NORTHERN REGION
Superior DNR Service Center area
Brule River State Forest - The Brule DNR Weather Station measured 1.78 inches of precipitation last Tuesday. This helped bring the high to moderate fire conditions back down to a low level. It also brought the Bois Brule River up to 148 Cubic Feet Per Second (CFS) from the flow of 104 CFS the day before. The 60 year average for the day is 149 CFS. The extended forecast calls for temperatures in the 70s and a nice weekend with a 30 percent chance of showers on Friday. Blackberries are reported to be ripe. A 16 pound, 38 1/2 inch northern pike was caught off of the Highway 2 Canoe landing last week.
Park Falls DNR Service Center area
Warm dry weather continues in the Park Falls area though cooler temperatures are forecast for later this week. Some much needed rain arrived today but will have little impact to water levels on area rivers. Canoe and kayak enthusiasts are navigating some difficult spots but passage is still possible. Water temperatures remain very warm in area lakes. Fishing success is fair with panfish being located near weeds and other structure. Crappie are being found suspended near cooler water. Smallmouth can be found on the Flambeau River with larger fish being found in deeper holes and slack water near rapids. Reports indicate a couple musky in the 40 inch class have been caught recently as musky are a bit more active. Raspberries are plentiful and the picking is good. The blackberry crop should be good also. More lone whitetail bucks are being seen with antlers still coated with velvet. While boating have enough serviceable life vests for everyone on board. The best insurance to avoid tragedy from a fall overboard or being capsized is to wear a personal flotation device. Too many drownings occur because the victims fail to wear a personal flotation device. Goldenrod and milkweed are blooming.
Upper Chippewa Basin fisheries report (Price, Rusk, Sawyer Taylor and inland Ashland and Iron counties) - The continued hot and dry weather of the past week made for some generally slow fishing success across many of the Northwoods lakes. Both largemouth and smallmouth bass provided the most consistent action but that could only be considered fair. Most of the largemouth were being found in and near mid-depth woody cover and could be coaxed to bite with plastic finesse baits. Some were also being found in the thick weed beds and were hitting top-water baits in the early morning hours. Smallmouth were a bit more erratic and many have moved back to deeper water with the warm temperatures. The best success was coming near the deeper woody cover and over deep rock bars. Musky activity continued to be a hit or miss proposition. Some days seem to produce a lot of follows and short strikes, and other days would show barely a hint of activity. The most productive lures have been stick baits and slow-moving surface lures. The best areas have been the weed edges and some of the best times have been in the mid-day hours during the middle of the week when boat traffic is lightest. Walleye action seemed to be especially slow with some fishing being found suspended over the deeper mud flats. Panfish success has been fair with some decent crappie catches still being made over mid-depth cover and along emergent weed lines. With the low amount of rainfall in the past two months, dry conditions continue across the north and most rivers and streams are at very low levels. Canoeists should check local conditions before starting any extended float trips on most rivers in northern Wisconsin. The low river flows are also causing many flowages to experience dropping water levels, as evaporation is starting to exceed what the rivers and streams are adding. With area lakes flowages at late-summer lows, boaters should be cautious as more underwater obstructions are starting to appear in areas that used to be passable.
Woodruff DNR Service Center area
Panfish action is fairly steady in the deeper water weed lines. Walleyes action is best very early mornings on the bigger clear water lakes. Musky activity with top water baits at dusk and into the evening has been picking up. Bass action continued its hot streak throughout the area. Both raspberries and blackberries are now ripening. With fall just around the corner, hunter safety courses are being offered. Now is a good time to enroll your children in these sessions if they will be eligible to hunt in the upcoming hunting seasons. Check the DNR Web site for updates on the class offering dates and schedules. With the increase in ATV use and popularity, we remind ATV operators that it is a good idea to brush up on the rules and regulations for operation of ATVs. This summer area conservation wardens are encountering a number of ATV operators who are, for the most part, inadvertently committing violations. One of the bigger problems is ATV trespass. Operators need to remember that ATVs can only be driven on designated routes and trails or on property with permission of the owner. ATVs need to be registered in order to operate in Wisconsin. A trail pass is needed for any out of state registered ATVs.
