Winter continued to rear its head late last week in northern Wisconsin, with some areas of northern Ashland, Iron and Vilas counties receiving nearly a foot of heavy, wet snow. Warm temperatures this week melted most of the snow that fell. As of mid week, only Iron, Vilas and portions of Oneida counties were reporting snow on the ground, with depths ranging from 4 to 10 inches. Most of the rest of the state has been experiencing more spring-like weather, and strong winds this week opened up many lakes in southern through central Wisconsin. Ice continues to slowly deteriorate in the north, with some lakes still having 18 to 20 inches.
With warmer temperatures and strong winds, the spring wildfire season is underway and much of central and southwestern Wisconsin is at high fire danger levels this week. Debris burning is the dominant cause of wildfires in the state. Current fire danger levels and burning permit status along with more information about burning permit requirements can be found on the Forest Fire control program pages of the DNR Web site or by calling 1-888-WIS-BURN (947-2876).
Spring fish spawning activities is high on river systems, with lots of anglers reported fishing rivers for spring run walleyes. Fishing pressure has been heavy on some rivers, including the Menominee, Peshtigo, Wolf, Fox and lower Wisconsin. The Mississippi River rose more than 2 feet in the last week at Prairie du Chien and was at 12.3 feet mid week, and expected to crest next week at about 14 feet. The high water slowed walleye and sauger fishing at dams on the river.
Water temps in the Wolf River have increased to 45 degrees, about 8 degrees away from optimum sturgeon spawning temperature. Sturgeon are in the river but as of Wednesday, there was no pre-spawning porpoising activities to view. Once the temperature gets to the desired 52 - 54 degrees, sturgeon will languish in these warmer waters for two to three days before spawning. If the warm weather continues, sturgeon could begin spawning in the Wolf River in the New London and Shiocton areas next week. The DNR Sturgeon hotline has recorded daily updates at (920) 303-5444, and more information can be found on the sturgeon spawning pages of the DNR Web site.
Water levels on the more northern Lake Michigan tributaries were even higher than last week, but action for steelhead was still going on strong. Stream flows were dropping on southeastern Lake Michigan tributaries, but water levels are still somewhat high on the Sheboygan, Milwaukee, and Root rivers. High seas and gusty winds discouraged most boat anglers from trolling Lake Michigan, but a few boats off Door County were picking up some nice brown trout. The ice is out of most of the harbors on the bay side of the county, including Sawyer Harbor which opened this week. In the southeast, a few brown trout were being caught in and around the Sheboygan, Port Washington, and Milwaukee harbors.
Late season ice fishing pressure has been fairly light, but a few anglers have still been trying their luck. Perch and crappie have provided most of the action, with the perch starting to move to shallower water in anticipation of ice-out and the spring spawning ritual.
Great horned owl, raven, and eagle chicks are being reported in some nest, and wild canids such as wolves, coyotes, and fox are giving birth to their young in dens.
Male ruffed grouse are reaching the peak of their annual breeding activities known as drumming. Males locate a downed log, tree, or rock on which to display. Males attract females with a series of repeated, rapid wing strokes with 3 to 4 minutes between series. As their wings compress the air, they create a vacuum, which results in a thumping noise.
Tom turkey are actively displaying. Youth turkey hunters were met with chilly temperatures for last weekend’s youth hunt, but most hunters still reported fair gobbling action.
South winds brought many new birds into Wisconsin over the last week, including hermit thrush, yellow-bellied sapsucker, fox sparrow, yellow-rumped warblers, American bitterns, and sora and Virginia rails. The tundra swans migration is well underway with large numbers of birds seen in flooded agricultural fields from Green Bay west and northwest to Burnett County.
Garlic mustard is “greening up” in the south, making it easy to find, so this is a good time to pull and dispose of this highly invasive plant. Check the DNR Web site for more information.
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.
