With most of the state experiencing a mixed bag of weather conditions over the past week, outdoor activities have been in full late summer mode. Pleasant days, cool nights and scattered rain showers have helped general fishing conditions and the weather has been condusive to camping, hiking, birding, boating and other outdoor fun.
In the north,the continuously changing weather conditions have made for some erratic fishing success across the Northwoods. A weekend musky tournament on Butternut Lake, just outside of Park Falls, produced some very good action. A total of 18 legal fish were tallied during the tourney, with the largest being near 42 inches long. Most anglers however, reported quite a bit of activity - with many sub-legals caught, a lot of follows and short hits, and some 'big ones' lost. In the northeast, anglers have been hauling in bluegills throughout the whole Winnebago system from the big lake all the way up to Winneconne. The area perch bite is still on. Anglers are having great success using nightcrawlers. Walleye fishing has been spotty. In Lake Michigan waters, shore and pier fishing has been generally slow, but trollers in deeper water have had success. In the southwest, the smallmouth bass have been feeding in the evenings heavily between Spring Green and Arena on the Wisconsin River. Anglers have been having very good luck with spinners and artificial purple worms, especially on the downstream sides of sandbars and deeper cuts next to sandbars and shore. The catfish have also been biting with anglers reporting 15 pound cats being caught. Lately, the river level has been dropping and the walleye fishing has been good. Boaters are urged to use caution while on the Wisconsin River to avoid sandbars, stumps and other obstructions on the riverbed with the dropping water.
Turkey poults are in good numbers according to observations in the field. Whitetail bucks are sporting antlers still in velvet and of nice size. Fawns are still in spots following close to their mothers. Keep a watchful eye when deer are crossing as there are more likely two crossing instead of one. Squirrels and chipmunks are harvesting black walnuts, acorns, and hickory nuts already. Mast crops are important food resources relished by a host of large and small animals, supplying them with fats, proteins, carbohydrates, minerals, and vitamins. Some animals, such as black bears, gorge themselves on mast in preparation for winter slumber. Others, such as deer mice or blue jays, cache vast quantities of nuts and seeds for use at a later time when these foods might otherwise be unavailable. Many shorebirds have already started their fall migration through Wisconsin. The last lingering sandpipers may be here until the beginning of November, but the first arrivals were around La Crosse in mid July. Many shorebirds migrate to South America. Nighthawks, a member of the goatsucker family, will be migrating through the area late in August. Fall is not far away.
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
Park Falls DNR Service Center area
Upper Chippewa Basin fisheries report (Price, Rusk, Sawyer Taylor and inland Ashland and Iron counties) - The continuously changing weather conditions have made for some erratic fishing success across the Northwoods. With the late spring and the lack of 'normal' continuous summer weather, most species have not really settled into any sort of regular summer pattern. Bass fishing did show some consistency in the last week, with both largemouth and smallmouth providing some good action. Largemouth have been found in a variety of spots - including weeds edges, gaps/holes in the lily pads, bog edges and around the woody structure. Soft plastics and jigs have been the most productive lures. Smallmouth fishing also picked up a notch, with the best action occurring on the local flowages and larger rivers. The most productive methods were finesse plastics fished near the deeper wood and topwater baits worked in the weeds and around the weed edges. Walleye have been especially tough to find in the last few weeks, with very few success stories being reported. Leeches and night crawlers fished along the deep weed edges near dark have produced some fair catches for a few anglers. Musky fishing has been somewhat erratic, though most anglers were having follows and seeing fish. The deeper weed edges and the less-dense weed beds seemed to hold most of the fish, with bucktails and jerk baits getting the most action. A weekend musky tournament on Butternut Lake, just outside of Park Falls, produced some very good action. A total of 18 legal fish were tallied during the tourney, with the largest being near 42 inches long. Most anglers however, reported quite a bit of activity - with many sub-legals caught, a lot of follows and short hits, and some 'big ones' lost.