Antigo DNR Service Center area
Council Grounds State Park - Many boats have been out on the Wisconsin River. Trails are in good condition. Fox, barred owls, painted and wood turtles have been seen in the park recently.
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NORTHEAST REGION
Peshtigo DNR Service Center area
Marinette County - - Dry conditions in the county have the fire danger at High. Please use every precaution if you truly need a campfire, using your burn barrel or brush pile permit. Have an adequate water supply handy along with tools to control the activity and necessary permits. Keep safe distances apart when using watercraft on the inland lakes and flowages and follow no-wake rules. Some berries are being found in the berry patches but are dropping early due to decreased rainfall amounts and high temperatures. Deer movement with young still in spots across roadways is common; keep a watchful eye open for crossing deer and turkey clutches. As for the backyard feeders keep the birdbaths sanitary with a weekly cleaning and hummingbird feeders filled. Watering lawns or gardens is best done in the evening or early morning so as to get the full benefit of your watering.
Oconto County - The continued drought conditions has everyone hoping for precipitation soon. The inland lakes and waterways have significantly low water levels at this time. Please use caution when deciding to use outdoor grilling equipment and campfires for food preparation. Looking to the fall deer and game harvest season now is the time to attend the Hunter Safety Class near you. Willow Bay Sporting Goods in the city of Oconto will be hosting a course from Sept. 1 to 11. Register by calling the shop at (920) 834-4910, space is limited. An ATV Safety Course will be offered at the Oconto Falls Fire Dept., Sept. 17 & 18. at 8 a.m. You must contact the instructor to register at (920) 848-2960.
Shawano County - Smallmouth bass fishing action continued to be good to excellent in local rivers including the Wolf and Oconto. Trout anglers are encouraged to defer angling in trout streams until water levels and temperature conditions improve. A sick or injured eagle was caught on Shawano Lake after several days of attempts. The bird was taken to a rehabilitator. Fishing has been slow except for smallmouth bass, which are very active. Water levels are very, very low so be careful when navigating the waterways. Deer are very active especially young ones so slow down and use caution in low visibility areas. On Sept. 8 through Oct. 6 the Shawano Middle School will host a Hunter Safety Course. In order to pre-register for your spot sign-up by calling (715) 524-2441.
Green Bay DNR Service Center area
Brown County - The Fox River has been a little slow for people fishing from shore. The walleyes have been a pretty rare catch, but a few were seen at early morning and late evening by those who put in enough time or were just lucky. Trolling down the channel with crawler harnesses provided the best chance for walleyes. Some catfhish ere being caught at Voyager Park and the fairgrounds. A few white bass were being seen here and there by those fishing with wolf rigs right on the bottom at the river mouth. Otherwise some decent sized sheepshead were being caught. Some pretty large channel cats (up to 36 inches) continued to be caught at the warm water discharges with crawlers on the bottom. The Suamico River was still a little on the slow side, and has been most of the summer so far. The perch action still has not been good on the river, as some were catching them around the boat landing, but they were extremely small. For big perch, anglers were heading out to the bay around Longtail Point or the lighthouse. Duck Creek has seen some perch action right below the Hwy 41 Bridge. They are not the biggest perch in the world, but not bad. Otherwise mostly bullhead and sheepshead have been caught. Bay Shore Park has had some amazing perch action, with many anglers pulling in limits, and to top it off the average size has jumped back up a bit. Many coming in have been in the 9 to 10 inch range. There has been a few 11 to 12 inchers as well. Expect many gobies and a few sheepshead in between, especially on the rocky areas such as 2 mile reef, so steer clear of those. Most of the action seems to be straight out on the flats in 30 feet, or off Schumacher Point to the northeast. There has been some reports of slight action for walleyes along the east shore from Bayshore to Point Sable, as well as around Geano Beach. Some 22-26 inchers have been caught at Volk's Reef in the evening at 15-18 feet dragging anything from plugs to crawlers.
