The anywhere from 3 to 6 inches of rain reported over the past few weeks in northern Wisconsin have gone a long way to alleviating drought conditions that plagued the north earlier this year. Water levels on any lakes and flowages have risen several inches and some rivers in the north, including the North and South forks of the Flambeau, are running at near flood stage. The Bois Brule River is also flowing higher and faster than usual. Paddlers are being cautioned that whitewater conditions can be treacherous at this time due to the high flows. However, some seepage lakes, those without inflows or outflows that rely only on runoff and groundwater, continue to be quite low, especially in north central to northwestern Wisconsin.
The heavy runoff has added a lot of darkly-colored water to lakes and flowages, resulting in a medium to dark stain returning to many waters, in strong contrast to the clear water on many lakes during the low-water, drought conditions earlier this year. Some anglers report this has disrupted fishing patterns of late. Variable and almost constant changing weather greeted the opening of Northern Zone bass season last weekend. The bass seemed to be a bit disrupted in their normal feeding patterns due to the increased water levels. Largemouth still seem to be in a “free-swimming” mode and have been found along the weed edges and among the developing lily pad beds. Smallmouth have been most consistent on the deep edges, in 4 to 6 feet of water and near woody structure along rock and gravel bottoms. Panfish action has been very good. Musky action has also been heating up with many more fish starting to get into an active feeding mode. Walleye success continued to be very erratic.
Over the past two weekends Lake Winnebago fisheries crews collected length, weight, sex, and age data on more than 2,400 walleyes brought into fishing tournaments. The information is helpful in determining walleye populations in the system.
Heavy rains were also reported in the Lake Michigan watershed, with high flows on tributaries bring in a lot of debris and raising water temperatures near shore and in harbors to 70 degrees. Due to the sudden rise of the water temperatures, angler success decreased some. Fishing for salmon and trout out on the lake continued to be strong, with some larger fish starting to appear.
The Mississippi River continued its slow rise this week. As of Monday, the river stage was at 9.73 feet at Prairie du Chien, and was forecast to rise slowly to the 10 foot mark. Walleye and sauger action was pretty good this week with the increased current, and bluegill fishing remained good in backwaters and sloughs.
Wild turkey broods are showing up in increasing numbers. Young wild turkeys, called poults, are very vulnerable to predation for several weeks after hatching when they are incapable of flight and roost on the ground. When poults are about two weeks old, they gain the ability to fly up into trees to night roost, escaping from most nighttime predators such as fox, coyotes, raccoons, and owls.
Black-eyed Susan yarrow, showy lady slipper, cow parsnip, valerian, and dog bane. The blueberry crop is coming early and looks like it will be a good one. Raspberries and blackerries have started to ripen in the south.
The white frothy "spit" looking homes of the spittle bugs are very visible now on various vegetation. A spittle bug is a juvenile froghopper insect. They create these bubble homes as a waste product from plant juices that they ingest which then gives them protection by hiding them in the mass of bubbles.
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 - After a few years of drought the frequent rainfalls have been certainly been a welcome sight. So far for the month of June, 7.1 inches of rain has fallen in Brule. The average June precipitation is 3.87 inches. More rain is predicted through the weekend. The rain has the Bois Brule River flowing higher and faster than usual. It is also helping recharge the wetlands and ephemeral ponds. So far the seepage lakes in the sand country such as the Barnes area are not seeing the benefit of the precipitation yet…lake property owners still have more beach front property than waterfront property. The white frothy "spit" looking homes of the spittle bugs are very visible now on various vegetation. A spittle bug is a juvenile froghopper insect. They create these bubble homes as a waste product from plant juices that they ingest which then gives them protection by hiding them in the mass of bubbles. New flowers that can be seen are black-eyed Susan yarrow, showy lady slipper, cow parsnip, valerian, and dog bane. The blueberry crop is looking like it will be a good one. If conditions remain favorable this summer, there may be a good hazelnut and acorn crop also. People are reminded that the Brule River State Forest is a multi-use property, bringing fishermen, hikers, hunters, horseback riders, bikers, canoeists/kayakers, and many other people out to enjoy the various recreational opportunities. Many of these activities require visitors to share space in the State Forest. Respect for other visitors is always appreciated.
