During a typical Fourth of July holiday, more than 1 million Wisconsin residents and visitors are expected to take to the state’s abundant lakes and rivers to boat, fish, swim and paddle around. But following widespread flooding in June across southern Wisconsin, people need to exercise more care than usual.
Beaches and other recreational waters can become polluted by sewage and other contaminants. Debris is washed into waters and high currents can become a danger. Emergency slow-no-wake rules are still in effect on many southern waters, including the Madison chain of lakes. The added organic material delivered during the flooding creates conditions ripe for another water quality concern, the growth of excessive blue-green algae, which can produce toxins harmful to people and animals. People should look for the telltale blue-green scum near the water’s surface before swimming or allowing animals to drink. The state’s beach health web site [wibeaches.us] (exit DNR) offers the most up-to-date source of information on the status of beaches regularly monitored
The good news, however, is that even in the south, lake and river conditions vary greatly, and fully three-quarters of Wisconsin’s more than 15,000 lakes are in northern Wisconsin, which didn’t suffer the flooding. So there are still plenty of great opportunities to get out and enjoy Wisconsin’s lakes and rivers this holiday. Recreational safety specialists regard the Fourth of July weekend as the busiest boating weekend of the year in a state that had more than 617,000 motorized boats registered in 2007, and several hundred thousand more nonmotorized boats on the water, including canoes and kayaks. Year-in and year-out, they says, failure to wear life jackets and operating a boat while intoxicated, or being on a boat operated by an intoxicated person, are leading causes for boating fatalities.
Water levels are dropping on southern and central Wisconsin lakes and rivers following the flooding in mid-June, but many river systems in particular remain above normal levels. Most lakes and flowages in the north have normal to low water levels.
Fishing success has shown steady improvement in the north in the last week with some nice catches of walleye, bass and panfish reported. The mayfly hatches have subsided on all but the largest lakes and this seems to have spurred on the bite on many waters. Largemouth and smallmouth bass success have greatly improved as most of the fish are through nesting and quickly recovering from the stress of spawning. Some bluegill were still on their spawning beds early in the week but all should be finished up in the next week or so.
Water temperatures out on Lake Michigan are just about perfect for trout and salmon fishing from the surface on down. In recent days the surface water temperatures have warmed into the mid and at times upper 50s. Boat anglers trolling on Lake Michigan had many good trips that produced some large catches of chinook salmon, some steelhead and a few lake trout.
The Mississippi River remains about 2 feet above normal heights with a recent large decline in the last few days. Most boat landings are now useable. Fishing activity has resumed and there are recent reports of good catches of bluegills in many areas and fishing for sauger and walleye picked up a little late in the week.
Many bird species have begun fledging young and some early nesters like cardinals and song sparrows are onto their second broods.
Fireflies and a variety of dragonflies and damselflies are out in abundance. Plants in bloom include blue flag, hawkweed, ox eye daisy, yarrow, harebell, spiderwort, and butterfly weed. Blackberry and raspberry canes have begun producing fruit in the south.
The first positive tests for West Nile Virus for 2008 in Wisconsin were reported this week in a bird from Eau Claire County and a horse in Chippewa County. Significant mosquito hatches are being reported statewide, and anyone spending time out of doors this holiday weekend is encouraged to take proper steps to minimize mosquito bites. Information on West Nile Virus is available on the DNR Web site.
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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Statewide Birding Report
Breeding birds are in full swing across the state. Many species have begun fledging young including some of the long-distance migrants and some early nesters like cardinals and song sparrows are onto their second broods. The recent flooding wiped out thousands of wetland bird nests including swamp sparrows, common yellowthroats, and marsh wrens in southern Wisconsin. Birders can still see and hear many breeding species across the state and careful birders will really enjoy watching parents tote their youngsters around the woods, grasslands and marshes this time of year. Adult shorebirds should begin returning from their brief nesting season in the next week to two weeks. Look for them in and around the flooded fields across the southern half of the state or at managed draw-downs in wildlife areas like Fish Lake wildlife area in Burnett County. Interesting birds reported the past two weeks include lark sparrows in northwestern Wisconsin near Crex Meadows Wildlife Area. There seems to be an invasion of sorts this year. There is also an invasion of white-winged crossbills across the north. Look for them in and around conifers with cones. As opposed to 2006, 2008 seems to be a down year for dickcissel, with birds scattered throughout the southern portion of the state. As summer wears on, birders should be checking wetlands for southern water bird species that wander north post-breeding. As always, please report any and all sightings to eBird [www.ebird.org/WI] (exit DNR) to help track bird populations.