Manitowoc County - Fishing for trout and salmon has been hit and miss over the past few weeks. Anglers that find water in the mid to upper 50 degree range have been catching fish. Most of the catch has been chinook salmon, but some rainbows and lake trout have been caught as well. Early and late in the day seem to be the best times to fish. Baits of choice have been glow baits in blue and green and dodger fly combos. Most of the action has been happening in 40-120 feet of water and 25-50 feet down. When periodic west winds have brought cooler water near shore, fishing has picked up off the Manitowoc and Two Rivers piers. Anglers in Two Rivers were catching kings off the north pier. The south pier in Manitowoc was also yielding some nice catches of king salmon. Anglers fishing in the Two Rivers harbor were catching bullheads, while anglers in Manitowoc were catching some smallmouth bass on wacky worms in the harbor and up the river.
Sturgeon Bay DNR Service Center area
Door County Perch action has been good at Chaudoirs Dock. Anglers were not all getting limits, but the average size was bigger. There doesn't seem to be any real hot spot, but just straight out from the landing in 25-30 feet. The bright side to Chaudoirs is that there doesn't seem to be as many gobies. The hump out in front of and north of Sugar Creek has seen some slight bass action on crayfish and grub baits, but again, the action seems very spotty. Little Sturgeon Bay has seen some pretty heavy fishing pressure. There has been some slight perch action off Squaw Island and Henderson Point in 8-10 feet of water, but they have been extremely small, and many have been throwing them back. The trick is to actually get out of Little Sturgeon Bay if it is not too windy, and find deeper water. Outside of Snake Island and Henderson Point the water gets deeper quickly, and they were hanging around 25-30 feet. Leeches and minnows have been working pretty well for bass along the rock bars at 10-12 feet along the east shore. Locating the bigger ones hasn't been as easy as it was early in the season, so try many different baits to see what is working that day. Some musky anglers were on the prowl, but no good news to report yet. Sawyer Harbor has been seeing a little tougher action for bass this last week. It has been a bit more spotty, but some surprisingly large ones have been turning up. The reliable spots continue to be both the rocky point off Cabot Point and the stone quarry. Both crawlers and leeches were working for perch, but those caught been so small that very few have been keeping any at all. Sawyer Harbor wasnt producing any large perch. Perch anglers were catching many gobies.
Peninsula State Park - The waters of Nicolet Beach have received periodic accumulations of algae (Cladophora). Swimming has been less than ideal in areas immediately adjacent to shore. The problem has subsided somewhat in recent days, but a wind shift could change conditions. All hiking and biking trails are dry and in excellent condition. A Campfire Advisory is in effect. Conditions remain very dry. Please use extreme caution when using fire, and keep all campfires small and attended at all times! Tee times are readily available at Peninsula State Park golf course. Eagle Bluff Lighthouse is open and providing guided tours seven days per week between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. American Folklore Theatre plays are scheduled every evening except Sunday. Tickets may be obtained prior to the show. Many nights have been selling out. The Birch Creek Music School "Ambassadors" will be offering one more Summer Jazz concert in the park at Nicolet Beach on August 9, at 1:30pm.
Kewaunee County - Not much has changed in the weather or fishing in Kewaunee County. The weather remains hot and humid and the fishing activity has remained excellent. The current Lake Michigan water temperatures are between 55-60 degrees. Chinook salmon are still being taken in good numbers with the majority of fish in between the 10-15 pound range. Mixed bags of rainbow trout, lake trout, and coho salmon have also been taken. A cooler water temperature has brought the fish into shallower waters this week. Anglers have had the best success fishing in 40-150 feet of water from the surface to 80 feet down. As the sun comes up many anglers will follow the fish into deeper waters. Dodger / fly combinations, spoons, and j-plugs have all equally taken fish. Some hot colors used were aqua, pearl, and green flies as well as green, orange, and sliver spoons. Pier fishing was good this week with the colder water temperatures. Kewaunee and Algoma piers have both taken a fair amount of chinook and rainbow with the occasional brown as well. The majority of fish taken off the piers were caught on alewives and a few were taken on various spoons.
