FISHING WITH THE GUIDES with George Langley - WEEK OF 2/15/26 to 2/22/26

We’re heading deeper into late winter/early spring conditions here in the Northwoods and after a beautiful weekend full of sunshine, we’re all ready for the “spring” end of that equation to hit hard now. Wouldn’t that be nice?  Alas, we know we’ve still got a long row to hoe!  

It really was just amazing out on the ice last weekend, and a busy time up here for mid-February! It’s great to see so many people out on the ice catching fish, snowmobiling on the trails, and enjoying the quiet places like Anvil Lake, Tara Lila and the Three Eagles trails on their skis and snowshoes. All that means the bars and restaurants, bait shops, downtown shops and grocery stores have all stayed busy, too. After some “dud” winters the last couple of years, there’s a lot to be said for some good, old-fashioned cold-weather fun.

Ice conditions across the Eagle River and the greater Vilas County area overall remain very good. Most lakes are showing 20–26” of ice. An auger extension is becoming a must in many situations now. Main travel lanes are in great shape, especially where there’s been consistent machine and truck traffic. The weather this week looks like quite a mixed bag, with warm and then cold and some snow towards the end. After the warm days at the beginning of the week, we can expect things to get a little sloppy out there if we get any appreciable snow.

Walleye action has been typical for this stretch of the season - definitely more of a grind than it was in January. We’re seeing the most consistent bites coming during low-light windows, especially right at dusk with some later, after-dark action, too. Fish are relating to deeper weed edges and adjacent flats in the 15–22’ range, with some reports of better fish sliding a little deeper toward 25’ during stable weather days. Set-lines with medium shiners or suckers remain the top producers, while jigging spoons tipped with a minnow head can trigger neutral fish if you stay persistent. Downsizing and slowing down presentations can help, particularly during the midday lull.

Northern pike fishing continues to be a bright spot for anglers right now. We’ve seen some really big fish being caught in the last week with tons of action from these guys all day. Tip-ups set along healthy weed edges in 8–14’ of water have been producing steady action, with shallower fish seeming to lead the charge. Large shiners and bigger suckers are still the go-to baits. As walleye activity dips during mid-day, the Northern are more than happy to keep anglers entertained until the late afternoon walleye bite kicks in.

Panfish reports have improved with the warmth and sunny days we’ve had. Perch are being found roaming deeper mud flats and basin edges in 18–24’ range, and anglers willing to drill plenty of holes are being rewarded. Small spoons or tungsten jigs tipped with spikes, or waxies have been effective. Bluegills are holding just off bottom in deeper weeds and soft-bottom transitions, often in the 14–20’ range and are responding best to very small jigs fished slowly and precisely.  Crappies have been suspending over deeper basins up to 30’, particularly in the evenings. Tip-downs with crappie minnows or rosie reds set a few feet off bottom or higher in the column, have been the ticket. Mobility and searching  up and down the deep water column continues to separate the average day from a great one.

We’re now just about two weeks from the close of game fish season, which ends on March 1 this year. The final stretch can be rewarding for anglers who stick it out, especially during those classic late-winter warm-ups like we’ve just had that get fish sliding along structure and feeding a bit more aggressively. After that, the focus shifts fully to panfish—and often some of the best bluegill and crappie action of the winter comes in March.

Looking ahead, the predicted swing back down to more normal temperatures for this time of the year is no real surprise. Rapid swings in temperature can make fish temperamental, so staying flexible with depth, bait size, and location will be key.

There’s still plenty of solid ice and good opportunity out there. Late winter in the Eagle River area rewards patience, mobility and flexibility with your bait and approach. Enjoy these last weeks of game season while we’ve got them, then settle in for some of that quieter time out on the ice once the game-fishing anglers give up the ghost.  Those late season cold-water panfish taste better than just about anything else on earth - for breakfast, lunch or dinner.  

Good luck and good fishin’!

Wisconsin Fishing Information

                                                                                                                           

• Back To Top Of Page •