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| Midwest Outdoors July 2009 |
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July Is Tube Time In Wolf River Country At the time of this writing many around me are wondering if summer is ever going to come. The cool, rainy weather of late May and early June have water levels up and temperatures down and most people still wearing jackets. That should be a bonus for early July anglers as good numbers of walleye remain in the river. Early mornings are best with a jig and leech combo my go-to presentation. I like OddBall Jigs rigged snag-free as I learned from Daryl Christensen’s “Jigmeister” DVD. A small, approximately 1.5 inch piece of rubber worm is first threaded on the hook followed by the leech. Then, put the point of the hook in the remaining end of the rubber worm. This will keep you out of most snags and doesn’t affect hook sets, especially if you are using a non-stretch, or “super line”. Gulp Alive works well also and is more durable then a live leech. I will often buy smaller panfish size leeches and add them to the Gulp presentation. Even if I’m not using Gulp I like the small leeches. With a black jig and dark colored rubber worm protecting the hook, even a small leech provides a nice size presentation right in the walleye’s preferred range. Drop-offs, spring beds and sand bars adjacent to deep water can hold walleye as can outside bends such as the “rock wall” in Fremont. Anything over 12 feet of water would be a potential good area. Sometimes they can be found in the deepest water and on other days in the weeds in 2 feet of water. For river walleye, keep an open mind and try to figure where the food is and you’ll find walleye. Try Some Inner-tube Fun In Wolf River Country For years the Little Wolf River has been the areas only “splash spot” for inner-tube fun here in Wolf River Country. But 2009 dawns a new horizon as River’s Edge Camping Resort on the Wolf River in Leeman and Gill’s Landing in Weyauwega join in the inner-tube trips and rental arena. Both offer additional opportunities for family fun and a change of pace from the small rapids and rocky stretches of the Little Wolf. They offer floats of a more leisurely pace along sandy bottoms through some of the most beautiful landscape you’ve ever seen. When people think of inner-tubing, they often think about the Apple river in northwest Wisconsin where rapids, rocks and water falls are a part of the norm. Although not a problem for the “kids”, most adults I talked to dismissed tubing as a way to cool off and enjoy the river, for that reason. Although the float on the Little Wolf is far from that extreme, the rocks and small rapids do keep some of the less adventurous folks from enjoying the resource. Both new trips change that. River’s Edge Camping Resort in Leeman offers inner-tube and canoe float trips on the Wolf River from its location where County highway F crosses the Wolf River north of Shiocton. “Tubers” are bussed to a location up stream and return with the gentle flow of the Wolf River, a 3 hour trip, or longer based on stops. Here the Wolf meanders through mostly wooded, uninhabited shorelines filled with birds and wildlife galore. Numerous sand bars and deeper areas offer places to swim or sit and relax in the golden waters of the Wolf River. Cost is just $13 for inner-tube rental and $25 for canoe rental and life jackets are provided free. A complete bar and restaurant await those looking to close the day with food and drink. Nightly specials such as the Tuesday Taco Bar and Friday Fish Fry are well known local favorites. Camping is available based on availability and there is a nice sand beach at the resort for you to enjoy. Gill’s Landing on the Wolf River just east of Weyauwega is another newcomer to the inner-tube rental business. They are offering an approximately 3 hour trip along the Waupaca River that ends at their location where the Waupaca meets the Wolf. Another trip with a more leisurely pace, the Waupaca flows through woods and grasslands of mostly uninhabited shorelines. There are some deeper areas for swimming and sandbars for stopping to extend the trip. Gill’s Landing also has a complete bar and restaurant to greet returning tubers and is another well known Fish Fry hot spot. Cost for tube rentals is just $10 and life jackets are provided. Wolf River Trips & Campgrounds is the matriarch of the local tubing scene. Their trips along the Little Wolf are a well known way to beat the heat. They offer inner-tube and canoe trips from their location on County X west of New London. Weekend inner-tube rental is $11 with a 4 hour canoe trip at $24. The crystal clear waters of the Little Wolf run through mostly wooded shorelines and offer some small rapids, rocky areas and places where you will find a gentle glide. The bar and grill here has a nice menu and there is camping available in the large campgrounds. So if you are looking for an inexpensive way to beat the heat and spend a day out in the sun covered waters of Wolf River Country, grab your suit and swim fins and head to one of these great locations for family fun. Joel “Doc” Kunz is free lance Outdoor Writer & Photographer and Field Editor for Midwest Outdoors Magazine. He is a 2005 MWO “Readers Choice” award winner and a member of the Association of Great Lakes Outdoor Writers. Visit his NEW web site at www.docswaters.com |