Ashland DNR Service Center area
Big Bay State Park - Trails are in great shape. The highs have been in the lower 70s with the lows dropping down to the upper 50s. Campsites have been filling up quickly and reservations are highly recommended. There continue to be numerous sightings of black bears on the island. There are plenty of fawns out. The blueberries are coming in early this year. Access to Madeline Island and the park are usually done with the use of Madeline Island Ferry Line service. The ferries depart from Bayfield and carry passengers and vehicles of all sizes. They run 7 days per week. The frequency varies depending on the time of year. Contact Madeline Island Ferry lines through the internet at
www.MadFerry.com. Rates and scheduled running times are posted on their website.
Hayward DNR Service Center area
Tuscobia State Trail - The graveled surface is in good condition. UTVs are now allowed on the Tuscobia Trail in Price, Sawyer and Washburn counties. There is an ever-changing landscape with native flowers in bloom and lots of wildlife being seen.
Park Falls DNR Service Center area
Upper Chippewa Basin fisheries report (Price, Rusk, Sawyer Taylor and inland Ashland and Iron counties) - The recent heavy rains seem to have alleviated the low water conditions on most flowages and drainage lakes in the Ashland, Bayfield, Iron, Price, Sawyer and Taylor county areas and most have been reported as 'full'. However, many seepage lakes (those without inlets or outlets) still have very low water levels and some still have difficult access conditions. Another interesting observation with the recent rains and increase in water levels has been a significant change in water color on many lakes and flowages. The low-water, drought conditions of earlier this year had produced some fairly clear water on many bodies of water, but the heavy runoff of recent weeks has added a lot of darkly-colored water to these lakes and flowages. This has resulted in a medium to dark stain returning to many of these waters and some anglers are claiming that this has contributed to the disrupted fishing patterns of late. With the opening of Northern Zone bass season this past weekend, fishing for largemouth and smallmouth provided most of the highlights for this past week. Variable and almost constant changing weather greeted the opening weekend anglers and action could only be termed fair. The bass seemed to be a bit disrupted in their normal feeding patterns due to the increased water levels caused by the 3-plus inches of rain in the last couple weeks. Success was best on smaller finesse baits such as small rubber worms and tube jigs, and presentations had to be rather slow. Largemouth still seem to be in a “free-swimming” mode and have been found along the weed edges and among the developing lily pad beds. But as the summer develops look for them to develop a more structure-oriented pattern, where they'll be relating more to wood, docks and thick weed cover. Smallmouth have been most consistent on the deep edges, in 4 to 6 feet of water and near woody structure along rock and gravel bottoms. Panfish action has been very good. Bluegill have just about finished up their spring spawning ritual and some nice catches are still being made. Crappie have still been very active and some nice fish have been found near mid-depth cover and along any emergent weed lines. Perch have also been active and are being found along the deeper weed edges. Musky action has also been heating up with many more fish starting to get into an active feeding mode, especially on the Flambeau and Chippewa rivers. Bucktails and jerk baits seem to be the preferred baits and the late afternoon hours have provided the best action. Walleye success has been very erratic. With the increased water levels on most waters, their normal pattern also seems to be disrupted and action has been inconsistent with active walleye often hard to find. The best catches have been on the deep drop-offs in 8 to 14 feet of water, with leeches and crawler rigs producing the best action.
Flambeau River State Forest - Both the North and the South Forks of the Flambeau River are at flood stage. Rain fall over the past 48 hours has totaled 6-plus inches. Paddlers are advised to wait till the water recedes before heading out on their river trip. If you do decide to paddle, please use extreme caution and expect fast high water with possible floating debris. The ATV trail from Dix Dox (Oxbo) Trailhead south has been temporarily closed due to washouts from the recent rain. Many roads and trails on the forest have also had flooding causing washouts and may be temporarily closed. The West Lane Road is closed and will hopefully be open by the Fouth of July weekend.
