Snow continues to blanket most of Wisconsin, but additional snowfall in the last week has been limited and conditions in southeast and west central parts of the state have deteriorated, with some locations reporting a couple of inches or less of snow. However, snow depths continue to range from one to two feet in many locations. Snowmobile trails are now closed in counties with poor snow, but remain open and in fair to good condition in many locations, according to the Department of Tourism Snow Conditions Report (exit DNR). Rain fell last Sunday over much of the state, which was followed by a drop in temperatures. Many state park and forest cross-country ski trails were being reported as icy, but in those areas with better snow, many trails were re-groomed and conditions were still being reported as fair to good.
With the ending of the game fish ice fishing season this past Sunday, angling pressure has significantly dropped off on many waters across the state. However, there were still quite a few panfish anglers venturing out and they continue to have some generally good success, with some nice catches of crappie, perch and bluegill. Some waters do remain open year-found for game fish and walleyes were being caught on the Fox River at DePere. There was a lot of fishing pressure all over Green Bay this week, with anglers catching perch and a few whitefish along with some northern pike and walleye. In Milwaukee, open water was being found in the inner harbor and anglers have been catching a few brown trout. Steelhead should be running up the Lake Michigan tributaries any time, with a few already reported from the Root and Pike rivers.
The opening of the catch and release trout season had some anglers around on a generally good weather day. Coulee area early trout anglers found streams in good conditions for the opener. A continued slow snow melt will be beneficial for both trout and anglers trying to catch them.
The Mississippi River has been steady most of the week and was at about 7.7 feet at Prairie du Chien. Travel upon Mississippi River ice is dangerous in many areas because of melting snow and rain and river current. Most of the Main Channel was still frozen over but that may change this week. Some backwater areas with good oxygenated water were still producing good catches of bluegill and crappie. Some walleye anglers continue to venture onto dangerous ice for walleye and sauger below dams with mixed success and a few anglers have been getting their boats into the water below the dam at Genoa with some success on walleye and sauger.
Coyote are paired up due to breeding season. Due to the snow cover, deer and turkeys are still grouped up, and a few bucks have still been seen carrying antlers.
Early March, typically marks the beginning of northward bird migration; however, things may be delayed somewhat this year. Robins were spotted in Watertown the first weekend in March only to find a blanket of snow still on the ground. With the Mississippi River beginning to open up, diving ducks such as ring-necked, scaup, buffleheads, and goldeneyes should begin arriving soon.
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 After Hours Cross-country Ski Trail skate lanes were groomed again March 5 and were in excellent condition. The groomers have been working hard to get the trails back in shape after a freezing rain last Sunday night. The classic tracks were not been worked on, but may be done yet this week. March is finally here and spring is just peeking around the corner. Temperatures have still been cool and snow is on the ground; however, March typically brings longer and warmer days to remind residents that winter will soon lose its icy hold of the northland. Daylight savings begins March 9, bringing an extra hour of sunlight to take advantage of daylight outdoor activities even longer. Keep in mind that with the extra sunlight during the day and the snow on the ground increases the possibilities of getting a sunburn...the summer time is not the only time to remember to keep the sun block handy! The game fish season closed on March 2, but don't let this keep you away from the ice hole or out of the ice shanty. Late season fishing for panfish can be a great this time of year. Increased fishing activity, warmer temperatures, and easier access as the snow begins to melt off of the lakes helps make great fishing conditions for the entire family. Keep in mind that as the days get warmer, extra caution needs to be taken due to deteriorating ice conditions. March 16 is the deadline to take ice shanties off of the ice north of Highway 64. The northern section of the Bois Brule River from Highway 2 to Lake Superior opens for fishing on March 29. The rest of the river will open for fishing on the Wisconsin Fishing Opener on May 3. While spring is just a step away, the fall season may seem to be in a far off distance. But for those who will be hunting next fall and need to go through the hunters education class, now is the time to begin looking to enroll in a class. Although classes are offered year round, they tend to fill up much quicker towards the fall hunting seasons. The youth turkey hunt is also coming up on April 12 and 13. Youth planning on hunting turkey for this hunt require a hunting education certificate. More turkey youth hunt information can be found at [http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/wildlife/hunt/turkey/youthhunt.htm] Upcoming classes can be found by looking at the Wisconsin DNR Web site at [http://dnr.wi.gov/org/es/enforcement/safety/upcoming.htm] or by calling your local DNR office.
