The brutally cold weather of the past week has put a damper on outdoor recreation. Northern Wisconsin reported temperatures in the minus 20 degree range at night last weekend and single digit sub-zero temperatures during the day. Snow cover ranges from a low of 2 inches in west central Wisconsin to 18 inches in the far north central part of the state, with most of the state reporting between 4 and 8 inches. Snowmobile trails remain closed in many counties and range from poor to fair in areas with less snow to good in north central Wisconsin. Cross-country ski conditions are good to excellent in most areas of the state, but poor to fair in areas with marginal snow cover. Check the Wisconsin Department of Tourism Snow Conditions Report for more information.
In the north, the sub-zero temperatures and windy conditions kept many anglers off of the ice, with a few of the coldest days seeing virtually no fishing activity on many lakes. Along Lake Superior, thin ice is no longer a problem except in areas farther out in the Apostle Islands. A few hardy anglers were out in search of lake trout and white fish. Most inland Northwoods lakes, have about 16 to 18 inches of ice with about 4 inches of snow on top. Those anglers still active reported some action on crappie, perch and a few walleye.
The bitter cold finally made ice safer in the south, but also kept most anglers home or inside ice shacks. Fishing was generally slow, with some bluegills and crappies biting on waxies and minnows, along with some northern pike reported on tip-ups and shiners.
There was some fishing action taking place on the Fox River in Brown County for walleye. Along Lake Michigan some shacks were out near the Peshtigo Harbor fishing for northern pike. Along Door County, there was some action at Chaudoir's Dock, Rite's Cove and Little Sturgeon Bay. The majority of the catches were of whitefish with limits being met and a few were able to catch some yellow perch but in small numbers. In the southeast, shore anglers fishing the Menomonee River in Milwaukee reported some brown trout action. Ice anglers working the Kenosha harbor have also been reporting fair numbers of browns.
The 2007 Winnebago System Sturgeon Spearing season opens this weekend. There will be separate Lake Winnebago and Upriver lakes seasons this year, both opening Feb. 10 at 6:30 a.m. and set to run through Feb. 25 unless spearers reach a pre-set harvest caps. Ice thickness is very variable, ranging up to 18 inches in some areas and 10 inches and lower in other areas. Water clarity in the south ranges between 11 to 12 feet and in the north as far down as 16 feet of water clarity has been reported.
The Mississippi River stayed steady all week and was at 7.1 feet at Prairie du Chien. The cold temperatures and high winds helped freeze all the backwater areas as well as the main channel.
The extreme cold weather caused the cancellation of some candlelight events last weekend, but more moderate – though still cold -- temperatures are in the forecast for this weekend with nearly a dozen more events scheduled around the state. As always, it is best to call ahead to confirm events will be held. A lit of events is on the DNR Web site.
A great-tailed grackle was sighted in the southeast corner of Horicon Marsh recently. This is the first state record for this species in Wisconsin. A snowy owl has been present on the north end of the marsh. Other bird sightings include rough-legged hawks, northern harriers, and short-eared owls, which are present in good numbers this year due to the high rodent population, as well as horned larks, Lapland longspurs and snow buntings.
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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NORTHERN REGION
Superior DNR Service Center area
Brule River State Forest - The forest received about 4 inches of snow in late January and a few dusting in early February. The trail was groomed and tracked Jan. 30 and conditions ranged from fair to good.
