When you think of fishing in Wisconsin, you might picture a destination “up north.” But, one of Wisconsin’s best-kept secrets is only two hours from Madison and was recently featured in the Wisconsin State Journal’s Outdoors section.

This 6,830-acre lake is part of the Wisconsin River flowage and home to 15-inch crappie, monster muskies and a healthy walleye population, as well as perch, bluegill and giant northern pike.

Located in Central Wisconsin, Lake Dubay, home to GrandView Beach, is a fishing paradise.

The fishing in this area is so great, that Phil Schweik, a guide with Hooksetters Guide Services, wouldn’t go anywhere else.

“If I had to chose where to go, I would stay right here,” Schweik said. “I travel around the state and fish muskie tournaments. It’s not like a lake up north with jetskis and motorboats racing around a lot of time. You don’t have a lot of pressure. It’s a relatively quiet lake.”

Schweik has been wetting his line in the Wisconsin River flowage since childhood and enjoys the unpredictability of fishing Lake Dubay.

“When you throw your line in the water, you don’t know what you’re going to get, because they all school together,” Schweik said. “It’s just a great all-around fishery.”

Schweik said he caught 66 muskies out of the Wisconsin River and Lake Dubay with clients last year, including 8 over 45 inches and one over 50 inches. He also said it’s not uncommon to get 50 smallmouth fish in one day at Lake Dubay.

According to Schweik, at Lake Dubay, “you’ve got phenomenal fishing, a beautiful atmosphere and abundant wildlife.”

In addition to incredible angling, you can also enjoy boating, swimming and skiing on this 6,830-acre lake. Take off from your private shore at GrandView Beach where eight homesites are currently available. This community includes:

1. Large, wooded homesites
2. A private lakeside gazebo, fire pit and picnic area with a gorgeous beach
3. Forested walking trails and wildlife viewing areas
4. Paved access roads and underground utilities and installed docks

Lake-acess homesites include a private boat dock and start at $93,900. Lakefront homesites have mile-long views and at least 110 feet of sandy beach shoreline and start at $318,900.

Visit LakeDubayWaterfront.com for more information.

Read the entire Wisconsin State Journal article at Madison.com/wsj/home/sports/284571.

Located in majestic Cheboygan County, Long Lake has remained a little-known secret within the angling community of Northern Michigan. With an assortment of species of fish inhabiting Long Lake, anglers are discovering that, while the panorama is beautiful and the property is pristine, it’s the plentiful supply of native Michigan fish that makes it a real catch.

At over 400 acres, Long Lake boasts fishing opportunities for all levels of anglers. Among the species found in the lake are bluegill, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, walleye, northern pike, rock bass, perch, and sunfish. Whether it’s fishing for largemouth in the shallows or ice-fishing for perch in the middle of winter, Long Lake offers depths of up to 60 feet in some places.

With Spring upon us, so too is the beginning of Walleye season. Northern Michigan is world-famous for its excellent Walleye fishing. Long Lake is no different. With the stimulation of their food supply, the walleye have begun to emerge from the depths to seek out their spring diet. In order to capitalize on this migration, here are a few simple tips to catching these hearty fighting fish:

1. Cast or troll minnow-shaped crank baits along the bottom, slowly working your way up while checking for activity.
2. Jigs and Lindy Rigs may also be effective at the right depths.
3. Search for reef-like areas where the shallows meet steep drop-offs and try to work the depths near these junctures.

If you love to fish, we hope you have the opportunity to visit Long Lake and all of Northern Michigan. It’s truly an angler’s paradise.