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NORTHEAST REGION
Peshtigo DNR Service Center area
Fishing pressure this week has been relatively light. Rain, wind, and the potential for severe weather kept many boaters off the water. Water temperatures at the landings were in the low to mid seventies, with bay temperatures around 69 degrees.
Marinette County - The Peshtigo Harbor remains active for catfish, sheephead and the occasional carp. The bait of choice has been crawlers fished on bottom with a tight line approach. King salmon are being caught out around the Green Island area, early mornings have been very good (4 a.m.) with purples and pinks still working well. The smallmouth bite in and around the railroad bridge area is providing some fast action for anglers. Drifting crawlers in current seams is working well.
Oconto County - Anglers in the Stiles Dam area were catching some catfish, bluegill, smallmouth and red horse suckers using worms and slip bobbers. The dam at Stiles was still open and with the current comes floating weeds and lower water visibility. Some small perch and a few nice catfish were being caught by the municipal landing by shore anglers fishing on bottom. Oconto Park II saw some nice catches of walleye being pursued in 8 to 12 feet of water using crawler/harness, with the color purple being hot.
Green Bay DNR Service Center area
Manitowoc County - Heavy rain of nearly 4 inches a week ago Tuesday left Manitowoc and Two Rivers harbors filled with debris, strong current, and high waters which left fishing pressure relatively slow during the week. This week saw a wide range of temperatures ranging from the mid-60s to upper 80s. By the weekend, angler activity increased with west winds 10-15 mph on Saturday, switching to the east and then diminishing by Sunday night. Water temperatures rose to 63 degrees by Sunday near the lakeshore, and have now reached 70 degrees in the harbors. Due to the sudden rise of the water temperatures, angler success decreased with an average of 1-3 fish per boat. Out of Two Rivers, angling success continued in the 80-120 foot range north of the trap nets to the lighthouse. This area has had heavy fishing pressure for nearly a month, so the harvest success has been falling. The fishing straight out of Manitowoc and south of Manitowoc in 80-120 feet had the most luck during the week. Coolers consisted mostly of chinook salmon, with a few 3-5 pound rainbow trout mixed in. Blue flasher/aqua fly, green dodger/green fly combinations, and wonder bread flasher/mirage fly combinations worked on the down riggers and pump handles. Green glow, blue/silver, gold/purple ladder pro king spoons have been successful both on the dypsies and on the down riggers. Large rainbows continue to be caught deep north of Two Rivers, coming 40-60 feet down on down riggers and lead core. Anglers on both the Manitowoc and Two Rivers’ piers have been successful landing a few rainbows daily. Silver/blue cleos and silver champs appear to be the best selection, but anglers have put in many hours to catch the small number of fish. A few ventured out for the opening of the perch season, with only a handful being caught of which all were very small. Chartreuse jig heads with a small plastic tail of several colors has been working with no live bait. The perch fishing in the area will only get better.