Ashland DNR Service Center area
Cold, bitter cold, is the word on Lake Superior and inland areas of the Lake Superior Basin. Thin ice is no longer a problem except in areas farther out in the Apostle Islands. Anglers have been accessing areas off Long Island and the Red Cliff Marina in search of lake trout. Anglers fishing deep water on Lake Superior were having luck catching lake trout, some nice browns, splake, and whitefish. The bitter cold and winds make for uncomfortable conditions; shelters should have good heaters. Frost bite is a common occurrence with current weather conditions so keep fingers, ears, and face well covered. Inland lake fishing slowed down with the cold weather. A few panfish were being caught, with minnows the bait of choice. Walleye action has slowed down but northern pike continued to provide some good action. As one would expect, early morning and late afternoon provide the best action. The most snow cover continues to be in northern Iron County. Snowmobilers were finding good trail conditions with all trail systems open for riding. Northern Bayfield County also has good snowmobile conditions in areas within the Chequamegon National Forest. Snowmobilers are reminded to only operate on trails and routes, obey traffic signs, and keep the speed down. Most seem to be following the new 55 mph night time speed limit but there are others that drive as fast as possible to get to their destination. Drinking and driving is another issue with recent law enforcement checks finding a number of operators driving under the influence of alcohol. Speed and alcohol do not mix and the end result can be tragic. Deer movement has slowed down with the cold weather but access to food should not be a problem in most areas as snow depths are light. Even in the dead of winter and the cold conditions deer are seen by the edge of the roads. Most of these may be visiting someone’s feeder. Car kill deer are still a factor even in winter with the feeders.
Park Falls DNR Service Center area
Extremely cold temperatures will continue this week with slight warming toward the weekend. There has been little additional snowfall, so trail conditions have not improved. Ice conditions are good in the area but few anglers were active in the harsh weather conditions. Those anglers still active reported some action on crappie, perch and walleye. Tip-ups baited with large suckers were attracting some larger walleye with the best action coming just after dusk. Stay on the well traveled path when venturing out on area lakes and check non traveled areas for safe ice. Cover all exposed skin when venturing outdoors, avoid alcohol consumption that robs precious body heat but instead consume warmed fluids. Let others know your travel plans and location of your outdoor activity and dress warmly in layers. Snowmobile enthusiasts should obey all regulatory signs, stay alert and reduce speed in low visibility areas and at night while riding to increase safety on the trails. Snow cover provides a good opportunity to walk in the woods and observe animal tracks and areas of activity. It’s also a good time to scout areas where whitetail bucks frequent.
Upper Chippewa Basin fisheries report (Price, Rusk, Sawyer Taylor and inland Ashland and Iron counties) - The brutally cold weather of the past week has really put a damper on both angling pressure and fish activity. Sub-zero high temperatures and windy conditions have kept most anglers off of the ice, with a few of the coldest days seeing virtually no fishing activity on many lakes. Some diehard panfish and walleye anglers did make it out over the weekend and found very limited action. The panfish anglers had to use some finesse tactics and a few were able to catch some decent crappie and perch. Walleye and northern pike action has basically reached a standstill, with just a few medium-size fish being reported. Most lakes in the area now have about 16 to 18 inches of ice with about 4 inches of snow on top. Travel on the ice has been good and anglers have been able to access most areas of the lakes. Slush has not been reported to be a problem on any lakes in the region.
Woodruff DNR Service Center area
Very cold temperatures this past week had made ice travel common place in the area. Minimal snow depths on the ice make for fairly easy traversing. Fishing results are fair for walleye, northern pike and panfish. Fish continue to hold around the green weed flats and edges near the deeper water. Snowmobile trails remain in fair condition but could use some fresh snow. The cold temperatures have allowed a firm base to be developed on the trails. Please remember that new this year is the statewide night time speed limit of 55 mph for snowmobiles. One of the more common violations being observed is the failure to stop at stop signs. Stop signs on the trail for snowmobiles are no different than on the street for a car. Snowmobilers must stop for them. Reminders: four weeks remain for game fish season, ending March 4, 2007. All ice fishing shelters must be completely removed from inland waters north of Highway 64 by March 15. Annual fishing and hunting licenses expire March 31.
Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest – Cross-country ski trails in the NHAL State Forest were groomed and tracked on Feb. 1. Trail conditions have remained about the same, with thin spots on all trails. The McNaughton skate loop was rolled; all other loops were tracked and were in fair to good condition. All Madeline loops and Escanaba loops were tracked and in fair to good condition. Raven green and blue loops were tracked and were in fair to good condition.
