Weather across Wisconsin continued to vary from very pleasant to stormy this week, making outdoor recreation plans difficult. Most of the state received more than 2 inches of rain this week, with some areas reporting up to 5 inches.
Water temperatures on northern lakes are slowly warming and warmer temperatures and sunshine would speed the process. Water temperatures in the low to mid-60s have pushed up the bluegill spawning period and many nice fish have been observed on the beds. Game fish should be moving toward their summer habitat as temperatures increase. Fishing activity has been good with nice catches of crappie, smallmouth bass and walleye being reported. Musky anglers are also reporting fair success. Walleye fishing has been very good on the Fox River and throughout the Lake Winnebago system. Large schools of white bass have also been spotted system-wide. In the south, crappies have for the most part completed their spawning and are now relating to weed edges. Bluegills were still spawning and can be found in the shallows on their spawning beds. Bass are also active, with largemouth bass providing some very good action. A few northern pike have been caught as well. Recent rains have raised water levels on trout streams. The higher, cloudy water should actually be beneficial to many anglers as it seems to stimulate feeding activity by trout.
Fishing on Green Bay continued to be very good, with perch anglers reporting limits of fish being caught. Most of the smallmouth bass have moved off their beds with bluegills replacing them. Lots of nice smallmouth bass were being caught throughout the bay. Anglers had another good week of fishing on Lake Michigan, with anglers catching a lot of rainbow trout and some chinook and a few coho salmon and lake trout.
The Mississippi River stage at Prairie du Chien as of Tuesday was 8.5. Fishing action was pretty good to spotty this week, with anglers reporting some nice catches of crappies and bluegills. Walleye fishing was good at times this week, with most anglers trolling or working wing dams with crank baits. Catfish have really starting to bite as it appears many are getting ready to spawn. Some nice catches of catfish came off both the Mississippi and the Wisconsin rivers.
The black bear breeding season is early June to early July. Adult male bears are moving extensively as they search for females to breed with. Female bear have emancipated their young leaving curious and sometimes troublesome yearlings out on their own. These youngsters will be trying to avoid other adult bears which often bring them in close proximity to people's houses. Remove any food sources that may attract the young bears, such as bird feeders, dog food, and garbage.
About half of upland game birds hatch between June 5 and 15. Ruffed grouse, turkey and waterfowl broods are being seen this week. Many songbirds are also fledging their first clutches of nestlings. As these young birds leave their nests, it will take several additional weeks before they become proficient flyers. Until then, they are vulnerable to predators, such as crows, raccoons, coyotes, fox, cats, and dogs. This is an important time to keep pets under control at all times.
On warm humid nights the eastern gray tree frog’s call can easily be heard in woodlots. The American toad’s uninterrupted trill can be heard as their breeding season continues. Mosquitoes and black flies have become quite numerous and the frogs are taking advantage of this ample food source. Snapping and painted turtles are busy excavating nests and laying eggs.
Blackberry canes are blossoming and it appears it may be a good crop. Yellow lady slippers, dwarf lake iris, gaywings, jack in the pulpit, clintonia, starflower, thimbleberry, and many other species are blossoming. Species of wild phlox can be found on the forest floor in shades of pink, blue and purple. Phlox have five flower petals, as opposed to the four petals found on dame’s rocket, a similar looking plant that is an exotic, invasive species.
A three-minute audio version of this report can be heard by calling (608) 266 2277.
A new report is put on the line each week.