Statewide Birding Report
Warmer temperatures and south winds have brought many new birds into Wisconsin over the last week. Forest migrants include hermit thrush, yellow-bellied sapsucker, kinglets, winter wren, fox sparrow and yellow-rumped warblers. American bitterns, sora and Virginia rails and other marsh species have returned to southern Wisconsin. The annual migration of tundra swans is well underway with large numbers of birds seen in flooded agricultural fields from Green Bay west and northwest to Burnett County. Breeding activity is also picking up for birders who like to watch displays of woodcock, prairie chickens, sharp-tailed grouse, cranes and other early breeders. Ruffed Grouse drumming has also begun in earnest now in many areas of the state. Northern Wisconsin birders are still reporting redpolls, evening grosbeaks, and a few lingering northern shrikes. Next week should bring the first push of early shorebirds and upland sandpipers, grasslands birds (Henslow's sparrow), and more of the early forest migrants including blue-gray gnatcatcher, house wren and a few early warblers along with broad-winged hawks and short-eared owls. Please report bird sightings to eBird (
www.ebird.org/WI) to help better track bird migration this spring.
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Wildfire Conditions as of April 17, 2008
The spring wildfire season is underway in Wisconsin and fire danger levels are at High in certain areas of the state. Weather changes rapidly this time of the year and burning permits will be cancelled when conditions call for this safety precaution. Debris burning is the dominant cause of wildfires in the state. With spring clean up, burning should always be the last option. Current fire danger levels and more information about fire laws, regulations, and burning permit requirements can be found on the Forest Fire pages of the DNR Web site or by calling 1-888-WIS-BURN (947-2876).
Firewise Tip: Keep your roof, gutters and yard free of leaf and pine needle debris. Firebrands from a wildfire could easily ignite these fuels which in turn could ignite your home. April 20-26 is Wildfire Prevention Week. Remember, Only You Can Prevent Wildfires!
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VHS fish disease update for April 17
Anglers can find the answers to their questions about using minnows in an updated "Fish as Bait" brochure now available on the VHS publications page of theDNR Web site. Copies of the brochure and a poster also were sent this week to the 890 bait dealers in the state, asking the dealers to display the materials and provide them to anglers.
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NORTHERN REGION
Superior DNR Service Center area
Brule River State Forest - Could it be spring this time? Early last week the majority of the snow melted, only to have 11 inches of very wet and heavy new snow fall again. On the bright side the snow produced 1.20 inches of melted precipitation at the Brule DNR station. As of Thursday, April 17 most of the snow has once again melted. Due to the snow melt runoff along the Brule River Valley, the river is flowing high, fast, and muddy as it is flowing at 337 cubic feet per second (cfs) on April 17. The 63 year average is 266 cfs. Anglers need to be extra cautious along the riversides as there are still ice ledges which of course are not only slippery, but they have weakened due to the warmth making navigation on the ledges precarious. Under normal circumstances the Bois Brule River is very cold due to the spring fed waters, but with the cooler temperatures and the snow/ice melt, the water is exceptionally cold making hypothermia a very real concern if someone were to fall in. One only has to go outside and listen to know that spring is here. The sounds of red-winged blackbirds, common snipe, American woodcock, killdeer, and brown creeper, kingfisher, phoebe, and robins are filling the air with their vocalizations. Great horned owls, ravens, and eagles should have chicks in their nests now and wild canids such as wolves, coyotes, and fox should be giving birth to their young in dens. Sandhill cranes are making their unusual (movie style pterodactyl sounding) unison calls to each other. Salamanders will be moving to and from their breeding ponds when the first warm rain comes. The spring public meeting for the Brule River State Forest will be held Saturday, April 19 at 10 a.m. at the Brule Town Hall. Items to be discussed are projects that have been completed and projects that are planned for 2008, upcoming timber sales, and potential management Activities on newly acquired lands. For more information call the Brule River State Forest, (715) 372-5678. Volunteers needed on Saturday April 26 For the annual Bois Brule River spring clean-up. The Brule River Sportsmen's' Club will be in need of volunteers to help clean up litter along the river corridor Saturday, April 26. Meet in Brule at the pavilion at the Lions park at 9 a.m. for coffee and donuts prior to assignment of a clean up area. Following clean up, lunch will be provided at noon by the Club at the Round Up North in Brule. Bring boots and warm clothing. For more details contact Dennis Smet at 715-372-8377 or John Holter at 715-372-8947. The Brule-St. Croix Chapter North Country Trail Association will be having its semi-annual meeting Saturday, April 26 at 9 a.m. at the Highland Town Hall. For more information call Dave at 715-378-2603
Ashland DNR Service Center area
Copper Falls State Park - Warmer weather has finally arrived. Snow is rapidly disappearing and the river is flowing at a typical spring rate making the falls spectacular within the park. Canada geese, sandhill cranes, redwing blackbirds, and robins have been back in the Mellen area for about two weeks. The Copper Falls tower is currently under renovation and is scheduled to be re-opened mid to late summer. Campers are reminded to make reservations for the summer by calling 1-888-947-2757 as camping at Copper Falls is very popular during the summer months. For the second year in a row, campers staying a Copper Falls will not be allowed to bring firewood into the park that originated beyond 50 miles away.
