Celebrate the 40th anniversary of Earth Day April 22 by learning about some of the anglers, lake champions, and other citizens who have helped clean up and protect Wisconsin's environment in the last 40 years. New online videos, slideshow and stories help tell their stories, and a timeline details major milestones on the road to environmental progress.
With minimal rainfall in the last week, conditions remain very dry across Wisconsin and fire danger has remained Very High to Extreme for much of the past week. This time of year there is still a great deal of dead vegetation that will dry out quickly and be available fuel for a wildfire. In the past week, 121 wildfires burned 186 acres across Wisconsin. Burning permits remain suspended in many areas.
The unseasonably warm spring weather made for a very early and quick ice-out on all lakes across northern Wisconsin, with most breaking up during the first few days of April. Normally there is a gradual warm-up with the snow and ice slowly melting off of the lakes. With the early ice-out conditions and warm weather, northern pike and walleye have been done spawning for over a week, and musky are already on the downside of their spawning period. The warming water has brought many panfish and some bass into the shallows. Crappies have been showing up on the edges of the shallow bays and many males have even been sporting the darker coloration in anticipation of spawning when the temperatures reach the upper 50s. If warmer weather in the next few days pushes water temperatures to the upper 50s, it's possible that smallmouth bass and crappie may begin their spring nesting period -- which is almost unheard of for the late-April period in the Northwoods.
Strong south and northwest winds last week created waves 1 to 3 feet high on Lake Michigan and the lack of precipitation dropped water levels on tributaries. The sucker and steelhead runs on tributaries have slowed, but both were still being reported. On the Little Manitowoc River late arriving steelhead with great color were taken near the mouth of the river by floating spawn or orange yarn. It was a big weekend for many anglers fishing in the Lake Michigan and Green Bay waters brown trout tournament. A 20-pound brown trout took the tourney title, with many fish close behind in the high teens.
In the southeast, steelhead fishing has also tapered off on tributaries, but fishing off piers has been improving, with fair numbers of brown trout taken. Trollers working shallow water have been taking decent numbers of browns, along with a few lake trout, rainbows, and chinook. In Kenosha, trollers have started catching coho. Look for coho to start moving farther north as the spring progresses.
Water levels have been dropping on the Mississippi River after it crested around the 15 foot mark two weeks ago. Little to no rainfall has allowed the river to settle down to the 9.78 foot mark this week at Prairie du Chien. Now that the water levels have dropped fishing activity is picking up. Anglers have reported some crappie and bluegill action. Walleye and sauger action was also pretty good this week.
The warm spring has some wildflowers blooming in southern and central Wisconsin more than three weeks earlier than normal. Some flowers seen in the past week include hepatica, anemone, bloodroot, wild ginger, Dutchman's breeches, jack-in-the-pulpit, bellwort, bird's foot violet, buttercup prairie smoke, shooting star and columbine. Pasque flowers are going to seed and trilliums are very close to being out.
A three-minute audio version of this report can be heard by calling (608) 266 2277.
A new report is put on the line each week.
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Statewide Wildfire Report
Fire danger was Very High to Extreme for much of the past week. Conditions on Saturday warranted the implementation of a Red Flag Warning in 19 counties. This time of year there is still a great deal of dead vegetation that will dry out quickly and be available fuel for a wildfire. Low relative humidity, warm temps, and gusty winds quickly drive up the fire danger. In the past week, 121 wildfires burned 186 acres. The main causes of the fires were debris burning, power lines, and equipment. Fire danger is currently High to Very High across the state and annual burning permits are suspended in many areas. Check the burning restrictions for your county every day as annual burning permits are often suspended during times of elevated fire danger and restrictions can change from day to day. Burning restrictions are updated daily after 11 a.m. and current fire danger can be checked online or by phone at 1-888-WIS-BURN.
Firewise Tip: Clear a 10 foot space around propane tanks. Keep this space filled in with gravel, rock or short, well-watered grass.
