Wisconsin was treated to some very nice weather for the Fourth of July holiday and most of the state received much needed rain early in the week, which reduced fire danger levels statewide just before the holiday. The northern part of the state received the least amount of rain, with some areas only getting a trace to less than half an inch, but areas of southern Wisconsin received more than 2 inches. Many river systems, especially in the north, continue to run well below historical averages for this time of year.
The mid-week holiday made for increased boating and fishing activity on many waters. Water temperatures in the north have been holding in the mid-70s on most lakes, which made for some comfortable swimming conditions.
The warm water temperatures increased bass activity and anglers have started to see some good action. Largemouth bass have been mostly relating to the weeds and lily pads, though some are beginning to move to 'firm' overhead cover such as wood, docks, brush and bog edges. Smallmouth bass were also becoming more wood oriented and look for this to increase as the water further warms this summer. Musky action improved in the north with the warmer weather, with many anglers reporting follows, but musky activity seemed to slow down on southern waters. Panfish success continues to be good on inland lakes, with bluegills providing most of the action. Bluegills have moved into their summer patterns and were suspending over deeper water,
Fishing action out on Lake Michigan has been very good to excellent, with an abundance of nice chinook salmon in the 15 to 20 pound range coming into most ports. Good numbers of rainbow and lake trout were also coming in. Smallmouth bass continued to be caught along Door County; however they seem to have moved out into deeper water. Perch fishing remains very good along the southern shore of Green Bay, and walleyes were still providing great action throughout the bay.
Smallmouth bass fishing has been great on the Wisconsin River. Fishing also continued to be good on the Mississippi River for bluegill, catfish, bass and walleye.
The third period for frogs calling is starting throughout Wisconsin wetlands. Frogs heard during this time period are green frogs with their banjo call strumming away, bull frogs sounding like a blow horn and mink frogs in the far northern counties sounding as if they are horses on cobblestone. Osprey young are popping their heads above the nests. Resident Canada geese are now beginning to fly after a few weeks of being flightless.
Prairie plants are now showing their color of oranges, purples, and yellows. These include yellow coneflower, compass plant, purple prairie clover, ox-eye sunflower, butterfly weed, cup plant, leadplant, rosinweed, rattlesnake master, spiderwort and prairie blazing star. Wild blueberries and black raspberries are ripe and plentiful in some areas. Wild grape vines are also hanging especially heavy with grapes this year, which should be ready about mid to late September.
A reminder to hikers and others who just like to walk around in the woods that wild parsnip is blooming. This is a plant that you really do not want to encounter and should add to the list of plants to avoid, along with poison ivy, oak and sumac. Wild parsnip contains a juice that causes severe burns to the skin when exposed to the ultraviolet light rays from the sun. The skin reacts by producing blisters that can last for several weeks and produces a brown scarring on the skin that can also last for months. The plant is tall with yellow clusters of flowering stems that are about four feet in height. Wild parsnip usually towers above the natural vegetation surrounding it. This is also the time to be on the lookout for purple loosestrife, which is also beginning to flower. Make notes of where this invasive species is invading wetlands and report infestations to local DNR service centers.
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 Bois Brule River is flowing low at 113 cubic feet per second (cfs). The 62 year average is 154 cfs. June turned out to be a warmer than average month with both high and low temperatures. The Brule DNR weather Station recorded 80 degrees for the average high and 52 degrees to be the average low. Historically 76 degrees is the average high and 47 is the average low. June precipitationwas 2.08 inches, compared to the June historical average of 3.92 inches.
Park Falls DNR Service Center area
Upper Chippewa Basin fisheries report (Price, Rusk, Sawyer Taylor and inland Ashland and Iron counties) - The warm and nicer weather and the mid-week Holiday have made for increased boating and fishing activity on most local waters. Water temperatures have been holding in the mid-70s on most lake and this makes for some comfortable swimming conditions. However, the dry conditions of the past year have resulted in decreased water levels are many seepage lakes and some boat accesses are becoming too shallow to launch bigger boats. The warm water temperatures has increased bass activity and anglers have started to see some good action. The largemouth have been mostly related to the weeds and lily pads, though some are beginning to move to 'firm' overhead cover such as wood, docks, brush and bog edges. Smallmouth bass are also becoming more wood oriented and look for this to increase as the water further warms this summer. Plastics worked slowly around this cover have produced the best success for bass in the past few days. Walleye fishing has been erratic with some days producing decent catches and other producing next to nothing. The most consistent baits have been leeches and crawlers, fished on the deep weed edges and break lines. Musky action has also improved with the warmer weather and many anglers have reported a lot of follows. Some decent catches have also been made, with most fish in the 30 to 38-inch range. Many different types of baits have been successful, but top-water and jerk baits seem to be the favorites in the past week. With the warming water temperatures, northern pike action has cooled off a bit as the bigger fish tend to move to deeper water. Good numbers of smaller pike are still being found along and in the weed edges and spinner baits have been the hottest bait. Panfish success continues to be good, with some bluegill still being found on the spawning beds. Crappie have been found over the deeper weed beds or suspended near any mid-depth cover.
