DNR Outdoor Report Update - Spring snowstorm drops a foot of snow in northern Wisconsin; sturgeon spawning near peak on the Wolf River system
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Outdoor Report summary for May 2, 2013
Complete DNR Outdoor Report (Reports from conservation wardens, wildlife and fisheries staff and property managers from around the state)
Spring snowstorm drops a foot of snow in northern Wisconsin; sturgeon spawning near peak on the Wolf River system
The calendar says May but a fresh foot of snow has Copper Falls State Park in Ashland County looking more like January. An unusual spring snowstorm dropped from a few inches to a foot or more of snow in northwestern Wisconsin Wednesday into Thursday. And with the inland game fish opener this Saturday, lakes across much of the northern third of Wisconsin are still locked in ice.
Meanwhile in the south, things have dried out and the spring wildfire season, which has been very quiet so far, picked up considerably with 105 wildfires burning 236 acres in the past week in the portion of the state where DNR has fire suppression responsibility.
Most northern lakes have some open water areas near inlets and outlets and along some shorelines, but many boat landings were still iced in and inaccessible for boat launching. Anglers wanting to fish waters north of about Highway 64 should shift to “plan B,” which may be fishing the major river systems such as the Wisconsin and Flambeau, or heading out after trout on small creeks and streams. While fisheries crews have been able to stock trout in some areas, the cold spring has delayed trout stocking on other waters. Ice anglers continue fishing on some northern lakes this week, but conservation wardens caution that ice is deteriorating and anyone who ventures out on the ice should use extreme caution.
With temperatures in the 70s sturgeon started spawning on the Wolf River. DNR fisheries crews handle more than 350 fish Wednesday at the Shawano dam. The fish spawning came on fast and will likely peak at the Shawano dam Friday into the weekend. Check the DNR website for sturgeon spawning and watching information.
(On the DNR Website : DNR videographer Matt Ahrens shot underwater video of sturgeon spawning near Shiocton on May 1.)
Walleye spawning has ended on the Winnebago system and the white bass run has not started yet but should be coming quickly warmer temperatures return. The walleye run on the Wisconsin River is also winding down and fishing has been slow due to high water and the late spring, but anglers reported catching walleyes on the Bark and Rock rivers in Jefferson County.
The ice is almost all the way out on Green Bay and boaters were launching at a variety of locations, with most targeting walleye and brown trout. Water levels are dropping on Lake Michigan tributaries and steelhead action was slowing, but some were still being caught on the Sheboygan, Milwaukee, Root and other rivers.
With the warmer temperatures last weekend and early this week, turkey hunters were finally getting some more active birds with toms observed displaying and some better success at least in the south.
Warmer weather earlier this week brought the expected first large push of Neotropical migrants to southern Wisconsin. Birders are reporting 10-15 species of warblers in a morning including some show stoppers like blackburnian and Cape May warblers. In the north, Open water is attracting large numbers of loons, grebes and waterfowl, but the additional 6-12 inches of snow on the ground as of Thursday will have swallows and other insectivores that have arrived struggling to find food.