Northern Region wildfire report - Brule and Cumberland Dispatch Groups Little to no rain has fallen over the Northwestern portion of the State this week. The Fire Danger remains at Very High and burning permits are suspended until significant rain is received. Saturday April 17 there was a Red Flag Warning issued for Douglas, Bayfield, Washburn, Burnett, and Polk counties due to high winds and low humidity. Equipment fires are becoming more common and we are asking citizens to report any suspicious smoke to 911. Brule Dispatch Group reported nine new wildfires this week. These fires burned 3 acres and while suppressing these fires, firefighters saved five structures. Pattison ranger and crew assisted in one mutual aid fire in Douglas County that burned 0.2 acres. Prescribed burning for wildlife habitat was accomplishments on 67 acres this week. Cumberland Dispatch Group reported seven wildfires this week. These fires burned 116 acres and seven structures were saved. The largest was the “Skog Road Fire” southwest of Grantsburg - 113 acres burned in jack pine, scrub oak and scattered grass openings. On the “Golden Horseshoe Fire” in Minong, firefighters saved two structures – during one, the fire reached the interior walls of the cabin which firefighters quickly extinguished. Ranger Riewestahl stated that there are hundreds of cabins just like this that could be protected by just raking the leaves away from the base of the structure. Prescribed burning for wildlife habitat was completed on 25 acres. Thirty years ago was the 11,419 acre Oak Lake Fire and the 4,654 acre Ekdall Church fire. KARE11.com covered the story:
http://www.kare11.com/video/default.aspx?bctid=79454019001. Park Falls and Woodruff Dispatch Groups Fire danger was Very High to Extreme last week. Current fire danger is High to Very High across the area. Our vegetation is still dry and ready to burn. All burning permits are currently suspended. In the Woodruff & Parks Falls Dispatch Groups, 33 fires burned a total of 28 acres this past week. The vast majority of these fires were started by power lines last Friday and Saturday during very windy conditions. The two largest power line fires burned 6 and 5 acres in Vilas County on Saturday. The Phelps, Conover, and Plum Lake Township Volunteer Fire Departments assisted on these fires. People are reminded to be extra cautious when disposing of ashes as they can remain hot and harbor embers for a long time. With the ashes in a fire-proof container, wet them down with water and stir to make sure they will not cause a wildfire when you dispose of them.
South Central Region wildfire report - Current fire danger is High across the region. Burning Permits are required for burning debris after 6 p.m. in DNR protection. Make sure to notify your local sheriff’s department of when you are starting to burn and when it’s out. Any day time burning must have a special burn permit from the DNR Fire Control Ranger. A chance of rain for the weekend may alleviate the danger. In the past week, 19 wildfires burned 6 acres in DNR protection areas. The largest was a 4-acre fire in Sauk County last Thursday that resulted when portions of an already burned area from the day before re-ignited. The Merrimac and Prairie Du Sac Volunteer Fire Departments assisted in suppressing that fire. On Friday, a string of fires were ignited from equipment sparks along a road in Sauk County, threatening two structures. Turkey hunters are reminded to be extra cautious with anything (warming fires, smokes, etc.) that can start a wildfire – even though vegetation is looking greener, fire danger is still High. Prescribed burning: 77 prescribed burns were completed on 4,232 acres this week, bringing the year’s total to 311 burns on an amazing 16,772 acres across the region for the improvement of habitat, control of invasive species, and reduction in wildland fuels.
West Central Region wildfire report - In the parts of the West Central Region where the DNR is responsible for wildfire suppression, 24 fires burned approximately 21 acres in the last week. Eight (
structures were saved due to fire suppression response and 1 firewood shelter was lost. A campfire was the cause of a 6 acre wildfire that resulted in the evacuation of two homes and the municipal building in the Town of Rome. At the end of the evening, the campers kicked sand over the campfire. No water was used. The campers awoke the next morning to the sight of the tent melting. For more information on campfire safety, go to
www.dnr.state.wi.us/forestry/fire/adwscmp.htm. In the Town of Dell Prairie, an 8 acre fire resulted from burning piles of slash (see photo). The property owner burned the piles and then partially buried them. Again, no water was used. Five days later, a wildfire ignited. It is recommended that large diameter material be burned when the ground is snow covered. Even then, burn piles should be pulled apart and repeatedly checked in the spring as snow melts. These two fires in Adams County over the last week remind us that even legal burning can result in wildfires when the fire is not properly extinguished. Once the objective of your burn is completed, be sure to "mop-up" the ashes with water and stirring. Often wildfires are started from fires that were not properly extinguished days, weeks or even months after they were burned so make sure your fire is dead out.
