Wisconsin Fishing Report 4-8-10 (2 of 2)

[Woody]

Door County - The last part of March brought abnormally warm temperatures to Door County,
however blustery winds of the lake from the Southeast this week caused for much cooler
temperatures. Fishing pressure was minimal to none on Lake Michigan due to the windy conditions,
causing anglers to settle for the Green Bay side of the county. Although the pounding winds limited
fishing on the lake this week, the unique peninsula offered good fishing conditions on Green Bay.
Many anglers were seen at the Stone Quarry north of Sturgeon Bay and the Egg Harbor launch
areas. Trolling for brown trout along the flats of Sturgeon Bay, Little Harbor, and the South shore on
the bay off of Potawatomi State Park yielded some nice fish. Anglers fishing off the Egg Harbor and
Murphy Park piers reported many brown trout sightings and follow ups, but few takers. Fishing off of
Weborg’s point in Fish Creek and the Sister Bay marina have also produced a few browns farther
north. Most anglers were working stick baits and spoons. Walleye fishing in the bay is picking up
with heavy fishing off the train bridge in Sturgeon Bay, with reports of some nice fish being taken
with jerk and stick baits. Many boats were seen working the edges of the shipping channel in the
bay for northern pike with some decent success. Stream fishing was minimal and reports were of
very few fish seen in Hines, Hibbards, and Whitefish Bay Creeks. Water level is very low in all
streams in Door County.

Kewaunee County - The weather this past week was not very cooperative for anglers in the area.
High winds have limited the amount of boats that have been launching from both Kewaunee and
Algoma ramps. A few brown trout were being caught off the Algoma Pier with spoons but have been
very much hit and miss. The lack of rainfall has lead to low levels of water in the Ahnapee and
Kewaunee rivers and has hampered the efforts of anglers seeking steelheads. The smaller streams
in the area also are displaying low levels of water and are making for some difficult fishing. Some
steelheads have been spotted in Stony Creek but have been very skittish due to the high fishing
pressure there. On the Kewaunee River, a few steelheads have been caught behind the zoo with
egg sacs. Although the trout fishing has been slow in the county, suckers have been making up for
that with lots of action. There have been plenty of suckers being caught near Footbridge and near
the bridge behind Bruemmer Zoo. Suckers are also very visible in Silver Creek near Brummerville
and can provide plenty of action.

Oshkosh DNR Service Center area - A blanket of fresh snow greeted fisheries crews April 8 as they
attempted to complete a number of spring surveys. The early spring had crews scrambling to fit
everything in to schedules over the last week after they finished tagging walleye on the Wolf River
on April 1. Crews also tagged some additional walleye over the last few days on Lake Winnebago,
ending up with 10,749 walleye tagged and 875 recaptures for the spring 2010 season. Biologists
use tagging data to estimate annual walleye exploitation rates and population densities.

Sturgeon Spawning Update - Sturgeon began spawning on the upper Fox River at Princeton and
Eureka last weekend on Easter Sunday, April 4. The upper Fox is more of a southern watershed
that warms more rapidly and sturgeon almost always begin spawning there a week or more before
they begin on the Wolf. This first pulse of spawning on the upper Fox is over but will likely be
followed by a second pulse in late April. The sturgeon that spawn in the upper Fox are a separate
sub-population of fish that generally always spawn in the upper Fox, although there are some males
that spawn in both rivers in the same year. The number of sturgeon that spawn in the upper Fox is
relatively small - probably several hundred fish. Historically the numbers were likely much greater,
although the series of locks and dams constructed on the river in the late 1800s disrupted spawning
runs and closed off many of the natural spawning areas. Dams have either been removed or had
fishways built around them, and there is still have a remnant stock that uses the river for spawning.
DNR has also been working with Sturgeon for Tomorrow and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
WATER Institute since 2002 to collect eggs each spring and rear extended growth sturgeon
fingerlings for stocking in the upper Fox River in a long-term effort to rebuild the upper Fox lake
sturgeon spawning stock. Sturgeon spearing license funds are used to tag all of the 500-1000 fish
released annually, and to implant radio and sonic tags in a dozen or more fish each year to study
the behavior and habitat-use of stocked fish. After radio or sonic tagging and tracking a over two
hundred young sturgeon since 2002 we have learned a lot about the movement and habitat use of
fingerling and larger juvenile surgeon in our system including the best time of year to stock young
sturgeon, the seasonal downstream movement of fingerling sturgeon from the rivers into the lakes,
and the vital importance of the Upriver Lakes as a nursery ground for young stock. Sturgeon have
been porpoising at several sites on the Wolf and Embarrass rivers since Easter weekend, but no
spawning has been observed to date. People can see porpoising fish at Bamboo Bend just west of
Shiocton on Highway 54. Prior to and during the spawning period, lake sturgeon exhibit a porpoising
behavior where they come to the surface adjacent to spawning sites and jump out of the water or
sometimes just stick their faces out of the water. Depending on the water temperatures, this activity
may go on for up to two weeks before spawning actually begins at a particular site. Given the nice
snow we received last night and this morning, the water temperatures have begun to drop in the
Wolf River which will delay the start of sturgeon spawning activity from earlier expectations. At this
point I don't expect fish to begin spawning at the earliest until sometime next week - dependant
upon on how fast things warm up after we get through this current spell of cold weather. With any
luck we may see spawning commence close to the same time we open Sturgeon Camp and get our
first Sturgeon Guards out on April 15 - although it could start earlier than April 15 - we'll be watching
closely and will let you know when spawning on the Wolf actually starts.