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NORTHERN REGION
Superior DNR Service Center area
Brule River State Forest - Beautiful summer weather has hit the northland bringing many people out to recreate in the Brule River State Forest. The weather is forecasted to cooperate for the Fourth of July activities. Chances of rain are possible on Sunday. The Bois Brule River is flowing at 131 cfs (cubic feet per second). The 63 average flow is 153 cfs. Due to the late spring, many plants and their berries are behind in their development. Because of this, reports of nuisance bears are up considerably as they are getting into peoples garbage, bird feeders, and barbeque grills to look for food. If bears are making themselves at home in near your home the best thing to do is to remove the temptation for a couple of weeks until the bears move on. If the bears do not cooperate call the USDA- Wildlife Services nuisance wildlife hotline at 1-800-228-1368. If you are calling with a out of state cell phone call 715-369-5221. Under no circumstances should the bears be fed. It may be cute and exciting to see the bears up close but they are wild animals. These unpredictable animals can come to expect handouts creating unsafe situations. For more information about living with bears, see [http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/wildlife/hunt/bear/bearpractice.PDF]. The 2007-2008 Brule fishway update for steelhead numbers is now complete. More information can be found at [http://dnr.wi.gov/fish/lakesup/].
Spooner DNR Service Center area
Turtles are out on the roads. Look out for them and try to avoid them. If possible and safe, more them across the road in the direction they are crossing. If they are moved back, they will just try to cross the road again.
Park Falls DNR Service Center area
Upper Chippewa Basin fisheries report (Price, Rusk, Sawyer Taylor and inland Ashland and Iron counties) - Water levels on most lakes and flowages are normal to a couple inches low, and many seepage lakes are still 1 to 3 feet below normal. River and stream levels have dropped quite a bit in the last few weeks and many are now near mid-summer levels. Fishing success has shown steady improvement in the last week with some nice catches of walleye, bass and panfish being reported. Walleye action has been good with many anglers having some consistent success on 12 to 17-inch fish in the later evening hours. The mayfly hatches have subsided on all but the largest lakes and this seems to have spurred on the bite on many waters. The best bait has been a leech on a floating jig head and fished near weed edges and muck/hard bottom break lines. Largemouth and smallmouth bass success have greatly improved as most of the fish are through nesting and quickly recovering from the stress of spawning. Largemouth are settling into their early summer pattern of cruising the weed beds and are just starting to associate with wood. The most productive lures have been surface baits in and around the lily pads and soft plastics near the wood. Smallmouth have been a bit more of a challenge as the larger fish seem to be hanging in deep water following the rigors of spawning. Most of the smallmouth that have been caught have been on the rocky flats and drop-offs, but look for them to start moving to mid-depth woody cover and becoming active on finesse plastics and spinner baits. A quick bass tip -- as soon as you see discarded crayfish skins in the shallows (from their early summer molting), jig & pig and crayfish-type baits will be the hot lures. Panfish action continues to be very good with some nice catches of bluegill and crappie still being made. Some bluegill were still on their spawning beds early in the week but all should be finished up in the next week or so. Crappie have been active around mid-depth cover and along any emergent weed lines, with a small minnow below a slip bobber producing some nice catches. Musky action has been so-so -- anglers are reporting a lot of follows and sightings, but not a lot of hard hits. The most consistent action has been on small bucktails and jerk baits, but live bait (medium suckers) that are floated behind the boat have produced a few catches as well. Campers, anglers and other recreationalists are reminded to bring their insect repellent as the biting insects continue to hatch out in large numbers. Deer flies, black flies and 'ankle biters' have been a nuisance during the day, with mosquitoes and no-see-ums being a problem near dark.
