Fishing Dennis Holmes Wisconsin Fishing Guide Reports & Conditions

FISHING REPORTS:

Did a drive by today of some of the local lakes yesterday. Looks as if most of the smaller lakes have just locked up for the season.Larger lakes such as Fence and Trout are still holding out, but i am sure they are not far from icing over. Saw people fishing on the bays of Minocqua, Carroll,Big Arb,and the Rainbow. And one guy was going to take a snowmobile a short ways out on the Rainbow. He claimed there was almost five inches closer to shore.PLEASE be careful if you head out on "First Ice" not all lakes freeze at the same time, just because one lake has enough ice to walk out doesn't mean others are safe for travel!Anybody that has been through will tell you it is not worth a fish! For those that venture out be safe and take all the necessary precautions. Its almost time to hear "TIP UP!" across the lakes!
Dennis "Dewey" Holmes <Dennis@deweycatchemandhow.com>
- Sunday, December 01, 2013 at 20:00:06 (PST)

Hi Folks, I know I have not been online posting reports this year, Life seems to be changing minute to minute these days. I Have been on the water a bit this year (but not as much as i would like to have been). A new job has kept me off the water but a day or two a week, and most of those days I had reserved, or took off to try and fish with the repeat clients that had booked me the previous years.In saying that, all who I did get to fish with, THANK YOU! But on to a report, even as late as it may be. Fishing has been good if you were willing to be versatile. Bass,Northern and panfish by far were in the spotlight the last few times out.With a few large specimens mixed in. Live bait on small jigs have been working well for multiple species trips, and for those bass, plastics (Finesse style) rigged or wacky style have been working well. The northerns are showing back up now on the deeper weed edges as the waters start to cool, and the walleye are starting to migrate into their fall patterns. Flowage levels are way down early this year, so if you are venturing out be careful and have an extra prop along. Look for the crawlers and leeches to give way to them minnows here in the next week or two. Be safe and keep them lines tight...Dennis
Dennis"Dewey"Holmes <Dennis@deweycatchemandhow.com>
- Thursday, September 05, 2013 at 22:13:42 (PDT)

Well its here. Or at least starting. Fall patterns have emerged and the fishing has been pretty good. The walleyes have finally moved to the deep rock/mud patterns and last week was a pretty good week for fishing.The water temps have dropped to the mid 50s and the fish responded.With the warm temps this week we were seeing temps slowly rise a bit and the fish did in fact move out of their haunts a bit, but with the highs in the fortys this week i suspect we will see those fish return with the drop in water temps.Crappies have been pretty active as of late with small plastics or crappie minnows working the best. A few smallmouth were taken along side of the walleyes in deeper water also.Turn over is just around the corner and will once again make fishing a bit tough for a few days so get out on the water and enjoy the couple of nice weeks we have left before ol' Mother Nature starts to apply the pressure of the winter to come....Dennis
Dennis"Dewey"Holmes <Dennis@deweycatchemandhow.com>
- Wednesday, October 03, 2012 at 05:38:59 (PDT)

Labor Day.. The begining of the fall fishing season, and the slowing down of the up-north tourism season. The leaves are starting to turn and the ferns on the roadside are dying. We will try to ignore the fact that mother nature has plans for a winter for a couple more weeks..but we all know its coming.In the meantime we will enjoy what i believe to be one of the best seasons in the northwoods.A lot of the lakes we as guides avoid during the summer months due to high boating traffic come back into play when we dont have to worry about being thrown about like a bobber for the day. The fish go back into predictable patterns, and we get to take a breath of fresh fall air. Water temps this week went back up a bit due to a brief warm streak, but with highs in the 60s for this week, we should see those temps fall in a hurry. Some fall patterns have emerged this week, with a few walleye being caught moving to deep rocks and even headed to the deeper holes in the lakes.The eyes that made it to my boat this week were caught in 18-29 foot and were next to mid lake stucture in the mud. Still got fish on crawlers but did indeed put a few minnows in the boat as well this week.Plastics still working for the bucketmouths and the smallmouths. A few jumbo perch and good gills made an appearance this week also retuning to the shallow mud/weed areas and readily taking crawlers also.There will be a few contradicting reports in the next few weeks with fish making transistions from one area to another. You may find them in more than one area.Being on the water alot,and not being afraid to try different things will help to boat a few more fish.Just as it is in spring, the lakes are preparing for fall turnover and that will move fish around down there.More and more muskie reports this week, as these fish also start thinking about putting on some weight this fall.So be versitle and willing to try new things..and you too will find that the fall period can be an exciting time of the year! Until next time..Dennis
Dennis"Dewey"Holmes <Dennis@deweycatchemandhow.com>
- Wednesday, September 05, 2012 at 06:12:26 (PDT)