Woodruff DNR Service Center area
A recent cold front and a series of storms moving through the area have adversely affected the fishing activity. Some catches of panfish continue to be the savior for many of this week’s fisherman. There are numerous reports of active bass; however most are sub-legal in length. Musky fishermen have reported fairly good action over mud flats on area flowages. Weed growth and water temperatures are about normal for this time of year. Be sure to check your boats and trailers for any types of weeds that may be attached prior to launching. Playing your part by removing this aquatic vegetation could be the difference between keeping a lake free of invasives and infesting the water. The first report of blueberries sounds very promising with very large fruit. Timely rains have given the plants the much needed boost. Antler development on the bucks is now very visible. There have been numerous reports of turkey and grouse broods seen in the area. As you travel the area be cautious of deer crossing the roads, more often than not the fawns are close behind. A reminder to hikers and others who just like to walk around in the woods – the wild parsnip is blooming. This is a plant that you really do not want to encounter. You should add this one to your list of items to avoid, along with poison ivy, oak and sumac. The wild parsnip contains a juice that causes severe burns to the skin when exposed to the ultraviolet light rays from the sun. The skin reacts by producing blisters that can last for several weeks and produces a brown scarring on the skin that can also last for months, or even years. Once the plant dies and dries, it ceases to emit the juice and cannot cause a reaction when in that state. The plant is tall with yellow clusters of flowering stems that are about four feet in height. The wild parsnip usually towers above the natural vegetation surrounding it. Area service centers have small, descriptive cards available to the public that will help in identification of this and other problem plants and insects. If you do come into contact with this plant, and no one is immune from its effects, cover your skin right away until you can wash the affected area with soap and water. To help minimize the effects of the exposure, you can cover the contaminated area with a cool, wet cloth. Do not rupture any blisters that may appear. The blisters usually do not itch, nor do they spread. If the blisters do eventually rupture, let the skin remain over the area for as long as you can. Keep the affected area clean and use an antiseptic cream to help prevent infection. Contact your doctor if you have any questions and for further treatment explanations and considerations.
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NORTHEAST REGION
Green Bay DNR Service Center area
Brown County - Weather this week brought us sunny skies and some moderate temps in the 70s and lower 80s. Fish were still being caught but action was slow with most people gearing up for the holiday weekends coming up. Some moderate west winds made fishing difficult on the east shore but anglers were still bringing in some perch although smaller and not as many versus three weeks ago. The perch seem to be spread out at varying depths. Anglers reported luck on minnows, worms, and leeches. Walleyes were still providing great action throughout the bay. Trolling crawler harnesses seems to be the ticket. The shore fishing throughout the lower Fox, Duck, and Suamico rivers is lending a mixed bag of sheep head, catfish, and some walleyes. Up north some nice chinooks were being reported near Sturgeon Bay from anglers that venture out into Lake Michigan. With the smallmouth bass returning to their summer sanctuaries, action continued to be fairly slow but some large fish are still being reported.
Manitowoc County - In Two Rivers fishing was fairly good for most anglers trolling out on Lake Michigan this past week. On Saturday morning, anglers were out in high numbers and returning with many fair sized catches of chinook salmon and rainbow trout with a few lake trout in the mix. Large waves on Sunday slowed fishing down. Anglers fishing from the piers had a slow week, although one angler caught a nice chinook salmon at sunrise casting a lime green and silver spoon from the north pier. In Manitowoc anglers trolling out on Lake Michigan had a decent week. Success was scattered across various depths from 50 feet to 100 feet of water producing fair sized catches of rainbow trout, chinook salmon, and a couple of coho salmon and lake trout. A couple of weekend anglers fishing in the harbor late afternoon Saturday caught a couple nice perch off the bottom using night crawlers. Anglers casting spoons from the south pier had a slow week for chinook salmon.
