Milwaukee Harbor Brown Fishing - Auger

[markrazzy]

Good morning guys!  Looking forward to the ice season.

Last season was the first season I ice fished the Milwaukee Harbor for browns and did quite well with shiners and jigging.  I have a 10" Lazer Pro auger.  I ran into issues with it cutting through the ice in the Milwaukee Harbor however.  I tried changing blades and changing the tip, and it'd fly through the ice for a hole or two, then it was barely start "shaving ice". 

Thinking my blades were dull, I tried taking it to local lakes and seeing how it'd drill, and it FLEW through the ice.  Went back to Milwaukee and it'd just shave the ice.  Has anybody ever had an experience like that where certain augers don't cut certain ice well? 

I've been kicking around getting a new auger... I'm a big fan of a 10" because of Milwaukee, but the rest of the fishing can easily be handled with an 8".  Think a chipper blade would work better?  Has anybody used lazer augers in Milwaukee?   Thanks for the help guys, tight lines.

Mark

[RapShack]

Sorry to get a little off topic, but when people talk about ice fishing the harbor is that just the inner harbor by McKinley Park or the whole area inside the break walls?

[52isntbigenough]

Never drilled a hole with a lazer, but my 9" Jiffy has done the job down there.

Folks stay pretty much around the piers, but do spread out throughout the harbor. Baitfish tend to congregate around the pilings, the trout come in to feed on them. I don't frequently go, but when I do, I go off the parking lot on Lagoon dr.

[markrazzy]

Sorry to get a little off topic, but when people talk about ice fishing the harbor is that just the inner harbor by McKinley Park or the whole area inside the break walls?

People will fish the inner harbor by McKinley and the Summerfest Lagoon.  It was my first season last year and caught a bunch of browns jigging and on tip ups with shiners.  I usually fished by the rock wall, as the docks were usually pretty full.  It's actually pretty addicting.  After fighting 10 lb browns on a jigging rod, it was hard for me to go back to chasing gills. 

[RapShack]

Cool thanks.  I really hate big city traffic and fishing with crowds but I might have to give it a go some time.

[52isntbigenough]

We could do a Ice Shanty thing down there this winter? I haven't been down there in a while now. Last time I tried it I damn near fell through hauling my stuff off the ice.

[RapShack]

It's a possibility.  I see on google maps not much going on in that area but museums and such.   Would it be safe to leave a vehicle in a parking lot there and camp overnight on the ice?  Coming from LaX so if not I gotta hit the road at about 4am fish all day, then drive three hours back home which would be a grind. 

[52isntbigenough]

You'd be smack dab in downtown Milwaukee. About 5-10 minutes from the Bradley Center. If you'd time it right, you could hit an Admirals game.

Not sure if they close the parking lot down there....In winter, I don't think they do, even if the gate was closed, you could stay out there.

[Jodipuma]

dirty ice? I know they say that using the lazer on dirty ice will dull the blades fast. I would get a chipper drill for your auger and try that.

[mrgov]

What stamps do i need to get to fish the Milwaukee Harbor? The same as if i was fishing with a charter boat for Salmon and Trout?

I am new to getting into fishing on Lake Michigan.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

-mrgov

[52isntbigenough]

Great Lakes Trout stamp. But if you aren't keeping any trout, you could say you're jigging or have tip ups in for bass, walleye or northern and not buy the stamp.

[CharlieBrn]

Not sure what the issue is with the ice.  I use to fish the park harbor when I lived in Wisconsin and yes, there is lots of dirt and debris there so, perhaps Jodipuma is right.  Great spot though.  Caught lots and lots of big browns and steelhead there.  Good fishing with your season.

[markrazzy]

dirty ice? I know they say that using the lazer on dirty ice will dull the blades fast. I would get a chipper drill for your auger and try that.

Maybe.  But like I said, I could drive to another lake and rip through the ice, so my blades weren't dull.  But anyways, I think I've got a 10 1/4" chipper bit to throw on the lazer pro.  So hopefully that'll solve that issue!  I gave my father in law my old Strikemaster Magnum 3.0, but he never used it and actually offered it back to me since he never used it.  It didn't run real well, but I figured I can just swap the bit out for Milwaukee.  Can't wait, probably will take the yak out a few more times, but with this cold spell, we might be walking on water sooner than later. 

[markrazzy]

Great Lakes Trout stamp. But if you aren't keeping any trout, you could say you're jigging or have tip ups in for bass, walleye or northern and not buy the stamp.

That technically might work - as long as you aren't using spawn. I did catch a FAT 33" pike out there last year. 

A couple videos I made last year with my new gopro.  They're not the best, but just a few of the fish I caught.
http://youtu.be/L9mk4nRwTnM?list=UUgbI5ka9IZv8p-fZnxS0pmg
http://youtu.be/XyPEoOt_eLc?list=UUgbI5ka9IZv8p-fZnxS0pmg

[CharlieBrn]

Forgot to mention, my profile pic is from that very park.  Not the biggest but just an indication of what you can expect.  Some days you could catch 10 and others two.

[mrgov]

That technically might work - as long as you aren't using spawn. I did catch a FAT 33" pike out there last year. 

A couple videos I made last year with my new gopro.  They're not the best, but just a few of the fish I caught.
http://youtu.be/L9mk4nRwTnM?list=UUgbI5ka9IZv8p-fZnxS0pmg
http://youtu.be/XyPEoOt_eLc?list=UUgbI5ka9IZv8p-fZnxS0pmg

Any specific types of Bait or Jigs to be using?

Can't wait to get out there and see what all of the buzz is about.

I'm going to bring out my Finicky Fish Factorys and see how those work out in the marina.

Hope to see some of you out there!

[markrazzy]

Any specific types of Bait or Jigs to be using?

Can't wait to get out there and see what all of the buzz is about.

I'm going to bring out my Finicky Fish Factorys and see how those work out in the marina.

Hope to see some of you out there!

Since I used tipups last year, I had a lot of guys scoff at me, telling me I couldn't catch browns with tip ups.  I missed a few, especially on my first trip, but I started using the rubber band trick (search it on iceshanty), and I started hooking up much more.  Although the key is smoooooooth tip ups, small fluoro leader (I use 6-8 lb.) and small hooks.  I also used shiners.  I had guys all around me with auto's just watching me chase flags, while I had shiners on.  Some of that might be beginner's luck, but I'll take it.  I didnt' try spawn sacks last year, but it seems that those just off the bottom are great for bigger browns.  Guys also jig with anythign you'd use for walleyes.  I did best with a small, white marabou jig.  Now, with that said, I'm asking for automatic fishermen for Christmas this year.  Hopefully I get a couple.  I'm not going to spend money on them, but if somebody else wants to, I'm not going to complain

Also, the key is staying away from people.  It does get crowded, I liked getting out early, staking my claim, hopefully away from anybody.  Trout are very skittish, and noise up on the ice (popping more holes, moving around) seem to shut down the bite.  Numerous times I had guys move in on me and the bite died... I'd pop more holes further away and move my stuff there and get hit.  There are a few spots that seem better than others, but these trout are just roaming around.

[CharlieBrn]

The automatics are an excellent choice.  That's how we use to get most of ours vs tip-ups.  But certainly caught our share with rods and drowning spawn bags.  Good fishing to ya.

[tciowa]

Any ice over there yet? I made the trip over last year and iced 2 and lost 3. Definitely a fun time.