Published August 2, 2018 by the Central Office
Clouds, cooler temperatures with highs in the 60s, and some rain was a refreshing change. But temperatures in the 80s are in store again for the coming week.
Continued rain through the last week is keeping water levels up for this time of year and, offering very good paddling. Trout streams also have good water levels due to recent rains.
Fishing pressure remained decent over the past week. Some anglers were having success catching rock bass, walleye, smallmouth bass, catfish, northern pike, and walleye on the Menominee River. A lot of anglers were out this weekend on the lower Oconto River. Some anglers had success catching walleye as well as some perch, and smallmouth bass.
Good numbers of boaters were launching from the western side of lower Green Bay. Catch rates have been up to 30 fish over the past week with the average angler catching around six for half a day out on the water. While out anglers also caught many freshwater drum, catfish, white bass, and white perch. Duck creek and Suamico have seen a considerable increase in fishing pressure over the past week. The majority fishing effort has been toward walleye and yellow perch with some anglers coming back with over 20 fish.
Anglers were out on the Sturgeon Bay shoreline overall this week with many reports of good size perch. There were many smallmouth bass catches late week from shore when the northeast winds returned.
Chaudoir’s Dock fisherman reported catching their personal best walleye, along with a variety of fish, catfish, white bass, yellow perch and freshwater drum.
Fishing pressure on Lake Michigan remained heavy for the majority of the week and into the weekend due to the Kewaunee/Door County salmon tournament. Anglers were out catching rainbow trout, chinook salmon, and a few lake trout, including a 30-pound fish coming from Baileys Harbor.
Trumpeter swans with cygnets and sandhill cranes with colts are being seen at Crex Meadows State Wildlife Area. Grouse coveys and young turkeys are being seen at the Flambeau River State Forest, where bull elk are still in velvet. All velvet should be off by the end of August and bugling will commence. Cow and calf groups are secretive and hanging out in cover. Elk calves are weaning off of the cows and eating more vegetation.
Many park visitors have reported seeing snakes along the trails and lakeshores including garter, western fox, ring necked, red bellied and northern water snakes, all nonvenomous.
Mature prairie fields are reaching their peak blooming period, with cup plan, bergamot, black-eyed susan, butterfly weed, joe-pye weed, and numerous other species in full bloom with dragonflies, damselflies, and butterflies all over during our warm summer days.
Berry picking is good with thimbleberries, raspberries and black berries ready in many areas, but do keep an eye out for your berry picking competition as you venture into the berry patches. Bears and signs of bears have been seen in the last couple weeks.
Horicon Marsh Education and Visitor Center will be hosting an outdoor skills dayon Saturday, August 4 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. No registration is required and this is a free event for all ages. It will include expert dog handlers for obedience and hunting, archery , bird watching, a booth with pelts and traps, certified Hunter Safety Instructors and more.
Also on Saturday, Perrot State Park will be celebrating its centennial with a full day of events and activities. For all events, search the DNR website for Get Outdoors.