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NORTHEAST REGION
Peshtigo DNR Service Center area
Marinette County - North of Green Island and the outside of Trout Bar is producing some nice Chinook along with a few browns and rainbows. Anglers report finding their quarry in 80 to 100 feet of water, 50 to 70 feet down. A variety of colors are working well, including white with black dots and fluorescent orange. Catches of 5 fish or more were not uncommon. Little River was producing perch using minnows in 10 to 13 feet of water. Care should be taken when leaving the Little River landing as there are a series of sand bars which need to be negotiated. Catfish and sheephead are still being caught at the Peshtigo Harbor using crawlers fished on bottom with a tight line. Turkey poults are in good numbers according to observations in the field. Whitetail bucks are sporting antlers still in velvet and of nice size. Fawns are still in spots following close to their mothers. Keep a watchful eye when deer are crossing as there are more likely two crossing instead of one.
Oconto County - Perch catches off Oconto Park II have remained sporadic. The anglers enjoying the most success are working hard to find the fish but once they are on them they are coming back with some nice catches. Fishing in 12 to feet of water is producing the best perch catches and minnows are the bait. Stiles Dam is still actively producing nice panfish using leaf worms fished tight line or with slip bobbers.
Sturgeon Bay DNR Service Center area
Door County - There has been very little fishing activity to report in the Fox River at Green Bay. In the Lower Green Bay, the walleye bite has been good, but at times spotty. Crawler harnesses of any color seem to do as well as anything. Anglers using the Suamico and Bayshore launches have been showing more consistent success for boat anglers. Yellow perch anglers are working hard to catch their fish. The bite is very spotty with more slow days than good days. Chaudoir’s and Bayshore seem to be the best places to find successful boat anglers. Geano’s has also shown some success. Finding the perch and getting them to bite is the biggest challenge. No time of day seems to be better than any other; it's whenever the fish are found. The strong winds from the north and northeast this past weekend may have had a significant effect on the fishing report. Water temperature in the bay is in the lower 70s. In the Little Sturgeon Bay/Sawyer Harbor area, fish activity is slow. Walleye anglers are finding some luck at Chicago Reef, Larson's Reef, and near Snake Island. Some anglers have found luck with the nighttime bite. The perch bite has been slow. Many small perch and a few decent sized perch are being caught. Snake Island and Larson's Reef have given a few anglers good results in the size category. Musky and northern pike fishing has been slow as well. There are numerous reports of trophy sized musky in the system.
Oshkosh DNR Service Center area
Anglers have been hauling in bluegills throughout the whole Winnebago system from the big lake all the way up to Winneconne. The area perch bite is still on. Anglers are having great success using nightcrawlers. Walleye fishing has been spotty.
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SOUTHEAST REGION
Lake Michigan fisheries team report
Sheboygan County - – In Sheboygan shore fishing off the piers has been slow. Trollers off Sheboygan have been catching mostly Chinooks, along with some rainbows and coho. The best catches have been 50 feet down or near the bottom in 35 to 90 feet of water. Spoons, J-plugs, and flies have all produced fish at times.
Ozaukee County - Both shore fishing and trolling in Port Washington has been generally slow. Trollers have had the most success fishing 40 to 50 feet down in 60 to 90 feet of water. Browns, rainbows, and Chinooks have been taken on a variety of flies and spoons.
Milwaukee County - Perch fishing in Milwaukee has been relatively slow from shore, but boaters looking for perch have been catching fair numbers at the boils on small minnows. Shore fishing for trout and salmon in Milwaukee has been slow, but trollers continue to catch some Chinooks, browns, and rainbows. The best depths have varied daily with changing wind and weather patterns, and fish have been found anywhere from 50 feet of water out to 120 feet.
Racine County - In Racine shore fishing has been slow overall, but action has picked up for trollers. Good numbers of Chinooks and rainbows have been taken in 70 to 90 feet of water early in the morning. Depths from 130 to 160 feet have been best in the late morning and afternoon hours. Flashers with green, white, or aqua flies have been productive, as well as a variety of glow spoons and J-plugs.