Sturgeon Bay DNR Service Center area
Door County - The weather was beautiful this week. Sunny skies and mild temperatures made for a truly delightful week. The weather has been very dry, so please be extra careful with fires. It’s hard to believe but the fishing just seems to be getting better and better. The action out on Lake Michigan was very good to excellent all over the county. An abundance of nice chinook salmon in the 15 to 20 pound range came into all the ports, along with good numbers of bigger, 20 pound plus fish. Lots of rainbow and lake trout also are coming in. Out of Sturgeon Bay most of the action seems to be coming early in the mornings. Anglers fishing 60 to 80 feet down along the edges of the Bank Reef are producing lots of fish, with the action switching out into deeper water later in the day. Fly and dodger combinations along with spoons and even J-plugs are all producing fish. A little farther north anglers going out of Baileys Harbor have reported very good to excellent action. The fish off of Baileys Harbor seem to have moved out to deeper water than in the past few weeks. Rowley’s Bay, Ellison Bay, Sister Bay and the Washington Island are all reporting success. Smallmouth bass continue to be caught all over the county; however, the larger smallies seem to have moved out into deeper water. Anglers fishing structure in 15 to 20 feet of water are finding some nice smallies, with goby imitating baits being productive. Perch fishing remains very good with the southern shore of Green Bay, along with Little Sturgeon, Riley’s Bay, and the waters around Chaudoir’s dock producing lots of perch. Also the weed edges in 12 to 15 feet of water between the bridges in Sturgeon Bay, along with the flats are also producing limit catches of perch. The Egg Harbor Marina and the Fish Creek city dock are producing nice catches of perch on night crawlers and soft shell crawfish. Crank baits and night crawler harnesses continue to produce some nice walleye action from the Monument Shoals and Larson’s Reef areas. The waters around Chambers and Horse Shoe islands and the shore off of Peninsula state park are also producing some Walleyes. Northern pike action continued to be fair this past week with mostly smaller northerns being taken from the weeds in Sturgeon Bay and Little Sturgeon, try some deeper areas for the larger Northerns. Big buck tails continue to produce a few muskies from the weed edges in Sturgeon Bay. Little Sturgeon is continuing to produce some nice catches of crappies, bluegills and perch.
Peninsula State Park - Water levels in Green Bay and Lake Michigan are still very low. Prevailing east northeat winds have created a building up of cladophora algae along the park's shoreline. Swimmers are advised that algae may be present along the first 10 to 20 feet along the waterline. Trails are ready for summer use, and in very good condition. Spring wildflowers are fading, while summer wildflowers are taking over. Flowers are plentiful on roadsides and meadows. Some of the more interesting and commonly seen summer birds: white pelicans, cormorants, wood ducks, mergansers, bald eagles, osprey. Peninsula is a birders paradise. There will be a firework display in Fish Creek on Saturday, July 7. Fireworks are prohibited in all state parks. It is expected that the upcoming weekend will be very busy. If the weather heats up, visitors should be aware that sometimes Nicolet Bay Beach reaches capacity. When all parking spots are filled, no more vehicles are permitted into the beach areas. Solution: Plan on bicycling to the beach!
Kewaunee County - Hot and humid weather at the start of the week followed by cooler temperatures for the weekend made for an excellent weekend of fishing. The wind has been favorable over the last week except when the wind shifted at the end of the weekend and made fishing out on the lake a little more difficult. Anglers fishing off the piers in Algoma and Kewaunee have catching some nice kings over the last week. Anglers have also been catching steelhead and even a few browns of the piers as well. The best success has been on silver spoons. Anglers that have been trolling out on the lake have been coming in with good catches of kings and rainbows. Anglers have also been catching some lake trout and a number of cohos as well. Many good catches of fish have been coming in over the later part of the week. Another week of many kings over 15 pounds being caught. Anglers have been fishing in shallower waters this week as the fish have moved closer to shore. Most anglers were fishing in water depths of about 70 to 90 feet. Some anglers were having success in deeper water as well. Fish are being caught anywhere from the surface all the way down to 100 feet. Anglers have had the most success using different combinations of blue and green, fly and dodger combos. Spoons have also been working as well since there are some fish up near the surface.