Park Falls DNR Service Center area
Upper Chippewa Basin fisheries report (Price, Rusk, Sawyer Taylor and inland Ashland and Iron counties) - With the ending of the game fish ice fishing season this past Sunday, angling pressure has significantly dropped off on most waters across the Northwoods. However, there are still quite a few panfish anglers venturing out and they continue to have some generally good success. Some nice catches of crappie, perch and bluegill have been reported and most are still being found suspended just off the bottom in the deeper water areas. Waxworms, wigglers and crappie minnows have all produced some decent catches. Ice conditions continue to be excellent with most lakes having between 20 and 24 inches of ice. There is about 4 to 6 inches of snow on top of the ice and this settled a bit with the milder temperatures over the weekend. While auger extensions are not yet needed, continued cold weather may make these necessary for panfish anglers to get their holes drilled in some of the well-traveled areas on the popular fishing lakes.
Woodruff DNR Service Center area
Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest – The Madeline and Escanaba cross-country ski trails were groomed on March 4 and are in good condition.
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NORTHEAST REGION
Peshtigo DNR Service Center area
Shawano County - Iced conditions are still allowing anglers to access most of the lakes for panfish. Fishing has been slow. Snow conditions make it a challenge to get around out on the ice. Snowmobile trails are still open and in fairly good conditions. With the rain, skiing conditions have deteriorated, but snowshoeing is still good with the colder weather. Streams are beginning to flow now that spring is just around the corner. Cranes and red-winged blackbirds should return soon.
Green Bay DNR Service Center area
Brown County – Some walleyes were being caught on the Fox River at Voyageur Park in DePere mostly at dawn and dusk.
Sturgeon Bay DNR Service Center area
Door County - - Anglers have been catching some perch out of Sturgeon Bay. Most of the perch were being caught in deeper water. There was a lot of presser all over the bay by anglers. A few whitefish were also being caught. Anglers were also targeting pike and walleye with a few fish being caught. Most people are using minnows and wigglers for the perch. There was also a lot of pressure out of the Ern-Joys landing over the last week. There were good numbers of perch caught over the last week, and people have also been getting a few whitefish. Anglers have caught good numbers of whitefish off Sugar Creek and also a few perch.
Peninsula State Park – As of March 5, snow cover was approximately 10 inches. All sections of the park's 16 mile cross-country ski trail system are in very good condition. However, conditions can change rapidly if temperatures exceed 32 degrees for any length of time. Snowmobile trails are open and in good condition. The sledding hill is open.
Whitefish Dunes State Park - As of Monday, March 3, with the last snowfall of an inch, the trails are snow-covered but skiable. Hikers, snowshoers and dog walkers can use the black trail and the beach. The shelter building is available daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The ice bluffs have been building up on the shore over the last week but are still hazardous to go out on. Buffleheads, mergansers and golden eyes are common in the bay with longtails showing up on rare days. The bald eagle pair has been seen along the shore and perching on the ice bluffs. Fox tracks are common on the red trail with turkey and deer found along the black trail. The bird feeder has seen all four types of woodpeckers in the last week, pileated, redheaded, downy and hairy.
Oshkosh DNR Service Center area
High Cliff State Park - As of Wednesday, March 5, cross-country ski trails were skiable but only in fair condition.
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SOUTHEAST REGION
Kettle Moraine State Forest, Lapham Peak Unit – As of March 4, cross-country ski trail conditions were mixed. The man-made snow loop was in very good condition with a new classic track set Monday. The rest of the system was not as good. The entire skating lane was groomed and in fair to good shape, although there are several icy patches. The classic track outside of the man-made snow loop was poor and will be reset on Wednesday.
Kettle Moraine State Forest, Southern Unit – Despite the rain and warm temps on Sunday cross-country ski trails are still well covered with snow. There are some scattered glare ice patches, the snow is crusty and there is a fair amount of tree debris on the trail. The trails were groomed on Tuesday breaking up the crusty snow, creating a layer of loose snow on a hard base. No classical tracks have been set at this time - a double classical track will be set at Scuppernong either Wednesday or Thursday. Nordic is well covered with snow, but there are some scattered glare ice patches and the snow is crusty. The trail was groomed Tuesday breaking. No classical track was set - although the remains of the old track are still in pace but icy. Skate skiers should find quite good conditions - but scary fast. McMiller is well covered with snow. There are some scattered glare ice patches, and the snow is crusty. The trails were groomed on Tuesday. The inner loops (red, orange, white and green) are in the best condition with few ice patches (other than a good sized one at the 1 K mark. The outer Blue loop has more glare ice patches, including 2 - 100 yard sections just past the 5 K mark. A classical track was set on the red loop and additional track will be set Wednesday or Thursday. Contact the trail hotline at 262-594-6202 for more immediate information.