Wow this summer is going by way too fast! Not alot has changed this week, with fishing being in the FAIR catagory at best. The bass are still the heros this week with not even a close second runner. Its not very often we as guides wonder whats going on below the surface of the water, but the walleyes are being a real pain in the behind.When walleyes shut down they normally will respond to a weather change or stabilization and give some sort of indicator that they indeed are still around.Not saying they are all gone, but jeepers creepers, fishing for them has just been hard.Enough that even the most experienced walleye fisherman/woman start questioning the population densitys of the area lakes. Fishing first and last light for a brief window has been the most productive part of the day to catch a few, with crawlers number one with minnows starting to come back on the scene now. Muskies are starting to move a bit better with the water temps dropping at night and the days getting shorter, I believe they are getting ready to go pretty strong. Crappies have been suspending in about 12-14 foot of water and taking a few offerings in small windows such as drop shot rigs with plastics and minnows below slip bobbers. The gills are feeding but alot of sorting for a good fish fry has been required.Alot of time on the water is in store for me this week as we try to keep you up to speed with what is happining out there right now...Hopefully this weekend will bring better reports than last...See ya on the water...Dennis
Dennis"Dewey"Holmes <dennis@deweycatchemandhow.com>
- Wednesday, August 29, 2012 at 11:55:15 (PDT)

As we head into the end of August, Not alot has changed here in the Northwoods. Ive been on the water quite a bit the last week or so, and "Working" for the fish is how I would explain the fishing. Water temps have been on the fall,(About 72 degrees surface) and that is a good thing.Now we dont have to worry about par-boiling the fish even before we catch em'..lol. The days are getting shorter, the leaves are starting to show some color,and the kids are getting ready for the return to school.Bass have been the only fish that have been consistant, some days.Plastics and crawlers have been the hot ticket.A few northerns are showing back up on the weed edges also.Walleye have been finicky, and first and last light continue to be the best time of the day to search for them. Crawlers and leeches (leeches..where you can find them) have been working, both on deep weed edges and some now coming off of mid-lake rock humps but not in numbers as of yet.The crappie bite has slowed a bit.gills have been everywhere you throw a worm, but no stories of any of decent size this week. Muskie fishing has been 50/50. I fished for them toothy critters for three days for a couple hours a crack this week to no avail, 1 large smallmouth and a big dogfish that thought he was a muskie made its way to the boat on one outing, and the rest of the time was spent popping asprin after i rememberd what a toll it can take on the body.(or should i say how out of shape i might be..lol). On a higher note, there was a muskie tournament this weekend and rumor has it there were over a hundred muskies caught and released. Anyways, I had a great week with lots of different company in the boat, landed a bunch of fish, and got to share some quality time with some quality people. And to me, thats what it is all about! We will keep plugging away at it as we wait for our fall patterns to emerge a little stonger, and hope you all get to do the same. Take a kid fishin', make some memories, and mabye even a tell a tall tale or two about how big that one that got away REALLY was..lol Good luck out there.. we will see ya on the water..Dennis
Dennis"Dewey"Holmes <Dennis@deweycatchemandhow.com>
- Wednesday, August 22, 2012 at 07:35:45 (PDT)