Kenosha County - Shore anglers in Kenosha have been catching a few browns in the harbor, but the bite has been rather inconsistent. When the browns are hitting, both spoons and white tube jigs have produced. Perch fishing has been slow for shore anglers and boaters alike. Kenosha trollers have been catching good numbers of Chinooks and rainbows, along with a few lake trout. Most fish have been caught from 50 to 90 feet of water, with the best catches taken early in the day.
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SOUTH CENTRAL REGION
Dodgeville DNR Service Center area
The smallmouth bass have been feeding in the evenings heavily between Spring Green and Arena on the Wisconsin River. Anglers have been having very good luck with spinners and artificial purple worms, especially on the downstream sides of sandbars and deeper cuts next to sandbars and shore. The catfish have also been biting with anglers reporting 15 pound cats being caught. Lately, the river level has been dropping and the walleye fishing has been good. Boaters are urged to use caution while on the Wisconsin River to avoid sandbars, stumps and other obstructions on the riverbed with the dropping water.
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WEST CENTRAL REGION
La Crosse DNR Service Center area
It sure seems early, but squirrels and chipmunks are harvesting black walnuts, acorns, and hickory nuts already. Mast crops are important food resources relished by a host of large and small animals, supplying them with fats, proteins, carbohydrates, minerals, and vitamins. Some animals, such as black bears, gorge themselves on mast in preparation for winter slumber. Others, such as deer mice or blue jays, cache vast quantities of nuts and seeds for use at a later time when these foods might otherwise be unavailable.
Mississippi River - Many shorebirds have already started their fall migration through Wisconsin. The last lingering sandpipers may be here until the beginning of November, but the first arrivals were around La Crosse in mid July. Many shorebirds migrate to South America. Nighthawks, a member of the goatsucker family, will be migrating through the area late in August. Fall is not far away.
Baldwin Service Center area
Interstate State Park – Highlights of upcoming naturalist programs at the park include: Friday, August 15 - Snakes are among the most misunderstood and feared creatures on earth. Stop by the Ice Age Center and visit with Naturalist Barb Walker to learn more about these amazing reptiles. You will also have an opportunity to meet two live snakes! On Saturday, August 16 at 7:30pm - Since 1968 the St. Croix River has been protected as a National Scenic Riverway. Discover a different way to experience the river’s pace, sloughs and slackwater as National Park Ranger Linda Krings shares the basics of this sport that has over 4,000 years of history. Learn about the different types of kayaks, modern gear and basic paddle strokes, as well as why the St. Croix is such a special place to explore. This program will take place near the beach at Lake O’ the Dalles. For those interested, an opportunity will be given to paddle a kayak around the lake’s beach area.
Eau Claire DNR Service Center area
Brunet Island State Park - 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. Species of birds we have been seeing or hearing include: turkey vultures, 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, piliated woodpeckers, great horned owls, barred owls, and bald eagles. The small mouth bass and crappies have been hitting suspended worm baits. Large mouth bass, musky, and northern pike action has been good in the flowage. Catfish are being taken from the upper reaches of the flowage near the Holcombe Dam. Plants blooming in the park include harebell, common milkweed, water smartweed, rabbits foot clover, marsh hedge nettle, wild bergamot, brown-eyed Susans, lesser daisy fleabane, the water lilies, some of the aster varieties, orange hawkweed, wild columbine, ox eye daisy, wooly yarrow are flowering. 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. Please register at the park office between 9:00 am and 8:30 pm. The picnic area flush toilet building and the camper dump station are open for the summer season. A note to our Fall season campers. The paved roads in the South (electric) campground are scheduled to be ground and surfaced during the week after Labor Day this year. Please be aware that this is very noisy work involving large road equipment.
Last Revised: Thursday August 14 2008
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