2010 Wisconsin Fishing Report offers latest fishing forecasts, tips for success

Report available online now and in print

MADISON – Time to start planning that first fishing trip for the coming inland fishing season. Read the 2010 Wisconsin Fishing Report online or get a printed copy to learn where the hottest fishing action will be this year.

The 2010 Wisconsin Fishing Report is now available online and is loaded with fishing forecasts from waters across the state, helping anglers find the kind of fishing experience they most enjoy.

The report is available at Department of Natural Resources service centers and regional offices, and will be inserted in the April edition of the Wisconsin Natural Resources magazine, which may be purchased online.

The regular inland season opens May 1; fishing licenses for the 2010-2011 season are now available online, from license sales agents, and from DNR service centers and regional offices.

“It’s time to get back out on the water,” says DNR Secretary Matt Frank. “We hope our annual Fishing Report can help lure even more people out to enjoy what’s a great Wisconsin tradition and a great activity to do with family and friends.”

It's shaping up to be another great fishing season, judging by this bass captured by DNR crews on Cherokee Lake in March 2010 during annual surveys. Find more fishing forecasts in the 2010 Wisconsin Fishing Report, out now.

The report features 10 pages of forecasts submitted by local fish biologists and technicians, most of whom report the results of recent fish population surveys, habitat improvement projects, and what both will mean for fishing prospects in the coming season.

The report also contains a variety of tips to help anglers improve their success fishing, including articles that will help anglers conquer the Mighty Mississippi, which offers the greatest variety of sport fishes anywhere in Wisconsin and features year-round open season for most of them.

New this year: a “flip book” format that makes the publication easier to read online, and archived versions of the report dating back to 2006.

“Our 2010 report contains more of the information anglers ask us for: Where the big fish are, where the best action is, and what they can expect from their favorite fishing hole,” says Karl Scheidegger, a Department of Natural Resources fish biologist who leads DNR’s fisheries’ outreach efforts and was the report’s primary editor and graphic designer.

Scheidegger hopes that after reading the report, anglers will take a few minutes to answer a short online survey. “We're always looking for ways to improve the report,” he says. “Let us know what you think and how we can make it even better.”

Lake Michigan Outdoor Fishing Report

Southern Lake Michigan Fishing Report: March 22, 2010

Kenosha Co.
In Kenosha flows on the Pike River are good, but steelhead fishing has been rather slow. In the harbor anglers are catching a few steelhead and browns on white tube jigs or spawn sacs.

Racine Co.
In Racine water levels and clarity on the Root River are good. Fair numbers of steelhead and browns have been found throughout the river, and most have been taken on spawn sacs or small tube jigs. Fly anglers have had the most success with woolley buggers and egg imitations. The Root River Steelhead Facility is running, and the first fish processing day will most likely be on Thursday, March 25. Fishing in the Racine harbor has been slow.

Milwaukee Co.
In Milwaukee anglers fishing the Milwaukee River along the wall under the Hoan bridge have been catching a few browns and rainbows. Spawn and small shiners have produced the most fish. Flows are good on the Menomonee River and Oak Creek, and some steelhead have been taken from both. In the Milwaukee River anglers have been catching fair numbers of steelhead on yarn flies at Kletzsch Park. Boaters jigging the gaps in Milwaukee continue to catch lake trout.

Ozaukee Co.
In Port Washington anglers have been catching a few rainbows and browns on spawn both in the north slip and near the power plant discharge. A few steelhead have been taken in upstream stretches of Sauk Creek on yarn flies and spawn sacs.

Sheboygan Co.
In Sheboygan, the water levels on the Sheboygan and Pigeon Rivers are somewhat high but dropping. Anglers on the Sheboygan River have been catching steelhead on spawn sacs at the Kohler dam. A few rainbows and browns have also been caught off the south pier on both spawn sacs and crank baits.

The Southern Lake Michigan Fishing Report is updated twice per week from March 1 to December 1 each year. This report is a copy of the fishing report we post on our fishing hotline at (414) 382-7920.

Green Bay Fishing Report: March 23, 2010

Brown Co.
Boats dominate the waterscape at Voyageur Park. Shore fishermen are casting for walleye with twister tails and Rapalas. Boaters are vertical jigging with lead staying within a foot of the bottom; hooks are tipped with gulp or minnows.