Park Falls DNR Service Center area
Upper Chippewa Basin fisheries report (Price, Rusk, Sawyer Taylor and inland Ashland and Iron counties) - Ice conditions continue to slowly deteriorate on lakes and flowages across the Upper Chippewa Basin. The 8 to 10 inches of heavy wet snow that was received over the weekend is nearly gone and we are back to melting the existing ice cover. Most waters still have 18 to 20 ices of ice yet, with the top 4 to 6 inches being very soft and grainy. Regular access sites have been pretty much unusable for the last week and most late-season ice anglers have been getting on the lakes by foot and from the south and eastern shores. Late season ice fishing pressure has been fairly light in the past week and most anglers seem to have called it a year. A few anglers have still been trying their luck and have had mixed results. Some days have produced some fair catches of panfish and other days have found bites very hard to come by. Perch and crappie have provided most of the action, with the perch starting to move to shallower water in anticipation of ice-out and the spring spawning ritual. Perch have been found near the bottom in 8 to 14 feet of water, and small minnows and waxworms have been the preferred baits. Crappie were still being found in deeper water and suspended anywhere from 3 to 8 feet off the bottom. Small finesse plastics and crappie minnows have been the best baits.
Woodruff DNR Service Center area
The ever changing weather patterns are responsible for a wide range of spring time conditions. Caution should be used when venturing out on the smaller lakes as they are beginning break-up. On the contrary, the larger lakes still have lots of ice and are still getting some “brave” ice anglers. The warm waters have initiated the spring fish spawning activities in area creeks, rivers and lakes. Anglers who decide to venture out for some early season fishing activity are only allowed to target fish during the open season for that species. Current mild conditions are providing for great turkey hunting opportunities. Migrating waterfowl can be found in good numbers around the area. A reminder that March 31 was the expiration date of hunting and fishing licenses. People who have not purchased a license yet may do so at any license outlets or DNR service center. Eagles can be seen in good numbers catching wind currents and soaring over the countryside. Deer are now moving about and caution is advised while driving as the shoulders are usually the first to green up and attract deer.
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NORTHEAST REGION
Peshtigo DNR Service Center area
Marinette County - Fishing has been fast and furious, with walleye action topping the list. The Hattie St. fishing walkway saw the most action. The top producing lures being were jig head/ twister tail and Zip spoons being fished vertically. Hot colors for jigs were chartreuse, red, or blue and white; zip spoons in blue and silver as well as fire tiger colors produced extremely well. A few trout were also being caught on the bay with anglers using planer boards and raps. Below the dam in Peshtigo was standing room only with walleye again topping the list and crank baits being the most effective way to fish. Many inland lakes have ice cover yet and piers will be placed as soon as possible. Inland streams are still at high stages due to the weekend precipitation. Turkey are active and displaying. Deer are present on agricultural fields as they begin to green up.
Oconto County - Boats are launching from the breakwater harbor and running up by the hospital bridge for walleye or out in bay for browns. There is a good sucker bite going on at the mouth of the harbor using chunks of night crawlers fished on the bottom and they are delicious smoked. The Stiles dam is producing walleye and a few browns; stick baits and twister tails have been the baits of choice.
Shawano County - Walleye spawning near Shawano will probably wrap up this week but fishing should pickup after fish are done spawning. Water temperatures are still too cold for sturgeon spawning although that may change in a few days.
Green Bay DNR Service Center area
Brown County - On the Fox River in Green Bay, walleye are still abundant, including large trophies. Many walleye are in the process of spawning; it is predicted that the spawning run will last another week. Boat and shore anglers were both catching fish; however, success was down from the past couple of weeks. Heavy currents from high water levels and high winds from this past week’s weather have made it difficult for anglers to fish their best techniques especially boat anglers. Jigs and minnows, plastics, crank baits, and zip lures are all catching fish. Night and early morning seem to be the most consistent times for success.