Kettle Moraine State Forest, Northern Unit – The Zillmer cross-country ski trail received about 1/2 inch of snow after the rain last weekend. The Red and Green Loops were groomed for skate and classical skiing on Monday evening. Conditions for skating were very good to excellent -- the track should be fast! The striding track did not take shape that well because of the hard icy conditions on these loops; however, the tracks are very skiable. The Brown loop was groomed for skating; the striding tracks were not worked on. Beware of the very icy conditions at the beginning and end of this loop.
Lake Michigan fisheries team report
Milwaukee County - In Milwaukee, open water can be found in the inner harbor. Shore anglers fishing at the MMSD office building have been catching a few browns on shiners and spoons. The Menomonee River at Miller Park is free of ice, and flows are good for drift fishing. Oak Creek is also open and fishable. Steelhead should be running up the tributaries any time.
Racine County - In Racine the Root River is ice free in most areas upstream of Lincoln Park. Good numbers of brown trout and steelhead have been caught in Colonial Park in the afternoon hours. Drifting spawn sacs or skein has produced the most fish.
Kenosha County - The Pike River in Kenosha is open in stretches. Steelhead have been spotted in the Petrifying Springs Park area. In the harbor, open water can be found near the Holiday Inn, but there is still ice near the boat launch.
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SOUTH CENTRAL REGION
Dodgeville DNR Service Center area
Iowa County
Blue Mound State Park - Cross-country ski conditions are very good for classical skiing. All trails were groomed and a new track set March 4. There is a deep, firm base that is not icy, with plenty of snow.
Horicon DNR Service Center area
Dodge County – Snowmobile and ATV trails closed on Sunday March 2 due to warm temperatures. The ATV Trail on the Wild Goose Trail in Dodge County has been reopened effective Tuesday, March 4, but snowmobile trails remained closed.
Fitchburg DNR Service Center area
Sauk County
Mirror Lake State Park – As of March 6, all 19 miles of cross country ski trails are tracked, groomed and in fair condition. With warmer daytime temperatures expect soft, possibly sticky, slow conditions in the afternoon and hard, icy, fast conditions in the morning hours. No bare spots reported, but expect some falling leaves the trail.
Dane County
Lake Kegonsa State Park - Cross country ski trails are in fair condition and were groomed and tracked on Tuesday, March 4. Some areas may be icy, please use caution.
Jefferson County - Anglers were having good success catching a few limits of bluegill off of Tyranena Park on Rock Lake by jigging with waxworms or plastic. Some of the bluegills were small but some 8 inchers were being caught. The ice on the area lakes is still in good condition with over 18 inches in many locations. The ice on the Rock and Crawfish rivers is dangerous due to recent runoff. The snowmobile trails are currently closed in both Dodge and Jefferson counties. Call 920-386-3705 for trail updates in Dodge County and 920-699-SNOW in Jefferson County. The ATV trail on the Wild Goose trail in Dodge County is open, however. Call the trail status line to check for updates. Coyote hunters are having good success in locating coyotes as they are paired up due to breeding season. A pair of adult bald eagles and a juvenile have been seen just outside of Watertown for the past couple weeks. Robins were spotted in Watertown the first weekend in March only to find a blanket of snow still on the ground. A bird watcher reported seeing an osprey near the Rock River by Jefferson late in February.
