Anglers flock to Fox River in De Pere for walleye run

Joe Murphy of Wales casts along the shore of the Fox River in De Pere while fishing March 21 for walleyes. Credit: Paul A. Smith

	Paul A. Smith
	Outdoors Editor

March 28, 2015

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An angler prepares to release a walleye after landing it on the shore of the Fox River in De Pere.Paul A. Smith

Jay Cummings, of Waukesha, holds a 30-inch walleye caught on the Fox River in De Pere, Wis.Paul A. Smith

March 28, 2015 0

De Pere — It's 10 p.m. on a cool, drizzly Friday in late March.

As the work week winds down and traffic slows in De Pere, there's also a surge of activity in the city's industrial corridor.

Here, along the banks of the Fox River, the third shift is reporting for duty.

"It's looking pretty good," said Joe Murphy, 28, of Wales, nodding at the river. "Should be an interesting night."

Murphy, Jay Cummings, 33, of Waukesha and I have traveled to De Pere to partake in one of the state's marquee fishing opportunities: the spring walleye run on the Fox.

The fish congregate and spawn in the river in the weeks after ice-out. The fishery has attracted anglers for several decades. The river downstream of the De Pere dam is often jammed with more than 100 boats on spring days.

And thanks to public access to the river's banks in De Pere, shore anglers also flock to the Fox each spring.

A strong fish population and special regulations have created one of the state's best opportunities for shore fishermen to catch a trophy walleye.

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As it has been for much of De Pere's history, the Fox River is the hub of local commerce and recreation.

Murphy, Cummings and I meet at Voyageur Park and get outfitted for a night of shore fishing. We pull on insulated chest waders, strap on headlamps and grab medium action spinning outfits and head to the water.

About 20 other anglers are standing in the river, casting into the black. Fifty boats are anchored, drifting or trolling in the distance.

The air is filled with a background hum of power lines, the dam, a paper mill and automobile traffic.

We tie on large crankbaits or stickbaits and wade into the rocky water. The river gurgles around our legs.

And at regular intervals the "whip!" of graphite rods punctuates the soundscape as lures are flung into the distance.

It's cast, reel, feel the bait tick the bottom, reel and repeat. Snags in the rocky bottom are common. Every so often, the lure stops and the rod set is met with living, surging resistance.

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Murphy and Cummings grew up in Waukesha and were taught the love of fishing from their families.

As youngsters they also learned that if they told their parents they wanted to go fishing, it was almost always met with a hearty "yes" and permission to roam.

With a bicycle and fishing rod, they explored as many Waukesha County waters as possible.

"(Fishing) was kind of a free pass," Murphy said.

These days, Murphy works as a steamfitter; Cummings as a machinist. They now have access to any water within reach of their motor vehicles. But their attitudes haven't changed a bit. Whenever possible, they are on the water, often casting from its edge.

Murphy and Cummings are master craftsmen at shore fishing.

"There's definitely an added challenge to consistently catching fish from shore," Murphy said. "I also like the simplicity of it."

Murphy's biggest walleye caught while shore fishing is a 32-inch, 13.5-pounder from the Sturgeon Bay area.

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The lower Fox River runs seven miles from the De Pere dam to its mouth in Green Bay. The Department of Natural Resources estimates about 60,000 adult walleye move into the river during the spawning run, drawing thousands of fishermen and generating an economic boost to the area.

It's a good news story rooted in environmental cleanup and science-based resource management.

According to DNR reports, walleye stocks in southern Green Bay were decimated during the early to mid-1900s by habitat destruction, pollution, interactions with invasive species and over-exploitation. At one point, only the Menominee River supported a spawning stock.

Aided by enforcement of the Clean Water Act, the water quality and fish community of southern Green Bay began to improve by the mid-1970s, according to the department, and rehabilitation of walleye stocks began in 1973 with the stocking of fry and fingerlings in the Sturgeon Bay area.

Stocking was so successful in southern Green Bay and the lower Fox River that it was discontinued in 1984; the population there is now self-sustaining.

In 2014, anglers caught 225,000 walleyes and harvested 95,000 of the fish in Green Bay and the Fox River, according to a preliminary DNR report.

"The walleye population found today in Green Bay and the Fox River could well be the largest in 70 years or more," said DNR fisheries manager Steve Hogler.

The improved environmental conditions have also helped native populations of lake whitefish, smallmouth bass and lake sturgeon, all of which now spawn in increasing numbers in the river.

To help protect walleyes during the critical spawning period, the DNR has instituted special regulations in the Fox River. From March 2 to May 1, the bag limit is one walleye with a minimum length of 28 inches. On May 2, it changes to a daily bag limit of three with no size limit.

The combination of stocking, regulations and improved water quality has resulted in one of the state's most dependable walleye fisheries. When you consider it can also be enjoyed by shore anglers, the Fox could well be considered the best walleye fishery in the state.

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The fish can be caught throughout the day. But walleyes are called "marble eyes" for a reason. The fish have specialized vision which helps them find prey in low light conditions. "Night is best," said Murphy. Not only do walleyes actively feed after dark, but the number of anglers typically drops off.

At 10:45 p.m., Cummings hooks up with a heavy fish. The invisible power on the end of his line turns downstream and takes drag, but eventually Cummings is able to turn it into slack water close to shore.

He leads it to the beach where Murphy and I are changing lures.

Entering the light of our headlamps, Cummings looks like he is walking a plump, snarling Dachshund on a leash. The fish splashes, back out of the water, mouth open and teeth shining. It's back is as broad as a football.

Stretched out in the shallows, the fish measures 30 inches in length. Although we don't have a scale, the pot-bellied fish likely weighs at least 12 pounds. It struck a five-inch stickbait.

For Cummings, a skilled angler who has fished walleyes for nearly 30 years, the 30-incher is a personal best.

It's the class of fish that brings crowds of fishermen to the Fox each spring.

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We wade back out and resume fishing. A light drizzle turns to a steady rain, then to a mist.

The number of anglers diminishes substantially after midnight. We have sporadic action on fish in the 15- to 20-inch range. All are quickly released. The action all comes on 4- to 6-inch crankbaits and stickbaits.

At 3:30 a.m., eight boats and five shore anglers remain. At 3:45, Cummings lands another big walleye, this time 263/4 inches. After a photo, it swims back into the Fox.

A half-hour later, Murphy catches and releases a chunky 20-inch whitefish.

At 4:30 a.m., the sky begins to clear, offering a few points of light overhead.

At 7 a.m., the sun rises into a clear sky. We fish until mid-morning but don't land any more fish over 28 inches.

At about 8 a.m., however, a musky more than 50 inches long strikes Murphy's lure in the shallows. In a flash, the fish's teeth cut the line.

The Saturday morning crowds begin to assemble in boats and on shore. It's time for the night shift to clock out.

With one fish of a lifetime for our crew, the night won't be forgotten any time soon.

Send email to psmith@journalsentinel.com