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NORTHEAST REGION
Peshtigo DNR Service Center area
Marinette County - Brisk temperatures continue with dangerous wind chills. Most snowmobile trails are closed until we receive more snow. Upland birds such as ruffed grouse and wild turkey have been observed feeding on the aspen buds in treetops. Some deer activity has been observed with deer moving among sheltered areas. Area fisherees can now count on better ice thickness on inland lakes although caution is still advised. The Peshtigo River State Forest is hosting a Candlelight Ski this Saturday at the Spring Rapids Trailhead, just five miles west of Crivitz off County W, to Kirby Lake Ln. The time is 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. and a warming fire will be available during the ski. The Deer Herd Status open house will be held on Feb. 22 at the Crivitz Village Hall from 4 to 8 pm.
Oconto County - Snowmobile trails are open and in extremely poor condition. In some areas 100-200 foot stretches of bare gravel can be seen on the railroad grade. Ice fishing has been poor due to the cold weather. People are driving vehicles on most lakes, but should be aware of springs and ice heaves that create open water or very thin ice. Fishing should pick up a bit after the cold snap pushes through. Some shacks were out at Ted Thompson Park near Peshtigo Harbor for northern pike as well as some shacks at D.E. Hall Park (Oconto County Park 1). The Deer Herd Status open house for Oconto County will be held at the Brillion Nature Center from 4 to 7 p.m.
Shawano County - The horned larks are back. These are our only true larks native to North America and also one of our earliest nesting birds. Even in the northern states, nests may be found in February, when the first set of eggs is often destroyed by severe snowstorms. As many as three broods are raised each year. The lark will always return to its birthplace to nest. The Deer Herd Status open house is on Feb. 20 from 4-7 p.m. at the Clintonville Community Center. Ice conditions are getting better but it is still treacherous in areas. Ice fishing has picked up a bit with some walleyes being caught in the evenings.
Green Bay DNR Service Center area
Brown County - Most of the fishing action was taking place on the Fox River for walleye. A few were caught and released as well as a few whitefish.
Sturgeon Bay DNR Service Center area
Door County - There is some fishing action at Chaudoir's Dock and at the ramp near Rite's Cove. On Little Sturgeon Bay near the mouth of the bay, a few anglers stayed overnight on the ice during the sub-zero weather persistent to catch fish. The majority of the catches were of whitefish with limits being met and a few were able to catch some yellow perch but in small numbers.
Oshkosh DNR Service Center area
Upper Fox-Wolf basin fisheries report - There has not been much fishing activity due to the double digit sub-zero temperatures. The biggest news is that the 2007 Winnebago System Sturgeon Spearing season opens this weekend. There will be a Lake Winnebago and Upriver lakes season. The Lake Winnebago season is scheduled to open on Feb. 10 at 6:30 a.m. and set to run through Feb. 25 unless spearers reach a pre-set harvest cap, or unless a pre-set harvest cap for the entire Winnebago system is reached, which ever comes first. The Upriver Lakes season is also scheduled to open on Feb. 10 at 6:30 a.m. and set to run through Feb 25 unless spearers reach a pre-set harvest cap, or unless a pre-set harvest cap for the entire Winnebago system is reached, which ever comes first. The harvest caps for Lake Winnebago are 445 juvenile females, 500 adult females, and 800 males. The harvest caps for the Upriver Lakes 111 juvenile females, 56 adults females, and 200 males. The Lake Winnebago and Upriver Lakes caps combined make up the system-wide caps of 556 juvenile females, 556 adult females, and 1000 males. A few reports have been issued regarding the current ice conditions and water clarity by anglers. Ice thickness is very variable ranging up to 18 inches in some areas and 10 inches and lower in other areas. Caution should be made when going out to cut spearing holes. Water clarity in the south has been reported to range between 11 to 12 feet and in the north as far down as 16 feet of water clarity has been reported. On Lake Winnebago, anglers needed to tease walleyes using no. 3 Swedish pimple and hammers in copper or gold. Perch activity picked up and they were chasing the same bait as the walleyes. Walleye activity picked up in the deeper holes (8-10 feet) of Lake Poygan. Bluegills were still running in the channels, but anglers were having to move around to get their limits. Some northern pike action was reported on Partridge Lake, but it was sparse.
