Wisconsin has continued to experience a cool spring, and conditions have been dry, with less than half an inch of precipitation reported across the state in the last week. As result, fire danger levels have increased to high in northwestern Wisconsin and in areas of central Wisconsin, so people heading out to those areas for the long Memorial Day weekend need to be especially careful with fire. There have been 72 wildfire reported in the last week.
Spring flows have subsided on most streams and rivers and most lakes, rivers and flowages are now near normal water levels. Water temperatures are well below normal for this time of year, with most northern lakes at the mid-to-upper 50 degree level and lakes in the south in the low to mid 60s. State parks and forests are reporting that all reservable campsites have been booked for the holiday weekend. The first come sites will also likely be filling up quickly.
The cool weather has kept the post-spawn walleye bite on a while longer in the north and anglers may still find some really good fishing up shallow this coming weekend. Crappie are just beginning to come in shallow to spawn so look for them in weedy bays and areas of bulrushes. Largemouth and smallmouth bass activity has also been increasing, but the erratic weather has been keeping most of the fish out in deeper water. Bass fishing is still catch-and-release only until June 21, and anglers are reminded if they are specifically targeting bass, artificial lures only with barbless need to be used until June 21. Musky season opens in the northern zone this Saturday, May 24. Fish have completed spawning in most lakes with the exception of large, deep, clear lakes. Panfish activity has picked up with the slight warm-up in water temperatures in the south. Largemouth bass are starting to spawn and crappies should be nesting very soon as well. Bluegills will also start nesting soon. Trout streams are in great shape for fishing and insect hatches are coming off almost constantly.
Walleye fishing out on lower Green Bay has continued to be good to very good. Yellow perch fishing opened on Green Bay on May 20 with the 15 bag limit. Little Sturgeon Bay, Riley’s Bay, Sand Bay and Sawyer Harbor were all producing smallmouth bass this week. Action picked up out on Lake Michigan this week with some reports of brown and lake trout caught, as well as some salmon. Shore and pier anglers have been catching a few brown trout at most harbors.
Water has still been high on the Mississippi River, but it is receding. The Mississippi River is down to 12.7 feet in the Prairie du Chien area. Bluegill, perch, and crappie action picked up as the water receded. Largemouth bass, and stripe bass were still biting strong at locks and dams, while the catfish were slowing down as the water recedes.
The cool May temperatures have kept the bird migration a bit behind schedule this year as well as slowing down the progress of leaf out of the trees. The good news is that a variety of migrant birds still remain in southern Wisconsin and with the sparse foliage in the forest, the tiny warblers and other songbirds can still be observed among the treetops. Yellow-rumped, blackburnian and northern parula, and redstart warblers are being seen.
Likewise, the opening of spring flowers has been slow to proceed, but while many would normally be past their peak blooming period, there is a great display of wildflowers remaining in the woodlands. As the weather turns more summer-like, the next southerly winds will take most of the remaining migrant birds farther north and with a little rain and warm temperatures, the trees will quickly leaf out.
Spring peepers are still peeping and chorus frogs are calling in the north and toads have begun trilling. And just in time for the Memorial Holiday weekend, numerous locations around the state are reporting their first strong mosquito hatches, so people heading out to enjoy the outdoors may want to bring the bug spray.
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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Wildfire Conditions for May 22, 2008
Wildfire conditions vary between Moderate and High around the state. Burning permits may be cancelled from time to time during the year. Check the current fire danger and daily burning restrictions for your area BEFORE you light that match. A total of 72 wildfires burned 47 acres this week in parts of the state where DNR has suppression responsibilities. The main cause was a variety of debris burning: broadcast burning, brush piles, and burn barrels. Twenty-two structures were threatened by these fires and 3 received damage. Nineteen prescribed burns were completed on 644 acres this week, helping to reduce fuels, improve habitat and control invasive species.
Northern Region Wildfire News
In parts of Northern Region where DNR is responsible for wildfire suppression, 31 fires burned a total of 21 acres with 9 structures saved and 3 structures receiving damage this week. The fire danger is High to Moderate across the region and is expected to remain high into the Memorial Day weekend. Prescribed burning is taking place, with a total of 10 prescribed burns on 511 acres completed. There has been increased activity in ash disposal caused fires. Please make sure your ashes are cool/wet before you dispose of them in dry grass or leaves. Burning permits are required and burning is only allowed from 6 p.m. to midnight with no burning on Sundays or legal holidays.