Relief..The word of the week. With the temps starting to fall into the upper fortys at night this week the water temps are starting to fall a bit.(Average of about 70-72 degrees surface). Cold front conditions have made the fishing a bit harder.Once again we are still catching a mixed bag of fish, but we certainly are having to work for them. Smallmouth have been the most active this week with a 21 incher put in the boat along with quite a few pike. The crappies have fired up a bit also.A nice fat 19 inch Largemouth made its way into the net along with a 25 inch walleye too, but the time between the bites has been the issue. Im looking forward to the transition time when the deep rock pattern starts to emerge for the fall period. Crawlers and jigs have resulted in the majority of fish, but plastics have been a close second runner also, in particular, the crappies. Spinnerbaits continue to produce the northern and largemouths.Not alot to report on the muskie scene, but with family in town this week, i may find myself chucking for them, as my brother in law tries to convert this ol' walleye fanatic into a muskie fisherman. (we'll see how long I last before the walleye rod comes out..lol) None the less, the days are getting shorter,the Packers are in pre-season, and there is a hint of the fall weather in the air.So get out there while you can still enjoy the warm days and the green landscape.Things are going to start to change here in the course of the next month. Good luck out there and we will see ya on the water!....Dennis
Dennis"Dewey"Holmes <dennis@deweycatchemandhow.com>
- Wednesday, August 15, 2012 at 05:44:51 (PDT)

Here we are in the "Dog Days" of summer. Fishing has been fair, But nothing is really the "Hot" bite. Dont get me wrong, we are still catching a mixed bag of fish but no one fish is standing up to be the hero this week.Walleye are still being found in both weeds up shallow and starting to get a few reports of fish being taken off of deeper rock. We also got a few smallmouth this week off of windblown rocks and off of humps also. Largemouth have been found on deeper weed edges in 12-18 foot of water, and also in the slop. A few crappies also showed themselves this week in 6 foot of water and were taking plastics and jigs and minnows.First and last light seem to be the most productive times of the day yet, and staying persistant and versitle with species are a sure fire way to make sure you put a few in the box. Sorry for no report last week, Im back on the water with a new lower unit and its time to get out there and catch a few fish, so we can keep you up to date with whats happining out there.Until next time good luck and well see ya on the water...Dennis
Dennis"Dewey"Holmes <Dennis@Deweycatchemandhow.com>
- Wednesday, August 08, 2012 at 05:09:52 (PDT)

Wow where is this summer going? With most of July gone now, and the dog days of summer in full stride, Fishing has really starting to go into full blown summer patterns. Water temps are still the talk of the town with temps as high as 87 degrees reported the fish are looking for shade and cooler waters. Cooler waters of the depths and in the cover of shade. The bass have been the most active this week. The smallmouth have retreated to deeper waters, And by deeper i mean depths of 12-40 foot. Nightcrawlers and leeches verticly jigged on the rock humps, or off of deep weed edges have been the most productive. Also finding a few Walleye out deep also. Perch continue to be a pretty good bet on small pieces of crawler or panfish leeches on deeper mud and sandgrass. Northerns also retreated a bit and are taking 3-4 inch minnows on jigs. The gills have been persnickity with alot of suspended fish being reported.A couple of nice muskies taken again this week on deeper weed edges. So patience and persistance will be needed to put together a nice bag of fish until we Start getting some colder nights and bring those temps back down a bit. Myself, I have learned a lesson this week, and what damage a rock bar will do to a lower unit on a boat. So as i sit on the sidelines, waiting for parts for the boat, i will only be watching and listening until my mechanic tells me those magic words.. "Its Ready".. Until next time..slown down if you are not sure whats under you and save yourself a bunch of hassle of and a fistfull of dollars also....Dennis
Dennis"Dewey"Holmes <Dennis@deweycatchemandhow.com>
- Wednesday, July 25, 2012 at 06:45:21 (PDT)