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NORTHERN REGION
Superior DNR Service Center area
Brule River State Forest - The Bois Brule River is flowing at 136 cubic feet per second (cfs). The 62 year average is 172 cfs. Black bears are more visible as their breeding season has begun. The black bear breeding season is early June to early July. Adult male bears are moving extensively as they search for females to breed with. Female bear have emancipated their young leaving curious and sometimes troublesome yearlings out on their own. These youngsters will be trying to avoid other adult bears which often bring them in close proximity to people's houses. Any food sources that may attract the young bears, such as bird feeders, dog food, and garbage should be taken in. If the young bear won't leave make loud noises to scare them off. About half of upland game birds hatch between June 5 and 15. The weather has not been the greatest for hatching so far this year. Warm and dry weather is best for the hatchlings for the first couple of weeks of their life (until they are feathered out). The cool and damp morning conditions can result in poor hatchling survival rates. The Brule Archery Club and the Brule River State Forest received a grant from the Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin for improvements to the archery course at the Afterhours Trail as well as to purchase youth archery equipment. The club used the new archery equipment at the recent family fun day at the Brule Fish Hatchery to introduce many young people to the sport of archery. Come and see recent improvements to the archery course by participating in the summer archery league starting the week of June 18. Contact the Brule River State Forest at (715) 372-5678 for more details. The Family Fun Day once again turned out to be a great time for participants, workers, and volunteers. Despite the early morning rain, we had record attendance of at least 250 (signed in) to try their hand in the various educational activities such as archery target shooting, turkey calling, fly tying, fly casting, canoeing, gyotaku (fish printing), wildland fire control and much more. To make this event so successful we had help from 20 volunteers from the Brule River Sportsman's Club, Trout Unlimited, Douglas Co. Fish and Game League, National Wild Turkey Federation, WI Wildlife Federation, and the Brule Archery Club. The Brule National Weather Service Work Station reported May precipitation of 1.94 inches, compared to a historical average of 3.44 inches. This precipitation brings the drought year precipitation deficit to -11.11 inches. A trace of snow was recorded on May 20. May turned out to be a warmer than average month this year with both high and low temperatures. The Brule weather station recorded 74 degrees for the average high and 47 degrees for the average low. Historically 67 degrees is the average high while 38 degrees is the average low.
Park Falls DNR Service Center area
The Park Falls area received some needed rain and additional rain is in the forecast this week. Rivers are low and could use the additional water. Fishing activity has been good with nice catches of crappie smallmouth bass and walleye being reported. Bluegill activity is increasing and this weekend should hold some good opportunities to bag some nice bluegill. Musky anglers are also reporting fair success. The water temperatures are slowly warming and warmer temperatures and sunshine would speed the process. The fish should be moving toward their summer habitat as temperatures increase. Bass regular season opens on June 16 in the northern zone. On warm humid nights the eastern gray tree frog’s call can easily be heard in woodlots. The mink and green frogs can also be distinguished by their calls and the bull frog should soon be heard. The American toad’s uninterrupted trill can be heard as their breeding season continues. Snapping turtles and painted turtles are busy excavating nests and laying eggs. Many times these nests are along gravel road shoulders, which make the turtles vulnerable to vehicle traffic. Please slow down and keep a keen eye for any slow moving turtles crossing roadways near wetlands. Mosquitoes and black flies have become quite numerous and the frogs are taking advantage of this ample food source. Tics continue to be numerous so be sure to take protective measures before entering the woods. Deer fawns are appearing more numerous now and be cautious while driving as many can be seen near roadways especially during morning and evening hours. Deer antlers are becoming more noticeable in their velvet cover. Species of wild flowers from the phlox family can be found on the forest floor in shades of pink, blue and purple. As the weather warms and water temperatures become more favorable for water related activities keep safety in mind when pulling persons on skis, tubes or boards. Always wear a personal flotation device and be sure to have an alert spotter on board to monitor the activity of the person in tow. Be alert to other boat traffic and follow traffic rules while on the water.
Upper Chippewa Basin fisheries report (Price, Rusk, Sawyer Taylor and inland Ashland and Iron counties) - The generally cool and windy weather of the past week has made for some erratic fishing action on waters across the Northwoods. Musky, walleye and panfish have been the primary species of interest and all have provided some good but spotty action. Panfish have been the most consistent with some good catches of bluegill, pumpkinseed and crappie being reported. Water temperatures in the low to mid-60s have pushed up the bluegill spawning period and many nice fish have been observed on the beds. Crappie have still been found along the shallow weed edges and the best fishing has been in the early morning and late afternoon hours. Musky success has been fair to good with anglers reporting quite a few sightings and follows. Some decent catches have been made with a 47 inch and 44 inch fish being reported from a couple of the local lakes. Walleye success has been real inconsistent, as heavy mayfly hatches have provided a big source of natural food. It seems that the walleye have been ignoring most of the jig and minnow baits, with crawlers and leeches providing some limited action. Bass action during the early catch and release season has been fair, with up and down water temperatures keeping fish on the move. Most of the catches have been of smaller fish but success on larger fish should begin to improve once spawning activity is completed in the next week or two.