South Central Region Wildfire News
In Crawford County, two wildfires burned 11 acres on Sunday. These fires were a result of broadcast burning. Remember, burning is not allowed on Sunday, permits are required, and you must be present until your fire is completely out. Prescribed burning is winding down; five burns were completed this week on 46 acres. Current fire danger is Moderate across the region.
West Central Region Wildfire News
Fire danger remains High in the Wisconsin Rapids area and Moderate in Black River Falls. Fire activity has slowed down with the green up of vegetation. Twenty four fires burned three acres in parts of the region where the DNR has suppression responsibilities.
Northeast Region Wildfire News
In parts of the region where DNR has wildfire suppression responsibilities, a total of 16 wildfires burned 13 acres this week. Prescribed burn activity continued this week with 5 burns being completed on 117 acres. Current fire conditions are Moderate across the region. With the cool nights this holiday weekend, many campers will be building campfires to keep warm and to cook by. Remember, be safe with your campfires, don’t leave them unattended; we have a lot to lose.
Firewise Tip: Take some time to clean out the areas under decks and elevated porches. The leaves and pine needles that have collected here could be easily ignited by flying embers produced during a wildfire.
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NORTHERN REGION
Superior DNR Service Center area
Brule River State Forest - The Bois Brule River is flowing at 164 cubic feet per second (cfs). The 63 year average is 195 cfs. Evidence of spring in the north is certainly becoming quite apparent. Green is the color of choice for the outdoors now...finally. Trees are beginning to leaf out and the forest floor is filling in with a carpet of green vegetation. Lawns are getting long enough to begin the mowing season. Clumps of dandelions and field pussytoes are offsetting the green lawns with yellows and whites. Pin and Choke cherry, American fly honeysuckle, and wild oats are also blooming. False morels (brain mushrooms) are growing. Use extreme caution with these poisonous mushrooms...some people mistake these mushrooms for the edible morel mushrooms. Bird watchers are finding quite a variety of birds to view. New arrivals include the blackburnian and northern parula, and redstart warblers, scarlet tanager, ruby-throated hummingbird, least flycatcher, and ovenbird. Many songbirds such as robins and bluebirds are beginning to nest. It only takes 14 days for these birds to hatch. Spring peepers are still peeping, Chorus frogs have been calling for the past couple of weeks, and toads have been trilling for about a week now.
Spooner DNR Service Center area
Marsh marigolds are in bloom, a couple weeks later than usual (usually around Mother's Day in the north). This is a great time to see exotics like honeysuckle and buckthorn in the north (may be too late in the south), because they leaf out sooner than most natives, making this a great time to identify them for control. Aspen, dogwood and elderberry (also blooming) are all good natives also starting to leaf out in the north.
Park Falls DNR Service Center area
Upper Chippewa Basin fisheries report (Price, Rusk, Sawyer Taylor and inland Ashland and Iron counties) - Most lakes and flowages have near normal water levels and the high spring flows have subsided on most streams and rivers. The erratic weather of the past week has made for some tough fishing conditions and water temperatures are still hovering in the mid-50s on most lakes in the Northwoods. Walleye anglers had been experiencing some real inconsistent fishing and many anglers were having a rough time finding fish. Success did pick up over the weekend with some good action on smaller walleye. Jig and minnow combinations and minnows under slip bobbers provided the bulk of the action and most of the walleye were in the 11 to 14-inch size. Casting Rapalas along shore near dark did provide fair action and the fish tended to run larger than what was being caught on minnows. The shallow-water bite on crank baits should continue to improve at the water warms further up into the low 60s. Northern pike success continued to be good, with most fish being found in and around the newly forming weed beds. Panfish activity has picked up with the slight warm-up in water temperatures. Crappie abundance is increasing in shallow water and most fish are being found along old emergent weed lines and around shallow brushy cover. Increased numbers of bluegill and sunfish are also being observed in shallow water and look for them to start spawning when water temperatures reach the low 60s. Largemouth and smallmouth bass activity has also been increasing, but the erratic weather has been keeping most of the fish out in deeper water. Largemouth and smallmouth bass spawning activity has not yet been observed in any lakes but look for that to change as water temperatures warm up in the next couple weeks.
