Snowfall last weekend dropped anywhere from an inch or two to more than 7 inches of snow across Wisconsin, allowing some counties to open their snowmobile trails for the first time this winter, but many county trails do remained closed. Many state parks and forests were able to pack and in some cases groom ski trails. The deepest snow of up to a foot or more is being reported in Iron and Vilas counties in the north, and counties through central and southeastern Wisconsin have snow ranging from 4 to seven inches. The far northwestern part of the state still has only minimal snow cover.
Snowmobile trails in the south have been receiving heavy use and trails have started to deteriorate in some areas. Cross-country ski conditions range from good to poor. Check the Snow Conditions Report on the Department of Tourism Web site for current conditions.
Ice conditions also continued to improve across Wisconsin, but even in the north, most of the ice on area lakes is still only around a foot thick. Southern Wisconsin lakes are freezing or refreezing and lake conditions vary from open water still on some of the larger deeper lakes to 1 to 5 inches of ice. There continue to be reports of both people and vehicles falling through the ice.
Fishing activity in the Northwoods has been slow and it seems that the mid-winter winter doldrums have begun to set in and success has tapered off for most species. Anglers have had to work hard to locate and catch some fish to take home. Panfish anglers have had to do some moving around to find active fish and many have been trying the various smaller lakes in the area. Northern pike activity has also slowed up in the last few weeks as the increased ice thickness and little bit of snow cover seems to have lessened their feeding activity. Walleye activity has been better toward evening hours, though many smaller fish were being reported.
Excellent perch fishing was being reported throughout the Lake Winnebago system. Walleye activity has been very good on Lake Poygan. The first ice fishing reports are starting to come in from southern Wisconsin, but ice conditions are extremely variable, complicated even more by a blanket of snow. Most anglers were catching northern pike on tip-ups in 4 to 6 feet of water. Some walleyes were being caught on tip-ups as well.
Ice fishing action has picked up along Green Bay as a result of the hardening of the water. But some areas remained quite unsafe at the beginning of the week, with ice depth at 1 1/2 inches reported. Those who did go out had to be patient and with some effort brought in yellow perch. When conditions permit, Lake Michigan trollers have been catching good numbers of chinooks and brown trout in and near the Milwaukee and Sheboygan harbors.
The Mississippi River stage was fairly constant all week holding around the 7 foot mark. Normal day and night time temperatures are allowing most of the Mississippi River’s backwater areas to freeze over again. Most of these areas are still very dangerous and travel on the ice is not recommended.
The snowfall has provided excellent conditions for rabbit and coyote hunters. Turkeys are starting to flock up in larger numbers now that the snow is on ground. The return of winter has not "cooled off" the birding in Wisconsin this week. Observers along the Lake Michigan shoreline continue to find good numbers of gulls, ducks and even red-throated loons along the Lake Michigan shoreline. A male snowy owl is being seen at the Horicon Marsh National Wildlife Refuge and short-eared owls are putting on good shows in the evening at Horicon and a number of other locations. Redpolls are being found in low numbers across the north and pine grosbeaks seem to be in above average numbers.
The city of Cassville located below Lock and Dam 10 on the Mississippi River in southwest Grant County will be hosting its 13th annual Bald Eagle Days this weekend. Eagles congregate here during the winter due to abundant opportunities to fish open water below the dam. Volunteers will assist visitors in locating eagles and there will be educational programs and refreshments served throughout the day.
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.