Oshkosh DNR Service Center area
Lakeshore team wildlife report - The landscape has been dry for the past several weeks with our clay soils showing signs of cracking. With the forecast for rain it should offer relief to crops and wildlife. Small seasonal wetlands at the present are all bare ground with larger wetlands having their water slowly disappear showing annual vegetation of smartweed and beggars ticks where moist soils exist. Mosquitoes are almost non-existent with deer and horse flies taking their place during the day. We are starting the third period for frogs calling throughout Wisconsin where wetlands have sufficient water. Frogs heard during this time period are green frogs with their banjo call strumming away, Bull frogs sounding like a blow horn and mink frogs in the far northern counties sounding as if they are horses on cobblestone. Deer are readily seen during the evening or morning hours with their fawns prior to darkness. Many broods of pheasants, turkeys and songbirds are seen amidst the grassland communities on Killsnake, Brillion and Holland Wildlife Areas. Ospreys have their young popping their heads above the artificial nesting platforms on the wildlife areas mentioned and pretend to simulate flight for future endeavors. A couple of these nests can be seen near the “observation platform” located at the Brillion Nature Center near Brillion on the Brillion Wildlife Area. The trail leading up to the platform is handicap accessible. While there, the mid-summer prairie plants are now beginning to show their color of oranges, purples, and yellows waving in the breezes during the day. These are yellow coneflower, compass plant, purple prairie clover, ox-eye sunflower, butterflyweed, cupplant, leadplant, rosinweed, rattlesnake master, spiderwort and prairie blazingstar. Besides bringing nesting value, these plants bring a wealth of insects for wildlife to forage on or to seek nectar sources. Esthetics of these colorful plants are a wonderful way to feast ones eyes on our great outdoors and to enjoy a great outing. If one is lucky enough a bluebird, a sandhill crane, a swallowtail, a fox snake or even a dickcissel may be heard or seen while walking on one of the trails covering six miles of terrain through prairie, forest and a portion of wetlands. While fireworks are shooting all around, one needs to be careful not only for fires but for some species of wildlife. Where bird houses and nesting are occurring, avoid firing any fireworks nearby. This adds to the stress for cavity nesting birds as they are trying to fledge their young. Birds species affected are bluebirds, tree swallows, great-crested flycatchers, purple martins, woodpeckers and chick-a-dees. A large colony of purple martins can be readily seen near High Cliff State Park at the marina. These are a favorite attraction because of their melodious singing and easily approached housing. Resident Canada geese are now beginning to fly after a few weeks of being flightless. These waterfowl have been increasing within the state over the past decade and are a common site in many of our urban areas. It is also a signal that we have reached the halfway point in our summer season. Last of all be on the lookout for purple loosestrife which is beginning to flower. Make notes of where it is existing on the landscape and report it to your local Biologist or Master Gardener. Many people are now placing biocontrols on these plants to control the spread of it as well as to reduce the species.
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SOUTHEAST REGION
Plymouth DNR Service Center area
The first cicadas of the season were heard in Sheboygan County on June 30.
Lake Michigan fisheries team report
Sheboygan County - In Sheboygan, shore anglers fishing the piers have been catching a few browns on spoons, but fishing has been slow overall. Trollers off Sheboygan have also had to work hard to find fish. Rainbows and chinooks have been scattered in 80 to 165 feet of water.
Ozaukee County - In Port Washington shore anglers have been able to catch occasional perch, but trout and salmon fishing from shore has been slow. Trollers out of Port Washington have been catching a few rainbows, chinooks, and coho in 80 to 100 feet of water. The rainbows and coho have been in the top 20 to 30 feet of water, while the chinooks have been closer to the bottom.
Milwaukee County - In Milwaukee, shore anglers have been catching perch on minnows off McKinley pier. Boaters fishing for perch have been catching good numbers around the south gap, as well as at the boils and off the Oak Creek Power Plant. Milwaukee trollers have been catching a mixed bag of lake trout, rainbows, coho, and chinooks. Most fish have been caught off the filtration plant in 140 feet of water or deeper.
Racine County - In Racine perch fishing for shore anglers has been slow, but boaters continue to find a few fish at the bubbler and off the rocks near the DeKoven Center. Minnows have caught the most perch, but crab tails have also taken a few. Racine trollers have been catching more chinooks and less coho recently. Most fish have been taken on spoons in the 100 foot range.
Kenosha County - In Kenosha perch fishing from shore has been slow, but the brown trout have been providing sporadic action in the harbor. White tube jigs fished slowly have taken the most browns, but a few have been caught on spoons. Anglers fishing for perch from boats have been catching them on minnows at the bubbler and at the breakwall. Action for Kenosha trollers has been improving, with chinooks being caught in 80 to 120 feet of water.
Inland fisheries team report
Fishing remains very good in the region. Bass and bluegills were providing most of the action. Now that their summer patterns are starting to develop the bigger bluegills will suspend over deeper water. The key to catching these gills is fishing at the correct depth. Try drifting over deep water and vary your depth until you start to catch fish. Typically they can be 10 to 20 feet down in water 30 to 40 feet deep.
Washington, eastern Fond du Lac, and inland Sheboygan counties - Largemouth bass fishing has been great on most inland lakes lately. Pike, Big Cedar and Little Cedar anglers have been chatting about nice catches of bass up to 20 inches long. Bluegill action has been pretty good also. The bigger gills are starting to suspend over deeper water. The small gills stick around the weed beds for protection from predators. Crappie fishing has been spotty as usual for summer. Musky action has apparently really slowed down a great deal since the hot action in early June.