Woodruff DNR Service Center area
Upper Wisconsin Basin fisheries report (Oneida, Vilas, Lincoln, Langlade, Forest and Florence counties) - Cool and windy weather has been the rule so far this spring. Water temperatures are well below normal for this time of year, with most lakes seeing mid-to-upper 50 degrees currently. This has kept the post-spawn walleye bite on a while longer and anglers may still find some really good fishing up shallow this coming weekend. Shallow rocky areas and bars would be the first places to try using jigs and minnows at dark. With warmer temperatures coming in June, walleye will tend to move off into the deep weed lines where slip bobbers and leeches can be a good combination. Musky season opens in the Northern Zone this coming weekend, May 24. Fish have completed spawning in most lakes with the exception of large, deep, clear lakes such as Lake Tomahawk and Trout Lake. Though water temperatures may not have been the trigger for them to spawn, photo period/day length certainly was. Musky fishing is expected to be slow on all lakes due to the cold water temperatures, so try scaling down your gear a bit. Small spinners and crank baits worked slower than usual should do the trick. Bass fishing is still catch-and-release only until June 21, but anglers may find a little action provided by them in the smaller, shallower lakes. Warmer water temperatures on these lakes will have bass active and should provide good action. Anglers are reminded if they are specifically targeting bass, artificial lures only with barbless need to be used until June 21. This was a new rule change submitted by the legislature and passed under the State Budget bill. Panfish are beginning to get active but it will take one good warm spell to really get them moving. Crappie are just beginning to come in shallow to spawn so look for them in weedy bays and areas of bulrushes. Small jigs like those used for ice fishing, tipped with plastics or live bait work well when fished under a small bobber. Bluegill have not moved shallow yet, but will stage with the next good warm up and begin looking for places to nest. When you observe them in shallow and nesting, just about any live bait/bobber combination will work - but most anglers choose small garden worms as the bait of choice. Spikes, wax worms, red worms, or a piece of night crawler also work very well.
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NORTHEAST REGION
Peshtigo DNR Service Center area
Marinette County - The weather this week has been windy with below normal temperatures. The water temperatures in the rivers has dropped slightly to the upper range of the 50s. Fishing pressure during the week has dropped off some. Walleyes were still the number one fish that anglers were hunting for. Trolling with crawler and harness was still producing the most fish, but people were finding that even with this method some fine tuning must be done. Spinner blade size and color has become a factor. Green and white and pink have been the hot colors on sunny days, with silver and gold working well if it is overcast. Although the walleye bite seems to move around Oconto Park II was still producing its share of 21 to 24 inchers on a crawler and harness. Good numbers of smallmouth bass were being caught and released on the Menominee and Peshtigo rivers using everything from Cleos to live bait. Water flows at the dams in Peshtigo and Menominee have been reduced making wading and bank fishing much easier. Inland trout waters are slowly warming with an early hatch of flies in the northern portion of Marinette County last weekend. Mosquitoes are hatching out and ticks are very active. Light frost had occurred earlier in the week. Enjoy the Northwoods safely this weekend and exercise caution with campfires making sure they are well extinguished before leaving. Help keep our boat ramp areas free of litter, put it in its place.
Oconto County - Boats leaving the Pensaukee Boat Ramp and fishing out in the Bay have been having a hay day with the walleye bite. Trolling with crawler and harness at very slow speeds in 7 to 9 feet of water was producing the best. Stiles was giving up brown trout to bait anglers and fly fishers alike. Water levels at the Stiles dam are down to the point that wading is now possible. Yellow perch opened on Green Bay on May 20 with the 15 bag limit. Inland lake fisheries overall are in excellent shape with a good number of game and panfish being observed during spring netting and boom-shocking surveys.
Shawano County - There are many songbirds around and baby ducks. Mosquitoes are terrible and ticks numerous. There are reports of fawns being born, turkey hunters are still having success, and leaves have popped. Bear are starting to raid bird feeders, garbage cans and grills. Please remove bird feeders at night especially, and put garbage cans and grills in the garage. When the food sources are removed that will end your visits from the bear. Just a safety reminder not to forget to check your lifejackets and vests for wear and the correct number for your boat occupancy.