Northeast Region wildfire report - Current fire danger is High across the region. Annual burning permits are currently suspended due to fire weather conditions. Special permits are allowed only after inspection. Fire danger can be expected to increase during dry conditions when temperatures are warm, winds are gusty, and humidity goes down. In the past week, 27 wildfires burned 12 acres. Ten structures were threatened and one building was lost during theses fires. The main causes of wildfires were a mix of power lines, arson, debris burning, and equipment. The largest was a 5-acre fire in Marinette County caused by trash burning. Several fires are still under investigation.
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NORTHERN REGION
Superior DNR Service Center area
Brule River State Forest - Getting dressed for the day has been taking some consideration lately due to the wide range of temperatures. Although most of the days have been very comfortable in the afternoons, some of the mornings have had low temperatures in the 20s. The recent warm weather has a multitude of plant life pushing through the soil. Wood Anemone, Strawberry, and Marsh Marigold are now blooming and fern fiddleheads are coming up with their fronds preparing to unfurl. Trees are beginning to leaf out providing a soft green shade to the canopy. If one looks closely, some balsam fir trees have "mini raspberry looking" male pollen cones growing toward the ends of their branches. The false morel, or brain fungus is out now. Keep in mind that these are not real morel mushrooms….do not eat them as they are poisonous People are reminded that even though they may have an annual burning permit, they must call the toll free number 1-888-WIS-BURN (947-2876) or check current fire danger online before before burning. As of April 10, the regular burning permits have been suspended due to the fire danger, but Fire Control staff have recently responded to several locations where people have burned debris which started wildfires. The Brule River State Forest will hold their Spring Public Meeting at 7 p.m. April 30 at the Brule Town Hall, 5820 Maple Street, Brule. Property staff with expertise in forest management, operations, enforcement, and recreation will be available to discuss the state forest's plans for the next year. For more information contact Dave Schulz, Forest Superintendent at (715)-372-5678.
Park Falls DNR Service Center area
Upper Chippewa Basin fisheries report (Price, Rusk, Sawyer Taylor and inland Ashland and Iron counties) - The unseasonably warm spring weather made for a very early and quick ice-out on all lakes across northern Wisconsin (most broke up during the first few days of April). Normally there is a gradual warm-up with the snow and ice slowly melting off of the lakes. This usually results in the smaller lakes becoming ice-free first and ice-out graduating up to the larger lakes over a period of one to two weeks time. However, the warm weather of this spring caused most lakes to become ice free over the course of about three days in early April. This has made for some busy and hectic schedules for most of the DNR fish survey crews as they frantically worked to assess the early spawning species such as northern pike, walleye and musky. With the early ice-out conditions and warm weather, northern pike and walleye have been done with their spring spawning ritual for over a week, and musky are already on the downside of their spawning period (except for the larger lakes which are slower to warm up). Yellow perch are also an early spawning species and they are also completing their spawning at this time. The warming water temperatures have also brought many panfish and some bass into the shallows. Black crappie have been showing up on the edges of the shallow bays and many males have even been sporting the darker coloration in anticipation of spawning when the temperatures reach the upper 50s. Currently, water temperatures have been holding in the low to mid-50s on most lakes and this is providing for a bit of an extended spawning season for the musky. If warmer weather in the next few days pushes water temperatures to the upper 50s, it's possible that smallmouth bass and crappie may begin their spring nesting period - which is almost unheard of for the late-April period in the Northwoods of Wisconsin.
Antigo DNR Service Center area
Council Grounds State Park - The campground will open on Friday, April 30. The docks are in at the boat landing. On April 24, 2010 the park is looking for volunteers to help with Spring Clean-Up Day. If you have any questions about either of these events please contact the park at (715) 536-8773.
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NORTHEAST REGION
Windy conditions over the last week kept fishing pressure light to moderate. Water temperatures at the landings in the low to mid 50s. Sucker spawning populations are on the decline.