Manitowoc County - Unfavorable weather conditions, high water in streams and rough lake conditions lead to a slow fishing week for local anglers. In Manitowoc, anglers fishing on the north side of the marina's breakwater with spoons or spawn sacs had a slow week with few fish landed. By Sunday a few anglers tried their luck on the upper Manitowoc River from the Clarks Mills Dam down to Lower Cato Falls County Park as river flow eased a bit. Fishing was slow for anglers fishing with worms while casting spoons produced a couple small northern pike. The Branch River had little to no fishing pressure over the week because of the unfavorable conditions. On the East Twin River anglers had to contend with rain and cold winds; however, it paid off for some anglers as rainbow trout activity was good. Thursday was especially good for anglers fishing the Mishicot Dam. Anglers had most success using large fresh spawn sacs and one fly fishing angler landed a nice brightly colored male rainbow trout weighing in at 5.5 pounds and 26 inches. On the West Twin River water was flowing fast and high making it difficult for anglers to fish close to Shoto Dam. However, early in the week a couple rainbow trout anglers caught a few nice Ganaraska strain rainbows ranging in weight from 5 to 6 pounds. In Two Rivers, few trout and salmon anglers were fishing from the piers or in the harbor. High seas and gusty winds discouraged most boat anglers from trolling Lake Michigan.
Sturgeon Bay DNR Service Center area
Door County - The weather started out pretty good, with mild temperatures the first part of the week. Everything changed by Friday, when winter reared its ugly head and dropped a couple of inches of heavy wet snow. Saturday was almost as bad; however, at least the precipitation wasn’t white. Hopefully spring will be back this coming week. Again this week, anglers trolling Lake Michigan off of Door County were picking up some nice brown trout. Steelhead continued to come out of most of the streams flowing into Lake Michigan. Water levels are even higher than last week, making for very dangerous conditions. The ice is out of most of the harbors on the bay side of the county; however, most of the ramps have not opened as yet.
Peninsula State Park – As of April 16, most snow was gone, but there were scattered patches on trails and back roads. All trails are closed to biking until very wet conditions abate. Avoid hiking trails that traverse low areas. All roads except Middle Road are now open to vehicle traffic. The Door County Half Marathon (and 5k run) will be held in Peninsula State Park on Saturday, May 3, starting at 10 a.m. During this time access to the park will be limited, as road sections will be closed for approximately two hours. Waterfowl sightings are abundant along the shore of Peninsula State Park. New birds are arriving daily. Wood frogs are calling. We look forward to spectacular warbler migrations in May. Watch for bald eagles, sandhill cranes, migrating hawks and turkey vultures. Water levels in Green Bay and Lake Michigan remain very low. Water systems are still shut down for the season. A central water supply and vault toilets are available. Peninsula State Park golf course is scheduled to open on April 26, subject to good weather conditions.
Potawatomi State Park - Sawyer Harbor is free of ice as of this week. Bike trails are temporarily closed due to wet conditions. Roads closed during the winter should be open to traffic by April 25. The shower building and dump station will open the first weekend in May. After some spring repairs, the tower should be open by May 10.
Kewaunee County - Fishing action for steelhead has still been going on strong on all tributaries to Lake Michigan. Streams still have relatively high water levels, but there were still fish to be caught. Reports of steelhead have been caught in particular on Silver Creek using spawn sacs. Brown trout have been caught off the Algoma pier as well. Trolling has been fairly slow this past week, most likely due to weather conditions. Some rain appears to be in the forecast this week, so anglers should take advantage of the nice days.