Green Bay DNR Service Center area
Brown County - In lower Green Bay, boat anglers were successfully targeting walleyes. Crawler harnesses were providing the best results. Any color seemed to work; however, depth was the key. Walleyes were mainly being found in shallow water to as deep as 8 feet. Anglers targeting walleye on the Fox River in Green Bay were seeing less success. White bass, catfish, and other rough fish were readily being caught all along the river in Green Bay. In the Little Sturgeon Bay/Sawyer Harbor area, smallmouth bass are abundant. These fish are starting to move into the shallower waters. Tube jigs and jerk baits have the most successes with jerk baits doing better on cloudy days. There has been some success with spinners.
Sturgeon Bay DNR Service Center area
Door County - The first part of the week was predominantly sunny and mild. The end of the week produced partly to mostly cloudy skies with strong winds and scattered precipitation. Little Sturgeon Bay, Riley’s Bay, Sand Bay and Sawyer Harbor were all producing smallmouth bass this week. Plastics, tube jigs, grubs and jerks baits, fished slow due to the cold water temperatures, continue to produce most of the action. Shore anglers fishing the Stone Quarry County Park have been catching some nice smallies. Smallmouth anglers shouldn’t forget the excellent angling on the Lake Michigan side of the peninsula especially from Baileys Harbor north. Walleye fishing remained good to very good, with most of the action still coming at night. Sherwood Point, Henderson Point, Dunlop Reef and the flats, along with the shoreline areas off or Potawatomi and Peninsula State Parks were all producing some fish. Crank baits, crawler harnesses and Rapala’s fished in 8 to 15 feet of water were all bringing in nice walleyes, along with a few bonus browns. Northern pike continue to be taken along the channel between the bridges in Sturgeon Bay as well as well as out of Sawyer Harbor, Little Sturgeon, Sand Bay and Riley’s Bay. Live bait, spoons, inline spinners and jerk baits fished in 12 to 15 feet of water continue to be the best bet for northerns. Brown trout fishing was fair to good for anglers trolling Lake Michigan from Algoma to Baileys Harbor. The cold waters that are persisting on the Green Bay side of the peninsula are also producing some nice browns, mostly north of Sturgeon Bay.
Peninsula State Park – Door county cherry blossoms have not yet emerged due to the cool spring weather. All trails are open and in very good condition. Standing water remains on one section of the mountain bike trail system. The Sunset Bike Trail is dry and in very good condition. Waterfowl sightings are abundant along the shore of Peninsula State Park. New birds are arriving daily. Wood frogs and spring peepers are calling. Warbler migrations are now taking place, subject to changing weather. Watch for bald eagles, sandhill cranes, migrating hawks and turkey vultures. Wildflowers sightings are changing daily. Trillium, Dutchman's breeches, dwarf lake iris, gaywings, too many to list. Water levels in Green Bay and Lake Michigan are still very low, but are increasing some. Peninsula State Park golf course is open and tee times are generally available, and reservations may be made. Visit the Golf Course Web site at [www.peninsulagolf.org] or call 920-854-5791. American Folklore Theatre’s summer season starts in mid June. Learn about AFT at [www.folkloretheatre.com]. Park visitors may stop at the Eagle Bluff Lighthouse, walk the grounds and enjoy an interpretive exhibit and magnificent views of waters of Green Bay. To learn about the lighthouse and the opening dates for tours, visit their Website at [www.EagleBluffLighthouse.org].
Potawatomi State Park - Trees have leafed out, trilliums are in bloom, and canoes are in the harbor. A park visitor reported seeing ospreys in the area. Sawyer Harbor water depths are about the same as last year, with buoys marking the deepest path out of the harbor.
Kewaunee County - This past week saw increased action out on Lake Michigan and some reports of brown and lake trout caught, as well as some Salmon. Brown trout fishing has been hit or miss out of Algoma but catches were still reported. Anglers found some lake trout out in deeper water as well. Brown trout were around the waters near the power plant in Kewaunee this past week. Other anglers out of Kewaunee ran into lake trout in depths around 20 to 30 feet, and an occasional salmon was also caught around similar depths. Salmon fishing seems to be coming around and action within the next few weeks should improve as summer nears.