Peshtigo DNR Service Center area
Marinette County - In the Peshtigo Harbor area from the mouth up stream walleye are being caught on jig and minnow as well as zip lures, drifting slowly and vertical jigging. The Menominee River and the surrounding bay area is also producing some nice walleye trolling crawler/harness, and stick baits on the bay, and vertical jigging in the river mouth.
Oconto County - Suckers up by the Stiles Dam are still the most numerous fish in the river although their numbers are declining. Pensaukee River, Oconto Breakwater Park, and Oconto Park II have all been producing northern pike, walleye and trout, with anglers trolling in 4 to 8 feet of water with crawler/harness and stick baits
Green Bay DNR Service Center area
Brown County - Anglers have been catching a few walleye up by the dam at night. The best luck has been on crank baits fished in the shallow water. Anglers are also having some success in the main river channel as well but most fish are hard fought. Also some shore anglers and boat anglers are finding good success on channel catfish and drum. Anglers have also reported catching some white bass. Anglers trolling the Lower Bay for walleye have reported that fishing has been slow with more northern pike then walleye being caught.
Manitowoc County - Strong south and northwest winds combined with cool temperatures dominated last week's weather. The winds created waves 1-3 feet high on Lake Michigan and the lack of precipitation dropped water levels 4 inches in area rivers by the end of the week. Fishing pressure became relatively low throughout the week on the East and West Twin Rivers, the piers and Lake Michigan due to cold temperatures, strong winds, and little angling success. Anglers fishing for steelhead on the East Twin had little success this past week. The sucker and steelhead run slowed by the weekend, but both are still present in quantities worthy of a fishing trip. Use night crawlers to catch several suckers near the Mishicot dam or spawn sacs for steelhead. West Twin River steelhead fishing slowed down as water levels dropped as the water temperature rose from 46F to 54F. Anglers had the greatest success early in the week using flies or an orange jig head/tail. A few anglers tried their luck catfishing, but the fishing was fairly slow. Manitowoc River fishing was relatively quiet this week due to high, murky, fast flowing waters. A few anglers ventured out for catfish, landing a few small fish. Anglers used a variety of bait from night crawlers to even spawn sacs on bottom. The water temperature at 56F. A few fly fishers on the Branch River, near the golf course landed nearly a half dozen steelhead during the week. Orange and brown or black flies received the most action. The Branch river had very good water clarity with water temperatures at 52F. On the Little Manitowoc River late arriving steelhead with great color were taken near the mouth of the river by floating spawn or orange yarn. Silver Creek water levels have dropped and so have the amount of steelhead and suckers swimming in the creek. A few anglers have been observed but there has been very little fishing pressure. Winds calmed long enough during the early morning hours to get some good fishing in at the Two Rivers and Manitowoc harbor and piers. Using orange casting spoons, a small number of brown trout were landed. A few catfish have been taken on spawn while brown trout fishing. Anglers fishing on Lake Michigan in 7 to 13 feet of water south of the Manitowoc Harbor were landing brown trout this week. Spoons with any white combination on the dypsies are hot, with crank baits and high lines relatively slow.
Sturgeon Bay DNR Service Center area
Door County – There were high winds and rough conditions throughout the last week; however, anglers were not deterred from angling. The week started with strong winds from the east but switched to strong winds from the west for the weekend brown trout fishing tournament. The unique shape of Door County allowed for fishing on whichever side of the peninsula that was more protected. It was a big weekend for many anglers fishing in the Lake Michigan and Green Bay waters brown trout tournament. Pressure definitely increased over the weekend with most anglers having success on both the bay and the lake. A 20-pound brown trout took the tourney title, with many fish close behind in the high teens. Overall anglers reported good numbers of fish taken in the single digit pound range, mostly using stick baits and spoons. Heavy winds were cause for some turbid waters, a factor that benefited the fishing. Walleye spawn should be right around the corner. Fish were still being reported with consistency off the train bridge in Sturgeon Bay, and along the shorelines moving west towards Potawatomi State Park and Green Bay. Many northern pike have been seen in the local marinas looking to begin their spawn too. One angler reported a 25 lb northern pike taken while fishing for brown’s out of Fish Creek during the weekend, a very nice catch. Stream fishing has been picking up a little with some steelhead being taken out of Heins and Whitefish Bay creeks. Many anglers reported seeing a good number of steelhead; however, the fish are very skittish and spook easily. Spawn sacks have been the popular choice for results.