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WEST CENTRAL REGION
Baldwin DNR Service Center area
Willow River State Park – Cross-country ski trails were groomed in the skating lane Tuesday, March 4 and an inch of snow followed. Skiing was slow on Wednesday afternoon in both the skating and classic lanes. Classic skiers will have to do without track on some down hills and other areas. The best track is in the campground and on the Blue trail where it is two way between the Falls and the return loop. We’ll have skiing through this weekend for sure, and maybe one more. In a test run for things to come next ski season, the Willow River grooming team took the equipment to Kinnickinnic State park for a test run with the groomer last week. The results were better than expected on the narrow trails, which will be multiple use, and not reserved exclusively for skiing. With shared use it will be classic skiing only. The groomers will probably not return to Kinnickinnic until the 08-09 ski season. Those who skied on the newly groomed trails reported conditions as excellent on Saturday. As of Monday, the ice condition also exists at Kinni. There will be more to come on this as the 08-09 ski season draws closer. The opening of the catch and release trout season had some anglers around on a generally good weather day and a half. One 16-inch brown trout was reported. As the season progresses, wading anglers need to be aware of the cold water and get out once in a while. Fishing on the lake continues until turbid water in the river temporarily ends hope for good fishing. As of March 5, the river was running at normal flow and clarity. It is that time of year when a rapid thaw can change the river clarity quickly. A few crappies are still being caught on the lake. Some deer still have antlers.
La Crosse DNR Service Center area
La Crosse County snowmobile trails are currently closed. La Crosse area early catch and release trout anglers found streams in good conditions for the opener this past weekend. A continued slow snow melt will be beneficial for both trout and anglers trying to catch them. There is little frost in the ground due to our snow cover, which has helped allow some melt waters to soak into the ground. Some backwater areas with good oxygenated water were still producing good catches of bluegill and crappie. Some walleye anglers continue to venture onto dangerous ice for walleye and sauger below area dams with mixed success. Some anglers have been getting their boats into the water at the Genoa pool 9 landing and fishing the deep water below the closing dam at the power plant with some success on walleye and sauger. Boat anglers reported large blocks of ice breaking away and opening up more water over the weekend. Many anglers are eagerly watching the ice break up with lots of speculation on when the channel will open for boats below the Genoa dam. With a heavy blanket of snow still covering the ground, it may seem as though the spring bird migration is far away. Early March, however, typically marks the beginning of northward bird migration. Over the next two months, many species of birds will migrate into, through, and from Wisconsin as they move to their breeding areas. This influx starts gradually and builds toward a climax that usually occurs in late April or early May. As the Mississippi River begins to open, watch for diving ducks -- ring-necked ducks, scaup, or bluebills, buffleheads, and goldeneyes. Inland, keep an eye out for red-winged blackbirds, meadowlarks, and grackles, all members of the blackbird family, robins, and killdeer to arrive around mid-March. Before winter ends is also a good time to be scouting for next fall's hunting seasons. Wetlands are particularly easy to traverse in winter, although hikers still need to be careful not to fall through weak ice.
Perrot State Park - The area has received very little snow and some rain. The cross-country ski trails are icy and in poor condition. Additional grooming will take place if there is more snow. The Friends of Perrot have snowshoes available for visitors to check out. Donations for their use can be made to the Friends. Snowshoeing and hiking are allowed on hiking trails which are not groomed for skiing. Ice fishing has been slow. Some eagles have been spotted in the area, especially around open water.
Merrick State Park - The area has received very little snow and some ice. The hiking trails have been groomed but not tracked for cross-country skiing. Ice fishing has been very slow. Ice fishers are reminded to park in plowed areas only. To access ice fishing areas with an ATV or snowmobile, please off load at either boat landing. A great horned owl has been sighted near the park office this past week. A local pair of pileated woodpeckers can often be seen in the south campground.
Great River State Trail - There has been very little snow and some ice. As of March 4, all La Crosse and Trempealeau county snowmobile trails are closed. For current snowmobile trail conditions in La Crosse County call 608-782-450 ext 1083. For trail conditions in Trempealeau County call 715 538-2311 ext. 205. All snowmobile trails within the city limits of Onalaska are closed from 10 p.m. until 7 a.m.
Buffalo River State Trail - As of March 4th, all Trempealeau county snowmobile trails are closed. For current snowmobile trail conditions in Trempealeau County call 715 538-2311 ext. 205. For conditions in Buffalo County call 608-685-2410.
