Wisconsin Statewide fishing report 4.9.10Despite the brief drop in temperatures this week, most spring activities are a week or two ahead of normal. Walleye in some northern lakes have already spawned out, and spawning is moving ahead quickly on other lakes. Despite an early May 1 opener for the game fish season, fisheries managers expect walleyes will be in post spawn conditions throughout the north. Lake Superior steelhead runs are also running ahead of normal and some steelhead are already migrating back down tributaries to the lake.
Lake Winnebago system walleye are also mostly done spawning on the Wolf River and area making their way back into the lake system. Sturgeon began spawning on the upper Fox River Easter weekend. The Fox warms more rapidly and sturgeon almost always begin spawning there a week or more before they begin on the Wolf. Sturgeon have been porpoising at several sites on the Wolf and Embarrass rivers, but no spawning has been observed. Prior to and during the spawning period, lake sturgeon exhibit a porpoising behavior where they come to the surface adjacent to spawning sites and jump out of the water or sometimes just stick their faces out of the water. Depending on the water temperatures, this activity may go on for up to two weeks before spawning actually begins at a particular site.
Water levels on the Mississippi River are continuing to drop, and were at 13.6 feet at Prairie du Chien this week. Perch fishing was good to excellent the past couple weeks but has slowed as perch move off their spawning beds. Walleye fishing action has been moderate, but should improve over the next couple of weeks.
Free fishing clinics for children 15 years and younger will be held Saturday, April 10, at several lagoons and ponds in Milwaukee, Washington and Waukesha counties http://dnr.wi.gov/news/BreakingNews_Lookup.asp?id=1656 .. Members of local fishing clubs organize the clinics, and instruction includes fishing techniques, equipment use, knot tying, safety rules and fish identification. A list of parks is available on the DNR Web site.
Douglas County - Most of the Lake Superior tributaries including the Brule are past the peak of the spring steelhead runs. Early snowmelt this year brought in most of the run sooner than usual. Spawning activity is peaking and most fish migrate back down to the lake soon after spawning. A few fish typically enter the streams all the way into late May with small groups entering after rain events.
Bayfield County ? Lake Superior steelhead runs have started although steelhead fishing has been slow around the Bayfield peninsula. Anglers have been catching some fish in the Sioux River and it could improve if the region gets some rain. The steelhead runs are supported by natural reproduction. Several years of supplemental stocking was done in the Brule River, but the steelhead runs in all the Lake Superior tributaries are supported by natural reproduction.
Woodruff Along with early spring comes early fish spawning activity. The walleye spring fish run is in full swing in the north. In fact many of the lakes along the southern edge of the area are already winding down their walleye activity. Even with an early fishing opener (May 1) there probably won?t be a wide variety of fishing conditions to contend with. Anglers will still want to do some homework prior to venturing out to a favorite lake but most lakes will be in post spawning activity. Low water levels continue to be an issue as the winter snow didn?t add a whole lot and there have been no spring rains as of yet. A reminder to anglers to make sure to have a current fishing license and to carry the license on your person when out on the water. Also be sure to have boats registered prior to heading out on the water. Also, please remember that you must have the appropriate and correct number of personal flotation devices in your boat. Boater safety courses are currently being given and/or scheduled to begin. A Boating Safety Internet course is available on-line.
Marinette County - The Peshtigo River sucker run is in full swing but a few walleye were still being caught early morning and evenings. A reminder to anglers that the Peshtigo River has special hours (1/2 before sunrise-1/2 after sunset) above the train bridge by the municipal garage. Menominee River shore anglers were catching a few walleye from Stephenson Island to the Hattie Street Dam. Boaters have been plying their trade for walleye by the mouth of the Menominee drifting and jigging lead and minnow. Some perch were being caught from the Menominee Lighthouse Pier on crappie rigs tipped with minnows.
Oconto County - Suckers are the main draw at Stiles Dam as they are now in full spawn mode. The occasional walleye was still being caught before sunrise and after sunset. Boats are trolling out of the Oconto Breakwater Harbor, parking is limited due to construction. Boats fishing out of Oconto Park II are having some success with walleye and northern, trolling in 4 to 6 feet of water with stick baits. The color red seems to be a good trigger.