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SOUTHEAST REGION
Kohler-Andrae State Park - All nature and hiking trails are open. Showers, flush toilets, and water fountains are open for the season. Rose-breasted grosbeaks, orioles, eastern towhees, chipping sparrows, white-throated sparrows, hummingbirds, and red-headed woodpeckers have all been visiting the bird feeders this week. Various warblers are migrating through the area. Tree swallows have laid 5 eggs in the nest box at the park office. Visitors can view nesting activities on the television located in the office conference room. The Wisconsin Great Lakes Beach testing program begins May 21. Conditions can be viewed at [http://www.wibeaches.us/traverse/f?p=BEACH:HOME:17041187235832071976].
Lake Michigan fisheries team report
Sheboygan County - In Sheboygan shore anglers fishing off the south pier have been catching a few brown trout on spoons. Boaters have also been catching brown trout in and around the harbor. Crank baits and spoons have been productive.
Ozaukee County - Shore anglers in Port Washington have been catching a few rainbows on spawn near the power plant, but shore fishing has been slow overall. Port Washington trollers have been catching a mix of chinooks, coho, and rainbows in 180 to 200 feet of water. Flashers and flies have been producing south of the harbor.
Milwaukee County - In Milwaukee, shore fishing has been slow, but trollers have been catching fair numbers of fish. Chinooks, coho, and rainbows have been found in 80 to 120 feet of water off the filtration plant, and coho and rainbows have also been taken in 60 feet of water off of Bender Park. When the lake has been rough, trollers have been catching browns on crankbaits in the harbor.
Racine County - In Racine shore fishing at the lakefront has been slow overall, but occasionally anglers fishing off the piers have been catching coho and browns, as well as a few rainbows and chinooks. Early morning hours have provided the most consistent action, and blue & silver or green & silver spoons have caught the most fish from shore. Trollers working near shore have been catching just a few coho outside the green can or browns on orange spoons in 10 to 20 feet of water. Farther offshore, chinooks, coho, and rainbows have been found in 120 to 170 feet of water. Coho and steelhead have been hitting near the surface, and chinooks have been 50 to 90 feet down.
Kenosha County - Kenosha shore anglers have been catching a few coho and rainbows off the ends of the piers. Live alewives fished off the bottom have produced the most action. Kenosha trollers have been catching some coho right in front of the piers and breakwall, while chinooks and better numbers of coho have been found south of Kenosha in 120 feet of water. Spoons as well as dodger and fly combinations have both been working at times.
Inland fisheries team report
Fishing is starting to pick up now that temperatures are beginning to rise on area lakes. Largemouth bass are starting to spawn and crappies should be nesting very soon as well. Bluegills will also start nesting soon. Be conservative on your take from the spawning fish as they are highly vulnerable and easy to over-harvest. Trout streams are in great shape for fishing and insect hatches are coming off almost constantly. Heavy angler pressure has been noted on the Onion River near Plymouth.
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SOUTH CENTRAL REGION
Dodgeville DNR Service Center area
Grant County - While the water is still high on the Mississippi River, it not stopping anglers. Bluegills, largemouth bass, and stripe bass were still biting strong at lock and dam 11, while the catfish were slowing down as the water recedes. The walleyes should start taking off once the water gets back to normal. Turkey hunters are enjoying the end of the season with some nice weather. Morel mushroom hunters are having a good season but its coming to end. Campers should be reminded that when your out with your families this holiday week, remember safety.
Horicon DNR Service Center area
Horicon Marsh State Wildlife Area – The cool May temperatures have kept the bird migration a bit behind schedule this year as well as slowing down the progress of leaf out of the trees. The good news is that a variety of migrant birds still remain in southern Wisconsin and with the sparse foliage in the forest, the tiny warblers and other songbirds can still be observed among the treetops. Likewise, the opening of spring flowers has been slow to proceed, but while many would normally be past their peak blooming period, there is a great display of wildflowers remaining in the woodlands. Spring always seems to slip by all too quickly, but this slow year has stretched out the season a bit allowing more time to observe the passing events that mark the season. As the weather turns more summer-like, the next southerly winds will take most of the remaining migrant birds farther north and with a little rain and warm temperatures, the trees will quickly leaf out.