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NORTHEAST REGION
Peshtigo DNR Service Center area
Marinette County - - Heavy rains covered much of the county this week bringing up water levels in lakes and streams. The town of Athelstane received 4 inches overnight Sunday. Warmer weather is predicted for the end of the week. Fishing on the Menominee River is down right now. Anglers reported very slow activity. Walleye were being caught in the 16- to 22-inch range. There were some reports of smallmouth being caught, some ranging 17 to 20 inches. Walleye favored crawler harnesses and leeches. Muskellunge fishing was slow for the anglers. There was a report of an angler landing a 43-inch, 24-pound northern pike by the mouth of the Menominee while trolling for walleye earlier this week. The Peshtigo River has still had very little activity, with some fly-fishing below the dam and two boat trailers by the mouth. Overall fishing is slow and anglers have been even hard to find. The Little River Landing was still too low to launch from last week. An ATV Safety Course will beheld at the Coleman Rescue Squad Building on August 4 through the 11. The course will run on Saturdays at 9 a.m., in order to attend please contact the instructor at (920) 829-0210.
Oconto County - Anglers at Oconto Park II had limited success with only a few perch being caught. Anglers at the Oconto Breakwater had some success with walleye using harnesses and stick bait for smallmouth bass. Overall fishing pressure over the weekend was low. A Boating Education Course will be held at the Bellin-Bond Community Center from June 11 through 14, Monday through Thursday. Please contact the instructor to attend at (715) 582-5024. The Lena High School will be hosting a Basic Hunter education Course beginning June 12 through 23, contact the instructor at (920) 829-6510.
Shawano County - Fawns are being born at this time and please leave them where they are. The mother will return if you allow her the chance. Ruffed grouse, turkey and waterfowl broods are being seen this week. If the rain continues, there should be a nice blackberry crop this year--blossoms are out right now.
Green Bay DNR Service Center area
Brown County - Fishing on the bay continues to be great. Weather conditions cooperated with temps in the 70s and some 80s with calm winds. Water temps continue to be around 60 degrees. Most of the smallmouth bass have moved off their beds with bluegills replacing them. Many smallmouth bass were still being taken out of Little Sturgeon Bay with the larger fish being in the 20-inch, 5-pound range. Many perch anglers have had good luck this week with many limits of fish being seen. Some large perch have been recorded in the 13-inch, 1-pound range. Most of the perch were caught in 20 to 25 feet of water, with minnows the bait of choice. Walleyes were also being recorded with fishing continuing to be great. Most of the walleyes were in 10 to 15 feet of water and anglers using crawler harnesses seem to be doing best. Some sheepshead, catfish, and white bass were also being caught off shore and out of the boats. Some anglers reported good catches of white bass near the dam on the Fox River.
Manitowoc County - In Manitowoc, anglers had another great week of fishing. Anglers trolling on Lake Michigan had success throughout the week. Most anglers were trolling in 90 to 125 feet of water with many boats catching a lot of rainbow trout and some chinook salmon. The weekend brought out more anglers that were also able to land a few coho salmon and lake trout. The lures of choice for most anglers were either a bright colored spoon or a fly and dodger combination. The trout and salmon landed by anglers were of nice size with most of rainbow trout in the 7- to 9-pound range. Chinook salmon were between 11 and 16 pounds, and the coho salmon ranged from 2 to 5 pounds. Anglers fishing from the north pier had a fair week picking up a few chinook salmon by casting spoons in the early morning. On the south pier, most anglers fished shallow water for brown trout. Brown trout fishing was slow this past week, but a couple nice browns were caught that averaged about 5 pounds. In Two Rivers, fishing was good for both pier anglers and boat anglers. Anglers fishing on the north and south pier reported a fair week catching a few chinook salmon ranging from 9 to 13 pounds. Anglers on Lake Michigan were trolling out in 100 to 150 feet of water with their downriggers fishing from 85 to 100 feet down. Large catches of rainbow trout and chinook salmon were common throughout most of the week along with a few lake trout. Chinook salmon were large and ranged in size from 13 to 17 pounds with lengths between 25 to 33 inches. The lake and rainbow trout ranged from 5 to 9 pounds.