Marinette Co.
The Menominee River from Stephenson Island to the Hattie Street Dam is seeing moderate to heavy pressure. Early mornings and evenings are seeing some walleye being caught using twister tails and Raps. Brown trout are being caught in significant numbers close to the dam casting spoons. Silver/green, silver/orange, and silver/blue in 3/4 oz is working well. The occasional rainbow has also been showing up. All these fish are being being caught in open water.

The Green Bay Fishing Report is updated once a week until October 31, and then again during the ice fishing season.

DNR will have booths at the Northwest Sportshow in Minneapolis

Outdoor enthusiasts can learn about aquatic plants, fishing, hunting, hiking trails, water safety and much more by visiting the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) booths at the 78th Annual Northwest Sportshow, March 24-28, at the Minneapolis Convention Center.

DNR specialists will be available to answer questions at the main DNR booth located in Lobby D. The DNR License Center will be selling state parks stickers, and fishing and hunting licenses.

The DNR Enforcement Division will offer an interactive LaserShot shooting range for youth and adults. The family favorite gives participants a chance to test their skills at one of four shooting simulation stations.

Attendees can also visit the DNR’s invasive species information booth in Lobby C to pick up educational materials and talk with invasive species staff.

Daily admission is $10 for adults 16 and older, and $5 for youth 13-15 years old. Children 12 and younger are admitted for free.

Experimental sunfish regulations extended on portion of Mississippi River

(Minnesota DNR) An experimental regulation limiting anglers to 10 sunfish taken from the Mississippi River adjacent to Houston, Winona and Wabasha Counties will be extended another five years, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has announced.

Continuing the special regulation, which has been in effect since 2001, was supported by 65 percent of anglers participating in a 2009 public input process. The regulation is aimed at maintaining and increasing the number of sunfish longer than seven inches in Pools 5, 5A and 8 of the Mississippi. It will remain in effect until April 1, 2015.

Impacts of the regulation have been difficult to measure due to a threefold increase in sunfish populations during the post-regulation period, and variable climatic conditions that affect angler effort, said Lake City DNR fisheries Manager Kevin Stauffer.

However, information collected during the pre- and post-regulation periods suggests that when sunfish populations are relatively low, angler harvest can significantly reduce numbers of larger sunfish, and that restrictive regulations like this one can protect those populations from excessively high rates of exploitation.

Workshops help adults pass on fishing to a new generation

April 6 session in Milwaukee, others upon request

MILWAUKEE – Adults who love to fish or care about Wisconsin lakes and streams can help pass on a favorite Wisconsin tradition to a new generation by attending a workshop April 6 in Milwaukee or by requesting that a workshop be held in their area.

“Anglers and others can invest in the future of fishing by attending an angler education workshop,” says Department of Natural Resources Secretary Matt Frank. “They’ll get the teaching tools and materials they need to help start a fishing club or bring aquatic education into their classroom.”

Teachers and volunteers use the Department of Natural Resources Angler Education Program to introduce children to basic fishing skills and connect them to Wisconsin's lakes and streams. Adults who attend the workshop receive free materials that they can use to teach their own angler education courses and help guide adventures in local water resource investigations. Fishing equipment and other materials are available for loan to instructors for their programs.

Youth leaders, classroom teachers, fishing club members and civic leaders are encouraged to attend as a team or to form one at the workshop. Demand is increasing for after-school fishing clubs, so this would be a good opportunity for community partners to join forces in helping to provide youth with a healthy pastime, according to Theresa Stabo, DNR aquatic resources educator..

Classroom teachers use activities correlated to Wisconsin's academic standards for science, history, language arts, physical education and other disciplines, Stabo says.

More details about April 6 workshop and how to request one for your area

The Milwaukee workshop runs from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Havenwoods State Forest, 6141 N. Hopkins St., Milwaukee. Adults interested in attending the workshop can download a registration form (pdf) from the DNR Web site and mail it in to Stabo (mailing information on form).

People who are interested in receiving the training to help start their own youth fishing clubs can check the DNR Web site to see if angler education workshops are being planned in their area.

2010 Wisconsin Fishing Report offers latest fishing forecasts, tips for success

MADISON – Time to start planning that first fishing trip for the coming inland fishing season.

The 2010 Wisconsin Fishing Report is now available online and is loaded with fishing forecasts from waters across the state, helping anglers find the kind of fishing experience they most enjoy.

The report is available at Department of Natural Resources service centers and regional offices, and will be inserted in the April edition of the Wisconsin Natural Resources magazine, which may be purchased online.