Another hot week in the northwoods. We did have a cold front move through last night , but looks as if mother nature will turn the oven on again this weekend. Water temps are the talk of the town again this week with surface temps. in the low to mid 80s, the fish are responding to the heat wave also. A few fish are still being caught, but it seems the windows of opportunitys, are very short. Early in the morning and late in the evening, to after dark, have been the most productive. Finesse fishing with the lightest jigs possible and good lively bait such as crawlers and leeches, continue to be the most effective for majority of species. Although the slop fishing for largemouth is coming into its own.Scum Frogs and popper style baits are working well. The Northerns and smallmouth have retreated a bit, heading for deeper and cooler water. Reports of smallies as deep as 35 foot have been reported here at the store.Along with some walleye heading for the depths also.Vertical jigging and drop shot presentations will work for these fish. Outside weed edges in 12-20 foot have been producing a mixed bag of fish. A couple more muskies caught and released this week suspended in thermoclines in the open water. Bull dawgs still working well, along with top water baits such as Top Raiders in the evenings. Patience and versitility of species are a key to action here in the dog days of summer. Perch have been found in 12-20 foot of water on outer coontail edges sandgrass flats and are readily taking small pieces of crawler or small leeches on lightweight jigs. Thats all for this week, Until next time, stay cool and be on the water when they are biting! Good luck out there..we'll see you on the water...Dennis
Dennis"Dewey"Holmes <Dennis@deweycatchemandhow.com>
- Wednesday, July 18, 2012 at 06:26:28 (PDT)

Well another week of summer has passed, and it was still hot. And so was the fishing. The weather this week although it was sunburn weather, was stable.With only one day (Friday), when we did have a doozie of a storm pass through.With the stable weather in plce the fish seemed to go on what i would call mid summer pattern. First and last light and short feeding periods were the norm, But the fish were indeed active. Walleyes were the heros this week, And you dont get to say that very often. The northerns and in some instances the bass,took a short vacation but the last trip out, they also became active.I had the pleasure of fishing with a few groups this week and had very good success on multiple species trips. Walleye,Northern,Bass,and perch all were willing to bite. Jigs and crawlers continue to be the best, and also the easiest bait to keep alive. Minnows will work, but with the temps being so high, hard to care for and keep alive.Water temps even on 1200 acre clear lakes on the surface are in the 80 degree range and as high as 85 degrees on stained lakes. Deeper weed edges in 8-12 feet of water seem to be producing the best along with some action for crappies in and around the cribs. Muskie reports this week were that there was a lot of lookers, not alot of takers, with the exception of a nice fish boated with a bulldawg, suspended over 45 foot of water. Leeches have also been working for the smallmouth bass off of the weed edges. Thats all for this week, good luck out there and keep those hooks sharp....Dennis
Dennis"Dewey"Holmes <dennis@deweycatchemandhow.com>
- Wednesday, July 11, 2012 at 05:58:26 (PDT)

Hot! Hot! Hot!... The word of the week. With temps. crowding in on 100 degrees, alot of fisherman and women were spending more time on the couch than the water this week. And for good reason.Staying hydrated this week and protected from the elements such as the sun and its temps.are very important. Sunblock, Water, and Sunglasses were always in the boat this week. There is no fish worth dehydration or worse yet, sun stroke.But for those that did venture out there were some fish to be caught. The action wasnt as hot as the temps. but overall it was a good week.Walleyes were on the O.K. side and we did boat a few but it seems that they are finally recovering from the mayfly hatch but are being really shy biters. Light jigs and crawlers and a bit of patience were the key to success. Northerns are spreading out a bit and heading deeper in search of cooler water weed edges in 6-12 feet of water with spinners were the best for me this week, along with jigs and 3 inch sucker/chub minnows. The bass are in the slop and shaded areas such as blowdowns and boathouses, and have been pretty active on spinners and plastics.It was a weird week for the panfish, we caught crappies and bluegill way up shallow on beds, looks as if the ones that didnt spawn on the first round moved in and tried to do it this week.I personally have seen crappie, bluegill, northern and yes, even one walleye that had spawn in them, not alot in the gamefish but it does raise my eybrow a bit in concern for how well the spawn did go this year.?? Only time will tell. Water temps are hovering around 77 degrees surface, and i believe that to be really high for this time of year so i would guess we will see fish moving to deeper edges real soon.Till next time stay safe and cool...Dennis
Dennis"Dewey"Holmes <dennis@deweycatchemandhow.com>
- Wednesday, July 04, 2012 at 08:39:39 (PDT)

