Trophy brown trout on tap in Milwaukee County

Winter brown trout fishing in the Milwaukee area has been nothing short of sensational for the past several years. Browns are hitting crank baits in the Milwaukee harbor at the mouth of the Milwaukee River. The reason for this is pretty basic: when the weather gets cold, the fishing gets hot!

Concentrations of warm water, either in the river mouth or one of several warm water discharges, attract bait fish such as gizzard shad and round gobies. These baitfish attract the hungry browns that feed actively all winter long. The browns have been displaying this type of behavior for many years. It seems as though in the last three or four years the word has spread among anglers, and this great winter pastime has become more and more popular.

What to use

When the fish are active it doesn't seem to matter what bait you use. Crank baits, jigs or spoons that look anything like the silvery gizzard shad or bottom dwelling gobies will work. If the fish are a little more finicky, live bait might be a better choice. Spawn sacs or medium sized minnows will do the job. Combine this with a medium action rod and reel spooled with eight pound test, and you should be in business.

Where to go

Although there is good shore fishing available, some of the best action requires a boat. One word of caution, Lake Michigan can turn on you in a heartbeat. Always, always watch the weather. You do not want to get caught on the lake in bad weather. Don't go out there for the first time without someone that is properly rigged and experienced, especially in the winter.

The DNR stocks a couple of different varieties, or strains, of brown trout. Regular domestic browns have been stocked since the program began in the late 1960s. The Seeforellen strain has been stocked since 1991. Seeforellens are known for their fast growth rates and exceptional fighting ability. Since their introduction, the state record has been broken and rebroken several times. It currently stands at an incredible 36 pounds 8.9 ounces!! The average-size brown trout in the winter fishery can run from 2 to 8 pounds. Fish over ten pounds are fairly common, and every year a few fish over 20 pounds are taken!

Unlike steelhead that prefer to run upstream, browns tend to stay in the river mouth, the harbor, or near shore areas that have warmer water in the winter months. There are many popular shore fishing spots near downtown Milwaukee. In the harbor, the list includes Cupertino pier, Jones Island, Lakeshore State Park, Veterans Park and McKinley Marina/pier. There are also fishing opportunities at the mouth of the Milwaukee River in the area under the Hoan Bridge.

On the Menomonee River anglers target the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District office and access points along the Hank Aaron State Trail. Most of these spots will remain ice free well into the winter, and if it's especially mild they might remain open all winter long. If you fish from a boat, the warm water discharges of power plants at Oak Creek and the Menomonee River or the discharge at the Jones Island treatment plant can provide fantastic fishing at times. Warm water that flows into an environment where all of the rest of the water is cold acts like a magnet to attract fish.

If you're looking for an alternative to sitting on a bucket on a frozen lake this winter, you might want to consider open water brown trout fishing in Milwaukee.

Matt Coffaro, Fisheries Biologist, Milwaukee