The regular inland season opens May 1; fishing licenses for the 2010-2011 season are now available online, from license sales agents, and from DNR service centers and regional offices.

“It’s time to get back out on the water,” says DNR Secretary Matt Frank. “We hope our annual Fishing Report can help lure even more people out to enjoy what’s a great Wisconsin tradition and a great activity to do with family and friends.”

The report features 10 pages of forecasts submitted by local fish biologists and technicians, most of whom report the results of recent fish population surveys, habitat improvement projects, and what both will mean for fishing prospects in the coming season.

The report also contains a variety of tips to help anglers improve their success fishing, including articles that will help anglers conquer the Mighty Mississippi, which offers the greatest variety of sport fishes anywhere in Wisconsin and features year-round open season for most of them.

New this year: a “flip book” format that makes the publication easier to read online, and archived versions of the report dating back to 2006.

“Our 2010 report contains more of the information anglers ask us for: Where the big fish are, where the best action is, and what they can expect from their favorite fishing hole,” says Karl Scheidegger, a Department of Natural Resources fish biologist who leads DNR’s fisheries’ outreach efforts and was the report’s primary editor and graphic designer.

Scheidegger hopes that after reading the report, anglers will take a few minutes to answer a short online survey.

“We're always looking for ways to improve the report,” he says. “Let us know what you think and how we can make it even better.”

WCSFO MEETING MINUTES March 20, 2010

President John Durben, Green Bay Area Great Lakes Sport Fishermen, began our meeting at 10:18 a.m.

Secretary and media director Larry Van Veghel, Wisconsin Fishing Club Ltd., read the minutes from our statewide fall meeting. The minutes were approved as read.

Treasurer Cornell Stroik, Wisconsin, The BASS Federation, gave us an excellent breakdown on our treasury transactions. We have $4,782.82 in our checking account and $3,059.76 in our savings account. His report was approved as read.

Director Bureau of Fisheries Management, WDNR, Mike Staggs, told us we have 1.4 million licensed anglers in Wisconsin. We are second in the nation to Florida.

Staggs said there is an intensive fish survey on Lake Puckaway starting this spring. A commercial fisherman’s carp contract was terminated due to killing 2,000 walleyes. Per a DNR estimate, this is 8 to 10% of the walleye population. Due to this crime, the DNR has revised rough fish removal contract procedures, and they are reviewing 2010 proposed contracts.

Our WDNR is helping Illinois with their Asian carp problem. Per Staggs, Asian carp DNA has been found in Waukegan. To urge involvement, Wisconsin’s Attorney General Van Hollen wrote to all Governors and to President Obama regarding the necessity of closing off this river from Lake Michigan. In his letter, he referred to these non-native carp as “large bodied planktivorous invasive fish.”

Staggs stated that the silver carp is the #1 food fish in the world. The #1 food crayfish is the red swamp crayfish, and it has been found in two Wisconsin ponds, one in Germantown and another in Kenosha County. This crayfish is native to Louisiana, and it is larger than the rusty crayfish. It has blue pinchers with red protuberances. The Germantown pond was eradicated on Nov. 12, 2009 and the Kenosha pond will be eradicated ion a few weeks.

VHS has entered Lake Superior. DNA was found by Michigan DNR and Cornell University scientists.

The DNR’s tough 2010 choices are:
• Warm water habitat improvements (-42%),
• Special Studies (-45%),
• Publications (-24%),
• Fewer regulation proposals,
• No trout stamp contests or actual stamps,
• Public outreach activities (-50%),
• Fish kills & unplanned surveys (-75%),
• Surveys/services in counties without biologists &
• Stocking reductions.

Good work to be done in 2010 by the DNR includes:

• All inland walleye, muskellunge, and wild trout stocking,
• All Lake Michigan Chinook and most due this year stockings &
• The Wild Rose Hatchery cool water species (Part 2) is ready to go. No tax money was used to build this hatchery.

Mike Staggs went over the major fish questions on the Spring Rules Hearings. No major changes are being questioned.

Regarding our electronic Newsline, President Durben said to send notices, news and events information to him for posting. As an option, you can also send info to Secretary Van Veghel, should you wish to have it entered on the event calendar or edited before being entered online Newsline by our president/webmaster.

Next, George Meyer, Executive Director of the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation (WWF), said they are working toward getting phosphorous removed from household cleaning chemicals. Phosphorous as an effective fertilizer causes rampant aquatic plant growth.