EDITOR’S ADVISORY: DNR Horicon Wildlife Educator and Naturalist Bill Volkert and Noel Cutright, of the Wisconsin Society for Ornithology, will be discussing birds and birding in Wisconsin on the Larry Meiller call-in radio show on the Ideas Network of Wisconsin Public Radio on Memorial Day from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.]
Fitchburg DNR Service Center area
Sauk County
Devil’s Lake State Park - The lake level is high, but there has not been any damaging flooding. The Tumbled Rocks Trail along the west side of the lake is closed. The south end of that trail is well underwater and the north end is barely flooded, and we hope it will become accessible soon with receding water. The lake water is very near the road at the south shore of the lake, but nothing is closed. Swimming beaches are underwater. The north shore boat landing and adjacent parking lot are closed and water-covered. The south shore boat landing is open. Three ospreys have been fishing along the south shore of the lake and wood ducks have been paddling is various ponds of the park. Yellow-rumped warblers and scarlet tanagers have been spotted recently along the south shore of the lake. Mountain bike trails are closed to bikes and will remain closed as long as trails are muddy enough to be easily damaged, possibly into June. All campgrounds are open. Water facilities (shower and restroom buildings, drinking fountains, water taps, RV dump/fill stations) are now all functioning for the season.
Jefferson County - A few white bass are being caught on the Crawfish River in the Hubbleton area. The fish are biting the best on twistertails or a jig with a minnow. Catfish are being caught on the Crawfish River on worms with some 3-4 pounders being caught. Fawns are beginning to show up out in the woods. One turkey hunter had twins follow him back to his residence last week. He escorted them back out into the woods. Ducklings and sandhill crane chicks are also showing up in Jefferson and Dodge Counties to join the many goslings.
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WEST CENTRAL REGION
Baldwin DNR Service Center area
St. Croix County
Willow River State Park - The prolonged cold weather has shut down the panfish action again with regard to keeper size fish. Warm weather for the weekend should help the fishing. The water level and clarity is normal for late May so lake and river anglers have the right situation going in to the long weekend. Frog calling should be in progress again soon. All bathroom buildings are open and all water faucets are on for the season. Trails have held up well with the rains earlier. The Camp Host has firewood for sale at their site from 7 to 8 p.m.
La Crosse DNR Service Center area
La Crosse area morels have been up for a couple weeks but are most abundant right now and will be declining soon, wild and domestic asparagus is ready to pick and apple trees are in full bloom. Ducks, geese, turkey and most birds are nesting. Whitetail deer are birthing new fawns. Mississippi River water levels are dropping fast, with La Crosse projected to be below 7 feet for Memorial Day weekend. Flood stage in La Crosse is 12 feet and Action stage is 10 feet. Northern pike, bluegill and bass are biting in backwaters of the Mississippi river. Carp are starting to move into shallow backwaters in preparation for spawning. The next few days should be some of the best bow fishing for carp. Folks say that when the lilac's bloom the carp spawn. Many spring woodland flowers are blooming, especially trilliums. Some woodlands are so carpeted with trilliums that it looks as though there is a blanket of snow in the woods. May apple, miterwort, waterleaf, early meadow rue, columbine, downy yellow violet, and jack-in-the-pulpit are other woodland flowers now in bloom. American toads, leopard frogs, and gray tree frogs are calling wildly. Green frogs and bull frogs should begin calling toward the end of May or early June as water temperatures approach 65-70 degrees. Turkey hunters reported good success during the fifth spring turkey hunting time period.