Sturgeon Bay DNR Service Center area
Door County - Again this week there was a mixed bag of weather in Door County. More cloudy and cool days, with some scattered showers, mixed with beautiful sunny and warm ones. The fishing is starting to heat up. Nice king salmon, along with brown and lake trout are coming in off of the big lake. Lots of nice smallmouth bass were being caught all over the county. Anglers continue to have the most success on bass using large live minnows, tube jigs and stick baits. Perch action is heating up, with limit catches of big perch, up to 13 inches, coming in. Perch action is hot along the southern shore of Green Bay with Little Sturgeon and Riley’s Bay producing some excellent fish in 30 feet of water, the waters around Chaudoir’s dock are also producing big perch in 19 to 25 feet of water. The Egg Harbor Marina is also producing lots of nice perch. Some nice walleyes were being taken out of Sturgeon Bay by anglers trolling along the shores at night with crank baits and night crawler harnesses. Northern pike were still being taken in Sturgeon Bay. Little Sturgeon is producing some nice catches of crappie and bluegills. There was a report of four nice size muskies being caught and released out of Little Sturgeon Bay this week.
Peninsula State Park - Water levels in Green Bay are still very low. Trails are ready for summer use, and in very good condition. Spring wildflowers are abundant: Yellow lady slippers, dwarf lake iris, gaywings (polygala), jack in the pulpit, clintonia, starflower, thimbleberry, and many other species are blossoming. Peninsula's warbler migrations are past their peak. Sightings of birds continue at a frantic pace. Watch for redstarts and "squadrons" of huge white pelicans! American Folklore Theatre’s summer season will begin June 12. Visit [www.folkloretheatre.com] for details. Tour of the Eagle Bluff Lighthouse are available on weekends, and daily after mid June. Visit their website at [www.EagleBluffLighthouse.org].
Kewaunee County - A mixed bag of weather over the past week has really changed the fishing conditions day to day. Nice days intermixed with days of rain and cool have set in over the county. Fishing has slowed down a little bit, but fish are still being caught. Anglers fishing from shore have been catching some salmon and trout but nothing big has really been caught. Anglers trolling out on the lake have been reporting that the fish were being caught at depths of 100 to 200 feet. Most fish have been caught on spoons and flies. Some nice salmon and trout have been caught offshore of Algoma and Kewaunee, but most fish have been between 10 and 15 pounds with only a few fish over 15 having been reported.
Oshkosh DNR Service Center area
Upper Fox-Wolf basin fisheries report - Walleye fishing has been very good on the Fox River, with anglers using live bait (leeches & crawlers). Catfish have been biting around the Oshkosh area. Large schools of white bass have been spotted around Oshkosh area. Walleye fishing has been fast and furious on the Lake Winnebago system, with anglers primarily using leeches. Keeper walleyes are ranging in the 16- to 20-inch range. Anglers have been having luck from both the shore and out on the lake in 6 to 7 feet of water. White bass are also visible system-wide. On the Upriver Lakes, good-sized northern pike in the 26 to 30 inch range were being hooked on shad raps # 5 and Buckley flicker raps. Good sized walleyes were also being hooked using the same baits. Anglers on Lake Butte des Morts were having good success hooking bluegills around Sunset Bay.
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SOUTHEAST REGION
Havenwoods State Forest – Birds seen or heard in the forest include wood thrush, great-crested flycatcher, coot, bobolink, yellowthroat, yellow warbler, and hummingbirds. Crane flies have been seen mating, and fawns are being seen around the forest.
Lake Michigan fisheries team report
Sheboygan County - In Sheboygan, shore anglers fishing the south pier have been catching a few browns on blue & silver or watermelon spoons. Trollers off Sheboygan have been catching a mixed bag of rainbows, coho, and chinooks in the top 40 feet of water 70 to 200 feet deep. Spoons have taken the most fish.