Statewide birding report
The return of winter has not "cooled off" the birding in Wisconsin this week. Observers along the Lake Michigan shoreline continue to find good numbers of birds at Harrington Beach State Park, Milwaukee, and Sheboygan including glaucous, thayer's, iceland, great black-backed gulls, harlequin duck, barrow's goldeneye, and red-throated loons. A male snowy owl is being seen along Hwy. 49 at the Horicon Marsh National Wildlife Refuge and short-eared owls are putting on good shows in the evening at the Middleton airport, Horicon NWR, Bong Recreation Area, Killsnake, Collins Marsh, Mead, and White River Marsh wildlife areas, 6 Mile Road in Ozaukee County, and on private Conservation Reserve Program grasslands in southwestern Dane and Iowa counties. Other continuing rarities include a gyrfalcon in Superior, varied thrush in Washburn, Dunbar and rural Octonto County, and a slaty-backed gull and barrow's goldeneye in Prescott. Winter finches have been a bit slower than in previous years. Redpolls are being found in low numbers across the north and pine grosbeaks seem to be in above average numbers. Birders have had good luck finding both crossbill species in the Nicolet National Forest and bohemian waxwings have been reported from Rhinelander and Chippewa counties. With the return of winter eagle watching has picked up along the Mississippi River in La Crosse all the way down to Dubuque and at Sauk City. Birders across the state have noted low numbers of blue jays this year, probably due to a poor acorn crop. People are encouraged to continue to submit bird sightings to
www.ebird.org to help biologists get a picture of bird populations across the state.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NORTHERN REGION
Superior DNR Service Center area
Brule River State Forest - Ski conditions are still poor at the Afterhours Ski Trail. The forest received 2 inches of "fluff snow" Jan. 24, but it is not expected to help too much. The trails are still skiiable, they are just on the rough side so rock skis are still recommended. With the mild winter many ducks are sticking around since there is still some open water in the rivers and food available. The Brule River State Forest is kicking off it's centennial on Feb. 3 with a snowshoe hike and a candlelight ski.
Park Falls DNR Service Center area
Temperatures continue near their seasonal averages though snowfall is below average. Ice conditions continue to improve but remember most of the ice on area lakes is still only around 1 foot thick. Snowmobile trail conditions would benefit from additional snowfall along with area ski trails. Fishing activity has been slow and anglers have had to work hard to locate and catch some fish to take home. Some crappies were being caught but the action is not consistent and anglers were focusing more on the morning and evening bite. Smaller presentations using wax worms were working when normal minnow jig combinations weren’t as readily accepted. Walleye activity has been better toward evening hours, though many smaller fish were being reported. Snowmobile enthusiasts are reminded to follow the new nighttime 55 MPH speed limit and be courteous to other outdoor enthusiasts on the lakes and trails. Many people are migrating to the areas of best snow cover, which could create extra traffic on some trails. Be alert and ride safe.
Upper Chippewa Basin fisheries report (Price, Rusk, Sawyer Taylor and inland Ashland and Iron counties) - A couple of light snowfalls in the past week have added 1 to 2 inches of snow to the ice cover on area lakes. This has not yet hindered travel and most lakes are still being accessed by 2 wheel drive vehicles. The sub-zero nighttime temperatures have helped increase ice thickness and most lakes now 12 to 14 inches of ice. For fishing action, it seems that the mid-winter winter doldrums have set in and success has tapered off for most species in the Park Falls area. Panfish anglers have had to do some moving around to find active fish and many have been trying the various smaller lakes in the area. Some perch and crappie were still being caught, but action has been sporadic. Northern pike activity has also slowed up in the last few weeks as the increased ice thickness and little bit of snow cover seems to have lessened their feeding activity. Walleye action could be considered fair for this mid-winter time and most anglers were experiencing just enough action to keep them interested. Success has been erratic, with the best catches coming on the cloudy and milder days, when temperatures reached up into the 20s (clear, cold days seemed to produce the least amount of action). The favorite bait continued to be sucker minnows, fished 6 inches off the bottom in 6 to 12 feet of water, and in the hour before dark.
Woodruff DNR Service Center area
Area Conservation Wardens and fishing guides report that ice conditions have improved but still do not recommend vehicular travel. Please check with local guides or local Chambers of Commerce in order to obtain information about individual lakes. Fishing activity has slowed a bit this past week with the cooler temperatures. Snow depths are below normal for this time of year with the snowmobile and ski trails in fair condition right now. We remind everyone to please observe the snowmobile laws and to exercise courtesy and caution with respect to others, whether on the lake or on the roads. Please obey the speed limits and use extreme caution. New this year is the statewide night time speed limit of 55 mph. Roadways that are open to snowmobiles at this time do have speed limits. Area wardens are reporting speed violations to be the number one problem this year. Snowmobiles are required by law to operate to the far right side of the allowed roads and, if not otherwise posted, they cannot go any faster than the posted speed for automobiles. There is little to protect persons on snowmobiles. If a snowmobile rolls over, which can happen even at lower speeds, the operator is left unprotected from a machine that weighs several hundred pounds. When visibility is poor due to snow being kicked up by machines ahead, slow down and back off. Studded tracks do little in preventing accidents if you’re going too fast. Everyone who operates a snowmobile must use caution in order to avoid accidents.
Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest - All cross-country ski trails have a few thin and/or icy spots. Escanaba was tracked Jan. 20, and is in fair to good condition. The McNaughton - skaters loop was rolled and tracked Jan. 22 and is in fair to good condition. Madeline was tracked Jan. 22 and is in fair to good condition. The Raven inner loops were tracked Jan. 23 and are in fair to good condition, but the Red (expert) and Yellow (nature) loops were still too thin and icy to groom and track.
Upper Wisconsin Basin fisheries report (Oneida, Vilas, Lincoln, Langlade, Forest and Florence counties) - More seasonal weather conditions have prevailed over the past two weeks now and ice conditions have improved dramatically. Most area lakes have 10 to 12 inches of ice now and it is common to see ATVs and trucks driving on. Caution is still advised however. The walleye bite has slowed but anglers are having great luck fishing for northern pike and bluegills. Tip-ups baited with golden shiners can be fished all day long, but expect the best action in the early morning hours until 10 a.m. or so. On cloudy days, the northern bite has lasted through midday until early afternoon. The best bet for bluegills has been getting out at first light and fishing near weed edges with jigging rods tipped with a small rocker jig or Rat-Finkey and a spike. Crappies have also been taken along with the bluegills very early in the morning or the last hour of daylight.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NORTHEAST REGION
Peshtigo DNR Service Center area
Marinette County - Most snowmobile trails in northern Marinette county are open but in rough riding condition, an inch or two of snow is expected by the weekend. Ice fishing has been reported as fair on area lakes with access not being an issue due to minimal snow cover. Caution is always advised when recreation on frozen waters is involved. Snowmobilers need to be aware of two new snowmobile bills signed last spring that will effect the nighttime speed and noise limits on snowmobiles. One half hour after sunset and one half hour before sunrise the statewide speed limit is 55 mph for snowmobilers. Wardens will also be enforcing the noise limit of 88 decibels from exhaust noise which will help secure permission for continued trail use along private properties. Birdfeeding enthusiasts don't forget to refill the suet hanger for the nuthatches, chickadees and woodpeckers as this cold weather requires a lot of energy from them. Rough-legged hawks and snow buntings are in the area coming down from the north.
Oconto County - Ice fishing on the Oconto River in the city of Oconto and along the break water has increased with time. Anglers have been catching a small amount of 8 to 9 inch yellow perch but have had to release about double the amount of fish 7 inch and under. Ice thickness is increasing with the cold weather.
Shawano County - Ice anglers can enjoy their favorite outdoor sport with good panfish (mainly bluegill) action on most area lakes. Northern pike, walleye, and bass bite has been spotty though.
Green Bay DNR Service Center area
In general, ice fishing action has picked up along Green Bay as a result of the hardening of the water. But some areas remained quite unsafe at the beginning of the week, with ice depth at 1 1/2 inches in the Long Tail Point area. Those who did go out had to be patient and with some effort brought in approximately 8-10 yellow perch measuring 9 to 10 inches
Brown County - Early in the week anglers were fishing the Suamico River near the Brown County Ramp (ice was about 3 inches) catching near their limit of 9- to 10-inch fish for half of a day of effort. A few anglers tried their luck at Little Tail and a few checked the ice conditions on Duck Creek. Anglers were heading out of Dykesville at the end of the week fishing for yellow perch.
Sturgeon Bay DNR Service Center area
Door County - Anglers were accessing Little Sturgeon Bay as well as at Clafin Park at Henderson's Point Yellow perch fishing required some effort to bring in catches of 8- to 10-inch fish. At Potawatomi State Park, anglers have their shacks staged to go on the ice. A couple of anglers did venture out on Saturday and a party brought in seven perch that measured between 9 and 10 inches. Anglers were also trying their luck at the Sturgeon Bay Yacht Club for yellow perch.
Potawatomi State Park - With a few more inches of snow this past weekend, the ski trails were rolled again. There is a good base now, but still not enough snow to set tracks. Skate ski conditions are fair. Ice anglers are on Sawyer Harbor. Ice conditions vary, so use caution when going out on the ice.