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SOUTHEAST REGION
Lake Michigan fisheries team report
Sheboygan County - In Sheboygan, most of the Sheboygan River is iced over, and some anglers have been ice fishing downstream near 8th Street. Anglers have been ice fishing in the harbor as well, but fishing has been slow. Please use caution when venturing out on the ice.
Milwaukee County - In Milwaukee, some browns have been reported by shore anglers fishing the Menomonee River near the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District offices. Ice is thickening in the inner harbor near Riverfront Ramp.
Kenosha County - Ice anglers working the Kenosha harbor have been reporting fair numbers of browns caught on jigs tipped with wax worms as well as shiners.
Inland fisheries team report
Bitter cold is making safer ice in the Region but also keeping most anglers home. Here are the latest reports from the Southeast Region.
Walworth and inland Racine and Kenosha counties - Cold, windy weather has kept many anglers inside their ice shacks. Fishing is a bit slow. Bluegills and crappies are biting on waxies and minnows in 10 to 20 feet of water on Delavan, Geneva, and Pleasant lakes. Catfish are hitting wigglers in 20 to 25 feet of water on Tichigan Lake. Shiners were the best bait for northern pike on Browns, Elizabeth, and Delavan lakes.
Washington, eastern Fond du Lac, and inland Sheboygan counties - Bitter cold held most anglers away from the ice. Ice conditions have improved but, can still be dangerous in spots. A few of the anglers that braved the conditions were able to pick up some perch and walleye at the Long Lake Fishery near Dundee. Action has generally been slow.
Waukesha County - Fishing has slowed down this past week but anglers were still having limited success on area lakes. Bluegills are still providing the best action, with good catches still being caught on some area lakes. Reports from Beaver, Pewaukee and Oconomowoc lakes have indicated that bluegills were active in 10-25 feet of water and biting on waxies and spikes. Some northern pike have been reported from Pine Nagawicka and Forest lakes, best catches coming from 6 to 15 feet of water on tip-ups and shiners.
Kettle Moraine State Forest, Southern Unit - As of Feb. 7, with colder temperatures and a little snow, the cross-country ski trails are open. The forest received about 1 inch of new snow on Tuesday. With the colder temperatures the bike trails are also opened. For the current conditions please call the hotline number at (262) 594-6202.
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SOUTH CENTRAL REGION
Horicon DNR Service Center area
Horicon Marsh State Wildlife Area - Horicon Marsh is currently frozen over and snow covered. While wildlife is at its lowest numbers at this time of year, there are some good opportunities for observing the winter wildlife. A snowy owl has been present along Hwy. 49, on the north end of the marsh, for at least the past 3 weeks. It has been very cooperative and has been sighted and photographed by hundreds of avid birdwatchers over the past several weeks. On Jan. 30, a great-tailed grackle was sighted along Hwy. 28 on the southeast corner of Horicon Marsh, between the cities of Horicon and Mayville. This bird is the first state record for this species in Wisconsin. Other good viewing is available to see rough-legged hawks, northern harriers, and short-eared owls which are present in good numbers this year due to the high rodent population. The farm fields surrounding Horicon Marsh provide good opportunities to see horned larks, Lapland longspurs and snow buntings. With the recent snow cover, these birds are commonly driven to the roadsides to gather grit, making them more easily seen. A drive to Horicon Marsh at this time of year to sight some of these target species, as well as driving the area roads for open country birds should provide some good chances to observe many winter birds of the area, both common and rare.