Mike Arrowwood is the new fisheries person for WWF. He’s on the Walleyes Unlimited U.S.A. board.

Regarding AB 4, it repealed past legislation establishing an early musky season and a ban on barbless hooks for bass.

Per Meyer, the Class A Little Plover River has gone virtually dry in a five mile stretch and Long Lake, in Waushara County, plus Bloody Run Creek have gone dry in summer when irrigation wells are turned on. These pumps do 70 GPM and up.

Some “special interest” groups are erringly bypassing the Wisconsin Conservation Congress and are going directly to the legislature. Meyer said these groups should go through the “Congress” and the Spring Hearings to get proper feedback and a good cross sectional representation. In these cases, it involved turkey and bear hunting seasons, but it could also occur to future fishing seasons.

Meyer commented on money being regulated to use general purpose dollars to the DNR to regulate commercial fishing. Right now, sport fishing money is doing this.

WCSFO members present unanimously voted to support the SB 620 groundwater bill and unanimously to support funding the Wisconsin Commercial Fishery proposal.

The North Lake launch, which was supposed to start being installed this spring, is still having opposition.

Cornell Stroik said tournaments and regulations have not recently been discussed by either of the major statewide bass organizations, as they’ve had elections where new officers were elected. Stroik is also our C.A.S.T. representative. C.A.S.T. educates tournament people about how to ethically run fishing tournaments in Wisconsin.

Our upcoming April 10th 26th annual Kids Fishing Klinics are set for 10 Milwaukee, four Waukesha, one Washington and one Racine County park ponds. Thank you to all volunteers for you contributions.

We ended by being in favor of continuing to produce our “in demand” 48 page Kids Fishing book.
Our annual, statewide fall meeting is scheduled for the third Saturday in October 2010 at the Walleyes for Tomorrow Headquarters in Fond du Lac.

Our meeting ended at 2:20 p.m.

For representation, member clubs must send their delegates. New member clubs, individual members and business members are always welcome.

Respectively submitted,
L.A. Van Veghel

Groundwater Protection Law Important to Protect Right to Hunt, Fish and Trap

Poynette: Whether you are duck hunter on a wind-swept marsh, a trout angler on a coldwater stream, a trapper in a shallow swamp or a bass angler on a small Wisconsin lake, protection of Wisconsin groundwater is extremely important. Sportsmen and women know that over drawing our groundwater resource can and has had a negative impact on Wisconsin lakes, streams and wetlands.

The Wisconsin Wildlife Federation and its 168 affiliate clubs strongly supports SB 620, the Groundwater Protection Act. Additional oversight of groundwater withdrawals is necessary to prevent further unregulated loss of important fish and wildlife habitat.

“Living in Plover, Wisconsin, I have had a first hand opportunity to see the drying-up of the Little Plover River the last five years,” indicated Jerry Knuth, Board Member of the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation. “The Little Plover has joined Long Lake in Waushara County and Bloody Run Creek in Wood County as bodies of water near to where I live that have been largely destroyed by insufficient oversight of pumping from high capacity wells”

“The Legislature had graciously adopted the Constitutional Amendment to hunt, fish and trap in Wisconsin,” stated Don Hammes, Board Member of the Federation. “However our constitutional right to hunt, fish and trap is a mere piece of paper unless the Legislature adopts stronger laws governing the withdrawal of groundwater which is vital to the fish and wildlife habitat in our lakes, streams and wetlands.

The Wisconsin Wildlife Federation strongly endorses SB 620 and encourages its rapid adoption by the Legislature

The Wisconsin Wildlife Federation is the state’s largest conservation organization comprised of 168 hunting, fishing and trapping organizations. The Federation is dedicated to conservation education and the adoption of strong conservation policies.

Webmeister Note: WCSFO unanimously supported this Bill at the recent March 20th Spring Meeting held in Franklin, WI.

Wisconsin Lake Convention March 30-April 1

GREEN BAY -- Lake lovers can hear national experts report on how Wisconsin lakes stack up to other lakes around the country, and get in-depth, hands-on instruction in how to safeguard healthy lakes at the 32nd annual Wisconsin Lakes Convention in Green Bay March 30-April 1.

“We used to look at the center of the lake and judge the whole lake on the quality of the center water,” says Jeff Bode, longtime leader of Department of Natural Resources lakes program, one of the sponsors of the convention.

“We pretty much ignored the shallow water and shoreline. What we’ve come to recognize, and what national study showed, is that both water quality and condition are driven by what happens on the shoreline and shallow water areas of the lake.”

