The weather did not cooperate Saturday morning of the opening of Wisconsin 2008 game fishing season. Cold conditions statewide with some rain in the south and even some snow in the north put a bit of a damper on fishing. However, conditions improved in the afternoon and on Sunday, and many anglers reported success. Most lakes across the state were free of ice, but some of the larger, deeper lakes in far northern Wisconsin were still ice covered.

Walleye spawning is varied across the north. Spawning in full swing on some of the larger lakes that have just opened but smaller lakes and the flowages are in post spawn feeding patterns. Crappies are reported to be moving in to the shallower warm water. In the south, some good musky action was reported. The walleye bite has been tremendous at the mouth of the Menominee River in Marinette and action was also good on the Wolf River. On the Fox River in Green Bay, a few walleye have been caught, post-spawn, from the dam to the mouth.

Trout anglers found plenty of action on northern streams, with brook trout the most common fish in the bag. Coulee Region trout streams have been inundated with floodwaters and both streams have finally returned to within their banks. Several headwater streams had cleared and were returning to normal.

Green Bay water temperatures were about 51 degrees this week. Walleye action has been good to very good at night. Anglers fishing for smallmouth bass enjoyed success in the back areas of most of the bays. Northern pike continued to be taken along the channel in Sturgeon Bay as well as well as out of Sawyer Harbor and Little Sturgeon.

Along Lake Michigan, brown trout action remained good with anglers trolling Lake Michigan from Baileys Harbor south. Steelhead fishing has slowed considerably on all tributaries of Lake Michigan. In the southeast, trollers have been catching decent numbers of browns out of Sheboygan and Port Washington. In Milwaukee, shore anglers have been catching brown trout and trollers have been catching a few lake trout and chinook.

Mississippi River water levels remain high, with many boat landings under water and not usable, but the river has been on a steady decline and by Monday was at 15.2 feet. Anglers were catching some nice largemouth bass in areas where the water has receded. Other fishing has been slow due to the high water.

Turkey hens are nesting and the first Canada geese goslings have been reported. The spring migration continues, although things appear to be a bit behind schedule due to the intermittent north winds and cool weather. This Saturday, May 10 is International Migratory Birding Day, which celebrates the return of millions of migratory birds from their warm winter habitat in South and Central America, Mexico, the Caribbean, and the southern U.S., to their North American homes. More information about International Migratory Bird Day can be found on the IMBD Web site at www.birdday.org. A number of International Migratory Bird Day activities and related events are being held throughout Wisconsin in May.

Green up is proceeding with many trees already leafed out in the south, and popples budding and red maples putting on a colorful display of blossoms in the north. As a result, wild fire danger has dropped and is currently at moderate across most of the state. Spring wildflowers are slowly making their appearance. Hepatica, spring beauties, wood violets, trout lilies, and harebells are in bloom in the south, with trilliums also starting to bloom. Marsh marigolds and trailing arbutus are blooming in the north. Mushroom hunters have reported limited success so far in search of the elusive morels, with mostly small, gray in color mushrooms found so far.