Brown County - The Fox River walleye bite has been slow over the last week. Most anglers have been jigging for them up by the dam; anglers are also targeting the river channel. The best action has been on orange or chartreuse colored jigs tipped with a minnow. Anglers have also been casting lures in shallow water to target the larger spawning females. The spawn is slowing now and most fish are spawned out. Some brave souls have been venturing out on to the bay tolling for walleye in university bay. The best bite seems to be during cloudy days with a good chop on the water.
Manitowoc County - Early in the weekend the winds were light and variable, but by Saturday afternoon and continuing through most of Sunday the winds were gusty creating waves from 2 to 5 feet high on Lake Michigan. The skies were mostly cloudy with scattered rain showers and temperatures ranging from 40 to 45 degrees. East Twin River anglers fishing for steelhead near the Mishicot dam had some success this past weekend either fly fishing or using spinners and spawn sacs. The sucker run appears to be in full swing as most anglers landed several suckers for every steelhead hooked. West Twin River steelhead and sucker fishing has been excellent near the large Shoto dam. Anglers had the greatest success using spawn sacs with a few split shots for weight. Most of the landed steelhead were still spawning. A few anglers launched at the Shoto ramp in search of catfish, but the fishing was fairly slow. Water temperatures in the river have quickly risen to the mid 40s, but water level is very low. Fishing in the Manitowoc River was relatively quiet this weekend most likely due to the strong winds and the Easter holiday. A few anglers ventured out for catfish and carp. Anglers used a variety of bait from night crawlers to even spawn sacs on bottom. Very few anglers were steelhead fishing. The Branch River over the weekend saw limited angler action. Poor weather and low water levels likely limited fishing activity this weekend. The water levels in Silver Creek are very low. A few steelhead have been observed but there has been very little fishing pressure. The suckers have had no problem getting through the shallows and can be found throughout the area. A few dip netters have had no problem getting their desired amount. A strong southwest wind made fishing difficult this weekend at Two Rivers and Manitowoc Harbor/Piers. A few hardy anglers were using orange spoons or spinners but they had very slow fishing. Manitowoc/Two Rivers boat ramps have been quiet due to the strong winds last week. When the weather has cooperated, anglers have had success catching brown trout with an occasional rainbow using crank baits and spoons of various colors. A few steelhead have been taken using spawn near the Little Manitowoc River mouth but fishing pressure remains relatively low due to strong winds. Dip netters also have had success taking abundant amount of suckers.
Door County - The last part of March brought abnormally warm temperatures to Door County, however blustery winds of the lake from the Southeast this week caused for much cooler temperatures. Fishing pressure was minimal to none on Lake Michigan due to the windy conditions, causing anglers to settle for the Green Bay side of the county. Although the pounding winds limited fishing on the lake this week, the unique peninsula offered good fishing conditions on Green Bay. Many anglers were seen at the Stone Quarry north of Sturgeon Bay and the Egg Harbor launch areas. Trolling for brown trout along the flats of Sturgeon Bay, Little Harbor, and the South shore on the bay off of Potawatomi State Park yielded some nice fish. Anglers fishing off the Egg Harbor and Murphy Park piers reported many brown trout sightings and follow ups, but few takers. Fishing off of Weborg?s point in Fish Creek and the Sister Bay marina have also produced a few browns farther north. Most anglers were working stick baits and spoons. Walleye fishing in the bay is picking up with heavy fishing off the train bridge in Sturgeon Bay, with reports of some nice fish being taken with jerk and stick baits. Many boats were seen working the edges of the shipping channel in the bay for northern pike with some decent success. Stream fishing was minimal and reports were of very few fish seen in Hines, Hibbards, and Whitefish Bay Creeks. Water level is very low in all streams in Door County.
Kewaunee County - The weather this past week was not very cooperative for anglers in the area. High winds have limited the amount of boats that have been launching from both Kewaunee and Algoma ramps. A few brown trout were being caught off the Algoma Pier with spoons but have been very much hit and miss. The lack of rainfall has lead to low levels of water in the Ahnapee and Kewaunee rivers and has hampered the efforts of anglers seeking steelheads. The smaller streams in the area also are displaying low levels of water and are making for some difficult fishing. Some steelheads have been spotted in Stony Creek but have been very skittish due to the high fishing pressure there. On the Kewaunee River, a few steelheads have been caught behind the zoo with egg sacs. Although the trout fishing has been slow in the county, suckers have been making up for that with lots of action. There have been plenty of suckers being caught near Footbridge and near the bridge behind Bruemmer Zoo. Suckers are also very visible in Silver Creek near Brummerville and can provide plenty of action.