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NORTHEAST REGION
Green Bay DNR Service Center area
Brown County - The walleye bite in the lower Green Bay has picked up slightly over the last week. Those fishing the eastern side occasionally catch their limit. South of Bayshore seems to be producing a good bite at this time. Crank baits and crawler harnesses were both finding the most bites in 10 to 12 feet of water. All colors seem to work; however, dull colored or copper crawler harnesses may have a slight advantage. Those fishing the western side of the bay (Suamico and Geano Beach launches) are finding sporadic luck with musky. Yellow perch seem to be biting best near Chaudoir’s Dock. Worms and minnows both work at depth between 15 and 25 feet, sometimes in slightly deeper water as well. Some anglers were finding a perch bite in areas between Chaudoir’s and Henderson’s. Continuous days of good weather should improve the bite. Water temperature in the bay is in the lower 70s. In the Little Sturgeon Bay/Sawyer Harbor area, some anglers were finding fair luck with smallmouth bass. Perch anglers were finding some luck south of Henderson’s and near Snake Island. For most other anglers, the bite was slower for most species of fish. High winds and numerous weather fronts may be the cause of many of the anglers’ woes. Water temperature in this area is around 70 degrees.
Manitowoc County - Anglers had a good week of fishing in Manitowoc this past week. Boat anglers trolling on Lake Michigan had many good trips that produced some large catches of chinook salmon. Saturday morning was especially good for boat anglers who were out in high numbers taking advantage of favorable weather conditions that allowed trollers to harvest large numbers of chinook salmon, a few lake trout and a couple rainbow trout. The vast majority of the chinook salmon that were harvested ranged from 5 to 9 pounds with a few around at 15 pounds and the largest weighing in at 20 pounds. Anglers had success trolling in 80 to 170 feet of water with their bait set deep. Anglers reported the most action off dodger fly combinations with green or white colors. Pier anglers had another slow week with only a few chinook salmon harvested. Inside the harbor a couple smallmouth bass have been caught. In Two Rivers, anglers also had a good week of fishing. Boaters trolling Lake Michigan had success all week harvesting some nice chinook salmon. Anglers were trolling in anywhere from 75 to 150 feet of water with downriggers set deep. Rainbow trout anglers were running high lines but had much slower action fishing shallow. Anglers harvested mostly chinook salmon, with a few lake trout and fewer rainbow trout mixed in some catches. Pier anglers fishing for salmon had little success this week casting spoons at sunrise.
Sturgeon Bay DNR Service Center area
Door County - Fishing for trout and salmon out of Door County ports the past two weeks has been hit and miss. The main issue interfering with fishing on the big pond has been the weather. Frequent windy days and the almost constant threat of afternoon thunderstorms has really limited angler participation. Most anglers have wisely stayed off the lake when thunderstorms were threatening as lightning and graphite fishing rods are a risky combination. On Lake Michigan, anglers are the tallest thing for miles, don't take chances when thunderstorms are forecast. That said, water temperatures out on Lake Michigan are just about perfect for trout and salmon fishing from the surface on down. In recent days the surface water temperatures have warmed into the mid and at times upper 50s. Anglers that have gone out when conditions have permitted have done reasonably well. Those focusing on steelhead in the top 50 feet of water in 150-300 feet of water have been finding some moderate success. The standard steelhead baits have been successful, flame throwers, double unions, hammered copper, and anything silver and orange topping the list of most frequently reported baits. Anglers focusing on chinook salmon have been having the best success with fly dodger combinations fish a little deeper in the 80-120 foot range in water from 100-150 feet. If the weather cooperates, early July fishing for trout and salmon should be great out on Lake Michigan. Fishing on the bay side of the peninsula for smallmouth and walleye has also been hampered by the weather but when anglers have been able to get out they have reported some reasonable success. Most walleye anglers were still trolling crawler harnesses but some are now starting to make the shift to trolling crank or stick baits. Smallmouth were still being found on the spawning beds. Most anglers looking for a bucket full of yellow perch were still looking. Yellow perch fishing should also pickup if the weather stabilizes.
Potawatomi State Park - Excellent weather is forecast for the Fourth of July weekend. As of July 1, the park store is open seven days a week for bike, kayak and canoe rentals, firewood, ice, fishing bait, and other camping supplies. The city of Sturgeon Bay will set off fireworks across the bay from Potawatomi on July 4. The picnic area along the park's south shoreline will offer a good view of the display.