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SOUTHEAST REGION
Harrington Beach State Park - The trails have wet and muddy spots. The Bridal Trail as well as Meadowlark Trail are closed. Please stay off these trails due to construction of the campground. Quarry Lake and Puckett’s Pond have thawed for the year. These bodies of water are part of the Urban Fishing program. These waters have a special season (March 8 to April 25) for juveniles 15 of age and younger and certain disabled angler. Please see page 20 of the current fishing regulations for information. On Saturday, April 19 from 6 to 9 p.m. there will be a night hike at Harrington Beach State Park. This hike is a memorial to former Friends of Harrington Beach State Park Board member James "Jim” Schendel, who died in January. Many visitors to Harrington Beach State Park may remember Jim as "the man in the wheelchair" who was often seen helping at the hikes, or working in the concession on summer Sundays. Jim, a paraplegic for most of his life, was on the board of the friends organization and was its vice-president at the time of his death. Jim worked hard to help individuals and communities recognize and respond to the needs of persons with physical challenges. So to honor him, Jim's family and friends and the Friends group plan to build a cabin in the park specifically designed for people with disabilities. It will be designed specifically to meet the needs of handicapped persons who would otherwise find it too difficult to use the camping facilities that are being constructed in the park. The hike is a free event, although a park sticker is required for admission to the park. The handicapped -accessible trail around Quarry Lake will be lit by tiki torches. Walkers will also be able to purchase a light meal of sloppy joes or hotdogs. All proceeds that evening are dedicated to the James Schendel Memorial Fund. Tax deductable Donations may also be made to the Friends of Harrington Beach State Park, specifying that the money be added to Jim's memorial fund. Further information is available by calling Andrew Krueger, Harrington Beach State Park Ranger, at 262-285-3015
Lake Michigan fisheries team report
Stream flows are dropping on Lake Michigan tributaries in Southeast Wisconsin, but water levels are still somewhat high on the Sheboygan, Milwaukee, and Root rivers. Smaller streams such as the Pigeon River, Weedens Creek, Sauk Creek, the Menomonee River, Oak Creek, and the Pike River are fishable.
Sheboygan County - In Sheboygan, fishing off the piers has been slow. A few boaters have been fishing in and around the Sheboygan harbor, and they have been catching brown trout on crank baits.
Ozaukee County - In the Port Washington harbor the water is very muddy, and shore anglers fishing near the power plant have been catching only suckers. Early in the morning the Port Washington pier has been producing brown trout on shiners.
Milwaukee County - In Milwaukee, anglers fishing the Menomonee River near the post office have been catching a few browns on spawn. Oak Creek has produced a few steelhead on spawn sacs near the mouth. Milwaukee shore anglers fishing behind the Summerfest grounds have been catching a few browns on spawn sacs fished off the bottom or on shiners under a slip bobber. Boaters fishing the Milwaukee harbor have been catching good numbers of browns.
Racine County - In Racine flows on the Root River have been dropping and should be decent for the weekend. DNR crews processed fish at the Root River Steelhead Facility last week Wednesday and Thursday. So far this season, 135 steelhead have been handled, and nearly 150,000 eggs have been taken. Fish will be processed again late this week or early next week.
Kenosha County - In Kenosha fishing in the harbor has been slow but should improve as water in the area clears up.
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SOUTH CENTRAL REGION
Dodgeville DNR Service Center area
Iowa County - The walleyes have been biting about a quarter-mile upstream from the Hwy. 14 bridge on the Wisconsin River. The smallmouth bass have been biting off of Hwy. Y on the Wisconsin River in Dane Co. Inland trout anglers have been having good luck in the early catch and release season catching nice sized brown trout in Love Creek. Tom turkeys have been seen all over Iowa and Sauk counties displaying for their hens. Scattered sightings of sandhill cranes have been seen in Northern Iowa County. Turkey hunters are reminded to be sure of their target and what is beyond that tom turkey they are shooting at. If you see another hunter approaching your decoy set up, don’t wave at them (unfortunately, some hunters shoot at movement and may think you are a turkey), speak in a loud and clear voice that you are a hunter. There are a good number and a lot of variety of ducks migrating back from the south, especially on the Wisconsin River between Spring Green and Sauk City.
Fitchburg DNR Service Center area
Sauk County
Devil’s Lake State Park - The last of the lake ice has disappeared. At 8 a.m. April 15, there were several acres of ice pushed against the north shore. By 9 a.m. it was all gone. Heavy sustained winds of the last few days sped the final breakup and melting and are creating an overabundance of whitecaps. The lake is closed to all but panfishing until May 3. Some snow is still on the north-facing side of the south bluff, though 98 percent of it is gone. Trails may be slippery and hazardous. Expect a combination of mud, puddles and a glut of running surface water for the next few weeks as spring slogs in on the heels of this year’s persistent winter. Mountain bike trails are closed to bikes and will remain closed as long as trails are muddy enough to be easily damaged, probably at least until mid or late May. All campgrounds will be open beginning April 18. Water facilities will not be turned on for the weekend of April 18, but will probably be turned on by the weekend of April 25. This depends on the weather and nightly low temperatures, so a definitive schedule of which water services will be functioning on a given date is not possible. Turkey vultures, sandhill cranes, and Canada geese are back. Chickadees are singing their spring mating songs. Though hidden from view, owl chicks are already hatched and are maturing in their nests.