Fitchburg DNR Service Center area
Jefferson County - Jefferson and Dodge county snowmobile trails were open as of Feb. 5, but were in marginal shape at the intersections and across the open fields where the snow has blown off the trails. Snowmobilers are reminded to call the trail condition hotline numbers for each county they operate in on a daily basis to ensure the trails are open. The ATV trail in Dodge County on the Wild Goose Trail is currently open and will remain open as long as the ground is sufficiently frozen. The bitter cold has formed good ice on the area lakes and rivers. Approximately 10 to 12 inches of ice exist on the north and south end of Rock Lake. A few vehicles are starting to be driven out onto the lake. The rivers are seeing snowmobile traffic except below the dams on the Upper Rock River where there is still some open water. Anglers have been catching some smaller bluegill on Hope Lake by jigging with waxworms. Some northern pike were also being caught on tip-ups with shiners. Most have been under the size limit though. On Rock Lake anglers were catching some northern pike on both the north and south ends of the lake. Panfish have been hard to come by though.
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WEST CENTRAL REGION
Baldwin DNR Service Center area
St. Croix County
Willow River State Park - Cross-country ski trails are open. Hikers / pet walkers are reminded that the ski trail designation closes the trail to all but skiers. Hikers and pet owners have some options for trails including access to Willow Falls. Pick up a new Winter Trails map at the park office. Ski trail conditions are marginal. Some places are showing wear. Bring the rock skis. The cold will slow the skis down. There is no machine cut track for classic skiers. Some skaters on the campground loop have actually cut through the thin base to expose the asphalt. Overall, conditions favor the skaters. The Green trail is fair. On the Purple, skiers need to walk the first 300 yards or so. On the Blue it is suggested that skiers walk down the hill from the campground to the point, then its okay skiing to the falls and back on the one way trail. Walk both of the down both hills on the Yellow as it drops off the upland area from the office to the campground. If you go to the Red trail, take notice on the condition of the Brown connector. It’s uphill on the way in. Be aware of loose gravel for the return trip down. More detailed reports may be found occasionally on
www.skinnyski.com, usually posted by a Willow River Nordic skier. Weekend cold weather skiing by members of the Willow River Nordic group tended to last about 45 minutes maximum. The campground loop was reasonably sheltered except the stretch overlooking the lake. Snow is falling at the time of this report. About the best that can be done with the predicted amount is to roll, and not set track. Much more snow is needed to achieve normal skiing conditions.
La Crosse DNR Service Center area
Frigid temperatures are keeping all but the hardiest outdoor enthusiast indoors in the La Crosse area. Snowmobile trails remain closed as a little more snow is still needed before reopening La Crosse County snowmobile trails. To find out if La Crosse County snowmobile trails are opened Call (608) 782-4500 extension 1083. The few ice anglers braving the cold in their heated ice shanties reported having poor success but enjoyed getting out of the house. Anglers with under water cameras reported seeing nice fish that would just not take the bait. Some people are driving vehicles on the Ice. Despite cold temperatures driving on ice is still dangerous and at your own risk. Ice conditions can change rapidly especially on rivers and flowages. Don't think that just because it's cold it's ok to drive on ice. No coyote, rabbit or crow hunters were observed out braving the cold. With firewood piles dwindling, folks were out cutting firewood as continued frigid temperatures are expected. Ever wonder how deer survive through harsh winter weather? Deer undergo certain physiological and behavioral adjustments to enhance their winter survival. During fall, huge amounts of fat are accumulated, even among malnourished animals. This fat is used for energy in winter. Also during the fall, deer develop their highly insulative coat that minimizes body heat loss. To conserve energy, deer often limit their feeding to warmer daylight hours and seek shelter in areas protected from winds and exposed to the sun. A deer's metabolism also slows during the depths of winter. Therefore, deer require less food to maintain their bodily functions.
