Some very warm humid weather last weekend was followed by some much dryer and cooler weather mid week, has made for generally good to excellent conditions for outdoor recreation, but very warm temperatures are again in the forecast for the upcoming weekend. Most of the state was relatively dry over the past week, with the exception of some heavy rains accompanied by strong winds in the central part of the state early this week.
With the warm weather recreational boating activity continues to increase. Most rivers are running at or slightly above seasonal norms, with rivers in the central and northeast running a bit higher. The Wisconsin River is running about average for mid summer, and plenty of sandbars continue to be available on the Lower Wisconsin State Riverway.
The Mississippi River is also returning to normal levels and anglers reported walleyes biting. Last week’s very warm temperatures sent some shallower lake water temperatures up into the low 80s for the first time this summer. The quick rise spurred on bass activity in lakes but moved northern pike out into deeper cooler water. Largemouth have become less related to weeds and lily pads, with many moving to more firm overhead cover such as wood, brush piles and bog edges. Smallmouth are also becoming more wood oriented. Walleye success has been sporadic, but musky action improved with musky moving out of shallow weed edges and now suspending off break lines in 8 to 14 feet of water. Swim baits and large crank baits are showing increased success.
On Green Bay, there were reports of good numbers of walleye being caught in 8 to 14 feet of water from Pensaukee to Oconto and off Suamico on the west shore, while action along the east shore slowed. Along Door County, perch fishing has slowed with anglers stating to catch more gobies and rock bass. Smallmouth action was also a bit slower, with most action coming in shallow water around weed beds.
On Lake Michigan, warm water temperatures early in the week ranged from 61 to 63 degrees offshore, but by Sunday dropped anywhere from 56 to 59 degrees. Success out off Manitowoc and Two Rivers was hit-and-miss this week, with fish scattered and anglers trying their luck in various depths. The bag was mostly chinook in the 13 to 20 pound range. The Two Rivers Kiwanis Fish Derby will be held this weekend. In the southeast, trollers out of Sheboygan and Port Washington report the surface bite slowed, and more fish were caught 40 to 50 feet down, with coho and chinook making up the majority of the catch. Fishing off Milwaukee, Racine and Kenosha remains good, with coho still active, but also scattered and found in a variety of depths from 50 feet out to 180 feet of water.
Cedar waxwings, pewees, flycatchers, nighthawks, bats, and whip-poor-wills have been very active lately, feeding heavily on flying insects. Common loons had poor nesting success early due to black flies but re-nest attempts are now hatching with a number of broods being reported this week. Over the next week many species of birds will get harder to see as they molt in preparation for migration, and bird feeders will be less active as there are now lots of natural food sources.
Milkweed is blooming and monarch butterflies are finally laying eggs. Other butterflies, many dragonflies and fireflies have also been out in large numbers, but they have unfortunately been joined by large numbers of horse and deer flies.
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