Oshkosh DNR Service Center area
Upper Fox-Wolf basin fisheries report - Walleye activity has been very good on Lake Poygan, especially off of horseshoe hole. Anglers are using large shiners on tip-ups. Also, nice northerns were biting on golden shiners on the west side. On Lake Winneconne, anglers were catching some bluegills in the channels, but were having to work for their limits. Excellent perch fishing is being reported throughout the Lake Winnebago system. Some of the hotspots have been on the bays south of Oshkosh using rosey red minnows. Millers Bay in Menominee Park has had some nice perch activity. The area south of Asylum Bay has had consistent perch activity, too. Perch were being caught in the Stockbridge harbor on Swedish pimples.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SOUTHEAST REGION
Kohler-Andrae State Park - The cross-country ski trail has approximately 6 inches of snow. It was last groomed Monday, Jan. 22. The trail was in excellent condition. Hiking trails may be snow covered and slippery.
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 Eighth Street. Please use caution when venturing out on the ice. When conditions permit, Sheboygan trollers have been catching good numbers of chinooks south of the harbor in 30 to 40 feet of water. Browns have also been caught near the power plant.
Milwaukee County - In Milwaukee, shore fishing at the lakefront has been spotty for browns and steelhead under the Hoan bridge. Some browns have been reported by shore anglers fishing the Menomonee River near the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District offices. Boaters out of Milwaukee have been finding fair numbers of browns in the harbor, and there is not yet any ice in the inner harbor.
Racine County - In Racine, upstream portions of the Root River still have open water, but there is ice below Island Park.
Inland fisheries team report
The first ice fishing reports of the new year are starting to come in. Ice conditions are extremely variable, complicated even more by a blanket of snow. Always test the ice thickness in front of you as you venture out. Here are some local reports:
Walworth and inland Racine and Kenosha counties - Ice has finally arrived and is 1 inch to 5 inches thick. Most anglers were catching northern pike on golden shiners under tip-ups in 4 to 6 feet of water. Some walleyes were being caught on tip-ups as well. Yellow perch were biting on plastics and bluegills were hitting waxies.
Washington, eastern Fond du Lac, and inland Sheboygan counties - Ice thickness is extremely variable on lakes. The ice may literally be 5 inches thick in one spot and 1 inch thick three feet away. BE CAREFUL!! Fishing action has been generally slow on most lakes. Small bluegills were being caught on Little Elkhart Lake. A few northern pike were being caught.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SOUTH CENTRAL REGION
Dodgeville DNR Service Center area
Lafayette County - Despite the recent cold spell, lakes and ponds in southwest Wisconsin have generally thin ice and open water. Last Friday, an angler on foot went through the ice at Yellowstone Lake and Jan. 22 an ATV went through the ice. Ice may be thin in spots or a thin ice cover may hide honeycomb ice or water pockets. No motorized vehicles should be driven on area lakes. Cold weather is forecast to continue over the next week, but it will take several days of below freezing temperatures to thicken ice on lakes and ponds.
Horicon DNR Service Center area
Dodge County – As of Monday, Jan. 22, Dodge County snowmobile trails were still open but some sections of the trail system, especially plowed fields were in marginal condition.
Fitchburg DNR Service Center area
Sauk County
Devil’s Lake State Park - The ski trails are finally open. Trails are in good condition with several inches of snow falling on both Jan. 15 and 21. The most recent snow was fairly light, and would not accept tracking/grooming, but the trails are packed and in good condition otherwise. Visitors may snowshoe anywhere except the cross-country ski trails. However, the majority of the trails that are open for snowshoeing are the popular (in the summer) bluff trails, which are steep, rocky, uneven and almost staircase-like in many spots. Those trails don’t work well for snowshoes. The Sauk Point trail and Grottos trail areas are better choices for snowshoeing, though neither of these makes a convenient loop. The lake froze over very late this year, so be extremely cautious if you even consider venturing onto the lake's frozen surface. The park does not monitor the thickness or vouch for the safety of the lake ice. The thickness of the ice can vary from day to day and from place to place. A few ice anglers have been out, but only very near the edges and over shallow areas. The chickadees, nuthatches, and crows reign in the air during the winter. A couple of handsome mature bald eagles soared over the sledding hill this past weekend. Unseen and unheard by people, meadow voles are tunneling under the snow, munching on tender grasses and tiny tree seedlings. Coyotes and foxes with their sensitive ears might be seen sitting with their heads cocked, ears attuned to the voles, followed by a few stealthy steps and a cat-like pounce that shoves their face into the snow hoping for a warm lunch. On milder days, gray squirrels are out and coursing through the treetops. Visitors commonly sled on the hill in the north shore area, which is the face of the terminal moraine left by a glacier more than 10,000 years ago. Access may be from the bottom, in the Quartzite Campground, or from the top near the Nature Center. Call Sauk County Parks at (608) 546-5011 for Sauk County Snowmobile trails information. A portion of Quartzite campground remains open throughout the winter.
