DNR Outdoor Report update, July 10, 2014 Periodic rain and thunderstorms continue to keep stream and rivers relatively high
Periodic rain and thunderstorms have continued to keep stream and rivers relatively high across much of the state. Most lakes and flowages in the Northwoods are a few inches above normal. The Mississippi and Rock rivers remain high. The Chippewa and Eau Claire rivers have begun to drop.
The Bois Brule River is high for midsummer and is continuing to provide some excellent paddling opportunities in the Brule River State Forest. The lower Wisconsin River is high but has been dropping some and there are increasing numbers of sandbars available, which is good news for the 48th Annual Wisconsin River Canoe and Kayak Race that will take place from Muscoda to Spring Green this weekend.
The warm and nicer weather over the long Fourth of July weekend made for a high level of boating and fishing activity on many waters of the state. Water temperatures have been holding in the low to mid-70s on most lakes and this has made for some comfortable swimming conditions.
Fishing activity has been relatively steady. The warm water temperatures have spurred on bass activity in the north and anglers have started to see some very good action. Walleye fishing has continued to be rather steady, with some decent catches of fish. Musky action has also improved with anglers reporting a lot of follows and some decent catches. Panfish success continues to be good, with some nice bluegill and perch being found on the deeper mud flats. Crappie have been found over the deeper weed beds or suspended near any mid-depth cover. The hex hatch is about over on central Wisconsin trout streams, but rains have kept streams up and trout fishing has been very good.
Perch action has finally started to pick up on Green Bay. Smallmouth bass fishing has begun to slow but decent action continued to be reported. Good numbers of chinook salmon were being caught out of Kewaunee and Algoma, with fish generally in the 13-18-pound range, with up to a 29 pounder reported. Trolling for chinook was also good out of Sheboygan were some areas were quite crowded over the weekend. Charters out of Sturgeon Bay were bringing in good numbers of walleye. Trolling slowed out of Milwaukee, Racine and Kenosha, but shore fishing was picking up at those harbors with nice catches of brown trout and some coho salmon reported.
Fawns are now following does almost everywhere and some of the adult bucks are getting nice velvet racks. Early turkey broods are now old enough to fly into trees to avoid predators.
Monarch butterflies are becoming more abundant with caterpillars and freshly emerged adults seen. Other active butterflies include pearl crescent, sulphurs, great spangled fritillary, viceroy, hairstreaks and many species of skippers.
Lupine and blue flag and yellow iris are still blooming in the north. In the south, prairies are displaying a wide variety of blooming flowers including butterfly weed, bouncing bet, coreopsis, milkweed, common yarrow, spiderwort, purple coneflower and bergamot.
Blueberries are reported to be growing nicely in the north and should be ripening within a week, while in the south blackcap raspberries are almost ready and blackberries are two to three weeks away from ripening.
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Outdoor Report editors:
Paul Holtan, DNR Office of Communications, Madison
608-267-7517 or paul.holtan@wisconsin.gov
Nolan Pickar, DNR Communications Specialist, Madison
608-535-2925 or Nolan.Pickar@Wisconsin.gov