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SOUTHEAST REGION
Drought conditions are really starting to show on area lakes. On average, most lakes water levels are down about a foot. Depending on shoreline drop-off, this may mean up to 8 to 10 feet of exposed lakeshore. So far, most boat landings are still usable. To minimize erosion under boat launch ramps, power boaters should refrain from power launching boats. Power launching, or using your motor to run-up onto or off your boat trailer, scours deep pockets under launch ramp planks even under normal water levels. Since water levels are so low, power launching can cause serious erosion problems at launch ramps. Lower lake water levels are exposing underwater boating hazards such as rock reefs and sunken logs. Reduce speed and watch out for hidden obstacles to boating. On one popular fishing lake, several boat propellers have been damaged by boaters who are used to exiting the landing at a high rate of speed; only to find a rock reef is now well within the range of their boats lower unit. An expensive lesson learned. Lake angling remains very good to excellent, especially for panfish. Lack of run-off has allowed most lakes to remain clear and fosters very good rooted plant growth. This plant growth is providing excellent food and cover for fish. Clear waters have also allowed a definite thermocline to set up between 15 and 18 feet in depth on most lakes. The thermocline is the point in the water column of a lake where sunlight penetration and its warming energy is fully absorbed by the water. Below the thermocline, lake water isolated from most sunlight gets cold very fast. Experienced panfish anglers were finding the point where the thermocline intersects rooted vegetation and doing very well on bluegills, crappies and a few perch. Just about any small, organic bait seems to be working--minnows and /or twister tails for crappies and leaf worms or pieces of night crawlers for bluegills. 2005 deer hunting regulations are now available at DNR service centers. The new regulations contain several changes to earn-a-buck rules and baiting regulations that you should be aware of. Antlerless bonus deer permits go on sale August 27 at noon. If you buy a bonus antlerless permit for a specific deer management unit, you can also use that permit as a Zone T tag when hunting in any Zone T or CWD management unit.
Near shore water temperatures have cooled down somewhat, and shore anglers are once again catching fish.
Sheboygan County - In Sheboygan chinooks have been taken on alewives fished off the piers. Trollers off Sheboygan have also been catching chinooks and a few lake trout 15 to 30 feet down in 50 to 70 feet of water. Spoons and j-plugs in blue, silver, watermelon, orange, and glow-in-the-dark have produced the most.
Ozaukee County - In Port Washington shore anglers fishing off the pier have been catching a few chinooks on alewives. Trollers off of Port have been catching mostly chinooks, along with a few rainbows. Fish have been found from 20 to 50 feet down in 40 to 100 feet of water. J-plugs and flies in green & silver, blue, and glow-in-the-dark have been effective.
Harrington Beach State Park - Swimming has been excellent in Lake Michigan. Many people have commented on the clarity and the lower levels of E Coli, this year. Many people have come to the beach to escape the heat, because it is always cooler near the Lake. Fishing has been slow in Quarry Lake. Please remember that Swimming and Boating are NOT permitted in Quarry Lake. All trails are dry and open for use. Numerous does with fawns, hen turkeys with their broods that number over twenty and other wildlife sightings have been reported.
Milwaukee County - In Milwaukee most shore fishing action has been off McKinley pier in the early morning hours. Good numbers of chinooks and a few rainbows have been taken on glow-in-the-dark spoons, and a few perch have been caught on minnows. Trollers off Milwaukee have been catching good numbers of chinooks. The best bite has been early in the morning, and fish have been caught north of the harbor 40 to 50 feet down in 60 to 100 feet of water. Green and silver spoons have been productive.
Racine County - Shore fishing in Racine has been relatively slow, but trollers have been catching limits of chinooks in 100 to 120 feet of water. Both spoons and j-plugs have been effective in a variety of colors.