Oshkosh A blanket of fresh snow greeted fisheries crews April 8 as they attempted to complete a number of spring surveys. The early spring had crews scrambling to fit everything in to schedules over the last week after they finished tagging walleye on the Wolf River on April 1. Crews also tagged some additional walleye over the last few days on Lake Winnebago, ending up with 10,749 walleye tagged and 875 recaptures for the spring 2010 season. Biologists use tagging data to estimate annual walleye exploitation rates and population densities.
Sturgeon Spawning Update - Sturgeon began spawning on the upper Fox River at Princeton and Eureka last weekend on Easter Sunday, April 4. The upper Fox is more of a southern watershed that warms more rapidly and sturgeon almost always begin spawning there a week or more before they begin on the Wolf. This first pulse of spawning on the upper Fox is over but will likely be followed by a second pulse in late April. The sturgeon that spawn in the upper Fox are a separate sub-population of fish that generally always spawn in the upper Fox, although there are some males that spawn in both rivers in the same year. The number of sturgeon that spawn in the upper Fox is relatively small - probably several hundred fish. Historically the numbers were likely much greater, although the series of locks and dams constructed on the river in the late 1800s disrupted spawning runs and closed off many of the natural spawning areas. Dams have either been removed or had fishways built around them, and there is still have a remnant stock that uses the river for spawning. DNR has also been working with Sturgeon for Tomorrow and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee WATER Institute since 2002 to collect eggs each spring and rear extended growth sturgeon fingerlings for stocking in the upper Fox River in a long-term effort to rebuild the upper Fox lake sturgeon spawning stock. Sturgeon spearing license funds are used to tag all of the 500-1000 fish released annually, and to implant radio and sonic tags in a dozen or more fish each year to study the behavior and habitat-use of stocked fish. After radio or sonic tagging and tracking a over two hundred young sturgeon since 2002 we have learned a lot about the movement and habitat use of fingerling and larger juvenile surgeon in our system including the best time of year to stock young sturgeon, the seasonal downstream movement of fingerling sturgeon from the rivers into the lakes, and the vital importance of the Upriver Lakes as a nursery ground for young stock. Sturgeon have been porpoising at several sites on the Wolf and Embarrass rivers since Easter weekend, but no spawning has been observed to date. People can see porpoising fish at Bamboo Bend just west of Shiocton on Highway 54. Prior to and during the spawning period, lake sturgeon exhibit a porpoising behavior where they come to the surface adjacent to spawning sites and jump out of the water or sometimes just stick their faces out of the water. Depending on the water temperatures, this activity may go on for up to two weeks before spawning actually begins at a particular site. Given the nice snow we received last night and this morning, the water temperatures have begun to drop in the Wolf River which will delay the start of sturgeon spawning activity from earlier expectations. At this point I don't expect fish to begin spawning at the earliest until sometime next week - dependant upon on how fast things warm up after we get through this current spell of cold weather. With any luck we may see spawning commence close to the same time we open Sturgeon Camp and get our first Sturgeon Guards out on April 15 - although it could start earlier than April 15 - we'll be watching closely and will let you know when spawning on the Wolf actually starts.
Walleye Post-Spawn Update - Walleye spawning is pretty much in the books for 2010 and fish are moving back downstream toward the lakes. Crews are getting tag returns from fish tagged in spawning areas in Shiocton and north, from New London and all the way down to Oshkosh. The tag return rate this spring is less than last year though - another indication of the poor bite this spring due to the large size of the fish in the run this year and the excellent condition of the fish this following the excellent foraging and fat building conditions the fish had in 2009. Some walleye were collected this spring to test liver and spleen for the VHS virus, and every fish, both males and females, was filled with layer upon layer of visceral fat, somewhat unusual for this time of year. Fat fish don't need to feed as often and subsequently are harder for anglers to catch. The females ranged from 16 to 29 inches with large groups of fish in the 18 to 20 inch range (large hatches in 2003 and 2004 - first time female spawners) and large numbers of older fish from hatches back to the mid 1990s. The males ranged from 14 to 24 inches with most of the males from large hatches in 2005 and earlier, as far back as the early 1990s (yes ? there are some males in the system that are pushing 20 years old). Relatively weak hatches in 2006 and 2007 resulted in few of the typical smaller 13 to 14 inch male spawners being present in this year's spawning stock (also the ones that bite more readily during the spring run), but hang on to your hats for 2011 and 2012, because males from the second largest year class on record, 2008, will be invading the rivers over the next two years in force on their first run up the rivers.