Hey folks, Well fishing has been having its ups and downs the past few weeks. Mayflys have been the talk of the town, along with many cold fronts and a deluge of rain last week.A few walleyes have been taken this week, but it seems to be on the lakes that the mayflys first hatched. First to hatch, first to recover from the hatch.Crawlers or med leeches run on a jig on weed edges seem to be the hot ticket. Some also being taken on slip corks and leeches. The panfish are moving back up, and first hand i have seen gills back in their spawning areas and full of spawn and such. Seems the spawn didnt go as planned the first attempt in the shallows and it appears they will try again. Pieces of crawler or small plastics should do the trick. Along with the gills a few crappies have made it back up also. The bass have been doing pretty well with a few good catches reported the past two weeks. The northerns seem to have gone missing, but with the panfish in the shallows, they wont be far behind also.Muskie reports have been slow in coming but have heard of a few fish that have been caught. Thermoclines are developing on most of the larger lakes and some row trolling fish have been taken this week also.Seeing water temps as low as 65 and as high as 77. Alot of cold evenings and warmer days have the surface temps jumping all over the map. Weedlines are starting to develop to their normal levels now, and the fish are using them, so be patient and persistant and you will catch fish. Look for better fishing this week with stable weater (although hot) is projected for the remainder of this week. Untill next time keep those lines tight and dont forget the sunblock...Dennis
Dennis"Dewey"Holmes <dennis@deweycatchemandhow.com>
- Wednesday, June 27, 2012 at 05:52:46 (PDT)

Sorry for the delay in postings, but been having a bit of computer trouble. Fishing really advanced quickly in the past few weeks. Water tempatures have skyrocketed into the mid 70s on most lakes. Bass, Bluegills, Crappies and the northern looking for an easy meal all rushed to the shorelines at the sametime to do the spawning thing.And just as fast as it came, they were gone. They havent all left the shallows, but the majority of fish have finished up the spawn.Some gills are still spawning, but with the temps where they are at, it wont last long. And then on to what is happining right now, The Mayfly hatch. Normaly we are not concerned with the hatch until the end of june, but it appears that they couldnt wait any longer. Ive even had reports of these things hatching on larger bodys of water such as Trout Lake. If you can be on the water when the hatch just starts, it can be a great time. If the hatch has been going on for a few days, the fish have been eating them up by the thousands, filling their guts until they dont want to eat anything more. It can be a tricky time of year for us fisherman, but be patient,and be aware of where your lake is in relation with the hatch, and if need be switch to a lake that would be further advanced or hasnt begun yet. Good luck out there, stay versitle and you will still be able to put a few in the box....Dennis
Dennis"Dewey"Holmes <Dennis@deweycatchemandhow.com>
- Tuesday, June 12, 2012 at 08:13:48 (PDT)

Well its been ten or so days since the opener, And not alot has changed. With alot of cold fronts moving through the last couple of days, the fishing has slowed a bit.Crappies have been the hero this week with the shallows teeming with alot of papermouths. Small plastics have been dong well for these guys (and gals). Walleyes seem to be staying in recovery for quite some time this year, I am seeing fish being taken on some of the smaller darker lakes.This makes sense to me because these are the lakes that warm the fastest and spawn happens he quickest, therefore recovery will be done in these lakes first. Look for the deeper ad clearer lakes to start turning back on in the next week or so. The Bass and gills are coming into the shallows in masses with alot of incidental catches reported of large fish being caught. Northerns are still aggresive and willing to take chubs fished on jigs on the weed edges.So for now look for the new growth weed edges and toss a jig and minnow and you should find some fish. With the water temps in the low 60s, look for that nightcrawler bite to come into its own. Transistion times, Gotta spend some time on the water at this time of the year to stay with whats working on a day to day basis. Good luck out there...Dennis
Dennis"Dewey" Holmes <Dennis@deweycatchemandhow.com>
- Friday, May 18, 2012 at 12:29:48 (PDT)

