Lakes you Freedive or Spear - Wisconsin

[bglaeser]

Gene (and all others):

OK… sorry to keep posting on this topic… but as you can all see from the avatar near my name… the subject of Lake Perch spearfishing is near and dear to my heart! I remembered seeing an article years ago in the Kenosha News about Wisconsin underwater spearfishing and that made me go to the library and do an article search on the past decade of the Kenosha News. While I didn’t find the article I was looking for, I did find this column (a somewhat regular feature in the outdoor section) on this exact question.) Note that it is from 2004.

(Gene….. I hope you call this warden or another to confirm this for yourself because I am REALLY hoping you make it down to spear Lake Perch with me this year. When you first see that school of perch……. HUNDREDS of big fat perch… you’re going to pee your pants! …. Or wetsuit!)

So everyone… check it out yourself… one word of warning…. Be SURE you are talking to someone who actually knows what they are talking about! Often times the person answering the phone may be good at answering questions like “where can I buy a deer hunting license” but technical questions like… “underwater spearfishing for perch in Lake Michigan” may be beyond their training. Talk to a warden!

One other good thing about this though…. I now intend to carry this article in my dive bag with me so that if I have an encounter with someone claiming I’m doing something illegal, I can show them what Warden Sickman has to say J.

Again…. Check it out for yourself…. Just like I did. Then (hopefully) come perch spearing in Lake Michigan… because as far as I am concerned…. It is the best spearfishing I’ve ever done!

(See attachment…. If I get it to work!)

Ok... It won't work on here.... If you want a copy of the article (I scanned it) private message me with your email and I'll email you a copy of the article. I can't attach it because with only 50mg allowed on here it is illegible when I try to attach it.


~Brian

 

[bglaeser]

one more try

 

[unirdna]

hmmm... Interesting document, Brian. Have you ever tried calling Conservation Warden Paul Sickman (sp?)? Bear in mind that the Kenosha news could very well have errored, as well. Seems that everytime the local papers do a story on a facet of my research, they manage to get a few things completely wrong. In any event, I agree, a laminated copy of that article would be a powerful piece of ammunition for the divebag.

We'll get to the bottom of this....

Your anecdotes of fat, schools of perch are enticing to say the least.

 

[bglaeser]

unirdna.... what is your position and research?

oh! uw madison. limnology. I remember seeing the building when I was a student at uw madison. nice to know we have someone so knowledgable on the forum here. what is your area of research?

~Brian

 

[land shark]

Ive said it before and well one more time.

If it has Trout in it it's off limits. {general rule of thumb.}

 

[Jon]

General rule of thumb but doesn't apply to all lakes- Lake Wazee being one of the exceptions.

Godd to see your back Jim you haven't posted in a while.

Jon

 

[Pinggene]

Green Lake has trout too. Oh well. We got some carp & blue gill there last year...a few perch too, but they were on the smaller size...still getting used to the 25% magnification.

I think I am going to print out a copy of the reg. from Brian & keep it in my dive bag.

I doubt I will put much of a dent in the population...

Too bad it is so cold this weekend...I'm going icefishing tomorrow on Winnebago. They are spearing for Sturgeon there this weekend...you should see all the shacks.

Gene

 

[Whopperhead]

Around the Portage, Wi Area that are clear and LOTS of fish off the top of my head are: Swan Lake (Portage), Lawrence Lake "Pond" (Westfield), Silver Lake (Portage) not as clear as the other 2. oh, And Lake Mason (Briggsville) Very clear and a ton of pan fish, but get weedy in june-july.

Scott

 

[Pinggene]

Whopperhead,

Welcome aboard. Be certain to check out all the Wisconsin Freedivers & Spearos Forums. (Click on Forums, then scroll down to Hosted Forums, then click on Wisconsin Freedivers & Spearos. All the monthly events are listed at the top (sticky). We are trying to have 1 event minimum per month.

Gene

 

[khel]

General rule of thumb but doesn't apply to all lakes- Lake Wazee being one of the exceptions.

Jon

Same with Lake Geneva. In fact, it even hold the state record for brown trout (18lbs 6ozs)

 

[Pinggene]

I still want to try the Sheboygan Power Plant some day. Here are some photos of the Warm Water discharge when I checked on 3/7/07. One can not swim (signs posted) directly by the discharge due to the under tow, but from the photos, you can see how far the warm water reaches out into the lake. This would have to attract fish. The water was quite clear when I looked. However, I did not go in yet.