Potawatomi State Park - Trilliums are budding, but not yet in bloom. Sandhill cranes are in the area. The fish cleaning station and sanitary dump station are open for the season. The shower building is scheduled to open on May 1. The accessible fishing pier should also be in the water by May 1.
Rock Island State Park - All trails open and in good condition. Campsites are open and the water is turned on. At this time of the year the only way to access Rock Island is by private boat. Fishing has been poor. Spring flowers are just starting to bloom.
Kewaunee County - High winds for the majority of the week limited the amount of fishing pressure on Lake Michigan from boats. The higher temperatures have also raised the water temperatures in the streams to an average of 49 degrees. The Algoma ramp started to see an increase in use toward the end of the week when the winds began to calm down. The fishing itself seems to be very hit and miss for brown and lake trout. The majority of the fish have been caught on spoons this week. The Algoma pier has seen moderate pressure with very few fish to show for it. The northern pier has seen a few catfish pulled in with the use of sucker chunks. All of the surrounding streams in Algoma have seen diminished fishing pressure due to few fish being caught and the warmer temperatures in the water. The most active streams are still Stony Creek and just below the Forrestville dam. The Kewaunee ramp is also seeing increased use as reports of brown and lake trout being caught begin to come in. As with Algoma, the streams in the area have seen decreased fishing pressure as fewer rainbow trout are being caught. The majority of the fish being caught have been near Footbridge and behind the Brummer Zoo on spawn sacs.
Wautoma DNR Service Center area
Wild Rose State Fish Hatchery – The Visitor Center is open to visitors now and will be open in April and May on Thursday through Sunday. If you would like to request a school or group tour of 10-30 people, please call Naturalist at least 2 weeks ahead at (920) 622-3527, Ext. 209. Visitor Hours are 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Guided Public Tours begin at the Visitor Center at 10:00 AM and 1:00 PM on days the Naturalist is in the Visitor Center. For information see the Wild Rose State Fish Hatchery page of the DNR website
http://dnr.wi.gov/fish/wildrose/.
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SOUTHEAST REGION
Kettle Moraine State Park - Pike Lake Unit - All trails are open. Hikers will find some wet and muddy areas, but overall, trails are in good condition. The campground opens for 2010 on April 23. Swim area buoys are not in place yet, but will be installed before Memorial Day weekend. The main beach toilet building is open for the season. The north beach toilet building remains closed at this time. A portable toilet is available at the nature trail parking area year-round.
Kohler-Andrae State Park - All hiking and nature trails are open. All campsites are open. The park water system is open. This includes showers, flush toilets, water fountains, and the trailer dump station. Sanderling Nature Center will reopen May 1. School groups are encouraged to schedule a field trip by calling 920.451.4080. Volunteers are being sought for a variety of projects, including the Earth Day Celebration on April 24.
Lake Michigan fisheries team report
Sheboygan County - In Sheboygan, steelhead fishing has tapered off on both the Pigeon and Sheboygan rivers, although some northern pike have been caught in the Sheboygan near the Kohler dam. Fishing off the piers has been improving, with fair numbers of browns taken off the lake side of the south pier. Minnows have produced the most fish. Sheboygan trollers working shallow water have been taking decent numbers of browns, along with a few lake trout, rainbows, and chinooks. A variety of baits have been productive, including spoons, plugs, and stick baits.
Ozaukee County - Fishing effort in Port Washington was relatively light this past week. Shore anglers near the power plant discharge have been catching mostly suckers, but a few browns have been reported off the pier. Minnows fished on the harbor side of the pier have produced the most. Fishing on Sauk Creek has been slow.
Milwaukee County - In Milwaukee anglers fishing the Milwaukee River along the wall under the Hoan bridge have been catching a few browns on spawn and shiners, but overall fishing has been slow. In the Milwaukee River anglers have been catching a few steelhead on yarn flies at Kletzsch Park, but numbers of fish have dropped here in the past week. Steelhead fishing on Oak Creek and the Menomonee River has been slow. Boaters working in and around the gaps in the Milwaukee harbor continue to catch browns and lake trout. Both jigging and trolling small crank baits have been effective.