Kenosha County - In Kenosha a few perch have been caught from shore at daybreak. Fish have been found off the end of the south pier as well as on the lake side of the Southport Marina breakwall. Both jigs and minnows have been producing. Trollers off Kenosha have been catching chinooks, with the majority taken early in the morning.
Walworth and inland Racine and Kenosha counties - In Kenosha County, Twin Lakes anglers are reporting mixed bags of perch, rock bass, bluegills and largemouth bass. On Powers lake the word is bass on crank baits. Evenings seemed to be the best time to catch bluegills and crappies on Wind Lake; crawlers with slip bobbers work well. A surprisingly mixed bag of game fish and panfish were being taken below the Echo Lake dam in Burlington. In Walworth County Lake Delavan has been real hot for both largemouth and smallmouth bass, also suspended gills and crappies. Northern pike were the main target on Geneva Lake. Anglers were having success with chubs and suckers fished 30 to 35 down on the bottom. Trolling for walleyes at night has been good on Geneva. Bluegills and crappies were suspended. Bass, bluegills and crappie were biting on Whitewater and Beulah, with some of the larger bass coming from Whitewater.
Washington, eastern Fond du Lac, and inland Sheboygan counties - The best fishing action has probably been for smallmouth bass on the larger rivers. Fish have been concentrated with the low water and large numbers of fish were being caught. Please release most smallmouth even if they are legal size, since it is very easy to overfish smallmouth bass populations. On lakes, panfish and largemouth bass action has also been fair to good. Texas-rigged plastic worms are picking up largemouth bass.
Waukesha County - Excellent catches of bluegills have been reported on area lakes. Best bites were coming from suspended fish 10-20 feet down on waxworms and small ice fishing jigs. Largemouth bass fishing has been spotty. Best fishing was during low-light periods with anglers concentrating efforts in 6-12 feet of water over weed flats with surface baits and Carolina-rigged plastics. Walleye action has been picking up, with the best bites coming from deep weed cuts. Best baits have been slip-bobber and minnow combinations. To avoid heavy boat traffic, give night fishing a try.
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SOUTH CENTRAL REGION
Dodgeville DNR Service Center area
Grant County
Nelson Dewey State Park - All trails are open and great hiking conditions exist. Fishing opportunities along the Mississippi River are available at Riverside Park in nearby Cassville
Wyalusing State Park - Trails are in good condition. According to local anglers, fishing activity has been good. Nice catches of bluegills have been reported. Fishing off the pier at the Wyalusing State Park boat landing has also been good. Tufted titmice, chickadees, red-bellied woodpeckers, downy woodpeckers, hairy woodpeckers, cardinals, goldfinches and rose-breasted grosbeaks have been frequenting the Visitor Center bird feeders. Hummingbirds on the feeders and flowers at the park visitor center continue to entertain park visitors. As of August 2, the first successful nest of the second brood of three bluebirds has fledged. As of August 2, five other bluebird boxes had young. Blow fly larvae were present in two of these five boxes. The infested nests were removed, new nests shaped and placed into the boxes. The young were then replaced into the new clean nests. Another box contains a probable third brood next with three eggs. Seneca snakeroot, oyster plant (goats beard), Solomon's seal, Virginia waterleaf, Thimbleweed, Mouse-ear chickweed, bulbous buttercup, wild (prairie) rose, orange hawkweed, yarrow, black-eyed Susan, small bellflower, tall bellflower, harebell, wild quinine, Indian hemp, purple coneflower, pale purple coneflower (visitor center), sawtooth sunflower, bee balm, purple milkweed, common milkweed, poke milkweed, daisy fleabane, oxeye daisy, white false indigo, bergamot, compass plant, woodland sunflower, green-headed coneflower, yellow(gray-headed) coneflower, rattlesnake master, hog peanut, butterfly milkweed, whorled milkweed. On Friday, August 12 there will be an Evening Paddle at the park beginning at 6:30 p.m. from the boat landing. Participants will canoe in the peaceful backwaters of the Mississippi River as the wildlife begins to bed down for the night, learning about the history and current issues on the "Father of Waters." Canoe rental (with paddles and life jackets) is available at the Concession Stand. Return at 7:30 p.m. A Family Night Hike will be held at 8:30 p.m. from the Passenger Pigeon Monument. Beginning at sunset, this hike will take hikers through the twilight and into the darkness of night. Learn about the crepuscular world, the senses of humans, and other a other animals, and hopefully observe some stars and planets by the end of hike. This hike is appropriate for all ages. Please be prepared for a quiet experience on this moderate hike. Mosquitoes can be the worst around sunset; long clothes and insect repellent are recommended.
