DE PERE, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — With temperatures below freezing and a biting wind to match, fishermen headed out from the Fox Point Boat Launch in De Pere to do some fishing this week, all in search of trophy-sized Walleye.
“It’s pretty early. I mean, the water temperatures are cold, and the wind’s ripping, but we’re going to try and get out there and just wet a line, shake the dust off,” said Charlie Neitzel, Shiocton.
“We got some tournaments coming up and stuff like that, and I just want to get everything ready and make sure everything works. The weather’s going to be choppy and whatever, but on tournament day, you don’t know what’s going to happen. So you got to be prepared for everything,” said Cyle Neitzel, Pickerel.
Every spring, walleye make their way up the Fox River to spawn. Walleye Mafia Fishing Guide Troy Krause says fish are in the system.
“Right now, it’s a lot of males are in, so it’s typical to have a 50-100 fish day going out, whereas towards the end of March, early of April, is when you’re going to see a lot of the bigger ones. And that’s when it’s truly time for a trophy. You can get a 30 incher that’s 12-13 pounds,” said Troy Krause, Walleye Mafia Fishing Guide.
That’s what one fishing family hopes to catch.
“It’s a rush of adrenaline. I guess that’s what keeps you coming out here for it,” said Colten Schuh, Shiocton.
“Because I think it’s really fun,” said Keagen Lutzewitz, Shiocton.
“My favorite type of fishing is walleye fishing, and I like to do it,” said Karson Lutzewitz, Shiocton.
Just upstream at Voyageur Park, ice and anglers shared the same space, as boats floated near the still frozen shoreline. But there were some signs of spring, as some anglers were casting into open water for white bass and walleye.
Back on the river, the Charlie Neitzel says despite the weather conditions, spring time fishing is tough to top.
“Just kind of a tradition. My brother got me into it, so now it’s an itch that you got to scratch. You got to get out there. Tou got to do it,” he said.
Anglers are allowed to keep one walleye per day, but it has to be at least 28 inches long.
The run on the Fox River in Green Bay typically stretches into April.
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