Crawford County - All river systems in the county have been on a steady decline this week. The Mississippi River is down to 12.7 feet in the Prairie du Chien area. Flood stage on the Mississippi River is 16 feet. The forecast for the Mississippi River is for it to drop fairly rapidly this week and approach the 11 foot mark by Memorial Day weekend. The Wisconsin River at Muscoda is variable at 2.3 feet (flood stage is 9 feet). The Kickapoo River is also receding and is at 8.87 feet (flood stage is 13 feet). Water clarity is getting better on all river systems. Many boat landings in the area are open, although some might be a bit difficult to use. The boat landing at Gordon’s Bay (Falling Rock) is open but the water is still pretty high. Bluegill, perch, and crappie action picked up a little this week as the water recedes. Perch action was generally slow but some bluegill action has started in slack/slow moving water areas. Anglers were using garden worms or chunks of night crawlers. Crappie action was slow throughout the area. Fishing at Cold Spring picked up a little, with a few reports of bluegills and crappie being taken there. The boat ramp at Cold Spring is usable, but knee or hip boots may be needed to launch. The Ambro Slough complex is starting to get fished a bit more now that the water has moved off the Ambro Road. Access to boat landing is still difficult; however, some were launching and finding some bluegill action in the backwaters. Sturgeon Slough did not see much fishing activity because of the high water. Spring Lake was slow. Fishing below the Lynxville dam for sauger and walleye was pretty slow this week. Many anglers were targeting wing dams, slough closures, and main channels “flats.” There were a few days last week where anglers were able to come off the water with a few walleyes or sauger caught on crank baits while trolling slowly upstream. Anglers fishing on the long wall at the dam have had limited success with perch, northern and walleye. Anglers can park in the lot at Lock and Dam #9 and walk down to the wall, however you might need knee or hip boots to access the wall. The fifth turkey season closed Sunday and hunters were met with pretty good weather. A fair number of hunters were able to bag their gobbler, while many others report hens disrupting their hunt. Most hunters report good gobbling action with a decent number of sightings. Bald eagles are actively tending their nests along the Mississippi and Wisconsin Rivers. Some of the best viewing areas can be found along State Highway 35 from Prairie du Chien to De Soto. Many species of birds including waterfowl are actively sitting on eggs. There are reports of a few Canada geese gosling being hatched along with some robins. Hen turkeys are also actively sitting on eggs. A chorus of frogs can be heard on warm days throughout the day. This week a fairly large hatch of mosquitoes and gnats showed up in the river bottoms.
Wildcat Mountain State Park - All trails are in good condition. The Yellow loop on the horse trail does still have one section under construction. Horse riders are asked to avoid that section. The Kickapoo River water levels are excellent for canoeing. Canoe rentals and shuttles are available nearby in the Village of Ontario.
Eau Claire DNR Service Center area
Brunet Island State Park - Species of birds we have been seeing or hearing include: scarlet tanagers, a variety of wrens, red polls, bluebirds, lake gulls, golden finches, mallard ducks, common loons, great blue herons, red winged blackbirds, phoebes, Canada geese, sandhill cranes, robins, mourning doves, nuthatches, ravens, black capped chickadees, pileated woodpeckers, great horned owls, barred owls, and bald eagles. Park trails are generally dry and in very good condition. The south campground is open with electric sites, hand water pump, and shower facility available. The north campground is open, with pit toilets and hand water pump available. The picnic area flush toilet building and the camper dump station are open for the summer season. The park road renovation resurfacing portion is completed. Line painting and signing is underway.
Wisconsin Rapids DNR Service Center area
Buckhorn State Park - All campsites are open for the holiday weekend. There are six first come campsites. Showers are available for a fee at local vendors. Orioles and hummingbirds are coming to feeders. Remember, park stickers are required for Launch C and D and there are no additional launch fees. There are still dates available for the accessible cabin in September and October. Applications are available for the November Buckhorn Youth Deer Hunt. Contact the park office at 608-565-2789 for questions or to get an application. Mosquitoes are at a high level, ticks are numerous in certain areas of the park. Canoe rental is available at the park. Firewood is available at the park office.
Roche-A-Cri State Park - All campsites will be open for the holiday weekend. There are four sites that are first come. Showers are available for a fee at local vendors. Spring is a great time to get out and take photos for the annual photo contest. The 303-step stairway allows visitors a great view of the area. Firewood is available at the park office. Mosquitoes are at a moderate level. Spraying for gypsy moth will be occurring in the next couple of weeks.
Sandhill State Wildlife Area - Fawns are just showing up in central Wisconsin. Mosquitoes have hatched in woods and are REAL BAD. Most migratory birds have arrived. Goslings hatched about two weeks ago so broods now accompanying mom and dads. Crabapples and wild cherries are in full bloom. Leaf out proceeding in full swing.
Last Revised: Thursday May 22 2008
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