Ozaukee County - In Port Washington shore fishing has been relatively slow. Trollers out of Port Washington have been catching mostly coho, with some rainbows and chinooks mixed in. Trollers working around 200 feet of water have been catching limits of fish. Coho and rainbows have been in the top 40 feet of water, and chinooks have been 40 to 80 feet down. Dodger and fly combinations in a variety of colors have been effective.
Milwaukee County - In Milwaukee, early morning shore anglers have been catching chinooks on glow-in-the-dark spoons off of McKinley Pier. Milwaukee trollers have been catching good numbers of coho and chinooks, as well as a few rainbows, browns, and lake trout. Orange flashers and flies have been productive 40 to 50 feet down in 75 to 200 feet of water.
Racine County - In Racine, shore fishing has tapered off, with only a few coho caught on glow in the dark spoons fished off the piers. Racine trollers have been catching good numbers of coho in as shallow as 30 feet of water or out as deep as 115 feet. Small dodger and fly combinations have taken the most fish, but a few have been caught on spoons. The best colors have been green, white, or orange.
Kenosha County - Kenosha shore anglers have been catching just a few coho in the harbor. Silver spoons have been most effective. Action for Kenosha trollers has slowed somewhat, with limits harder to come by. Fair numbers of coho have been taken on dodgers and flies from in front of the breakwall out to 100 feet of water.
Inland fisheries team report
The recent stormy weather has put a damper on fishing activity in southeast Wisconsin. When anglers have been able to get out the fishing has been good. Crappies have for the most part completed their spawning and are now relating to weed edges. Bluegills are still spawning and can be found in the shallows on their spawning beds. Bass are also active and providing good action.
Washington, eastern Fond du Lac, and inland Sheboygan counties - The highlight of fishing activity lately has been largemouth bass. Big Cedar Lake, Pike Lake and Long Lake have been good bets for some very good largemouth action. A few northern pike have been caught as well. Panfish should be getting into more of the regular summer patterns very soon as the spawning season comes to a close. Recent rains have raised water levels on local trout streams. The higher, cloudy water should actually be beneficial to many anglers as it seems to stimulate feeding activity by trout.
Waukesha County - Recent storms have slowed fishing down this past week but anglers have been reporting some action on area lakes. Largemouth bass have been active on Pewaukee, Beaver and North lakes best action has been during low light period. Bluegills have been providing steady action with Okauchee, Golden and School Section producing excellent creel of keeper gills. Best bites coming from 7-13 feet of water on small jigs and flies.
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SOUTH CENTRAL REGION
Dodgeville DNR Service Center area
Wyalusing State Park - The Mississippi River stage at Prairie du Chien as of Tuesday was 8.5, no change from the previous day. Local anglers report nice catches of crappies and bluegills. Many of the spring migrants have moved on. Recent bird sightings include: great blue heron, Canada goose, wood duck, mallard, blue-winged teal, turkey vulture, bald eagle, red-shouldered hawk, red tailed hawk, wild turkey, sandhill crane, mourning dove, ruby-throated hummingbird, belted kingfisher, red headed woodpecker, red-bellied woodpecker, yellow-bellied sapsucker, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, northern flicker, pileated woodpecker, least flycatcher, Eastern phoebe, tree swallow, north rough-winged swallow, barn swallow, blue jay, crow, chickadee, white breasted nuthatch, gold finches, house wren, ruby-crowned kinglet, blue-gray gnatcatcher, bluebirds, veery, wood thrush, robin, catbird, cerulean warbler, American redstart, ovenbird, scarlet tanager, cardinals, rose-breasted grosbeak, indigo bunting, red winged blackbird, grackle, cowbird, oriole, orchard oriole, brown creeper, hermit thrush, brown thrasher, cedar waxwing, yellow-throated warbler, , yellow-billed cuckoo, black-billed cuckoo, Acadian flycatcher, Eastern wood peewee, Eastern kingbird. The park office hummingbirds continue to delight park visitors. The park bluebirds are doing great! All twelve boxes had nests, eleven with young or eggs. One house had an English sparrow nest. As of May 22, there were 35 young and nine eggs in the eleven boxes. Some of the earlier hatches should have fledged by now. Wild flowers in bloom include: wild geranium, blue phlox, columbine Jacob’s ladder, spiderwort, cow parsnip, and harebell. The small prairie near the park office is just starting to bloom. Coneflowers, pale purple coneflowers, and butterfly milkweed (to name a few) will soon be in bloom. Butterflies seen in the park include cabbage white, Milbert’s tortoise shell, red admiral, tiger swallowtail, comma, painted lady, and hackberry. Black rat, fox, bull, Eastern hognose, prairie ringneck snakes have been seen. There will be an astronomy program on Saturday, June 9 at 7:30 p.m. The Starsplitters of Wyalusing will present ”Highways in the Sky – Constellations, Asterisms and Star Charts and How to Find Those Darned Things” The program will be held at the Lawrence Huser Astronomy Center. The Astronomy Center is located just past the park office to the right.