Sturgeon Bay DNR Service Center area
Door County - Wet weather continued into the third week of June as average rainfall levels have been surpassed in one of the wettest months of June in recent years. Spotty thunderstorms were seen county wide, however anglers continued to hit the water with good success. Lake fishing for salmon and trout continues to be strong countywide. Many nice coolers of salmon have been seen with fish ranging consistently in the 5-12 pound range. Some larger fish are starting to appear, however I have yet to weigh one in over 20 lbs. Anglers report fish being caught between 70- 150 feet of water, on both flasher and fly combinations as well as many different spoons. Salmon have started to show up on the Green Bay side of the county too, and many anglers have been reported fishing near Washington Island. A few nice rainbow trout continue to be caught in the 40-60 feet range of the water column, along with some lake trout mixed in as well. Perch fishing has remained inconsistent with few fish being seen here and there throughout the bay. Sturgeon Bay anglers have been catching some perch off the state park, around Dunlop’s Reef and along the shipping channel. Most of the perch however have been small in size. Little Sturgeon Bay anglers have been finding some perch in the bay itself. Most have been small in size, but with a little sorting a limit can be caught. Perch anglers have also been finding luck at Chaudoir’s Dock with some jumbo perch early in the mornings. The baits of choice have been red worms and minnows. Anglers targeting smallmouth bass and walleye have dwindled with few reports coming in from anglers. Fishing walleye along the Southeast shore of Green Bay has been the most popular area, most boats pulling crawler harnesses and stick baits. Musky fishing has been spotty and likely will slow for the next few summer months. Occasional northern pike were still being seen, mainly along weed edges and near the marinas, wherever small baitfish can be found. Bass anglers were still having good luck with some nice fish being caught on tube jigs. A few musky anglers have been out with limited success but did report raising some nice fish. Also bass fishing continues to be good when the weather allows anglers to get out of the bay. Walleye fishing has been slow, but anglers were catching a few walleye. The best baits so far have been minnows and night crawlers. The walleyes that are being caught are nice sized. Bayshore Park anglers have been fishing walleyes with fair success. Most anglers that have been catching numbers of walleye have been getting out around 5 o’clock in the morning. Two-mile reef seems to be the most productive spot. Anglers are also reporting catching many sheepshead and catfish while trolling.
Kewaunee County - The week began on Monday with some great fishing weather but that quickly disappeared as heavy rains came on Tuesday and Wednesday. Following the rain was an increase in temperatures that helped raise the water temperatures at both Algoma and Kewaunee. This led to an increase in amount of fishing pressure throughout the county. The fishing this week started off hot on Monday but cooled down as the week progressed. A few boats were limiting out on Monday at depths from 60-100 feet on flies at the beginning of the week. As the week progressed the fish became harder to find and more boaters were hooking fish 30 feet down but in water depths of 150 feet. The majority of the fish being caught have been kings averaging around 10-12 pounds with a few fish hovering near the 15-pound mark being brought in. A few rainbows have been caught but have been smaller in size averaging around 3-4 lbs. There doesn’t seem to be a consistent color bringing in the fish but most people have had some success on aqua flys. The fishing pressure on the Kewaunee Pier has still been pretty high this week but unfortunately the fish haven’t been biting as frequently as the previous weeks. The main fish being caught have been brown trout on fire tiger spoons or aqua spoons. Once again the Algoma pier saw action this week with rainbows and brown trout being caught on fire tiger spoons and green/silver spoons. The rainbows being caught have been averaging about 8 pounds per fish which is up from the previous weeks. The boats launching from Algoma again saw lots of action at the beginning of this week but seemed to cool off as the weekend approached. Most of the boats were catching fish in depths of 60-100 feet of water with most of the fish being within 30 feet of the surface. A couple of boats reported success at depths of 180 to 200 feet of water as well. A lot of rainbows have been spotted at the surface of the water near bug hatches.