Crawford County - The snowmobile trails in the northern part of the county opened last weekend. The status of the rest of the trail system appears to be closed. The Mississippi River stayed fairly steady all week. The present river stage is 7.1 feet. Extremely cold temperatures and high winds arrived late in the week which helped freeze all the backwater areas and produced additional ice in those areas already frozen. Ice conditions in the Prairie du Chien area and throughout the county really improved this week. Ice thickness ranges from about 3 inches to around 9 inches. Even so caution is advised due to spring activity and current. The Ambro Slough is frozen and anglers have been crossing over it to Mud Slough from the DNR boat landing. Some have gone farther and crossed the Black Slough to get to Tilmont Lake. Some anglers were working their way up the Ambro from the USFWS landing to Fish Lake, the Upper and Lower Doubles and Big and Little Missouri. Ice conditions in this area are generally good, but there is current running through the Ambro and Black sloughs, so caution is urged. Ice is covering Gremore Lake and anglers were accessing it from the DNR boat landing off the Ambro. Sturgeon Slough has good ice and anglers were getting to it from the parking area off Highway 18. Spring Lake was being accessed off Highway 35. The Main Channel and East Channels on the Mississippi River are frozen over. Cold Spring north of Lynxville had a little open water near the boat landing; however, a lot of anglers were fishing through the ice on both the north and south ponds at Cold Spring. Access has mainly been via the parking area off Hwy. 35; however, some have accessed the ice from the boat landing by walking toward the railroad tracks and crossing over the “channel” to get to the south pond. Most of the backwater areas along the Wisconsin River again have ice and conditions are fairly good. Ice fishing action really slowed down late in the week when the cold weather moved in. Prior to that fishing was pretty good. Sturgeon Slough continued to be very slow. A few anglers have ventured into McGregor Lake (also known as Horseshoe or Sturgeon Lake) and did pretty well early in the week. Some anglers who used airboats were able to fish the Garnet Lake area and found good activity. Again action slowed greatly at the end of the week. Mud Slough and Tilmont Lake were producing some nice bluegills, crappie and perch early in the week. Gremore Lake continues to be slow. Anglers venturing up to Big and Little Missouri and the “Doubles” were doing very well on nice bluegills and a few nice perch and crappie. Bluegill action at Cold Spring was also good early in the week but slowed down later on. Bluegill action on the backwaters of the Wisconsin was pretty good during the week day. However, once the weekend arrived, action really slowed down. Fishing below the dam by boat at Lynxville is over. The boat landing at Gordon’s Bay is frozen it tight. At the dam only open water area is directly below the dam. So far no one has ventured out to fish through the ice as it is extremely dangerous right now. The remaining snowfall has provided excellent conditions for rabbit and coyote hunting in the area. Rabbit hunters report fair to good numbers of rabbits in the area. Coyote numbers are strong. Bald Eagles can bee seen throughout the county. They are venturing further inland now that area waters are freezing up. Eagles can be seen throughout the county along stream beds and along open fields. A fair amount of eagles can be seen near the Lynxville Dam. Turkeys are starting to flock up in larger numbers now that the snow is on ground. A variety of song birds are visiting bird feeders.
Wildcat Mountain State Park - As of Feb. 7, the cross-country ski trail is packed, groomed and tracked with a 5-inch base. The 7 miles of trail are groomed for skate skiing as well as classical skiing. The park received 2 inches of snow Feb. 6.
Eau Claire DNR Service Center area
Brunet Island State Park - Brunet Island State Park received numerous light snowfalls, though not enough to groom the cross-country ski trails. A few warmly dressed skiers have been using the trails. Hikers have many great opportunities within the park. Whether it’s using the island’s trail system, exploring the wilder areas of the park, or a brisk walk on the park road, you’re sure to enjoy these beautiful woodlands. Ice fishing on the Brunet Island State Park north campground lagoons is in full swing with panfish and a few northern being taken. Perch Lake on Hwy. CC has been showing good panfish action. Please remember that the park staff does not monitor ice conditions. The Brunet Island State Park south campground is open year round with electric sites, hand water pump, and pit toilets available.
Wisconsin Rapids DNR Service Center area
Buckhorn State Park - Ice Anglers have been abundant on the Castle Rock Flowage. Walleyes and a few Crappies have been biting. Cross-country ski trails have been groomed, but not tracked. Campsites 8, 9, and 16 are open for camping and are non-reservable. All other campsites are closed. Water is available at the park office. The 2007 photo contest has started - remember your camera to take winter pictures for the contest.
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