February 14, 2019
Wisconsin had a series of snowfall across the entire state this week, dropping anywhere from 6 to more than a foot of snow in many locations. With Wisconsin finally completely covered with snow, this should be one of the best weekends of the season for outdoor winter recreation.
Snowmobile trails have reopened through much of central Wisconsin counties and a few southern counties. Trails across the northern half of the state were good to excellent on the Wisconsin Department of Tourism’s Snow Conditions Report (exit DNR). Cross-country ski trails were groomed or will be by the weekend and many properties are reporting ski trail conditions are excellent or good.
After several snowfalls this week, crews have been busy grooming ski trails. Many properties are reporting excellent conditions going into the weekend.Photo credit: DNR
Northern lakes are ice covered with 20-plus inches of ice. With the snowfall the lakes are heavy with snow and travel out on the ice is difficult. There have been a few diehard ice anglers out there fishing for walleye, crappie and perch with not much to show for their efforts.
Fishing on Green Bay slowed some this week with anglers fishing the west shore catching whitefish and a few bonus walleyes. Walleye fishing slowed on the Fox River but some anglers were catching northern pike on the Bay.
Access at many locations along Door County was difficult with snow covering up the chopped ice, though some shove ice still sticks out in further reaches. The best access was at Stone Quarry where folks followed a plowed trail to get access to the northside of the breakwall. Those fishing in 50 to70 feet of water did OK with whitefish and reported ice to be from 15 inches to 2 feet.
The 2019 sturgeon spearing season on Lake Winnebago is expected to last the full 16-days this season, so spearers still have plenty of opportunity to get out on the ice and take part in this unique winter tradition. Through the first five days there have been 193 fish registered from Lake Winnebago. Spearers have been more successful on the Upriver Lakes, registering a total of 220 fish through the first five days of the season. The Upriver Lakes season will likely go through this weekend and potentially into early next week. The highlight of the 2019 sturgeon spearing season has been the 20 fish registered that have weighed 100 pounds or more, the most notable a 171-pound, 85.5-inch sturgeon registered by Jonathan Eiden of Oshkosh on opening day.
Whitetail deer have begun shedding antlers. Predators such as ermine, bobcat, fox and coyote have been spotted as they look for food and mates also during this Valentine breeding season.
All the snowfall brought good numbers of birds to feeders. Large numbers of cardinals were reported, including as many as 45 at a Dodge County feeder as well as few pine siskins and common redpolls among other regular species. Longer day length has initiated some breeding. Singing activity is ramping up for cardinals, black-capped chickadees, house finches, and dark-eyed juncos. Pairs of red-tailed and bald eagles are beginning to bring sticks to old and new nest sites. Great horned owls across the southern half of the state are already incubating eggs.
There will be seven candlelight events this Saturday, along Winterfest at Merrick State Park. Next Tuesday is the full snow super moon, when the moon is at its closed point in its orbit to Earth, making it appear its largest and brightest. Both Horicon Marsh and the Northern Kettles are holding full moon hikes.