Crawford County - All the snowmobile trails in the county closed after the warn temperatures and rain. The Mississippi River has been steady most of the week at about 7.7 feet. The Wisconsin River and the Kickapoo River were slightly up this past week. All the river systems are expected to rise this week due to this weekend’s warm temperatures and rain. Ice conditions got worse this weekend. Temperatures in the upper 40s and rain this weekend caused some problems, mostly below the dams on the Mississippi River. Travel upon the ice is dangerous in many areas because of melting snow and rain and river current. Ice thickness ranges from less than an inch over 16 inches of ice. Most of the Main Channel of the Mississippi and Wisconsin Rivers is frozen over but that may change this week. Back water sloughs that have current flowing through them can be dangerous and ice conditions vary there. This past weekend’s warm temperatures made for sloppy travel on the ice. Many of the other back water sloughs are in good shape regarding ice conditions. Those unfamiliar with ice fishing in the Crawford County area should not venture out alone or travel in areas where others have not been. Bluegill, perch, and crappie action this past week was generally slow. Cold Spring continues to be spotty. Shoreline fishing was at Cold Spring was pretty good especially this weekend. A lot of smaller bluegills were being caught, however, some decent sized ones were also taken. Anglers fishing through the ice have had limited success using a variety of jig colors. Some have been catching crappie and bluegill by the railroad track. Ice conditions deteriorated this weekend however. The Ambro Slough, Mud Slough and Tilmont Lake area were spotting. Fishing continued to be slow throughout the weekend. There were a few days this past week where a few anglers found some pretty good catches of perch, crappie and bluegill. Anglers were using a variety of baits and on some days need to change colors frequently to find what is working best. Some anglers have ventured up to Fish Lake and the Lower Doubles where bluegill fishing was also spotty. Action farther up at Little and Big Missouri and the Upper Doubles was slow too. The Fennimore Cut produced some decent crappie this week, but that too was spotty. Ice conditions on the Ambro Slough upstream from the USFWS landing is a bit dangerous because of the feeder stream that enters the slough. Caution is advised in that area. Ice fishing on Sturgeon Slough was very slow last week. Some anglers ventured out to McGregor Lake where the action was spotty. The lower bottoms outside Prairie du Chien have not seen much fishing activity due to access problems. Airboats or hover craft is the best and safest way to access this area. Up to Sunday of last week the fishing below the Lynxville dam for sauger was pretty good. The weather warmed up on Sunday and rain followed causing ice conditions to be extremely dangerous. No one was on the ice later on Sunday. Bald eagles can be seen along the Mississippi and Wisconsin Rivers near open water areas. Many reports of eagles being sighted further inland searching for food. Eagles have been seen feeding in farm fields. Deer and turkeys have grouped up in search of food also.
Black River Falls DNR Service Center area
Black River State Forest - Rain and 49 degree temperatures wreaked havoc on the trails last Sunday. While there is still a good base in the woods, conditions are too icy for skiing. If the forest receives adequate snow later this week crews may groom for the weekend. Check back on Friday.
Eau Claire DNR Service Center area
Brunet Island State Park – As of March 3, with the recent warm temperatures the Brunet Island cross country ski trails were still in good condition. Snowshoeing conditions in other areas of the park are good with a thin crust on the snow. Pan fishing pressure has been very light in the north campground bays. The park does not monitor ice conditions. The Cornell flowage water levels fluctuate throughout the year and we urge caution when venturing onto the ice. Vehicle passes are required year round. Species of birds seen or heard include: nuthatches, ravens, black capped chickadees, piliated woodpeckers, great horned owls, barred owls, and bald eagles.
Wisconsin Rapids DNR Service Center area
Buckhorn State Park - The snowmobile route has been reopened through the park. Conditions may deteriorate by the end of the week and on the weekend with chance of warmer temperatures. The oak barrens nature trail and pond trail have been packed. Hiking is not allowed on the groomed trails. Some roads are now closed to vehicles due to snow and the snowmobile trail. Many people have been out ice fishing on the lake. Remember – park staff does not monitor ice conditions - be safe out on the lake! There are still dates available for the accessible cabin in May, Sept, and Oct. 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. Sites 8, 9, 16 are open year-round, sites are 1st come/1st served, and drinking water is available at the park office. Site 8 is plowed and has electric!
Roche-A-Cri State Park - The ski trails have been packed in the park and many visitors have been enjoying them. Hiking and pets are not allowed on the groomed trails - please stay off to the side. . The main entrance is closed at this time; use the Czech Ave/winter parking lot. The stairs are not maintained for winter use. Trails may begin to deteriorate this weekend with the warmer temperatures. This may be one of the last chances for great winter use pictures for the photo contest.
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