Kewaunee County - Between periods of poor weather this past week, most anglers trolling Lake Michigan had some success out of Algoma and Kewaunee. Almost all salmon and steelhead caught this past week were in the depth range of 100-200 feet. All types of artificial lures were used. Lake trout success was more scarce but some fish were caught around depths of 250-300 feet. Around the piers, baitfish were quite abundant in both Kewaunee and Algoma this past week. A few anglers had success catching steelhead off of the Kewaunee pier. Surface water temperatures remain in the mid 50s in most areas and there were some reports of colder water temperatures as anglers moved closer to shore. Conditions should continue to improve in the coming weeks.
Oshkosh DNR Service Center area
Winnebago County still has an emergency no wake in effect within the Township of Omro, Little Lake Butte Des Morts, Township of Rushford and the Omro City limits. The current restriction is set to expire at the end of day July 3, but could be continued if water levels do not recede. Anglers are experiencing some good catches of bluegill and perch off the reefs of Lake Winnebago at about 10-12 feet. Anglers were also having luck with walleyes. Algae is blooming on local lakes following run off from the heavy rain and flooding. Please exercise caution on this holiday weekend with all the additional boat traffic. Two hundred geese were aged, sexed and banded by wildlife staff in Winnebago and Fond du Lac counties this week. The mosquitoes are thick!
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SOUTHEAST REGION
Lake Michigan fisheries team report
Sheboygan County - In Sheboygan shore fishing has been generally slow, except for a few browns taken off the end of the south pier on alewives. Trollers have been catching a few chinooks and lake trout in 90 to 180 feet of water. Green spoons have produced the most fish.
Ozaukee County - Shore anglers in Port Washington have reported a few perch biting off the end of the pier, as well as a few browns in the harbor. Port Washington trollers have been catching a mix of chinooks, rainbows, and lake trout in 100 to 180 feet of water. The chinooks and rainbows have been 35 to 45 feet down, and the lake trout have been near the bottom. A few coho have also been caught in 40 to 100 feet of water. Blue spoons and flies have taken the most fish.
Milwaukee County - Perch fishing in Milwaukee has been relatively slow from shore and sporadic for boats fishing at the boils and at the Oak Creek Power Plant. Small minnows and jigging spoons have been producing the best. Milwaukee shore anglers have been taking a few chinooks off McKinley pier, and alewives fished off the bottom have been providing the most action. Trollers off Milwaukee have been catching some chinooks and lake trout on spoons in 55 to 120 feet of water.
Racine County - In Racine shore fishing has been slow, but trolling has started to improve. The most consistent action for trollers has been early mornings or later in the evening. A mixed bag of chinooks, brown trout, rainbows, coho, and lake trout has been found in 40 to 120 feet of water. Green, white, or blue spoons and flies have been most effective.
Kenosha County - Shore anglers in Kenosha have had to struggle to find perch, but a few browns have been caught in the harbor on live alewives fished on the bottom. Kenosha trollers have been catching primarily chinooks and coho. The most fish have been found in 60 to 120 feet of water.
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SOUTH CENTRAL REGION
Dodgeville DNR Service Center area
Grant County - Grant County is still recovering from the massive flooding on area streams and the Mississippi River. The Grant and Platte rivers are back in their banks and canoeists are venturing out once again and finding many areas blocked with new log jams, some of which are not passable and in some cases not around due to the 10-15 foot high banks. Caution is advised for canoers on both streams. Local canoers and landowners are willing to work on these log jams, but access and time issues continue to stall most work. The Mississippi River remains about 2 feet above normal heights with a recent large decline in the last few days. Most boat landings are now useable and many Towns and Villages as well as private resorts, are working at maneuvering docks back into place. Jays Lake landing near Bagley remains muddied as well as Wyalusing Beach. Balds Island on the Wisconsin side below Cassville and Fenley recreation area on the Iowa side suffered loss of considerable beach areas. Bagley bottoms boat landing may remain impassible due to flooding at the landing end. Boaters and anglers are urged to use caution when navigating the Mississippi as the flooding has caused major changes in old navigation channels and debris as well as large trees remain in many areas. Fishing activity has resumed and there are recent reports of good catches of bluegills in many areas.
Fitchburg DNR Service Center area
Military Ridge State Trail – A section of trail approximately 2 miles west of the City of Verona remains closed, because of standing water at the second box culvert. The rest of the trail is open and in good condition.
