FTM Destinations

OCONTO COUNTY WISCONSIN

If you would enjoy the opportunity to catch big fish in a wide variety of species, on either big water or smaller lakes and flowages, then a trip to Oconto County on the eastern edge of Wisconsin is something you should look into. Located less than an hour north of Green Bay, Oconto County can provide world-class fishing for walleyes, smallmouth and largemouth bass, trout, salmon, and northern pike. In addition to fishing, any person who enjoys wildlife and the outdoors should visit Oconto County and cruise some of the picturesque county roads. You will definitely come upon some very interesting small towns, and if you travel early or late in the day, chances are good you’ll see deer and wild turkeys. Oconto County is a neat place for sure.

Oconto, WI

If the big water appeals to you, you will have plenty of that in Oconto County. Green Bay, a huge bay of Lake Michigan, is right there. Plenty of protected harbors make for safe and easy boat loading and unloading.

In the spring, smallmouth bass can be found near the shores of Green Bay. They are susceptible to a variety of presentations this time of year, with Power Tubes being one of the best ways to catch these guys.

Walleyes will be in the rivers that feed Green Bay in the spring. They will be in typical river spots and can be caught using typical spring river techniques. That means a Fire-Ball jig tipped with a minnow will be a great presentation.

As the weather warms and the seasons progress, walleyes will be found moving around more off shore. This is when covering water works well. On our last trip into Green Bay from Oconto County, we took big walleyes, really big walleyes, pulling Off Shore in-line planer boards and crankbaits. Our first walleye was in the nine-pound range, our next one was pushing eleven pounds. Frenzy Medium Minnows are great for walleyes in the summer months.

As good as the big water fishing is, there are some exciting small water fishing opportunities as well. If the weather is such that you don’t want to go out on Green Bay, or if you just prefer smaller waters, you will have it made in this area.

On one trip to Oconto County a while back, we caught so many nice smallmouth, by nice we’re talking seventeen to twenty inches consistently, that we just had to sit back after awhile and catch our breath.

During our most recent trip to Oconto County, we decided to key on largemouth bass. We knew what the walleye, smallmouth, and salmon action was like, we wanted to see if the largemouth fishing could be as good. Well, it just so happened that we arrived during tough fishing conditions: High skies and falling temps. You know what, the largemouth didn’t care. We visited several small lakes: All had great boat ramps, some had water so clear you could see the bass swimming around in ten feet of water. And the bass bit on all the lakes we visited. On the clear water lakes a Lipstick Jig-Worm in the eighth-ounce size with a four or seven-inch Gulp! Turtle Back Worm was the ticket.

On the lakes with some color, we flipped Jungle Jigs/Bungee Power Hawgs to shallow weeds and took bass up to twenty inches.

On our visits to Oconto County, we have discovered some excellent fishing for truly big fish, marvelous scenery, interesting historic spots, great food, and lots of fun. What more could you want? Visit Oconto County via the Internet at www.ocontocounty.org or call 888-626-6862. We’re sure you’ll enjoy this area as much as we do.