Oshkosh DNR Service Center area
Upper Fox-Wolf-Winnebago fish crews are in full summer mode conducting flathead catfish surveys on the Wolf and upper Fox Rivers, monitoring walleye tournaments on Lake Winnebago, and starting our sweep of stream surveys throughout our counties. The flathead catfish are on the move up the rivers as part of their annual spawning run which provides a great opportunity for crews to net and tag fish and collect valuable biological information. Each June crews monitor numerous walleye tournaments on Lake Winnebago where they collect tag return data on all fish brought in. This allows fisheries managers to develop walleye population estimates; and collect length, weight, sex, maturity, and age data on the unreleasable fish brought in by the tournament anglers. All the big tournaments are catch and release, but walleye are actually fairly sensitive to handling and despite excellent efforts by local clubs there is usually about a 25 to 50 percent mortality rate. Over the past two weekends crews handled more than 2,400 walleye, of which around 1,400 were returned alive to the lake. Mortality rates are influenced by water temperatures, wind, and the number of fish in live wells. After crews collect data on the unreleasable fish, local angling clubs clean the fish and donate the fillets to local food pantries. Out of the estimated 1 to 2 million angler hours invested in the fishery on the Winnebago System each year, tournament angling accounts for about 70,000 to 80,000 angler hours. There will be a series of public meetings around the Winnebago Region on July 13, and August 10, 11 and 12 to review and discuss our walleye assessments and management program on the Winnebago System. Each meeting will include a summary of the status and trends of the Winnebago walleye population and allow for public input to help update the Winnebago Walleye Management Plan. Sturgeon are pretty much into their summer patterns now as well, with 85 percent of the adults feeding heavily on lake fly larvae in Lake Winnebago, 13 percent in the Upriver Lakes, and 2 percent that never leave the rivers; juveniles primarily in the Upriver Lakes, although some are spread out throughout the entire system from Shawano to Winnebago, and this year's hatchlings should be about 3 inches long, living independently on sand and pea gravel bars 60 to 100 miles up the Wolf River, and 20-40 miles up the upper Fox River. Sturgeon spears planning on applying for an Upriver lakes sturgeon spearing tag to get into the lottery in 2011, must purchase the sturgeon lottery application for $3 before August 1.
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SOUTHEAST REGION
Havenwoods State Forest - Trails are in good condition. Deer, squirrels, raccoon, turkeys, red-tailed hawks, cooper's hawk, owls, mourning doves, chickadees, nuthatch, downy woodpeckers, song sparrows, meadowlark, bluebirds, bobolink, Baltimore oriole, American redstart, wood ducks, blue-winged teal are being seen. Jack-in-the-pulpit and may apples are blooming.
Lake Michigan fisheries team report
Sheboygan County - – In Sheboygan trollers have been catching chinook, rainbow, and lake trout. Fish have been caught from 60 to 130 feet of water. Spoons or flashers and flies fished 20 to 80 feet down have been productive. Shore anglers in Sheboygan have been catching rainbows and perch off the south pier. Alewives and spoons have both taken rainbows, and the perch have been caught on jigs.
Ozaukee County - Trollers in Port Washington have found a mixed bag of fish between 70 and 160 feet of water. Decent numbers of chinook, coho, rainbow, and a few lake trout have been hitting spoons or flashers and flies, and fish have been scattered throughout the water column. Shore anglers in Port Washington have been catching perch both off the pier and near the power plant. Jigs and minnows have taken the most perch.
Milwaukee County - In Milwaukee trollers have been catching coho and chinook, along with a few rainbows and lake trout. Orange dodgers coupled with blue or green flies have taken the majority of fish. The most consistent depths have been 90 to 120 feet of water. Overall, Milwaukee shore fishing remains slow but some coho and rainbows have been taken off McKinley pier. Live alewives fished on the bottom have produced the most. Shore anglers have been catching decent numbers of 10 to 13 inch perch off Cupertino pier and in South Shore Park. Fathead minnows and crab tails fished very early in the morning has been the most productive. Boaters launching at Bender Park and fishing for perch have been catching limits at the boils off South Milwaukee, but perch have been harder to come by near the Oak Creek Power Plant.
Racine County - In Racine trollers have been catching decent numbers of coho and chinook. Fish have been in as close as the mouth of the Root River, off Wind Point, and even deeper locations also. Dodgers and flies and spoons in a variety of colors have been productive. Shore anglers in Racine have been catching rainbows and browns off both the north and south piers. Spoons have taken the most fish. Colder nearshore temperatures have slowed perch fishing in Racine. The majority of perch have been caught in the first couple hours of daylight, and more have been caught from boats than from shore. DeKoven Park has had the most consistent perch bite, and live minnows and shiners as well as jigs have taken fish.