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SOUTH CENTRAL REGION
Horicon DNR Service Center area
Columbia County
MacKenzie Environmental Education Center – There will be a free Outdoor Skills Day, Saturday July 14 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the MacKenzie Environmental Education Center. A variety of hands on skill areas include fishing, archery, outdoor cooking, shooting sports and nature hikes. Families welcome. Concession stand available from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Call (608) 635-8105 for more information. The MacKenzie Center is located 2 miles east of Poynette on County Road CS and just 20 miles North of Madison, WI! This event is sponsored by the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation and the Department of Natural Resources.
Fitchburg DNR Service Center area
Sauk County – Smallmouth bass fishing on the Wisconsin River has been great. Anglers are reminded that catch and release is a good practice with smallmouth to keep good populations in the Wisconsin River. Trout have still been biting on Devils Lake and limits are taken most days. Conservation Warden John Buss reminds people to be safe when boating this summer and adopt a defensive driving approach when out on Wisconsin waters. The wild flowers in prairie plantings are in full bloom and pheasant chicks are being seen in road side ditches.
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WEST CENTRAL REGION
Baldwin DNR Service Center area
St. Croix County
Willow River State Park - The heat is back on following a cold front. The river and lake levels are at normal flow since the rain did not last long. Fishing success should recover by the weekend. The rain also helped the Pheasants Forever project on the prairie at the entrance. White-tail deer does and their fawns have been out in full daylight on the road in many places. Please drive defensively as these animals are unpredictable. Most of the daylight activity has been between the campground and the ponds. The Nature Center is open weekends from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and occasionally on weekdays if volunteers are available.
La Crosse DNR Service Center area
Fishing continues to be good in the La Crosse area for bluegill, catfish, bass and walleye. La Crosse's Riverfest started July 4 and runs through July 8. Boaters are reminded that during Riverfest the Main channel of the Mississippi river is a Slow NO Wake zone in the City of La Crosse from the Hwy 14/61 bridge North to the mouth of the Black river. Boater should find local boating ordinances posted at local boat access points. Remember, Safe boating is no accident. Don't drink and drive! Wild black raspberries are ripe and plentiful in the coulee region. For those who are willing to spend some time picking the rewards of home made pie, jelly, jam, and fresh berries are a wonderful taste of summer. Wild grape vines are hanging especially heavy with grapes this year which should be ready about mid to late September.
Black River Falls DNR Service Center area
The Fire Danger is Moderate to High in the Black River Falls Area. Hot weather and lack of rain fall the last three weeks is drying out forest fuels. Heat and lack of rainfall is showing in yards and road ditches. Outdoor users are urged to be cautious with outdoor recreational activity. Camp fires need to be attended at all times and be completely extinguished before leaving. Follow Smokey Bear's ABCs - Always Be Careful.
Eau Claire DNR Service Center area
Brunet Island State Park - The open water game fish and pan fish action has been very good this past week. Panfish are still active in the shallows. Bass and northern pike action has been productive, and there has been good musky action in the area. Species of birds seen or heard include: indigo buntings, towhees, golden finches, ravens, rose-breasted grosbeaks, loons, robins, red polls, a variety of wrens, phoebes, Canada geese, turkey vultures, northern juncos, piliated woodpeckers, great blue herons, green herons, barred owls, ravens, osprey, bald eagles and belted kingfishers. The painted and snapping turtles have been digging nests throughout the park property. The fireflies, dragonflies, and monarch butterflies are in great abundance. Brown eyed susans, lesser daisy fleabane, the water lilies, some of the aster varieties, orange hawkweed, wild columbine, ox eye daisy, wooly yarrow, blackberry and raspberry vines are flowering, the common and wood strawberry are producing fruit. We would like to remind everyone that when you observe or come across young birds or animals, do not touch them and please leave them as they are. Their parents are very likely to be close by, and are quietly waiting for you to move on. Generally, they will wait until you leave the immediate area before attending to their young.
Wisconsin Rapids DNR Service Center area
Roche-A-Cri State Park - –Campsites are still available for this weekend! Come and enjoy the quiet campground setting. Deer and turkeys are abundant in the park. Deer fawns and turkey poults have been sighted throughout the park. Many summer wildflowers are in bloom in the woodlands and prairies, including the beautiful Butterfly Milkweed. Blueberries and Black Raspberries are beginning to ripen. Take a hike through the prairie to try and catch a glimpse of the Karner Blue Butterfly. The 2007 photo contest is underway - remember your camera to catch great summer photos for the contest.
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