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WEST CENTRAL REGION
Baldwin DNR Service Center area
La Crosse DNR Service Center area
Weather in the La Crosse Area has continued to vary from very pleasant to stormy on any given day. Recent rains have swollen La Crosse area streams, and the water has been quite turbid. The Mississippi River is also running a little muddy. The changing weather conditions have been making outdoor recreation plans difficult. Strong winds have been common recently. Fishing action has been hit or miss. Some fishers have been having success on panfish and largemouth bass on backwaters. There has been some action on white bass, smallmouth bass on wing dams of the Mississippi River. White bass and channel catfish are getting ready to spawn and have been biting well. Night fishing has produced some large flathead catfish. Walleye fishing has been off and on depending on the day and location. Fishing action has been light on Lake Neshonoc with some fishers occasionally catching bass and crappies. Boaters and fishers headed out on area waters are reminded to pay close attention to weather forecasts and their surroundings and to be prepared to deal with rapidly changing weather conditions. Now that spring is in full swing, it's time to patrol your property for invasive species. Invasive species invade nearly 2 million acres a year in Wisconsin, resulting in millions of dollars a year in control costs and severe degradation to our nature plant and animal communities. Please take the time to educate yourself on the identification and control of invasive species. Garlic mustard, honeysuckle, buckthorn, and dames rocket are very visible at this time of year and should be controlled. The DNR Web site has more information on controlling invasive species on your property [dnr.wi.gov/invasives/]. Many songbirds are fledging their first clutches of nestlings. As these young birds leave their nests, it will take several additional weeks before they become proficient flyers. Until then, they are vulnerable to predators, such as crows, raccoons, coyotes, fox, cats, and dogs. Young rabbits, squirrels, and foxes have also been reported. There are many other animals having babies or young this time of year. Some people may come across these young animals and not detect the mother or adult and believe the young are orphaned and want to take care of them. Some animals if the parents are killed another member of the larger family group will adopt the orphan and take care of them. The best thing we can do is leave the animals where they are and leave the area so that the adults or mother may return. Many animals like deer actually leave the young alone for a period of time for their own protection so predators do not detect the young animals. The adults may also leave the young to feed or to mislead predators to other locations away from the youngster's hideout. So please remember just because you do not see an adult with a youngster does not mean they are orphaned and the adults may be near by and they are better adaptive at taking care of their young than what we are.
