The Reel Deal

On Sept. 16, 1933, an almost unbelievable 18-pound walleye was caught by Anthony Brothers on High Lake, in Vilas County, Wisconsin, about 2 ½ hours directly north of Rome. 

Here we are, 90 years later, and that 18-pounder still holds the record as the biggest walleye ever caught in Wisconsin. It's also the state's oldest fish record - of any kind.

It makes you wonder, could that 1933 walleye record ever be topped? 

According to DNR biologists, conservation leaders, and fishing guides from around the state, the Wisconsin walleye record would be extremely difficult to break, but it will be broken. 

Because records are made to be broken. Right?

And it’s that challenge that keeps many seasoned anglers casting and trolling day-after-day, year-after-year on lakes and rivers throughout the state.

But what about the rest of us? Those of us who maybe caught a fish or two over the years (probably by sheer luck) who really have no idea what we're doing, but still have visions of reeling in a catch at least as big as a Chipotle burrito. 

Well, we’re in luck. Because we’ve got a lot of things working in our favor. For starters, the Rome, Wisconsin area is blessed with some of the best fishing waters anywhere in the state. With lakes Arrowhead, Camelot, and Sherwood, there are fish of all species hungry for just the right meal. 

And then there’s the mighty Wisconsin River. From its headwaters on the Wisconsin-Michigan border in Lac Vieux Desert, it falls more than 1,000 feet on its 500-mile journey through the state, before emptying into the Mississippi River at Prairie du Chien.  

The Wisconsin, long notorious for devastating floods, is now partially controlled by 21 reservoirs (flowages) on the river. One such control point, the Petenwell Flowage, consists of 23,040 acres and is the second largest inland body of water in Wisconsin. It was built in the late 1940s by damming the river near Necedah for hydroelectric generation and flood control. 

The flowage offers some of the river's best fishing. Especially in locally known fishing "hot spots" which include Devil's Elbow, the mouth of Fourteen Mile Creek, Barnum Bay, and Strongs Prairie, to name a few.  

But again, those of us who just occasionally dabble in the sport don’t know where these spots are, and even if we did, what do we do now?

Well, again, we’re in luck because throughout the area, there are several professional fishing guides at the ready to show you these hot spots, and a few more that only they (and soon, maybe you too) know about. 

One guide who knows every gallon of these waters, and every inch of the nooks, crannies, and underwater refuges is Todd Forcier (pronounced for-seer). Todd has been navigating the river, Petenwell, and Castle Rock Flowages (Petenwell’s downriver sister) as a professional for more than 30 years.

With more than a zillion dollars of equipment on his Ranger boat, he takes his experience and expertise to a whole other level. Outfitted with only the best rods, reels, and lures, and taking full advantage of full-color, high-definition sonar scanning in every direction, fish don’t stand a chance. If they're down there, he’ll find them. And so will you.

Todd is an expert in all types of fishing, and all types of fish, but he specializes in musky and walleye for a couple reasons - 1) they’re abundant (and huge) in these waters, and 2) they’re the most challenging and fun of all the sporting fish in Wisconsin.

Spend a day with Todd, and without a doubt, you’ll have the best day you’ve ever had on the water - even if you don’t catch that trophy fish. You will learn tricks, tactics, and tips that you couldn’t have imagined were even a thing. You will learn why, and not just how, to find and catch fish. He’ll share the storied history of how these magnificent waters came to be in the first place. And you will marvel at some of the most beautiful scenery anywhere - most of it still as nature intended it - with little or no development. 

And if nothing else, you will have spent a day with a guy, who in the first two minutes, makes you feel like a lifelong friend. In fact, Todd will tell you, “I love fishing, obviously, but it’s the people I meet every day that make this job so special.”

So, if you’re an accomplished fisher, or just want to take your game to a new level, you should drop a line in the lakes and rivers of central Wisconsin. And improve your chances even more by tapping into a professional fishing guide like Todd.

And who knows, maybe someday, people will be talking about a 19-pound walleye with your name on it. 

Forcier Fishing Guides can be found at forcierfishing.com.

Written by: Lydell Capritta