Midwest Deer Hunting: Lake

Sunday, May 6, 2012

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Outdoor Report summary for May 3, 2012

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Wisconsin’s general inland game fish season opens this Saturday and state fisheries managers say the early spring that arrived this year should result in some excellent fishing conditions for anglers. In the north, ice-out was early and water temperatures have climbed into the low to mid-50 degree range even on northern lakes. Most lakes across the north are about three to four weeks past the main walleye spawning period, so the fish should be fully recovered and getting back to active feeding. Northern pike should also have recovered from their annual spawning ritual and look for them to be active near any new green weeds that are starting to grow in the shallows. In addition, crappie, bluegill and perch have been starting to get active near the shallow and warm bays

Walleye fishing activity was picking up on Lake Winnebago, which is open all year to walleye fishing, and limits of fish were being caught by anglers. Lake flies have emerged along the shoreline and while these flies can be a nuisance they are non-biting and harmless, and are an important food source for sturgeon and other fish. The walleye bite has also been exceptional so far this year on the upper Fox and Wolf rivers.
Water levels have been coming up on the Mississippi River with the recent rains. Fishing has been slow in some areas but picking up in others. Anglers were still catching a fair number of northern pike and smallmouth bass action seems to be picking up near La Crosse and Genoa, but walleye action has been slower.
High winds again in the last week have continued to slow fishing activity along Green Bay and Lake Michigan. Some good walleye fishing was reported off Oconto on the west shore of Green Bay and a few nice walleye were caught at Little Sturgeon Bay in Door County. When trollers were able to get out on the lake, they were catching a mixed bag of chinook and coho salmon along with, rainbow, brown, and the occasional lake trout.
Musky season opens May 5 in the southern zone and new this year the statewide minimum length limit has increased to 40 inches from 34 in order to help boost natural reproduction. Just in time for the opening day of the 2012 inland fishing season, anglers have a new and easier way to figure out what fishing regulations are on their favorite inland lake. A new searchable database allows anglers to search by lake, by county and by multiple counties to pull up an interactive map and a listing of the fishing regulations for that water. Go to the DNR website and search for “fishing regulations" to reach the database.
As boaters head out for the opener this weekend, conservation wardens are reminding them to check safety equipment. This includes a life jacket for each person on board, make sure batteries are covered and tied down, and that navigation lights working. Fisheries managers are also reminding people to help keep Wisconsin fish and lakes healthy by following rules to avoid spreading the VHS fish disease and aquatic invasive species like Eurasian water-milfoil and zebra mussels.
Turkey hunters continue to report hens have been nesting for a while, thus a few toms are searching pretty hard for hens. More and more gosling and duckling broods are being seen. There were about 30 bluebird chicks growing in boxes at Perrot State Park.
Birders reported a major migration event for Neotropical birds in the last week, which stalled out over southern Wisconsin due to recent storms, resulting in 18 different species of warblers seen at the State Capitol in Madison on Tuesday

Sunday, April 1, 2012

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Outdoor Report summary for March 29, 2012

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

With the continued mild spring weather, most areas of Wisconsin are reporting that many spring events are occurring as much as a month early from most years. Lake ice is gone from most lakes even in the far north. Walleye runs on rivers are peaking or nearly over in many areas when they would normally just be starting in many years. Walleye spawning on northern lakes is already well underway and Chippewa Indian tribes have begun spearing. Many spring ephemeral flowers are and blooming and cherry and crab apple trees are blossoming. Sandhill cranes are doing mating displays and tom turkeys are displaying and gobbling. Frogs, turtles and salamanders have emerged.

The mild cool-down in the last week, which still has temperatures 5 to 10 degrees above normal for this time of year, has slowed some activity. Northern pike and musky are already done spawning in the south. Sturgeon were actively spawning but the drop in water temperatures slowed that activity. That could pick up again with a warm-up in the forecast. Sturgeon had made it upstream as far as the Shawano dam.

The walleye run on the Wolf River and throughout the Lake Winnebago System came early and fast and walleyes have begun making their way back to the lakes. Prime spawning activity lasted just a couple days. On the Wisconsin River the walleye run is in full swing below the Nekoosa Dam to the Petenwell Flowage, but is about complete below the Wisconsin Dells dam with many fish showing back up in Lake Wisconsin. Walleye runs are near peak on the Menominee and Peshtigo rivers in the northeast.

The ice is now out on Lake Superior and people are preparing for smelt fishing which opens April 1. Lake Superior anglers have been capitalizing on early warm weather and ice out bringing in some good catches of trout and salmon from along the south shore. Strong numbers of steelhead were still being caught on the Lake Michigan tributaries in Manitowoc, Kewaunee and Sheboygan counties. Rain in the last week had tributaries in the south running high and muddy, but good numbers of anglers were still fishing the Milwaukee, Menomonee and Root rivers and Oak and Sauk creeks, but success has decreased in recent days.

While the game season is closed on many inland lakes, anglers have been having some good early success for crappie and bluegill especially in the southern and southeastern lakes. White bass and suckers are running and providing some very good action and dip netting.

Chorus frogs and spring peepers had been very active, but quieted down with the cool spell. Salamanders are emerging now as well. Painted and Blanding’s turtles have been seen sunning themselves on rocks or logs. Coyote pups are being born this time of year in burrows and red fox pups may already be here.

Pasque flowers, marsh marigold, Dutchman's britches, bloodroot and hepatica are blooming. May apples and prairie smoke are emerging.

The recent record warm temperatures across the state and region have resulted in a large number of early records for bird migration and this week early nest records were reported for killdeer and wild turkey, both species weeks ahead of a typical nest initiation date. Ruffed and spruce grouse are drumming and displaying in the north and prairie-chickens are displaying at leks in central Wisconsin. The large numbers of snowy owls that wintered in Wisconsin are now leaving the state for the arctic, with multiple snowy owls reported this week at Ashland and 10 seen at the Oconto harbor.