Lake Kegonsa State Park - The beach is open, but the water level is higher than usual. Please use caution. Currently there no water quality advisory for blue green algae, but conditions can change quickly. If the water looks cloudy or like green paint or pea soup, do not swim or swallow the water. The boat landing is open, but the piers have been removed due to high water. The Slow, No Wake Order issued by Dane County remains in effect for Lakes Monona, Waubesa and Kegonsa, as well as Cherokee Marsh. Most trails are open and in good condition. A section of the Lakeshore Trail is closed due to high water. A construction project to add campsites is underway in the family and group campgrounds.
Jefferson County - All the emergency slow-no-wake restrictions on the lakes in Jefferson County have been lifted. The rivers and streams still have the slow-no-wake restrictions in effect. All of the boat landings on the Rock and Crawfish Rivers are still flooded so anglers are hitting the lakes instead. Anglers are having good luck catching bass on Rock Lake using an assortment of baits ranging from leeches to spinner baits. Some bluegill were also being caught out in the lake suspended at the thermocline. Anglers drifting and using plastic, pieces of crawlers or waxworms are having the best luck. Several of the roads in Jefferson County have reopened fortunately now that the holiday season is approaching.
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WEST CENTRAL REGION
Baldwin DNR Service Center area
St. Croix County
Willow River State Park - The Willow River was cloudy early in the week but it should be clearing up well by the weekend. Another large northern (10 pounds plus) was reported this week. The angler was “free-lining” a sucker minnow with no bobber or weight. The office has taken several calls from campers with questions about flooding since that has been a common news item. Flooding-high water issues only affect some of the day use areas; primarily the trout stream and the lake. All the camping is well elevated from the river and lake. The trails along the river are generally well above the water. Bring you own canoe (or kayak) and paddle on the lake with Kari Hussey, the OWLs Environmental Educator on Saturday, July 5 at 7:30 p.m. Meet at the boat launch. Explore Little Falls Lake and its shorelines with Kari or just go along for an easy hour of recreational paddling. There is no fee for the event but regular vehicle admission rates apply.
La Crosse DNR Service Center area
Wildcat Mountain State Park - The park reopened July 3 with some facilities still closed. Campgrounds - Horse, Family, and group camps are now open. Trails - Horse trails are now open. Part of the Yellow loop on the horse trail remains closed. Hiking trails are open except the Hemlock hiking trail remains closed. Picnic areas - all picnic areas are open except for the Ice Cave picnic area. Ice Cave picnic area remains closed. Stay on marked on trails and some trails remain in rough condition.
Crawford County - Last week was primarily dry thus allowing the river systems in the area to continue to drop. The Mississippi River crested two weeks ago just over 16 feet and dropped to 13.5 buy the end of last week. The current stage in the Prairie du Chien/Mc Gregor Iowa area is 10.4 feet. The forecast for the Mississippi River is for steady decline to just over 9 feet by the Fourth of July holiday weekend. The Wisconsin River has dropped a lot also. Many sand bars are once again usable. The Kickapoo River has dropped considerably again this week. The Kickapoo is in its banks now. Water clarity on all the river system is getting better. All of the boat landings in the Crawford County area are open and usable. All the trout streams in the area are back to near normal conditions and running clear. Boaters are still urged to be cautious because of floating debris. Although fewer in numbers there still are numerous sticks, branches, and trees floating down most of the river systems. Bluegill, perch, and crappie action was again spotty due to water conditions. Perch action at Lock and Dam #9 was spotty with some anglers catching a few decent fish using a chunk of night crawlers fished off the bottom. A few bluegills have been taken at the dam also using the same tactic. Most of the bluegills have been on the smaller size. Crappie action has been slow. White bass action has been slow also. Fishing at Cold Spring was generally slow, with a few reports some bluegill action. Anglers are targeting the shallows because the receding water and warmer temperatures are causing the bluegill to head into those areas. The boat ramp at Cold Spring is usable and the water has receded out of the parking area. The Ambro Slough complex was slow again this week due to high water. Access to boat landings is much better than this time last week. There has been some bluegill action in the backwaters where the barges park. Horseshoe (McGregor or Sturgeon) Lake is slow because the water was still crossing over-land creating current. Spring Lake was slow. Fishing for sauger and walleye picked up a little