Do you have the itch for some open water fishing? I did this week, and was easily convinced to take a trip down to the Milwaukee Harbor targeting brown trout.
The ice moved out of the harbor within the past week, and the entire harbor was ice free on 3/22/14. Water temps were cold, but the fishing bite was hot.
We used the National Street Launch, and the docks are not in place yet. Launching a fiberglass boat would not be possible alone, but the aluminum boats are possible for a solo fisherman. This is not the safest area of Milwaukee, so do not leave valuables in your vehicle.
The browns are resident to the harbor for the majority of the year. With the extended winter, these fish have had almost zero pressure for the past few months, and were eager to bite.
We worked some warm water discharges, and the browns were stacked into these areas feeding on the shad and other baitfish. A simple vertical jigging technique was best, with a cast and pop-retrieve also working.
Lure body types were dominated by anything white or shad colored. Trigger X, Authentic X, and Gulp products dominated. Live bait options of fat head minnows were also observed as working well.
It is important when fishing this location to be on the water early or late. The best windows are near sunrise and sunset, with a decrease in activity as the sun reaches the highest points of the day.