Kenosha County - In Kenosha trollers have been finding fish in a variety of depth ranges, from as little as 50 feet of water out to 120 feet. Good numbers of chinook have been taken on spoons, J-plugs, and dodger and fly combinations. Fishing from shore in Kenosha has been improving, with brown trout biting off the ends of both piers. Some fish have been caught in the mornings, but even more have been caught in the evenings. Silver or glow spoons and white tube jigs have both produced. Perch fishing from shore in Kenosha has been slow, but boats have had decent action at the bubbler and at the breakwall.
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SOUTH CENTRAL REGION
Summer is stream survey season for DNR fishery and watershed crews. Rural residents, anglers and outdoor enthusiasts may see crews, dressed in waders, pulling small electro-fishing boats at bridge crossings. These stream surveys help biologists characterize the condition of this aquatic resource and assist in management decisions like stocking and fishing regulations. The surveys do not harm fish and are conducted in streams having both game and non-sport fisheries.
Trails in South Central Region are in good condition including the Military Ridge State Trail, Sugar River State Trail, Capital City State Trail, Wild Goose State Trail and Glacial Drumlin State Trail. With the on and off rain this week, people should call ahead to a park to find out if mountain bike trails and equestrian trails are open
Dodgeville DNR Service Center area
Wyalusing State Park - Trails are in good hiking condition. Sand Cave Trail and Sugar Maple Nature Trail have been reopened after being closed for 2 years. Forecast for this weekend as of Thursday, June 24 has warm and sunny with a high of 85 and a night time low of 68. There is a 40 percent chance of showers in the evening. Chance for rain on Saturday is at 30 percent with cloudy skies and a high near 91 and 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms in the evening with a low of 70. A 40 precent chance of showers and thunderstorms is forecast for Sunday with a high near 86 and a slight chance of showers on Sunday night with a low of 66. All reservable campsites are taken for the weekend. Arrive on Thursday or early in the day on Friday to obtain a non-reservable site for the weekend. Nelson Dewey State Park near Cassville, has a number of nonelectric sites open for this weekend on a first come first serve basis. Campers can check availability by calling the park at 608-996-2261 before heading to Wyalusing. Recent area bird sightings include great blue heron, trumpeter swan, turkey vulture, bald eagle, red-tailed hawk, turkey, American coot, sandhill crane, killdeer, mourning dove, yellow-billed cuckoo, great horned owl, barred owl, chimney swift, ruby-throated hummingbird, red-headed woodpecker, red-bellied woodpecker, yellow-bellied sapsucker, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, flicker pileated woodpecker, eastern wood pewee, Acadian flycatcher, phoebe, great crested flycatcher, eastern kingbird, rough-winged swallow, barn swallow, blue jay, American crow, black-capped chickadee, tufted titmouse, white-breasted nuthatch, brown creeper, house wren, blue-gray gnatcatcher, eastern bluebird, wood thrush, robin, catbird, cedar waxwing, starling, yellow-throated vireo, warbling vireo, red-eyed vireo, blue-winged warbler, yellow warbler, yellow-throated warbler, cerulean warbler, American Redstart, prothonotary warbler, ovenbird, Kentucky warbler, scarlet tanager, cardinal, rose-breasted grosbeak, indigo bunting, eastern towhee, chipping sparrow, field sparrow, Henslow’s sparrow, song sparrow, red-winged blackbird, meadowlark, grackle, cowbird, Baltimore oriole, house finch, goldfinch, house sparrow. A new addition is the worm-eating warbler spotted on June 17 on Long Valley Road. Bluebird boxes in the park are not as successful this year as in the past years. By this time last year, the park’s boxes had fledged 36 blue birds. Total to date is 6 bluebirds fledged. A few more boxes should fledge in the next week or so. The heyday of the hummingbirds at the park office is over – at least for now. At this time of year, the adults are busy taking care of their young – feeding them small insects and spiders. There are only a few hummers frequenting the office feeders. Once the young are fledged, adults and young will return with a vengeance. Flowers in bloom include: white beard tongue, prairie phlox, prairie onion, spiderwort, white indigo, black-eyed susan, pale purple coneflower and coreopsis, purple coneflowers. Joe Pyeweed should be blooming in the next couple of weeks.