Walleye Post-Spawn Update - Walleye spawning is pretty much in the books for 2010 and fish are
moving back downstream toward the lakes. Crews are getting tag returns from fish tagged in
spawning areas in Shiocton and north, from New London and all the way down to Oshkosh. The tag
return rate this spring is less than last year though - another indication of the poor bite this spring
due to the large size of the fish in the run this year and the excellent condition of the fish this
following the excellent foraging and fat building conditions the fish had in 2009. Some walleye were
collected this spring to test liver and spleen for the VHS virus, and every fish, both males and
females, was filled with layer upon layer of visceral fat, somewhat unusual for this time of year. Fat
fish don't need to feed as often and subsequently are harder for anglers to catch. The females
ranged from 16 to 29 inches with large groups of fish in the 18 to 20 inch range (large hatches in
2003 and 2004 - first time female spawners) and large numbers of older fish from hatches back to
the mid 1990s. The males ranged from 14 to 24 inches with most of the males from large hatches in
2005 and earlier, as far back as the early 1990s (yes – there are some males in the system that are
pushing 20 years old). Relatively weak hatches in 2006 and 2007 resulted in few of the typical
smaller 13 to 14 inch male spawners being present in this year's spawning stock (also the ones that
bite more readily during the spring run), but hang on to your hats for 2011 and 2012, because
males from the second largest year class on record, 2008, will be invading the rivers over the next
two years in force on their first run up the rivers.

SOUTHEAST REGION - Free fishing clinics for children 15 years and younger will be held Saturday,
April 10, at several lagoons and ponds in Milwaukee, Washington and Waukesha counties. Clinics
will be held every hour beginning at 9 a.m. with the last clinic starting at 2 p.m. Members of local
fishing clubs organize the clinics, and instruction includes fishing techniques, equipment use, knot
tying, safety rules and fish identification. The Department of Natural Resources and the Milwaukee
County House of Correction Fish Hatchery will stock fish in the urban waters before the kids’ clinics
are held. Fishing equipment is provided, but bring your own rod and reel if possible. Adult anglers
are reminded that from March 14 through April 24, urban fishing waters are restricted to fishing by
juveniles 15- years-old and younger and certain disabled anglers. Urban fishing waters are small
lakes and ponds under 25 acres that are intensively and cooperatively managed with a municipality.
The 2010 – 2011 fishing regulations list urban waters with these special regulations. The rule is
designed to give young anglers and persons with disabilities an opportunity to fish close to home
before competition from adults limits their chances to catch fish.

Harrington Beach State Park - Quarry Lake and Puckett’s Pond are open for fishing. Please
remember that these bodies of water are part of the Urban Fishing program. The special
regulations on designated urban waters in the Southeast Region are: a year round season, no
length limits, and a special season (March 13 thru April 23,) for juveniles 15 years of age and
younger and certain disabled anglers. Please see page 20 of your Fishing Regulations for 2010 –
2011.

Sheboygan County - In Sheboygan, fishing on the Pigeon River has been slow, but anglers on the
Sheboygan have been catching steelhead near the Kohler dam. Spawn, flies, and stickbaits have
taken fish. A few rainbows and browns have also been caught off the south pier on spawn sacs and
crank baits.

Ozaukee County - – In Port Washington a few browns and rainbows have been taken on shiners off
the pier. Shore anglers fishing near the power plant have also been catching browns and rainbows;
and spawn, flies, and wax worms have all taken fish. Boaters have been catching lake trout just
outside the Port Washington harbor. Fish have been 35 feet down and hitting spoons.

Milwaukee County - In Milwaukee anglers fishing the Milwaukee River along the wall under the Hoan
bridge have been catching a few browns and rainbows, as well as perch. Spawn and small shiners
have produced the most fish. In the Milwaukee River anglers have been catching fair numbers of
steelhead on yarn flies at Kletzsch Park. A few steelhead are still being taken out of Oak Creek and
the Menomonee River, but numbers have been diminishing. Boaters jigging in and around the gaps
in the Milwaukee harbor continue to catch lake trout.

Racine County - In Racine the Root River is holding good numbers of steelhead. Upstream of the
Root River Steelhead Facility, most fish have been concentrated below the Horlick dam, but fair
numbers can also be found in Colonial Park. Downstream of the steelhead facility most fish have
been taken in Lincoln Park. Flies in egg patterns have been productive, as well as woolly buggers
and small black stoneflies. Suckers are abundant in the river. Fish were processed at the Root
River Steelhead Facility on Monday, April 5. Both Chambers Creek and Ganaraska eggs were
taken, and 148 more steelhead were passed upstream, for a total of 331 this season. The next
processing day will be Monday, April 12.

Kenosha County - In Kenosha steelhead fishing on the Pike River has been rather slow. In the
harbor anglers are catching a few steelhead and browns on white tube jigs or spawn sacs.

SOUTH CENTRAL REGION - Wyalusing State Park - The Mississippi River dropped 0.1 foot
overnight with the current level at 13.6.

WEST CENTRAL REGION - Willow River State Park - Anglers have been catching bluegills in area
near the dam. Trout anglers have water level and clarity usually not seen this time of year

La Crosse DNR Service Center area - Water levels on the Mississippi River are continuing to drop,
which should improve fishing action in the La Crosse Area. Perch fishing action was good to
excellent for the past couple weeks but has been slowing down in recent days as the perch move off
their spawning beds. Walleye fishing action has been moderate, but should improve over the next
couple of weeks. Northern pike and bass fishing action has been good to excellent and should only
improve in coming weeks.