Milwaukee Free fishing clinics for children 15 years and younger will be held Saturday, April 10, at several lagoons and ponds in Milwaukee, Washington and Waukesha counties [http://dnr.wi.gov/news/BreakingNews_Lookup.asp?id=1656]. Clinics will be held every hour beginning at 9 a.m. with the last clinic starting at 2 p.m. Members of local fishing clubs organize the clinics, and instruction includes fishing techniques, equipment use, knot tying, safety rules and fish identification. The Department of Natural Resources and the Milwaukee County House of Correction Fish Hatchery will stock fish in the urban waters before the kids? clinics are held. Fishing equipment is provided, but bring your own rod and reel if possible. Adult anglers are reminded that from March 14 through April 24, urban fishing waters are restricted to fishing by juveniles 15- years-old and younger and certain disabled anglers. Urban fishing waters are small lakes and ponds under 25 acres that are intensively and cooperatively managed with a municipality. The 2010 ? 2011 fishing regulations list urban waters with these special regulations. The rule is designed to give young anglers and persons with disabilities an opportunity to fish close to home before competition from adults limits their chances to catch fish.
Lake Michigan fisheries team reportSheboygan County - In Sheboygan, fishing on the Pigeon River has been slow, but anglers on the Sheboygan have been catching steelhead near the Kohler dam. Spawn, flies, and stickbaits have taken fish. A few rainbows and browns have also been caught off the south pier on spawn sacs and crank baits.
Ozaukee County -In Port Washington a few browns and rainbows have been taken on shiners off the pier. Shore anglers fishing near the power plant have also been catching browns and rainbows; and spawn, flies, and wax worms have all taken fish. Boaters have been catching lake trout just outside the Port Washington harbor. Fish have been 35 feet down and hitting spoons.
Milwaukee County - In Milwaukee anglers fishing the Milwaukee River along the wall under the Hoan bridge have been catching a few browns and rainbows, as well as perch. Spawn and small shiners have produced the most fish. In the Milwaukee River anglers have been catching fair numbers of steelhead on yarn flies at Kletzsch Park. A few steelhead are still being taken out of Oak Creek and the Menomonee River, but numbers have been diminishing. Boaters jigging in and around the gaps in the Milwaukee harbor continue to catch lake trout.
Racine County - In Racine the Root River is holding good numbers of steelhead. Upstream of the Root River Steelhead Facility, most fish have been concentrated below the Horlick dam, but fair numbers can also be found in Colonial Park. Downstream of the steelhead facility most fish have been taken in Lincoln Park. Flies in egg patterns have been productive, as well as woolly buggers and small black stoneflies. Suckers are abundant in the river. Fish were processed at the Root River Steelhead Facility on Monday, April 5. Both Chambers Creek and Ganaraska eggs were taken, and 148 more steelhead were passed upstream, for a total of 331 this season. The next processing day will be Monday, April 12.
Kenosha County - In Kenosha steelhead fishing on the Pike River has been rather slow. In the harbor anglers are catching a few steelhead and browns on white tube jigs or spawn sacs.
Willow River State Park -
Anglers have been catching bluegills in area near the dam. Trout anglers have water level and clarity usually not seen this time of year.
La Crosse Water levels on the Mississippi River are continuing to drop, which should improve fishing action in the La Crosse Area. Perch fishing action was good to excellent for the past couple weeks but has been slowing down in recent days as the perch move off their spawning beds. Walleye fishing action has been moderate, but should improve over the next couple of weeks. Northern pike and bass fishing action has been good to excellent and should only improve in coming weeks.
Minocqua Area Fishing Report http://wisconsinoutdoor.com/smf/index.php?topic=3611.0Lake Superior's Chequamegon Bay Fishing report 4.8.10
http://wisconsinoutdoor.com/smf/index.php?topic=3623.0Information compiled from the WDNR Outdoor report and private sources
