Wisconsin lake allows anglers to hone shallow-water fishing techniques while staying within a budget
MARQUETTE, Wis. – Some anglers fantasize about hooking into a trophy walleye at one of the awesome fisheries in the Great Lakes. Other anglers dream of catching a lunker walleye from the pristine waters of the Canadian Shield. However, if you want to work out your shallow-water walleye fishing techniques on a lake that offers you a legitimate shot at an 8-pound walleye and is also known for producing double-digit behemoths, then Puckaway Lake in Green Lake County, Wis., needs to be on your must-fish list this season. Besides having a quality walleye fishery, Puckaway also has very reasonably priced resorts which allows anglers to take their whole clan with them to chase walleye while staying within their budgets.
“Puckaway is an excellent lake to fish during the spring and early summer months,” said Stan Kocurek at Stan’s Puckaway Resort in Marquette, Wisconsin. “This is a very shallow lake with most of the water ranging from 3- to 8-feet deep. Many anglers see this on a map and think the walleye fishing won’t be good. Well, they are wrong. There is a real possibility of catching an 8-pound walleye here, and walleye weighing over 10 pounds are caught here every year.”
Puckaway Lake is a fairly large natural lake on the Fox River covering approximately 5,000 acres. To get to Puckaway Lake from Milwaukee, Wis., take Hwy 41 north to Fond du Lac. From Fond du Lac, take Hwy 23 west toward Princeton and follow signs to the lake. Puckaway Lake is located 5 miles south of Princeton.
Target the western shoreline during the springtime to hook roaming walleye.
“The western shoreline is a good bet for finding walleye,” said Kocurek. “Any of the shallow flats and drop-offs will hold walleye.”
Break out your planer boards and stickbaits to hook Puckaway walleye in early May. Stick with about 50 to 75 feet of line between your snap-weight and your stickbait. Puckaway is a murky body of water, so brightly colored lures are generally more productive. Chartreuse, fire-tiger, orange, hot pink or glow-in-the-dark colors are all productive.
The shallow flats close to the bulrushes along the western shore are highly productive in May and June. The northern shoreline along the western arm of the lake is also prime walleye water.
Besides trolling with planer boards and stickbaits, casting crankbaits can also be effective for hooking walleye. Lipless crankbaits like a Rat-L-Trap or a Diamond Shad are excellent choices to cast along the points and pockets of the bulrush fields. Make sure you fling your lipless crankbait along the wood and rocks west of the narrows in the central portion of the lake, too. Stick with the bright chartreuse, fire-tiger, orange or white colors to draw strikes from walleye under most conditions. When the sky is sunny and bright, try a chrome or gold crankbait for added flash. These two colors are particularly effective closer to the river where the water color tends to be slightly less murky.
Another option for live bait fans is to use a rattling jig dressed with a 4- to 5-inch white, orange or chartreuse grub. Put a piece of meat on the back to really get the walleye interested. Jumbo leeches or nightcrawlers are best once the water temperatures reach the mid- to upper-50s.
Current is key for fooling walleye
Keep in mind that Puckaway is an expansion of the Fox River, so in effect, it is a river itself. Keep your eye on the current flow. When casting crankbaits or jigs, present your offerings with the current so your lure is retrieved toward the walleye. It is best to keep the lure in front of the fish. You can spook walleye by retrieving a crankbait or jig from behind them.
As the weather warms, start pulling spinner harnesses behind planer boards or a flatline. The western and northern shorelines are still the most productive areas to fish for Puckaway walleye. Use a Colorado or Oklahoma style blades to provide added thump to allow walleye to zero in on your lure in the murky water.
River fishermen will also have plenty of opportunities while fishing Puckaway.
“You can head into the Fox River on the west side of the lake and find some good areas to fish,” says Kocurek. “There are deeper holes that hold walleye in the warmer weather.”
Look for the holes in the 8- to 10-foot depths if you can find them or any deeper hole associated with a bend in the river. Fish the upriver edge of the hole and work your way down the middle. Whether your first pass is productive or not, you should return to the head of the hole and drift through again along the edges of the hole.
Favorite approaches for hooking river walleye near Puckaway are three-way rigs with a floating jighead and a leech or nightcrawler, or a crawler harness and juicy nightcrawler. Stickbaits are a good option here, however, snagging is a very real possibility in the holes. Consequently, you might find yourself losing several stickbaits a day with this technique which can be an expensive proposition.
Cost-effective fishing
While many exotic walleye fishing locations will cost you upward of $1,000 per week, you can find reasonable lodging right on Puckaway Lake. Stan’s Puckaway Resort offers cabins with full kitchens and bathrooms ranging from $50 to $60 per day including a row boat.
Whether you want to check out an out-of-the-way fishery, chase hogs or have a family vacation on a tight budget, Puckaway Lake is worth your time this season.