Iowa and Sauk counties - With another weekend of nice weather, many people were out enjoying the outdoors. Those fishing on the lower half of the Wisconsin River experienced relatively slow action, which could be attributable to the constant change of water levels the river experiences. Water temperatures on the river are also rising. As for area lakes, anglers have been catching bluegills on Dutch Hollow Lake in Sauk County on garden worms. Also, largemouth bass have been hitting on Blackhawk Lake in Iowa County on night crawlers, but they are relatively small in size because of stunted growth due to overpopulation of the species. With fall right around the corner, geese can be seen moving into the area. Gaggles can be seen on the sandhills and by the river in southwestern Wisconsin.
Fitchburg DNR Service Center area
Dane County
Capital Springs State Park and Recreation Area - All hiking trials are open. Dogs are required to be on leashes at all times and have a Dane County Parks Pet Permit. The Lake Farm Boat Launch is open and offers a four lane boat ramp, fish cleaning room and restrooms. A Dane County Lake Access Permit, State Park Vehicle Admission Sticker or Conservation Patrons Sticker is required to park in and around the boat launch parking lot. Lake Access Permits can be purchased at the parking lot kiosks. The Jenni and Kyle Preserve offers a great fishing experience for children and adults with disabilities. The fishing opportunities are reserved for children 14 and under and adults with disabilities. Many prairie and woodland wildflowers are in boom at this time. Several species of butterflies, grasshoppers and dragonflies are out and about. Birds and mammals can be seen through out the recreation area.
Capital City State Trail The trail is open, but users should use caution around any areas where the trail surface has standing water or leaves fruit and nuts from trees. Trail staff will be on the trail brushing back vegetation and blowing off debris from the trail surface. The trail mower crews are typically on the trail Thursday or Friday mornings. Trail users need to slow down when approaching the mowers and make sure the mower operators can see them before passing.
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WEST CENTRAL REGION
Baldwin DNR Service Center area
St. Croix County
Willow River State Park - As of August 8, the Willow River was running at normal flow and clarity. Monday's rain should have little or no affect on the river. Flowers blooming this week are yellow coneflower and black eyed Susan. Monarch butterflies are commonly seen. The campground use is very busy with many Kansas City Chiefs football fans attending training camp in nearby River Falls. Campsites with electricity in the main campground tend to be occupied most nights during the week. There are usually some non-electric sites open. All reservable sites are taken for the coming weekend. The Stillwater, Minn. bridge over the St. Croix River is closed into October 2005. Drivers normally using the Stillwater bridge will need to cross the river at Hudson or Osceola. The additional vehicles crossing at Hudson will add to the traffic on County Road A, and at Exit # 4 off Interstate Hwy. 94. Visitors coming to the park will see heavier traffic, especially at commuter time.
La Crosse DNR Service Center area
Butterflies are still pretty numerous visiting many wildflowers. Dwarf blazing star and other late blooming species are just starting to flower. Some snakes such as the Massasauga and timber rattle snake are starting to give birth and will continue until the first week in September. Gravid females snakes normally do not eat until they give birth, and than hopefully they find a meal before they hibernate for the fall and winter. It seems early, but squirrels and chipmunks are already harvesting black walnuts, acorns, and hickory nuts. Mast crops are important food resources relished by a host of large and small animals, supplying them with fats, proteins, carbohydrates, minerals, and vitamins. Some animals, such as black bears, gorge themselves on mast in preparation for winter slumber. Others, such as deer mice or blue jays, cache vast quantities of nuts and seeds for use at a later time when these foods might otherwise be unavailable. Blackberries are ripe for the picking throughout the area.