What an interesting weekend. Got to fish quite a bit over the last few days with mixed results. The walleye for the most part were being stubbern to say the least. Cold fronts, wind, and rain were a major factor in the weekends results. The northerns were agressive with quite a few caught and some nice ones to boot! Jigs and minnows were the key to success. We, (meaning everybody but myself in camp) did manage to boat a few walleye yesterday but the window of oppertunity was very small. We had to be there at dark and slow retrieves on crankbaits did the trick. 5 of six walleye came in a period of no more than 45 minutes. Two important rules I go by in walleye fishing are :Be on a body of water known for high densitys of fish or size of fish you are looking for and number two would be: Be there when the bite is happening. First light and last light were the only times the eyes would co-operate. Alot of good crappie reports this weekend with the water temps hovering in te mid to high 50s on four different lakes tells me we are real close to these fish moving shallow in numbers.Look for the next week or so to be some of the best crappie fishing of the year! Only a few reports of perch being taken. Bluegills are in the shallows but not alot of reports of good catches for those reported either. So for the opener, it was mixed, alot of good action on northern, but the walleye did a good job hiding from the armada of boats that decended onto the waters this weekend.More reports to come as we spend more and more time on the water figuring out what these crazy fish are doing. Im looking forward to some warm days and some more weed growth to fire these guys up a bit. Until next time good luck out there on the water!....Dennis
Dennis"Dewey"Holmes <Dennis@deweycatchemandhow.com>
- Tuesday, May 08, 2012 at 11:39:10 (PDT)

Its here Its here! The opener is here! Only a few hours left and we will be floating on the water and reefin' them hog walleyes in the boat! (Well it doesnt hurt to dream, Right?) Well its that time of the year where i make my predictions and hope that some of them fall into place. This year is going to be a bit different than most with the early ice off. The waters are a little bit warmer than usuall and the weed growth is about on the normal. Temps as high as 58 have been reported on smaller waters and temps as low as 44 have been reported on some of the larger lakes. Some modifications to your presentations might be needed on this opener. The smaller lakes are a little more advanced than the larger ones, and the spawn is most definantly done. Look for recovering walleye on the larger lakes and some active ones on the smaller lakes. Large fatheads and red-tail chubs should do the trick on either. Crappies have been moving in and out on a daily basis but i would say that with a few days of stable weather, those fish should be ready to go in the shallows. As like always, I preach a little bit about keeping the fisheries healthy when the fish are vulnerable. I am not the guy to say let em ALL go but take what you'll utilize and leave a few for the grandkids. :) Bluegills have been seen up in the shallows, along with a few largemouth bass, as they ready themselves for their turn to spawn. The perch reports have been spotty, but there has been a few people catching a few in the weeds also.Keep in mind some saftey principles and boat ramp courtesey. And make sure you got those life-jackets aboard. Getting along at the ramps may be a little stressfull, but remember were all here to have a good time, and enjoy our time out there. Well untill next time, when i predict ill have a few fish stories about the biggest one ever... getting away...Set the hook hard and dont forget the camera!!....Dennis
Dennis"Dewey"Holmes <Dennis@deweycatchemandhow.com>
- Friday, May 04, 2012 at 11:25:58 (PDT)

Well folks we are gettin close..Only about 9 days left until the opener..Not alot has changed in the last two weeks.The lake tempatures are holding steady at about 50 degrees or so.This has slowed the Crappie bite a bit, But we are still gettig a few. In some of the most northern bays and the darkest bottoms are where we are finding the highest temps and the most active fish.We did in fact see alot of gills moving into the shallows in what i am sure is in search of spawning areas. A week or so and a few more degrees of tempature and it should be hoppin!Walleye spawn in most lakes up here by opening weekend should be over,or darn close to it.These fish should be going into recovery mode for about a week or so making them hard to catch, but after a short period it can be one of the most exciting times to be on the water chasing them.They will in fact put the feed bag on once again.And from what im seeing on these smaller lakes the timing might just be perfect this year. Look for the first green weeds to be emerging and you should find em lurking in the area close by!Minnows such as a large fathead or 3-4 inch redtail pulled behind a jig should do th trick for both the walleyes and the northerns.Crappies should also be in the weeds up shallow and should be active as long as we dont get too many cold nights.Plastic tubes and curly tails on a small jig or a crappie minnow under a small float should work for them. Please remember our bass in the northern zone dont open until mid July, So catch, photo, and release is the name of the game with them. Muskie also stays closed for awhile.So until next time, We will see you on the water!..Dennis
Dennis "Dewey" Holmes <Dennis@deweycatchemandhow.com>
- Wednesday, April 25, 2012 at 12:02:48 (PDT)