late in the week, with anglers trolling crank baits in deeper water sloughs. Black Slough, Roseau Slough, and Big Lake produced some fish. Another tactic was drifting with leeches or night crawlers. Once a walleye or sauger is caught target that area. The S curve by Harpers Ferry was slow mostly due to a lot of debris coming downstream. There has been some fair walleye/sauger action on wing dams. Northern pike action has slowed a bit. Look for northerns in slack or slow moving water near weeds or downed trees. Casting crank baits have worked the best. Look for northerns in medium depth areas without heavy current. Bass (both large and smallmouth) has been fairly good at times. Anglers are targeting flooded areas for largemouth and wing dams for smallmouth. Some pretty good action for bass was found outside Ferryville and on the wing dams upstream from Prairie du Chien. Many species of birds including waterfowl are actively tending young. Turtles have been on the move so be cautious traveling the local highways. Many spotted fawns are being seen this time of year. As with any young wild animal, they should be viewed from a distance and not disturbed or picked up. A chorus of frogs can be heard in the river bottoms. A fairly large hatch of mosquitoes and gnats showed up this past week. Mosquitoes have been terrible in the river bottoms and some upland areas. Gnats have also been a nuisance on the higher ground also. Stinging nettle, poison ivy, and parsnip await outdoor users to be careful.
Eau Claire DNR Service Center area
Brunet Island State Park - Park trails are generally dry and in very good condition. The open water game fish and panfish action has been very good with warm temperatures or very quiet during cooler days. The small mouth bass have been hitting below the dams. Large mouth bass and northern pike action has been productive, and there has been good musky action in the area. Several large catfish have been taken from the upper reaches of the flowage lately. Species of birds seen or heard include: rose-breasted grosbeaks, belted kingfishers, ruby throated hummingbirds, 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 . The fireflies and a variety of dragonflies and damselflies are out in abundance. Plants in bloom at the moment are blue flag, marsh marigolds, dog violet, wild columbine, bellworts, false rue anemones, orange hawkweed, ox eye daisy, wooly yarrow, grove sandwort, harebell, spiderwort, and butterfly weed. The blackberry and raspberry vines, along with the common and wood strawberries are producing fruit. The milkweed plants are up but not flowering yet. Visitors who observe or come across young birds or animals should 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
Buckhorn State Park - Trails and campsites are dry. Lake levels are normal. Mosquitoes are still abundant in the park right now so remember to bring bug spray. Lake breezes kept them away at times at campsites. A black bear was spotted last Sunday near the T intersection. Please secure food when camping at the park. Visitors have been enjoying the picnic areas and beaches. As of Thursday morning there were two non-reservable sites for the holiday weekend. Remember, park stickers are required for Launch C and D and there are no additional launch fees. 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. The 2008 application is also available on the park website through the DNR internet site. Deadline is on July 15!
Roche-A-Cri State Park - Campsites and trails are dry. There are many quiet sites available during the week and on the weekend. As of Thursday morning, there were six non-reservable sites available for the holiday weekend. There are some mosquitoes so remember bug spray. Trails are in great condition for hiking. Wildflowers are blooming in the prairie.
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VHS fish disease update for July 3, 2008
The good news is that with only three VHS fish disease test results (PDF) still pending from the monitoring DNR had planned to do for 2008, it appears the VHS virus hasn't spread beyond the Lake Michigan and Lake Winnebago systems, where it was first detected in May 2007.
The bad news is that Illinois announced July 2, 2008, that VHS had been detected in fish from its waters of Lake Michigan. That state has now enacted emergency regulations for boaters, anglers and wild bait harvesters (exit WIS DNR) similar to Wisconsin's.
Wisconsin DNR Fisheries Director Mike Staggs says that Illinois' news is not surprising but is discouraging. "It continues to move the known locations of VHS that much closer to the Chicago ship canal and downstream drainages, which include the Mississippi River drainage. Although VHS was earlier detected in the Mississippi River drainage in Ohio, this would be much closer to Wisconsin inland waters."
Staggs says he is heartened, however, by Wisconsin's test results so far, and that boaters and anglers appear to be taking the necessary steps to prevent VHS and aquatic invasive species from spreading.
http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/caer/ce/news/or/#top