Mississippi River - Mallard and blue winged teal nesting success was poor again this year along the Mississippi River. Wood ducks and hooded merganser production was good, but not great. Canada goose nest success was very good again this year. White pelicans are still common along the Mississippi, particularly just north of Stoddard. Although some appear to be of breeding age, none have been observed nesting yet.
Crawford County - The Mississippi River water level has continued to slowly drop. By the end of last week, the Mississippi River stage was at 6.7 feet. The Wisconsin River and the Kickapoo River also dropped considerably this past week. Barge and recreational boating traffic continues to be very heavy on the Mississippi, especially on weekends. With the Mississippi River this low, many submerged dangers are exposed. Dead heads, wing dams, and slough closures all pose dangers to boaters. Some backwater areas and mud/sand flats could also cause problems. Walleye and sauger action continued to be pretty good for the most part. Most anglers found that fishing on the weekend is tough because of all the boat traffic. The best times to fish on the weekends have been early in the morning or early in the evening. Anglers using live bait have been mainly using night crawlers or willow cats. Many walleye anglers were casting or trolling crank baits along rocky shorelines or wing dams or in deeper channels attempting to locate walleyes. The Roseau Slough, the Black Slough and wing dams around the Prairie du Chien and Lynxville/Ferryville area were all active. The islands along the main channel outside Lynxville and all the way up to Lansing have been producing some nice walleye. Bluegill action was very good again this week. The receding water is making bluegills more accessible. The upper and lower portions of the Ambro Slough, many areas of the East Channel, Hunters and Catfish Sloughs, the flats along the main channel, and many wing dams have been producing bluegills. Even in the Main Channel along rocky shorelines and lower flow areas big bluegills have been taken. Most anglers were using small pieces of night crawlers and fishing right on the bottom. There has also been some action in the snags along the sloughs. Perch and crappie action has continued very spotty. White bass action was pretty slow this week. Both channel and flathead catfish have started to bite a little better with the warmer water. Sheepshead were very active and biting on night crawlers. Bass anglers found action good some days followed by some slow days. Spring Lake area, Garnet Lake, the main channels and most sloughs have produced bass. Some largemouth bass have been taken along woody shorelines and weeds in the back sloughs. Bass anglers fishing on Pool 9 have found bass along the weed edges along the small channels. Smallmouth bass have been active along the Main Channels especially along rocky shorelines and wing dams. Northern pike action was spotty. In land trout anglers are reporting some very good success. Even though fishing conditions on many streams is difficult due to dense vegetation and biting insects, the trout have been active. Trout anglers are reminded to review the regulations that affect the section of stream they are fishing. The White Pelicans can been seen on Pool 9 and on some days they are soaring high on the air currents all the way down to Prairie du Chien. However most are staying in Pool 9 above the Lynxville dam. Large groups of mallards can be seen in the Ambro Slough area and on the St. Feriole Slough in Prairie du Chien. Most of the waterfowl have gained their flight feathers. Young turkeys, pheasants and grouse are now able to fly fairly well. Numerous turkey vultures still can be seen in the area soaring on the thermals up and down Pools 9 and 10. Whitetail deer fawns are growing bigger and are now capable of escaping most dangers. Many area residents are finding the shed skins of snakes.
Black River Falls DNR Service Center area
Monroe County - Conditions remain dry in Monroe County with area lakes and ponds still below normal. Young broods of turkeys are very diverse in number and size. Some young turkeys are from pigeon to pheasant size. Many does have been seen with twins again this year and most fawns are still in spots. The deer flies have lightened up but the mosquitoes have taken over in wooded areas. Blackberries and blueberries are ripe and may be keeping the local bear population from hitting baits set by bear hunters. Some success has been had by area hounds men though.
