Water levels remain good for paddling in the north, while more sandbars appear on Lower Wisconsin River
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Outdoor Report summary for July 9, 2015
Complete DNR Outdoor Report (Reports from conservation wardens, wildlife and fisheries staff and property managers from around the state)
Water levels remain good for paddling in the north; waterfalls roaring in the northwes
Additional rainfall this week is continuing to keep rivers and streams in good summer paddling condition, especially in the north where the Bois Brule and wild Pine and Popple rivers are all flowing above average, and waterfalls at Amnicon Falls and Copper Falls state parks are roaring. However, in the south, the lower Wisconsin River has continued to drop and additional sandbars are now available for camping.
Word has apparently gotten out about biking in the Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest, where thousands of bikers have been seen this summer enjoying the many miles of paved bike trails through the forest. Most other parks, forests and state trails are also reporting good conditions and use this summer.
The water temperatures On Green Bay are still slowly climbing with smaller bays reporting 70 degrees and the Sturgeon Bay channel holding near the mid 60-degree mark. Anglers along the Door Peninsula had mixed success for smallmouth bass, with the best success coming for anglers who followed alewife schools and used baits that mimicked their appearance. Perch success continues to be spotty both on Green Bay and Lake Michigan.
Anglers in the Sturgeon Bay area have been doing well fishing for chinook salmon out on the bank. Anglers returning to Baileys Harbor and Rowley's Bay reported good success with both chinook salmon and steelhead trout.
Anglers fishing Lake Michigan out of the Kewaunee and Algoma ramps had good luck over the past week fishing for chinook salmon and rainbow trout. Anglers at the Manitowoc ramps have been having success fishing for both chinook and lake trout. Anglers out of Two Rivers were also targeting chinook salmon and reported the bite as generally best in the early morning. The north and south piers in Two Rivers stayed busy this weekend, with anglers catching brown trout especially in the late evening around sunset. Trollers out of Sheboygan reported mostly rainbow trout, while pier anglers were catching brown trout. Fishing pressure was high in Port Washington over the holiday weekend, with boats averaging six to seven fish, primarily lake and rainbow trout, followed by chinook. Action slowed some out of Milwaukee and Racine this week, but Kenosha trollers were averaging about five fish per boat, with coho salmon and lake trout most commonly caught.
Loon chicks are swimming more independently now with their parents in the Northwoods, Goose and crane young are nearing the size and coloration of adults. Osprey young can be observed on their tall nests, mainly on power poles and cell phone towers in our area. Young turkey and pheasants are busy gobbling up insects to pack on weight and grow to their adult size by fall. Fawns are following their mothers around; be prepared while driving if you see a doe cross the road, there's likely young fawns around that aren't very familiar with traffic. Bucks are growing out their antlers and some good-sized velvet covered antlered deer have been seen lately.
Northern roadsides are speckled with yarrow, daisies, trefoil, many different varieties of clover, wild roses and hawkweed. Twin flower and partridge berry are blooming if one wants to look for the tiniest of bloomers. In the south, prairie flowers in bloom are purple coneflower, purple prairie clover, black-eyed susan, culver's root, coreopsis, and leadplant.
Wild strawberries are ripe for the picking and blueberries and Juneberries are ripening in the north. Blackberries and raspberries are just starting to ripen in the south and showing potential to produce well if we continue to get rain.
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Outdoor Report editors:
Paul Holtan, DNR Office of Communications, Madison, 608-267-7517
Charlie Nettesheim, DNR Office of Communications, Madison, 608-267-0541