The National Lakes Assessment, a multi-year study that looked at hundreds of lakes nationwide, including about two dozen in Wisconsin, found that 56 percent of lakes nationally were healthy. The leading stressor is poor lakeshore habitat, and such habitat was rated poor in 36 percent of lakes.

Neil Kamman, an environmental scientist with Vermont’s Lakes and Ponds Management Program, will talk about the study and what the results mean for state and national management of lakes.

Convention attendees can select from 15 workshops and participate in any of more than 90 sessions built around lake themes, many of which concentrate on shallow water areas and next to the water.

For example, there will be sessions explaining the new state law banning phosphorus fertilizers for residential use, and a session on organic and low-maintenance options for lawn care. Robert Kirschner, Director of Restoration Ecology at the Chicago Botanic Garden, will talk about native plants that can anchor shorelines against erosion and provide an appealing landscape.

“The Wisconsin Lakes Convention marks the start of the spring season and the learning, sharing and plain hard work that goes into keeping our wonderful lakes safe and sound,” says Bob Korth, longtime lake team leader for UW-Extension in Stevens Point. “Folks claim that more can be learned about lakes at the convention in just a few days than could be gathered with weeks of emails and phone calls.”

The convention is sponsored by the Wisconsin Lakes Partnership, a nationally recognized and successful collaboration of the Wisconsin Association of Lakes, DNR, and the University of Wisconsin-Extension.

Participants can attend, and pay for, all three days or individual days. For full convention details, including online registration and printable registration forms, go to UW-Extensions Lakes Convention Web site at http://www.uwsp.edu/cnr/uwexlakes/conventions/

Meeting to Examine Emerging Challenges for Wisconsin's Water

Madison Marriott West 3/4/2010 —

WHAT: Annual meeting of the American Water Resources Association–Wisconsin Section. Two hundred researchers are expected to attend this year's meeting.

WHEN: March 4-5, 2010

WHERE: Madison Marriott West, 1313 John Q Hammons Drive, Middleton, Wis., (608) 831-2000 www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/msnwe-madison-marriott-west/

AGENDA: The three plenary speakers are:

Marshfield Clinic Research Foundation's Mark Borchardt, who will begin the meeting with a talk on “Groundwater-Borne Viruses and Illnesses Risk: Policy Successes and Failures.”

Paul Kent, an attorney with Anderson & Kent, S.C., who will present a talk entitled “Water Law and Wisconsin.”

Jonathan Patz of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, who will present the closing plenary, “Climate Change: Implications for Wisconsin's Water Quality.”

Throughout the two-day meeting, leading water scientists, resource managers and planners from around the state will present their latest research findings about Wisconsin’s most pressing water issues. Friday morning, March 5, Warren Gebert of the U.S. Geological Survey Wisconsin Water - Resources Science Center will discuss the effectiveness of more than 30 years of stormwater management in Middleton, Wis. Using data from the Pheasant Branch Creek, Gebert and his colleagues found that best management practices used over the last three decades have decreased the annual sediment and phosphorus loads in the creek even as increased urbanization led to higher annual runoff and flood peaks. Since 2002, the annual sediment load has decreased 45 percent and the phosphorus load decreased 48 percent. Other streams draining into Lake Mendota did not show the same decrease, suggesting that Middleton's stormwater management has been largely successful. However, the researchers found that chloride levels from road deicers regularly exceed US EPA standards, a finding echoed in a separate regional and national study that will be presented on Thursday afternoon by Steven Corsi, also of the U.S. Geological Survey Wisconsin Water Resources Science Center.

Following the presentations, at 12:15 p.m. on Friday, March 5, researchers interested in the effects of climate change on Wisconsin's water resources will convene to develop and prioritize water resource management adaptation strategies for the state of Wisconsin that can be applied on local, regional and statewide scales.

A full program and abstracts are available online at http://state.awra.org/wisconsin/2010meeting.html.

BACKGROUND: The Wisconsin Section of the American Water Resources Association provides an interdisciplinary forum for people involved in all aspects of water resources research and management.

The meeting is sponsored by the UW Water Resources Institute, UW-Stevens Point Center for Watershed Science, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey, and the U.S. Geological Survey Wisconsin Water Science Center. The University of Wisconsin Water Resources Institute is one of 54 such institutes nationwide, all focused on addressing problems of water supply and water quality at local, state, regional and national levels.