Crawford County - The Mississippi River has been holding in the mid-8 foot range all week. Presently the river stage is at 8.5 feet. The forecast for the Mississippi River is for a very slow decrease this week. The Wisconsin and Kickapoo Rivers are at about normal levels for this time of year considering the rain fall. All the trout streams in the area are also running at normal levels. Fishing action was pretty good to spotty this week. Bluegill action is starting to pick up in the backwaters but many anglers report spotty action. Bluegills have been biting on the Mississippi River up by the Lynxville dam. In the Prairie du Chien area the Ambro Slough Complex was starting to produce some nice bluegills but anglers were really searching around for active fish. Anglers have been finding some action in Big Lake, Tilmont, the Doubles, and Big Missouri but not every day. The Lower Bottoms in the Garnet Lake and Grass Pond area has a fair amount of current, which is disrupting fishing success. Some anglers have been trying for bluegill on wing dams with limited success. Some very nice catches of bluegills were reported on Horseshoe Lake. Bluegill action on the backwaters of the Wisconsin was spotty. Crappie and perch action was spotty. The perch bite up in Pool 9 near the Ferryville was slow a bit this week. White bass action was a little slower this week. Walleye fishing was pretty good at times this week. Anglers have been trolling the area south of the Roseau Slough with some success. Most are trolling or working wing dams with crank baits. Wing dam action on the main channel has been good at times. The “S” curve in the area of Harpers Slough has started to produce some fish. Some anglers were drifting or trolling the west shoreline in about 10 feet of water. Bass fishing on the Mississippi River was pretty good also. Many anglers were catching decent fish on plastics and spinner baits. The bass seem to be spread out all over the place to include the sloughs, main channel, and backwaters. Smallmouth bass action has been good on wing dams, slough closures and rocky shorelines. The smallmouth bass action on the Wisconsin River was very good again this week. Catfish are really starting to bite as it appears many are getting ready to spawn. Some nice catches of catfish came off both the Mississippi and Wisconsin rivers on stink baits or night crawlers. Most noticeable are the Mississippi River catfish which are becoming more active. The best bullhead action has been in shallow backwater areas of both the Mississippi River and the Wisconsin River. Trout anglers report a pretty good action. Many of the local trout streams produced decent brook and brown trout. Fishing tactics are pretty much evenly split between fly fishing and bait fishing. Trout fishing is becoming a bit more difficult due to the heavy vegetation and insects. Bald Eagles continue to tend their nests along the river at various sites. Viewing them is difficult because of the heavy leaf cover. Numerous Canada Geese goslings, mallard and wood duck babies can be seen in the area marshes and waterways. Many other species of birds are actively nesting and some have already hatched their young. Turkey vultures have been very active recently. Whitetail deer fawns are being observed in the county. Many other animals like squirrels and rabbits are having their young about this time of year. The DNR urges people who encounter these baby animals to observe them from a distance and do not pick them up. Also family pets should be monitored closely as they can injure or kill baby animals. Poison ivy and stinging nettle is out in force. A fair amount of mosquitoes are being encountered especially in the low lying areas. Deer flies are also starting to come out.
Eau Claire DNR Service Center area
Brunet Island State Park - 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 since the opener. Species of birds we have been seeing or hearing include: ravens, rose-breasted grosbeaks, loons, robins, red polls, a variety of wrens, phoebes, Canada geese, northern juncos, pileated woodpeckers, and belted kingfishers. The great blue herons, green herons, barred owls, ravens, osprey and bald eagles are on their nests. The fireflies and a variety of dragonflies have shown up in great abundance. Common and wood strawberry, dog violet, marsh marigolds, trillium, wild columbine, bellworts, and the false rue anemones are in bloom.
Wisconsin Rapids DNR Service Center area
Buckhorn State Park - People have been catching fish off the accessible pier. Baby animals are starting to be seen in the park. Please leave the baby animals alone - the mothers are usually close by in the woods. Wildlflowers are starting to bloom along roads and in the savanna/prairie area. There are still a lot of ticks are out with the warmer weather - check after hiking. Mosquito activity is very high - remember your bug spray!! Little brown bats have been returning to the bulletin board by the park office. Canoes and kayaks are available for renting. Take photos of the wildflowers, wildlife, sunsets, people using the park, etc. for the annual photo contest. 2007 youth deer hunt applications are now available. Deadline is July 15.
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VHS Update
[EDITOR’S NOTE: To help the news media and public stay current on developments concerning viral hemorrhagic septicemia, or VHS, recently detected in fish in Lake Michigan and the Lake Winnebago system, we will be producing a VHS Update on Thursdays each week as part of the DNR Outdoor Report. The update will gather VHS news, testing results, and other information and provide links to resources online. You’ll receive this update automatically if you’re on the Outdoor Report listserve. People may subscribe through the DNR Web site.]
