Collins Marsh 3 Reservoir, Wisconsin: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Wisconsin holds Collins Marsh 3 Reservoir, in Manitowoc County. Everything around it is rolling bush. It measures about 182 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. Some 4.5 miles of bank gives room to move when the wind turns. Of the waters listed here in Manitowoc County, this is the largest. For a base, Reedsville sits 4.2 miles out. It is 30 miles to Green Bay, the nearest city. This one sits near enough to a boundary to be worth checking.

• Where to Fish on Collins Marsh 3 Reservoir

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Inflow corners move water, and moving water gathers fish. Built water gives depth close in, which suits a bank angler. Open biodiversity records for Manitowoc County list brown trout, rainbow trout and common carp. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. This water gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 16°F to 70°F. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. Break-up comes around early April, and the run that follows is short and strong. The open-water window runs from around early April to about early December in an average year. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Time your trip to this water by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. A carry of half a mile from the nearest parking is the price of fishing here. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Should this one be busy, Bullhead Lake is 3.7 miles off. Nothing here settles the position at this water for certain.