Ron Schara: A typical Wisconsin opener, save for a one-fish limit

WEBSTER, WIS. — As fishing openers go, Wisconsin's version Saturday was ... well, almost typical.

A chill wind greeted the dawn.

The fishing water was like ice water, a cool 48 degrees.

And a pesky northwest breeze created whitecaps and froze angling fingers that were wet from dipping into minnow buckets.

Very typical.

So -- what was so unusual?

On Yellow Lake on Saturday, it's a good bet that a majority of anglers caught a limit of walleyes. Yes, a limit. Now that's what you call bragging rights.

Of course, the walleye limit was only one fish. Yes, one. This revolting predicament -- a one-walleye daily limit on Yellow Lake -- is the result of Wisconsin's unusual fish management procedures on lakes covered by Indian treaty fishing rights. Most other lakes in the treaty area of northwest Wisconsin offered a two-fish limit.

This situation made for unheard of levels of fishing success. In one group of 12 anglers, nine returned to the dock with their limits.

The opening day armada appeared to be smaller than in past years on Yellow. For example, the docks at Ike Walton Lodge were nearly empty. The fishing restrictions and/or economic conditions might have reduced the number of boats, although the lake was far from empty by mid-afternoon.

Clearly, one of the happiest fishermen in my boat was WCCO radio personality Dave Lee, who hauled in an 18 1/2-inch walleye to claim second place in a big fish contest. Lee's radio producer, Steve Enck, dutifully photographed the evidence but did not produce any fish of his own.

"I can guarantee one thing," Lee said. "That fish is going to be 6 inches longer on my radio show Monday morning."

The walleye catching ploys were the usual Fireball jig tipped with fathead minnows. Some anglers said their best luck was on leeches on a plain hook.

The most productive water ranged from 5 to 7 feet deep. State law also requires a 15-inch minimum on walleyes, which means a number of catches are judged too small to keep.

A trio of Minnesota anglers -- Steve Herth of Alexandria, Dan Fleming of Mahtomedi and Rick Schara of Fergus Falls -- caught eight walleyes but released five undersized fish. The largest walleye Saturday was just shy of 19 inches and was caught by Andy Hromatka of Duluth.

As it turns out, Hromatka had double bragging rights on Yellow Lake: His one fish was the biggest, and it was his limit.

Ron Schara is a retired Star Tribune outdoors columnist. ron@mnbound.com