MINERAL LAKE
This is a smaller lake than Namekagon, and it has steep banks and a deep hole in the middle. Mineral Lake is located north of Clam Lake in Ashland County.

“The trick to fishing this lake,” said LaPenter, “is finding the suspended fish. Here, they come out of 30 feet and suspend somewhere along the 10- to 12-foot breaks. I’ll use the chartreuse again and sometimes a pink. The best are the Mini-Mite by Cubby Fishing Tackle, the Rat Finkee and the Pinky Jigs. If the fish are really aggressive, I sometimes use a small crankbait in those orange colors. It all depends on what you find when you get out there.”

LAKE OWEN
“This is really the sleeper lake for crappies,” said LaPenter about southern Bayfield County’s Lake Owen. “It can be the toughest lake to find crappies in, but when you find them, they are as big as 17 inches.”

Lake Owen is super clear, so you’ll need light line and a very quiet boat.

“I find these fish in 20 to 30 feet of water,” LaPenter said. “Look for the deeper rockpiles and use fatheads or emerald shiners. You can use the same jigs, but use the bigger minnows.”

With the very clear water, early morning, evening and night are the best times to fish for papermouths. There are two public boat launches on this lake, but most people go to the launch at the north end to start fishing there. There is also a campground -- if you can handle the weather.

FLAMBEAU FLOWAGE
The crappies on the Flambeau Flowage can be found above the dam in the deeper holes around 12 to 15 feet deep.

“On the Flambeau,” said LaPenter, “the fishing will depend on the level of the water. The fish get concentrated in holes. You’ll need to look around with your locator to find exactly where they are holding, but once you’ve searched them out, you’ll have good success.”

You need to get your bait right in the middle of the school of fish or just slightly above it. To keep your bait at a consistent depth, LaPenter suggested a slip-bobber approach with a jig tipped with a wax worm or minnow.

“You can fish the Flambeau almost anytime,” LaPenter said. “This body of water is a little stained, so you can get away with fishing in the midday, especially with cloud cover.”

SHAWANO LAKE
Local guide Troy Peterson knows his panfish. In fact, his business is called Mr. Bluegill Guide Service, but he knows a boatload about crappies, and he has photos to prove it. Shawano Lake northwest of Green Bay is his first choice.

“Shawano is a clear lake with an average-sized crappie of 10 to 12 inches,” Peterson said. “This lake has multiple reed beds around the shore. I go out in the early morning or after dark with lighted bobbers and fish in 3 to 5 feet of water. Use a Glow Demon, or a red TruTurn Hook with a flathead minnow or wax worm. That works really well on 4- to 6-pound-test line.”

On the north side is a small creek that joins Shawano Lake to a tiny lake. In the early season, the crappies move in and out of this area. A combination of warm water and abundant food keeps them coming back. The best way to access this channel is by boat off County Road HH.

For guide service, contact Peterson at www.mrbluegill.com or (920) 810-4570.