DNR OUTDOOR REPORT AND FISHING REPORT BELOW

Outdoor Report

April 12, 2018

Winter simply refuses to surrender this year in northern and central Wisconsin. Snow depths range from just a couple inches in central Wisconsin to some areas with still more than 20 inches in the far north. And it doesn’t appear that it is letting up: there is a winter storm warning this weekend with predictions of another 8 to 10 inches in some areas.
The Brule River State Forest and Pattison State Park have continued to maintain ski trails but grooming has ended at all other properties. And a reminder, even if areas do get substantial snow this weekend, snowmobile trails are now closed in all counties. Many trails run on private property through easements that have ended for the season.

Steelhead fishermen on the Bois Brule River April 11, 2018.Photo credit: DNR

Some northern lakes also still have substantial ice cover with 20 inches or more of ice. Lakes are opening up through central Wisconsin and most lakes in the south are open.
Walleye runs are on on both the Wolf and Fox rivers and there has been some great walleye action on the Wolf for the past 10 days. There have still been hundreds of shore anglers and boaters out to catch a trophy walleye on the Fox with one group catching upward of 60 walleye this week. The Oconto River downstream of Stiles Dam is open and the walleye run is currently underway there as well. The number of anglers is slowly beginning to increase along the Menominee and Peshtigo rivers. However, the number of fish being caught is still low.
The ice fishing season is definitely over on the west shore of Green Bay, with ice breaking up and the ice mass shifting and open water visible over the weekend. All Door County boat landings on the Bay side are still locked with ice. There are pockets of open water in some near shore areas but the harbors are still frozen solid. The Sturgeon Bay canal has been producing some northern pike and brown trout for anglers trolling and shore fishing. Boat landings on the Lake Michigan side are all open and a few anglers have been out in search of browns, with a good bite in Baileys Harbor. Steelhead fishing has been picking up with anglers having success fishing spawn sack in local creeks.
On Lake Michigan tributaries anglers were targeting steelhead on the Sheboygan River with reasonable success. Sauk Creek remains low and few steelhead have been reported.
There are 15 fishing clinics [PDF] set for April 14 in southeastern Wisconsin. Kids 15 and under can learn how to fish with clinics run hourly from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Milwaukee, Racine, Washington and Waukesha counties at park ponds stocked with fish.
Turkeys are gobbling, displaying and toms can be seen roaming around all hours of the day in perfect timing for the youth turkey hunt this weekend April 15 and 16, and the start of the spring turkey season on April 19. Hunters still looking for a leftover turkey permit, can check availability on the DNR website searching keyword “turkey.” The hunt this weekend could be a struggle with the cold weather but the upside of our current weather pattern is no reports of ticks out.
Loons and other waterbirds continue to stack up south of Wausau and Green Bay where water bodies are ice free. Raptor migration has been excellent the past few days with many red-tailed hawks, turkey vultures, sharp-shinned hawks, and bald eagles moving north, a few golden eagles, red-shouldered hawks, and ospreys among them.

NOTE:  The Steelhead fishing in the East Twin and West Twin  Rivers has not been very good as of yet, but once this cold weather and snow storms stop, hopefully the suckers and steelhead will start running. If you plan on fishing near the dam on the East Twin River in Mishicot, please be aware that a tree has fallen down and it should be avoided at all cost.  No one wants to get hurt while fishing, so please stay clear until the village crews get a chance to pull it out of the way. Good luck to all of you fishermen. Roger.