Fitchburg DNR Service Center area
Aztalan State Park - The Crawfish River is very high and out of its banks in some areas. Water is up to the park’s lower parking lot, and will be on the parking lot soon. The river is expected to crest late Thursday or Friday.
Badger State Trail - Construction will begin on the northern segment of the trail week of June 21. For the safety of everyone, please refrain from using this segment until construction is complete.
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WEST CENTRAL REGION
La Crosse DNR Service Center area
Wild turkey broods are beginning to appear around the area. Young wild turkeys, called poults, are very vulnerable to predation for several weeks after hatching as they are incapable of flight and roost on the ground. When poults are about two weeks old, they gain the ability to fly up into trees to night roost, escaping from most nighttime predators such as fox, coyotes, raccoons, and owls. As summer progresses, several hens and their broods may join together to form gang broods. Watch for wild turkey broods in grassy fields, where the poults feed voraciously on insects.
Merrick State Park - All trails are in good condition. The river level is a little high due to rains the past week. A few northerns and walleyes have been caught but fishing has generally been slow. Flowers blooming in the prairies include St. Johnswort, cinquefoil, yarrow, butterfly weed and fleabane. Some wood anemone can still be seen along the roads in the south campground.
Perrot State Park - Trails are in good condition. Water levels are low and expected to get lower with the ongoing drawdown. Summer has arrived and the following can be seen in the park: Wild quinine, coneflowers, butterfly weed, hoary alyssum, tall beardstongue, large-flowered beardstongue, hoary vervain, prairie larkspur, brown-eyed susans and yarrow. Raspberries and mulberries are ripe all over the park and blackberries aren't far behind. Canoes are available to rent, thanks to the Friends of Perrot. Cost is $10 for 4 hours and includes paddles and life vests. Saturday, June 26, at 7 p.m. meet commercial fisherman, George Richtman, born and raised on the river banks for a program on Life on the River. George is a true River Rat and has some fabulous and entertaining tales to share about life on the river.
Great River State Trail - The trail is open and in good condition. Turtles are frequently seen sunning themselves below the bridges and warblers are hiding along the edges of the trail. Raspberries, Mulberries and, soon, Blackberries are ripe along the trail for those with sharp eyes!
Crawford County - The Mississippi River continued its slow rise this week. As of Monday, the river stage ws at 9.73 feet at Mc Gregor. The forecast for the Mississippi River is to rise slowly to the 10 foot mark. The Kickapoo River has been falling since last week. The river stage in Gays Mills and Steuben is at 7.37 and 7.44 feet respectively. The Wisconsin River has been up and down quite a bit this week. The river stage in Muscoda this week was 3.03 feet. Historically the Wisconsin River fluctuates a few inches per day under normal flow. Canoers and kayakers who spend the night camping on the Wisconsin River must make sure they secure their watercraft so it doesn’t drift away over night. Local trout streams are at normal flow. With a few exceptions, water clarity is very good on all waterways. Some of the back waters on the Mississippi River are a bit murky primarily due to algae and carp action. Fishing, for some species, was a bit spotty this week due to increasing water levels. Prairie du Chien Area’s Lower bottoms and Ambro Slough Complex: Anglers had been finding pretty decent bluegill action in the backwaters or in sloughs with light current. Some anglers are starting to find bluegills in back water snags and on wing dams or shallower (approx 6 to 12 foot) flats on the main river. Horseshoe Lake was producing some bluegill and crappie along with a few perch, but action here slowed somewhat. Garnet Lake’s action was similar to Horseshoe Lake. Much of the backwaters in the “lower bottoms” are filling up with weeds making fishing difficult. The Upper and Lower Doubles, Big and Little Missouri, and Fish Lake have all been spotty for panfish. Most anglers are using a chunk of night crawler for bait. Perch action has been spotty throughout the area. Some are finding decent sized