VHS update as of June 7, 2007
Stocking update
About 350,000 chinook fingerlings from Wild Rose State Fish Hatchery, and 150,000 chinook fingerlings from a rearing pond near Sturgeon Bay, are being stocked into Lake Michigan this week after testing negative for VHS. The stocking, done after consultation with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, is the first since DNR halted transfers of its hatchery fish on May 16 until fisheries officials could assess the potential risks of inadvertently spreading the virus through its hatchery and field operations. Fisheries officials have concluded the risk of spreading VHS is extremely low, given their test results and their being stocked only into a water where VHS has already been confirmed. The stocking is important because Wisconsin’s waters of Lake Michigan depend on hatchery-raised fish to provide anglers with fishing opportunities for chinook and other Pacific-strain trout and salmon.
Test results for the virus
As of June 7, a whitefish from Lake Michigan has been the only fish to test positive for VHS since a brown trout from Lake Michigan and a smallmouth bass from Sturgeon Bay were diagnosed on May 23 and May 24, respectively, with the disease. For results to date (pdf, 133 kb)), refer to the map on DNR’s Web site.
Boater, angler compliance with VHS emergency rules
Anecdotal reports from DNR wardens indicate that compliance with VHS emergency rules has been excellent. Todd Schaller, Oshkosh supervising warden who made numerous contacts both on the water and at landings, said that compliance and knowledge seemed excellent among the general public. “One angler was in the process of spraying his boat down when I stopped and talked to him,” Schaller said. “I asked to look at his fish and he asked if he could finish spraying the boat first.” In addition, DNR is sending all Winnebago water system fishing tournament directors a letter outlining what they need to tell their anglers about the new emergency rules in place. In some instances, DNR representatives may appear in person to speak at the tournament openings. “Anglers have been attentive, taken the handouts that I've provided and asked a number of questions,” said Kendall Kamke, senior fisheries biologist for the Upper Fox and Wolf Fisheries Unit, who has attended four tournaments so far this season.
Outreach and information
A Spanish language fact sheet, posters, brochures and public service announcements are among the array of materials now available to help people learn more about VHS and how they can help prevent its spread. All of the materials are available online on the VHS web pages under “Publications.”
Winnebago waters covered by administrative rules expanded
The Lake Winnebago System waters covered by emergency rules to prevent the spread of VHS has been refined and expanded. The rules the State Natural Resources Board passed on May 17 cover system lakes and tributaries up to the “first barrier impassable to fish.” The expanded list reflects fish managers’ evaluations, based on tag returns and fish migration studies, of where those impassible barriers truly are in times of flooding and high water to best help contain the disease. Find a list of all waters covered by the emergency rule (pdf, 37 kb) and a map of the Winnebago System waters covered by the rules (pdf, 8.9 kb) on the web.
Bait harvest permits
Applications for free bait harvest permits are coming in by the dozens. As of June 6, more than 375 permits had been issued to bait harvesters to allow them to collect minnows from specific lakes or river stretches. The state Natural Resources Board established the permit system in May to help trace the source and use of bait minnows in order to monitor possible sources of VHS. The permits are good for 14 days and are required for all registered bait dealers in Wisconsin who harvest any wild bait from Wisconsin waters.
Most frequently asked question of the week
Anglers and other water enthusiasts are responding to pleas to alert DNR to fish kills and large numbers of dead fish. Their calls are coming in to DNR offices at a steady clip and some anglers report they’ve got suspect fish bagged in their freezer. Here’s what people can do about fish with symptoms of VHS: bulging eyes, bloated abdomens, inactive or overactive behavior, bleeding in the eyes, skin, gills and at the base of the fins.
Department of Tourism partners to help slow the spread
Tourism Secretary Kelli Trumble recently sent a message to Chambers of Commerce, Convention and Visitor bureaus, travel organizations and individual businesses (pdf, 89 kb) asking them to help spread the word on steps tourists, local anglers, boaters and businesses can help to prevent the spread of invasive species. “Fishing in Wisconsin is spectacular and with your help it will remain as such.”
Last Revised: Thursday June 07 2007
http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/caer/ce/news/or/#top