Let me know if anyone wants to go some time before the Carp-O-Rama on 4/21.

Gene

 

[Whopperhead]

I don't have my Elios in yet- but I'm willing to try.

 

[Pinggene]

Whopperhead,

What do you have for a wetsuit, socks & gloves right now? Also, what size are you...I may have a 3mm opencell hooded vest you could use.

Gene

 

[Whopperhead]

Gene -

Right now I have a Akona 3mm suit (not sure if it's open cell or not) , I also have 5mm gloves (bare) and a 5mm hood (bare), 5mm boots. What size am I? I'm 5'11" and about 210lbs. I do have a Elios 5mm being made- but don't think it'll be here for about a month or so. (can't wait for that) I bought the 3mm cause I wanted something light, I figured I be in water in the summertime. I didn't think I would be going in cold frigid waters. But the more I'm learning about the sport I DO WANT THE COLD WATER! Plus the suit did not cost that much. I put in for the day off on April 21st. I'm hoping to get in before then. I would gladly use your vest- if you think It would fit. Otherwise, I just planned on being out of the water more to warm up. Just got my weights in the mail today . We still have ice on the lakes around me here. Soon I hope!!!!

--Scott

 

[T2K]

Lake Nagawicka has tons of carp, my friends and shoot a ton of them with bows, but I have yet to dive it. Does anyone dive any of the lakes in the vicinity of Nagawicka. Pine? Ockauchee? Beaver?

I have friends who live on most of the surrounding lakes and have access. If anyone is interesting in diving them this summer let me know.

 

[unirdna]

Nice of you to off, T2K. I've plucked fish out of Beaver Lake in the past. Very pretty piece of water, but a long swim through the shallows to the hunting grounds. And what's with water skiers on tiny lakes? One boat can literally ruin visability (not to mention make me uneasy).

 

[Jon]

Forget Oakachee- too many drunken boaters!

Beaver is a nice lake to spear, with limited access.

Nagawicka is used by ever dive shop around for training dives. We do our ice dives out there and run Freeze-A-Palooza out there every winter- search the forums for picutres and videos on that. The lake is deep and has cleared up quite a bit in the past 15 years due to zebra mussles. There are fish to spear but you need to be wary of other boaters as the lake sees a lot of use.

Pine lake is a jewel among lakes! Maybe a little less so now since the DNR forced the boat ramp in, but still one of the prettiest lakes around. It has the distincition of being the most expensive lake property in the state and the CEO's of many a company has a mansion on there. The lake has a lot of bottom relief and some really steep drop offs. Since lake access is so limited you don't get all the crazy boat traffic like on other lakes. Since Harry Quadritchi died, the CEO of Quadgraphics, you also no longer get his helicopter buzzing over it every day at noon when he would fly home for lunch. The lake is big and deep and even with the new boat access it is still limited to only about 15 boats a day- which fills up early. In the past we would have to launch a boat on a dirt ramp and park in the next township, about a mile away, and then run, or rollarblade, back to the boat launch to go dive. In the winter time the locals would spread roofing nails all over the ice there to keep ice fisherman off- a real sweet bunch they are. I taught a few private classes there about 20 years ago and we got to use the private isand in the lake. The pier on the island starts at shore and the end is in 50' of water! That's a steep drop off and it keeps on going to about 95'.

If you have a boat, and can get the access, I wuld HIGHLY reccomend Moose Lake. We lost the main access to her a few years ago when Hasslingers resort sold out and went condo, but that lake has more fish, carp and pan, than any other lake I've seen around here. It's well worth the effort to get out on her.

Jon

 

[T2K]

I have a few friends on Pine, and it is by far my favorite lake. Even on weekends theres no more than a dozen boats. I'll have to try moose lake.

 

[Jon]

I've seen some nice fish out by the island, but have had better luck in the south end of Pine lake where the water is shallower and there are more weed beds/relief.

Moose lake is good all over. The bay where the boat launch is leads out intot he whole lake. It's not a super big lake, but the bottom has great weed cover, there are a ton of fish, and there's even a shipwreck in it! The wreck is an old sand barge that was sunk in the 30's. It was part of an old CCC project that actually built the sand bar at the south end of the lake where some houses are built upon. It sits in 20' of water on the west shore.

There's also upper and lower Nehmabin. Lower is shallower and has better weed cover- also lees waterski traffic.

Jon

 

[Pinggene]

Where are the exact locations to gain access on Pine & Moose?

Also, let me know if you are able to stop by Rock Lake for a look.

Thanks,

Gene