Racine County - In Racine the Root River is still holding steelhead. Fish were processed at the Root River Steelhead Facility on Wednesday, April 14, and the facility has been shut down. A total of 363 steelhead were passed upstream this season. Most of the steelhead left in the river have been actively spawning on gravel beds with good current flow. There have been a few fish holding in the deeper pools as well, and most of these fish have completed spawning. Flies have been best when fishing for spawning fish, and small natural flies as well as egg imitators have been working best. For the fish holding in the deeper areas, spinners and drifted spawn have been producing a few fish. Sucker numbers are also beginning to drop slowly.
Kenosha County - In Kenosha, trollers have started catching coho. Look for coho to start moving farther north as the spring progresses. In the Kenosha harbor steelhead and brown trout fishing has been slow, but anglers have been catching a few crappies on small fatheads near the boat launch. Steelhead fishing on the Pike River has been slow.
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SOUTH CENTRAL REGION
Dodgeville DNR Service Center area
Wyalusing State Park – Trails are in good hiking condition. Returning spring migrants include: fox sparrows, bluebirds, robins, killdeer, sand hill cranes, turkey vultures, red-winged blackbirds, meadowlarks, pelicans, song sparrows, American woodcock, kestrels, golden-crowned kinglet, belted kingfisher, chipping sparrow, rufous sided towhee. A few cardinals, chickadees, woodpeckers, gold finches, bluejays, juncos and nuthatches can still be found at the office bird feeders. Next week, hummingbirds, orioles and rose breasted grosbeaks should arrive. Wildflowers in bloom include Dutchman’s breeches, cut-leaved toothwort, sharp-lobed hepatica, bloodroot, wood anemone, false rue anemone, spring beauty, wild ginger, yellow sweet violet, trout lily Mayapple, nodding bellwort, bird’s foot violet, yellow sweet violet, rue anemone, meadow rue. Amethyst shooting stars are not quite open, but it will not be long. Trees in bloom: Kentucky redbud, apple, plum, cherry. Kentucky redbuds are unique in the fact that they will flower before the leaves appear. Morel mushrooms (little grays) have been found in the park and the area. According to the “shroomers”, they are just beginning. This is at least a week earlier than normal. We need rain to make the mushroomers “pop.” Campsites will be open in the Wisconsin Ridge Campground. Water fountains are on in the Wisconsin Ridge Campground and shower/flush building will be on by this weekend. Dump station is open. The concession stand will open weekends starting in mid May.
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WEST CENTRAL REGION
La Crosse DNR Service Center area
Things outdoors in La Crosse are about three weeks earlier than normal. On the Mississippi River, Conservation Warden Russell Wilson is seeing that bass were spawning as of April 20. Normally bass spawn about May 10 in La Crosse. Warden Wilson expects carp to be spawning in the next couple days. So bow fishers who like to fish the carp spawn may want to gear up early or they will miss it. Many folks gauge the bass and carp spawn in the La Crosse and other areas with the lilac bloom. Well, Lilac normally bloom for Mothers day in La Crosse, but this year Lilac are blooming now. Some La Crosse area asparagus hunters are already out finding the early sprouts. Rain is forecast for the weekend in La Crosse and morel mushrooms should be bursting out of the earth the week of April 25. Wild turkey spring gobbling activity has also been running early. First period turkey hunters had excellent conditions for their hunt.
Perrot State Park - The hiking trails are in great condition. Wildflowers are blooming early this year and the park is filled with many beautiful flowers. Some flowers seen in the past week include hepatica, anemone, bloodroot, wild ginger, rock cress, Dutchman's breeches, puccoon, jack-in-the-pulpit, bellwort, bird's foot violet, buttercup prairie smoke, shooting star and columbine. Pasque flowers are going to seed and trilliums are very close to being out. Shooting Star was just getting started, with spotty plants blooming here and there. The hillside of Shooting Star was still in the early bud stage but ought to be spectacular in a week or so. May Apple had healthy buds, but is probably still 2 weeks away. Fishing has been slow. Water levels are back to normal. The dock has been installed. Campground sites are open for camping on a first come first serve basis. Reservations are not available until April 30. Water is available in the campground and at the dump station. The Host bathroom and the Bay flush toilet/shower building are open.
