist though, being made of wood and not aluminum. That was my gripe with the Custom - the stock sinks.

Jon's first gun was a Bandito - impressive weapon rofl
 
Ping - I'm also Dilldasmic on another website - Try Moose...Golden...Nagawica...Nashotah...Upper, lower, and middle Gennesee lakes...Geneva...Buehla...Rock...Big Green...Lots and Lots of clear water lakes in Wisconsin.:cool:
 
Went to Crystal Lake on Monday - vis was down - only about 15-18 feet. still not too bad- my friend shot a 22# carp and a 28" Gar. I got 2 suckers. you could easily limit out on Panfish- This lake has the most Croppies I've seen! And they are good size. Water temp was at 70 - I don't think I'll be wearing my Elios anymore this summer-

----Scott
 
Plucked 10 of these in 10 minutes this weekend - Mckenzie Lake - Burnett Co. When I heard fisherman complaining about bad fishing, I had to jump in. Sure enough, they just weren't biting - so, there were tons of fish. I usually prefer a more challenging hunt, but what the heck. These crappies were 13-15 inches - easily fed 5 hungry dudes. Shorelunch - quick and mmm mmm mmm.
 

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Nice fish unidna!

I have a week vacation in August. Will the lakes of northern wisconsin still be "spearable"? (Forest county) I'm talking about water conditions, not legally.

~Brian
 
bear lake 25ft max, bluegill, sunfish, crappie, largemouth bass. great vegetation awesome dive secluded vis 5-7ft . lake elaine max depth 25feet, large mouth, blue gill crappie sunfish, northern. one sunken boat, vis 5-7 feet.
lake emily vis good early in the year. max depth 40ft. no idea all the species. bluegill sunfish largemouth northern walleye. lake sunset max depth 30ft, bluegill, largemouth, carp, perch. vis 6-10feet. great dive, but all the fish are down there, and they are familiar with spearos so it is a hard dive. those are my three favorites.
 
yes haircut would be nice. although the first year i was a dedicated spearo i was sporting dreadlocks, so i cant give you much crap. now i have a one inch mohawk. but just untill football season is over.
 
Just got back from a visit to Pine Lake by Oconomowoc...didn't dive, but checking out the water clarity...was at a job site there. Water was very clear. However, there was a sign posting the local regulations. Chapter #4: Lakes, (12) Spearguns...no one shall possess a loaded speargun. :vangry

So, I guess they can keep all the carp. I may just dump a few more in for good measure :) (Just Kidding)

I never saw a place with more signs...it would drive me crazy living near there...what an over regulated mess.

I'm glad I checked it out and saw the sign & didn't waste a 2 hr drive on a Sat.

Gene
 
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