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WEST CENTRAL REGION
Baldwin DNR Service Center area
St. Croix County
Willow River State Park - The Willow River is running a little high but it is starting to clear up as of Wednesday morning. The Willow has not had a lot of high water and never reached flood stage. Anglers fishing directly below the dam need to be aware that water levels can change without any notice. Other choices for trout anglers would be the Kinnickinnic or Apple river systems. The Apple can run high but hold its clarity. Little Falls Lake is still holding some ice. Normal ice out is around April 15. A large flock of coots was observed by park staff on April 16 at the dam area. Trails are drying out well although mixed conditions still exist. The potential to return to full mud season still exists. The grass trails up top could be a little soft for runners. The big wind on Tuesday may have taken trees down on trails so please report these to the office. The park road is an overlooked hiking option on weekdays when traffic is light. There have not been any reports of ticks yet but that can’t be far off. There will be a Full Moon Hike Saturday, April 19 at the Nature Center at 7 p.m. Learn about the origins of birds in the classroom and then go for a hike. The event is free with a daily or annual park sticker on your vehicle. The family campground will be open to vehicles Friday, April 25, sooner if possible. There’s still snow in parts of the campground since it is sheltered by a large hill to the south. Campers wishing to use the campground will need to carry in their tents. Pit toilets are open near site 63. Water will be turned on in the toilet and shower buildings for the first weekend in May. The dump station will be opened at that time also. Trailer camping is available now at the six sites (73-78 with electricity) down by the beach, no tents. There are three grills for outdoor cooking but no fire rings. Pit toilets are open by the playground. Camping reservations begin April 25. All sites are first come until then. Interstate Park (40 miles north) is usually a couple of weeks ahead of Willow to open their south campground, no electricity (715) 483-3747.
La Crosse DNR Service Center area
Male ruffed grouse are reaching the peak of their annual breeding activities known as drumming. Males locate a downed log, tree, or rock on which to display. Typically the display platform is located in thick vertical cover which provides security from avian predators. The males attract females with a series of repeated, rapid wing strokes with 3 to 4 minutes between series. As their wings compress the air, they create a vacuum, which results in a thumping noise. Wildlife biologists use this drumming behavior to create an index to the grouse population. Each year the same route is traveled and drumming grouse are counted. From year to year, population trends can be determined based on the number of drumming males heard per route.
Perrot State Park - Some trails may still be soft. Fishing has been slow and the river level is high. Local waterfowl have returned to the area. Pelicans and swans have been sighted this past week. Sites 1-50 are open for camping. The flush toilet building in the lower loop is open. Potable water is available at the maintenance shop. Other facilities in the campgrounds remain closed.
Merrick State Park - Fishing has been slow. The river is about 2 feet above normal. The boat dock will be put in once the river level returns to normal. Waterfowl are returning to the area. The north campground is open for camping. The dump station is open and fresh water is available. From April 18 through May 16 and September 2 through October 12 the shower/flush toilet building will only be open Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Great River State Trail - The warm weather has made the trail soft in spots. Waterfowl are moving into the area.
