Door County Wisconsin – An Incredible Fishery

I thought the overall fishery we have here in the Pacific Northwest was about the best there is in the US of A. And it very well could be.

But I’ll also say this: the fishery on the Door County Peninsula in northeast Wisconsin is right up there. That's the Sturgeon Bay Harbor above.

Above is the Lighthouse at the mouth of the Lake Michigan side of the Sturgeon Bay channel. I got there on Friday of last week during the peak of the Brown Trout action going on just outside the mouth on the big lake. It’s sort of obvious why the area is a haven for many varieties of fish.

The colder waters of Lake Michigan ebb and flow through the Sturgeon Bay channel and the much warmer Sturgeon Bay itself into and back from the waters of Green Bay that are just slightly warmer than the big lake. Wind-generated currents in the canal keep the water temperatures in constant flux.

At least 10 different types of piscatorial strains reside there among the varying aquatic temperatures. I was after only two: Brown Trout and Lake Trout (sometimes called Mackinaw Trout).

I caught both, as you can see in the photo. All are Browns except for the 10-pound Lake Trout second from right. On the far right is the 17-lb Brown from the previous post. The total weight of all five fish topped 40 pounds, making it an unbelievable day of fishing. I'll not soon forget it.