Mirror Lake State Park – The park received 4 inches of new snow on Jan. 21. The cross-country trails were all packed and groomed and were in very good condition.
Dane County
Governor Nelson State Park - As of Jan. 21, all cross-country ski trails were open for skiing with conditions good to excellent. All trails were packed, tracked and groomed with about a 4-inch snow base. The Morningside Trails is the only Trail on which visitors may hike, snow shoe or ski on. All other Trails are for skiing only. There will be a Candle Light Ski on Jan 27 from 5:30-9 p.m., conditions permitting. Enjoy a night out in the park gliding along a torch lit ski trail. Stop by our bon fire to warm up and absorb the beautiful view of the Capital from across the lake.
Jefferson County - Jefferson County received approximately 5 to 6 inches of snow last weekend, enough to open snowmobile trails. Dodge County received slightly less and their trails opened a day later. Trail conditions are deteriorating rapidly, however, due to the sunny days with a lot of dirt beginning to show up especially on the trails going through plowed fields. 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. Ice is forming on the rivers and lakes in Jefferson County with anglers beginning to venture out for ice fishing. The rivers are seeing some snowmobile traffic but conditions re still too dangerous due to the flowing water. The lakes, especially the backwater areas, have anywhere from 3- 5 inches of ice already and with the cold nights it is still forming. A few northern pike have been caught on the marsh on Rock Lake and on Hope Lake using tip-ups with shiners or minnows. A couple bald eagles have been seen in the last week just north of Watertown and out on the Mud Lake public hunting grounds. Coyote, rabbit and fox hunters are still taking advantage of the snow. They are having good success.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WEST CENTRAL REGION
La Crosse DNR Service Center area
Tree sparrows, dark-eyed juncos, cardinals, black-capped chickadees, woodpeckers, horned larks, white-breasted nuthatches, blue jays, American goldfinches, and tufted titmice are the majority of songbirds currently active in the area. Many people who feed songbirds have reported sporadic feeding activity at their feeders this winter, as the lack of snow has allowed songbirds the luxury of obtaining enough food from the fields and forests. Unfortunately, people who feed songbirds during the winter have been deprived of the enjoyment that winter feeding provides. Recent snow accumulations, though, have greatly increase bird feeder activity.
Mississippi River - Although you will sometimes see snapping turtles moving under the ice in winter, they are not searching for food since they do not eat all winter. In early fall they actually empty their digestive tracts to avoid problems during winter.
Recent snowfalls are likely to conceal weak spots in ice, so be careful if you venture out.
Crawford County - Snow fell again last Saturday and Sunday. The north and east part of the county received an inch or two more than the southern part. Around 4 to 6 inches fell of new snow covered the area. The snowmobile trails are open. The snowmobile trails in the Prairie du Chien and Rolling ground areas are open. No report was available for trails in the Mt. Zion and Mt. Sterling areas. The Mississippi River stage was fairly constant all week holding around the 7 foot mark. By the end of the week the river stage was at 7.1 feet. Normal day and night time temperatures are allowing most of the Mississippi River’s backwater areas to freeze over again. Most of these areas are still very dangerous and travel on the ice is not recommended. Recent snowfall has insulated the existing ice and will slow the development of good ice. The snow also hides dangerous areas. Locations like Cold Spring, Spring Lake and the Ambro Slough Complex and Sturgeon Slough all have ice, but again caution is urged. The Main Channel and East Channel are started to freeze up this week also. Most of the backwater areas along the Wisconsin River again have ice and conditions are dangerous. Ice fishing action in the area picked up this week. Sturgeon Slough has been very slow this week, unlike the week before. Some anglers have been venturing across the Ambro Slough to Mud Slough. Bluegill and crappie action has been decent. Bluegill action at Cold Spring was spotty. A few bluegill anglers us9ing air boats or hover craft to access some back water areas have had fair success. Fishing below the dam at Lynxville is very difficult due to ice. In the Prairie du Chien the East Channel is covered with ice. Bald Eagles can bee seen throughout the county. They are venturing further inland. Eagles can be seen throughout the county along stream beds and along open fields. 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. The new snow makes idea conditions to look for animal tracks. The 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.
http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/caer/ce/news/or/#top