Eau Claire DNR Service Center area
Chippewa Moraine Ice Age State Recreation Area - - Trails are in wonderful condition and a variety of ferns and wildflowers can be seen. There are three popular circle trails ranging in length from 3/4 mile to 4.5 miles. Blackberries can be picked and enjoyed for a quick snack as your walking. The view from the Interpretive Center is outstanding, with the prairie grasses and flowers in peak color. Often wild turkeys and white-tailed deer can be seen disappearing into the tall grass. Trails are dog-friendly but they are not allowed in the picnic area or in the Center itself. There are several areas to swim in the Chippewa Moraine, but watch out for the small bass and panfish that like to investigate. You may feel a tickle as they nibble at your legs. Fishing has been spotty, depending on the weather and humidity conditions, but the view from shore or your boat is well worth the time. Recent bird sightings include many ruby-throated hummingbirds, red-headed woodpeckers, gray catbirds, common crows and the annual sandhill crane family. Watch for them on the driveway as they "own the road".
Chippewa River State Trail - The trail is in great shape. Lots of woodland flowers are blossoming west of Caryville in the river bottoms. Lots of turkeys and grouse are in the area too. Prairie grasses and forbs are a pleasure to view east of Caryville. A new rest bench has been donated by the Girl Scouts has been placed on a beautiful bend of the Chippewa River near Mile Marker 17. Keep your eyes open for eagles along the river there. It will be a great spot to view osprey and other migrating waterfowl soon!
Hoffman Hills State Recreation Area - Trails are in good shape overall. but there are some wet areas. The prairie is looking especially nice now. The prominent blooms are bergamot and coneflowers. There are some blazing dtars and just the start of goldenrods.
Lake Wissota State Park - Anglers have reported fishing to be fair. A few muskies are being seen. The beach is open, but some green algae has been present in the water, but the bacteria levels are safe. Canoe rental is available at the park office. Lots of fish and wildlife can be seen from a canoe. Turtles are often seen sunning themselves on warm days. The best places to see turtles from shore are at the beach or the boat landing. The prairies are beginning to bloom. The yellow coneflower and wild bergamot are the standout flowers this week. Trails have been a good place to observe summer plants, wildflowers, and wildlife. The warm weather makes the shaded trails a pleasant refuge from the heat of the sun. Campgrounds have been very busy weekends and holidays, and electric sites are always in high demand. Most reservable electric sites have been reserved for the summer.
Red Cedar State Trail - The trail is in very good condition. Some new rest bench areas have been developed by the Friends of Red Cedar Trail for visitors. One is about 1.3 miles south of the Depot Visitor Center and has a beautiful view of the river and the other is just south of Mile Marker 11. It not only has a great view of the river but also has opened up an enchanting view of one the hidden waterfalls along the south end of the trail. Keep you eyes open for eagles along the river. Beaver are starting to raid the cornfields and dragging their bounty across the trail to the river. You may notice the drag marks and corn shucks where they cross. The river bottom prairies and savannahs provide for some great scenery and wildlife views in the Dunnville Wildlife Area too. If you are lucky you may see the mink mama and her little ones scamper across the trail. And it wont too long before the osprey start migrating through on their way south.
Wisconsin Rapids DNR Service Center area
Buckhorn State Park - The hot weather has brought many visitors to the park to boat, swim, and canoe. Fishing has been slow but kids have been having some luck fishing the pond north of the park entrance. Park along County Road G and walk in to the pond. Campers and other park users have been catching catfish from shore at night. Green algae has been making its way around the lake, collecting in areas for periods of time. Three wells are being converted from hand pumps to pressurized systems (north and south shelters and beach). Water is available at the park office or group camp. Black-eyed Susan, blazing star and other plants are flowering along roads and in the savanna. Campsites reservations have been filling on weekends, but there are five non-reservable sites. The park has been seeing increased camping during the week. There is an opening for the accessible cabin October 14 and 15.
Roche-A-Cri State Park - Trails are in good hiking condition, and the prairies are in bloom. The barred owls are hooting in the evening, and a wide variety of songbirds and turkey vultures have taken up annual residence in the park.