Merrick State Park - The trails are in good condition. Some wildflowers are in bloom. Fishing has been picking up this past week. The river has returned to normal water levels. The dock has been installed. The north campground is open. Reservations are not available this early in the season. These sites are on a first come first serve basis. The south and island campgrounds are closed until later in May. The flush toilet/shower building is closed. Water is available at the dump station or the water fountains.
Great River State Trail - The trail is in good condition for hiking and biking. Wildflowers can be seen blooming along the trail. New surfacing is being installed north of Midway and north of Lytles. Watch for trucks on the trail during the week. There will be no construction on weekends. The Midway parking lot will be closed for about 2 weeks for construction..
Buffalo River State Trail - The trail is open and in good condition. Connecting ATV trails may not be open yet. Check with adjoining counties for their opening dates.
Crawford County - For the past two weeks the water level on the Mississippi River has been dropping rapidly. Two weeks ago the Mississippi River crested out around the 15 foot mark. Little to no rainfall has allowed the river to settle down to the 9.78 foot mark. The forecast is for it to continue is gradual fall throughout the upcoming week. The boat landings along the Mississippi River and its back waters are open and in good shape. The Kickapoo and Wisconsin Rivers are in good shape for this time of year. The Kickapoo River in Steuben is at 7 feet while the Wisconsin River at Muscoda is at 1.86 feet. Now that the water levels have dropped fishing activity is picking up. Anglers are trying some panfishing the lower bottoms south of Prairie du Chien. Some crappie and bluegill action has been reported. Anglers fishing in the Ambro Slough Complex have taken some perch, crappie and a few bluegills. Crappies have been caught using small minnows. Overall action has been spotty. The Cold Spring area remains very slow. Most anglers are venturing under the train bridge to the Mississippi River where small mouth bass and walleyes are being taken. Walleye and sauger action was pretty good this week, however windy conditions were a problem. The Lynxville dam area was producing some walleye and sauger along with a few perch and northern pike. Some anglers are targeting wing dams now that the walleyes are done spawning. Walleye tactics include dead lining, drifting with jig and minnow, trolling crank baits, or anchoring above a wing dam and working live or artificial baits. Another place to check for walleyes is the “S” curve by Harpers Ferry. Walleye activity has been decent there. Anglers fishing at the mouth of the Wisconsin River have had some success. Tom turkeys are actively gobbling early in the morning but get very quiet shortly after “fly down”. Gobbling activity seems to pick up late in the morning to early in the afternoon. Success during this first season was pretty good. There appears to be an abundance of adult gobblers and jakes. Hens have caused headaches for many hunters as the toms follow them around and away from hunters. Many gobblers are strutting along side unwilling hens. Left over tags are still available for the later turkey periods in Zone 1. Many song birds are starting nest building or egg tending. Local waterways, especially the Mississippi River continue to be a great viewing area for ducks, geese, swans and eagles. Eagles are actively tending their nests along the Wisconsin and Mississippi rivers.
Eau Claire DNR Service Center area
Brunet Island State Park – Species of birds seen or heard include: hooded mergansers, common loons, belted kingfishers, sandhill cranes, golden finches, red polls, mallard and bufflehead ducks, red winged blackbirds, phoebes, Canada geese, robins, mourning doves, nuthatches, ravens, black capped chickadees, piliated woodpeckers, great horned owls, and barred owls. There is a pair of bald eagles nesting on Cornell flowage. Swans and pelicans have been moving through this week. A variety of turtles, frogs, Spring peepers, garter snakes, a few water striders, and a multitude of chipmunks have made an appearance. The sugar maples have begun to break open their buds in the sunny areas. The aspen species are beginning to bud out. Park trails are generally dry with occasional muddy areas. Campgrounds are open with electric sites, hand water pump, and a pit toilet.
Last Revised: Thursday April 22 2010
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