Crawford County - The Mississippi River continues to rise fairly rapidly. Last week the river was at 10.1 feet. At the end of the weekend the river was up to 12.3 feet. The forecast for the Mississippi River is to rise almost 2 more feet and crest by next weekend around 14 feet. That is a couple feet below flood stage. The Wisconsin River is on the rise, too, and a large amount of backwater areas are flooded. The Kickapoo River has been rising also, but flooding conditions are not present so far. The Mississippi River is seeing barge traffic recently, but high water might slow them down. Bluegill, perch, and crappie action was slow this week due to the rising water. Perch action at the dams has slowed. Fishing from the shore at Cold Spring slowed down this week also. Not much of a bite going on for either crappie or bluegill. Anglers fishing at Cold Spring are reminded that those waters are considered inland waters where the game fish season is closed. The Ambro Slough complex and Sturgeon Slough did not see much fishing activity this week as the water kept rising. Spring Lake is ice free and “full” of water. Fishing below the Lynxville dam for sauger and walleye was pretty spotty this week probably due to the rising water. There were a few days when some very nice catches of walleye and sauger were taken. It appears the best time to fish was very early in the morning. The boat landing at Gordon’s Bay is open however no piers are in place yet and the rising water is causing some problems there. Some shore anglers have been fishing on the long wall at the dam with limited success with perch, northern and walleye. Anglers can park in the lot at Lock and Dam #9 and walk down to the wall; however, with the rising water the long wall’s fishing bench might be under water. Bald eagles are starting to occupy nests along the Mississippi and Wisconsin Rivers. Large numbers of waterfowl can still be seen on Pool 9 in the Lynxville/Ferryville area. Canvasback, bluebill, bufflehead, red head, mallard, wood duck, teal, shoveler and many other species of ducks are here. Pelicans, geese, and some swans are also present. There are some great viewing areas along State Highway 35 between Lynxville and Ferryville. A large number of Pelicans can be seen on Tilmont Lake also. Deer and turkeys are feeding aggressively now that the snow has melted and some grasses are starting to green up. Sandhill cranes, robins, blue birds, red-winged blackbirds and other song birds have returned. Turkeys are already starting their mating ritual. Rooster pheasants are crowing and some ruffed grouse drumming has started up. Youth turkey hunters were met with chilly temperatures this weekend. Most hunters report fair gobbling action. It is a great time to start removing garlic mustard from your land. It is already “greening” up and easy to find. Now is the time to have bluebird and wood duck houses cleaned out. It is also a good time to clean out bird feeders.
Black River Falls DNR Service Center area
Fire Danger in Black River Falls Area is HIGH. Strong spring winds and low humidity are drying out forest fuels from the snow and rain from last week. Though there is adequate ground moisture, dead vegetation dries out quickly. If outdoor burning is planned be sure to check with DNR Ranger Stations, Emergency Fire Wardens, Fire Departments or Town Chairman for burning permit requirements. If burning in a DNR Protection Area you must obtain an Annual Burning Permit and check daily for burning restrictions by calling the hotline 1-888-WIS-BURN (947-2876) or the web at dnr.wi.gov/forestry/fire.
Eau Claire DNR Service Center area
Brunet Island State Park - Most of the Cornell Flowage has opened with some ice holding along shore. The boat ramp remains snowed shut. The backwater bays are still holding ice, though ice fishing activity has diminished. Park trails are generally snow covered or muddy at present. The chipmunks and ground squirrels have come out of hibernation. Species of birds seen or heard include: mallard and bufflehead ducks, snow geese, common loons, great blue herons, red winged blackbirds, phoebes, mergansers, Canada geese, sandhill cranes, robins, mourning doves, nuthatches, ravens, black capped chickadees, piliated woodpeckers, great horned owls, barred owls, and bald eagles. The south campground is open with electric sites, hand water pump, and a pit toilet. Campsites are open in the north campground, with pit toilets and hand water pump available.
Wisconsin Rapids DNR Service Center area
Buckhorn State Park – There is still packed ice and snow on some park roads. Trails are dry and great for hiking. Campsites in the outdoor group camp are now open! A few park roads remain closed until the rest of the snow/ice melts. Osprey have started rebuilding nests. Many birds are starting to migrate through the Castle Rock area. Watch Discover Wisconsin the weekend of April 19-20 for Buckhorn State Park to be featured along with other bird watching sites in Juneau County. The boat boarding piers and accessible fishing pier were put in on Monday. Remember, park stickers are required for Launch C and D and there are no additional launch fees. Spring turkey hunting in the park and Buckhorn wildlife area is 15C - special permit only. Turkey hunting for area 15 is allowed in the Yellow River Wildlife Area (formerly wildlife area B).
Roche-A-Cri State Park - Trails should be in good condition for hiking. The main entrance is still closed; opening will depend on snow and ice melting off the roads. The stairs are not maintained for winter use. As of last week there was still snow and ice on the stairs.
Last Revised: Thursday April 17 2008
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