perch in the 10 to 12 inch range, but anglers have to look hard for them. Walleye anglers are starting to target the wing dams on the main channel in the Prairie du Chien area. Also look for walleyes on the Roseau Slough. Walleyes have been hitting crank baits and nightcrawlers. Large and small mouth bass have been active throughout the area. Some anglers have been looking for crappies in the snags in backwater sloughs. Crappie action has been spotty so far. Cold Spring: The Cold Spring area has been slow. Walleye and small mouth and large mouth bass are being taken on live bait and crank baits. Anglers venturing out to the Deer Island complex have found bass and walleyes at the upper and lower ends of Deer Island. Boat operators are reminded that the Cold Spring area is a slow-no-wake area. Also, Cold Spring (east of the railroad tracks) is considered inland waters. Mississippi River: Walleye and sauger action was pretty good this week with the increased current. The Lynxville dam area and the McDonald cut were producing some walleye and sauger. Wing dams along the main channel have been pretty good. Walleye tactics include dead lining, drifting with jig and nightcrawlers, trolling crank baits, or anchoring above a wing dam and working live or artificial baits. Another place to check for walleyes is the “S” curve by Harpers Ferry. Walleye activity has been decent there. Anglers fishing at the mouth of the Wisconsin River have had limited success. Catfish, both channel and flathead, has been pretty good. Catfish prefer nightcrawlers or stink bait while flatheads prefer live bait. Sheepshead are very active and can be caught on a variety of baits. Sheepshead are found throughout the river system. There has been some bluegill action starting on the wing dams and along the shorelines. Trout anglers are finding that local streams are in good shape. Trout anglers will find insect pests and shoreline vegetation might cause some problems. Even so, trout fishing conditions are very good and action has been good. Gnats, deer flies, horse flies and mosquitoes are out. Poison ivy, parsnip and stinging nettle are also out. Black bear sightings have been on the increase in Crawford County. A dozen or more sighting have been reported in the past three weeks. Area residents should not be overly concerned, however pet food, garbage cans and bird feeders should be secured or removed so the bears don’t make a habit of returning to those areas. The end of June is coming up rapidly. ATV and snowmobile owners should check the registration on their machines to see if they will expire June 30. Renewal notices have been mailed. On-line renewals are also available.
Eau Claire DNR Service Center area
Brunet Island State Park – The whitetail does are having their fawns, and we are seeing quite a few young gray and red squirrels out on their own. Species of birds seen or heard include: the hooded mergansers, common loons, belted kingfishers, sandhill cranes, golden finches, red polls, mallard and bufflehead ducks, red winged blackbirds, phoebes, Canada geese, robins, mourning doves, nuthatches, ravens, black capped chickadees, piliated woodpeckers, great horned owls, and barred owls. There is a pair of bald eagles nesting on Cornell flowage. The fireflies, dragonflies and damselflies are out in great numbers. Blue flag, dog violet, orange hawkweed, wild columbine, ox eye daisy, wooly yarrow, grove sandwort, blackberry and raspberry vines are in bloom.
Wisconsin Rapids DNR Service Center area
Roche-A-Cri State Park - The stairway to the top of 300-foot-high Roche-A-Cri Mound has been closed due to deteriorating lumber. Park officials have a plan to replace the stairs, but the condition of the existing steps renders them unsafe for public use. In the meantime, the 605-acre park remains open and welcoming to visitors. The replacement project is expected to be completed in August 2011.
Mill Bluff State Park - All trails are open and in good condition, but be sure to bring bug and tick spray for a more enjoyable hike. There is no fishing or boating at Mill Bluff. The swimming pond and beach are in good condition and is a big draw to the park. The water is tested and always has very good readings. Butterfly weed is starting to bloom and the bluebirds are nesting. A pair of king birds are nesting in the park.
Last Revised: Thursday June 24 2010
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